Baseball: Fox Valley All-Area team

Mike Addante JacobsA repeat all-area selection committed to Nebraska, this senior missed 23 days at midseason due to a grade-one MCL sprain. Otherwise, he was his usual productive self. The speedy center fielder batted .321 (25-for-78). Of his 25 hits, 15 went for extra bases (9 doubles, 3 triples, 3 home runs), leading to a .628 slugging percentage. Addante drove in 23 runs in 24 games and scored 18 times. "He was a sparkplug for us," Jacobs coach Jamie Murray said. "He had incredible value to our team and he was well-respected by his teammates, who loved him and looked up to him. He's a quiet competitor. Not a big vocal guy. He does it more by his actions."

Glenn Albanese BataviaA repeat all-area selection committed to Louisville, this 6-foot-6, 225-pound senior once again cut a formidable swath through the Upstate Eight Conference. The right-hander went 4-0 with a 1.65 earned-run average, thanks in part to outstanding control. In 34 innings he struck out 51 and walked only 13. He held opponents to 23 hits for a 1.06 WHIP. At the plate Albanese finished with Batavia's second-highest average, batting .352 (37-for-105) with 6 doubles, 2 triples and a team-best 23 RBI. "Glenn was a great leader for us on the mound and at the plate," Batavia coach Alex Beckmann said. "Every time he stepped on the mound we had a chance to beat anyone, and our team fed off that. Glenn was asked to do a lot of things for us this year. He played five different positions for us, worked hard and pushed his teammates to get better."

Michael Bieterman Aurora Central CatholicThis three-year varsity catcher helped Aurora Central Catholic win 22 of 32 games. A 6-foot-2, 195-pound senior committed to Southern Illinois, Bieterman showcased his skills at the plate and behind it. He posted a batting/on-base/slugging line of .425 (39-for-92)/.496/.531, good for a 1.027 OPS. He flashed power with 6 doubles, a triple, 6 home runs and batted .474 with runners in scoring position to finish with 36 RBI. He finished with a .969 fielding percentage after limiting his errors to 6 in 191 total chances with 159 putouts. He allowed only 4 passed balls in 188 innings, picked off 4 runners and threw out 14 of 24 would-be base stealers. In 15⅔ innings on the mound, he went 1-0 with a save and struck out 24. "Michael had a terrific season in all three phases of the game," said ACC coach Sean Bieterman, Michael's half brother. "He took his offensive game to a new level. I was truly blessed to get an opportunity to coach him over the past three years."

Luke Calabrese KanelandKaneland coach Brian Aversa said this 5-foot-11, 180-pound senior catcher deserves to be Kaneland's all-area representative after batting .380 (41-for-108) for a team that won 20 games. A right-hander committed to Rose-Hulman (Ind.), Calabrese led the Knights in doubles (10) and runs (29). He also hit 2 home runs and drove in 20 runs. He was walked 8 times and was hit by 7 pitches, adding to a .438 on-base percentage. His .985 on-base-plus-slugging percentage (OPS) was tops among Kaneland regulars.

Noah Davison GenevaFirst-year Geneva coach Brad Wendell called this 6-foot-1, 185-pound senior "a workhorse for our team" after he set a new school record with 17 starts in a season. The right-hander finished with 9 victories against 4 losses. He posted a 2.14 ERA by limiting opponents to 17 earned runs in 55⅔ innings. He struck out 57, walked 17 and allowed 45 hits (1.114 WHIP). Limited to 54 at-bats, Davison swatted a team-high 3 home runs to go with 2 doubles and a triple. He batted .296 (16-for-54) and slugged .537 en route to being named all Upstate Eight River.

Tanner Dissell Aurora ChristianThis senior catcher was among the smoothest cylinders in the hardworking offensive engine of a Class 1A sectional finalist. He smacked 12 doubles, 2 triples, drove in 34 runs, drew 5 walks and struck out only 4 times in 98 plate appearances. The multisport athlete batted .451 (41-for-91), tops among a group of four Eagles to hit .400 or better. "Tanner was at the top of that group," Aurora Christian coach Andy Zorger said. "He also came on as one of our better pitchers toward the end of the year." The 6-foot right-hander went 4-0 in with a 1.52 earned-run average in 27⅔ innings. He struck out 25 and issued 3 walks.

Andrew Engelking Crystal Lake SouthThis 6-foot-2, 170-pound right-hander scored the biggest victory in CL South history to date on Monday when he limited 2016 Class 4A runner-up Mundelein to 5 hits in a 6-2 victory. A senior, Engelking (8-0) enters the state finals in Joliet with a 1.84 earned-run average and a team-best 54 strikeouts in 68⅓ innings. He has issued 16 walks. Committed to St. Xavier, he is a student of the game who understands its strategy, according to his coach. "Andrew's leadership and preparation for games is top notch," Crystal Lake South coach Brian Bogda said. "He does a great job studying charts and sharing information with other pitchers. On days he is not pitching he often has insight about how other teams are pitching our hitters."

Sam Faith St. Charles NorthA senior third baseman committed to Missouri State, Faith delivered consistently for a team that won the Upstate Eight River and a regional title. Hitting cleanup, the 6-foot-3, 195-pound switch hitter batted .468 (44-for-94) with 8 doubles, 2 triples, 4 home runs and 41 RBI. He was walked 20 times and beaned by 5 pitches, adding to a .566 on-base percentage. He slugged .723 and finished with a 1.289 OPS. "Pound for pound he might have had the best season ever in our history," St. Charles North coach Todd Genke said. "He had so many big hits for us this year and he was an RBI machine with 41 in 94 at-bats. Teams tried to pitch around him and it didn't work. It seemed like he had 2 hits in every game."

Brian Fuentes Crystal Lake SouthThis transfer student from Venezuela has provided the thunder throughout Crystal Lake South's march to the Class 4A state finals. The 5-foot-10, 180-pound senior swings a powerful bat. Of his 52 hits, 27 have been for extra bases. His area-best 20 doubles, triple and 6 home runs translate to a .793 slugging percentage. His 17 steals in 22 attempts have led to 37 runs scored. Fuentes paces the Gators with 48 RBI. He bats .448 (52-for-116) but that average rises to .571 with runners in scoring position. "Brian has been a great addition to our lineup this season," Crystal Lake South coach Brian Bogda said. "Brian's ability to drive in runs and come up big in clutch situations has been a great asset to our team. He is a tremendous young man who always has a positive attitude."

Nate Gomez South Elgin The honorary captain of the 2017 Fox Valley All-Area Team, Gomez (6-0, 165) made his presence felt on the mound and at the plate. The junior right-hander notched regular-season wins against two No. 1 sectional seeds this season - Huntley (31-7) and St. Charles North (30-5) - not to mention a victory over No. 2 seed St. Charles East (22-11). His season highlight was a repeat win against St. Charles North, a 1-0 sectional semifinal victory in which he lasted 6⅓ innings, struck out 8 and walked a pair. That performance lowered his ERA to 0.66 in 42⅔ innings. He finished the season with 62 strikeouts and 17 walks. At the plate he was one of the area's toughest outs, finishing his second full varsity season with a .430 batting average (37-for-86), 9 doubles, 3 home runs and 25 RBI. He scored 28 runs and drew 10 walks. The right-handed hitter struck out 5 times in 103 plate appearances. A natural athlete, he has spent the last two autumns playing quarterback for the football team. "He hasn't come close to reaching his full potential yet," South Elgin coach Jim Kating said. "He still has a very high ceiling."

Erik Hedmark Dundee-CrownThis junior committed to Northern Illinois was a force on the mound, in the field and at the dish in his third varsity season. Hitting second, he posted a .326 batting average (30-for-92) with 5 doubles and 14 RBI. His average jumped to .500 with runners in scoring position. Hedmark drew 22 walks in 116 plate appearances, stole 12 bases in 13 attempts and scored 20 runs. In 53⅔ innings on the mound over 11 games (9 starts), the 6-foot, 184-pound left-hander went 4-4 with a team-low 2.35 earned-run average. He struck out 66 and walked 18. "He was outstanding for us," Dundee-Crown coach Matt Mueller said. "He was our No. 1 on the mound and got all the tough matchups. At the plate he drove our offense. He played great first base for us and was probably our best outfielder as well. He's just a smart, good ballplayer."

Niko Klebosits St. Charles EastThis versatile player was a key reason the Saints won twice as many games (22) as they lost (11). The 6-foot-3, 170-pound senior committed to Black Hawk College delivered with his left arm and his bat. He started 10 games on the mound and finished 7-2, notching 63 strikeouts in 55.2 innings. Opponents managed just 14 earned runs against him (1.79 ERA) on 44 hits and 16 walks, which translates to a 1.098 WHIP. A left-handed hitter, Klebosits batted .301 (28-for-93) with 5 doubles and 20 RBI. He reached base in 43.2 percent of 119 plate appearances, boosted by 21 walks against only 8 strikeouts. "I thought he had a real solid year for us both on the mound and at the plate," St. Charles East coach Len Asquini said. "

Kyle Lang Crystal Lake SouthThis 6-foot-3, 160-pound right-hander possesses nerves of steel, evidenced by an 8-3 regional final victory over Grant and a 6-2 sectional final win against Fox Valley Conference champion Huntley. Lang (9-0) enters the state finals with a 1.18 earned-run average. In 65⅓ innings he has issued 18 walks and mixed speeds well enough to strike out 51. "Kyle, arguably, has made the most improvement from last spring to this spring," Crystal Lake South coach Brian Bodga said. "He is only a junior and he is continuing to grow and develop into one of the area's best pitchers. Kyle's ability to mix speeds and pitch deep into games is what has made him a valuable part of our pitching staff this season."

Matt McCumber Cary-GroveCool, calm, collected and committed to Northern Illinois, this 6-foot-4, 180-pound senior named Cary-Grove's pitching MVP doesn't wear his emotions on his sleeve. The right-hander went 6-1 in 12 appearances (11 starts) with a 1.26 earned-run average and 61 strikeouts. In 55⅔ innings he issued 16 bases on balls and held opponents to 44 hits, resulting in a 1.08 WHIP. It was difficult to tell from McCumber's lack of facial expressions whether the Trojans were leading or trailing, though with him on the mound they led more often than not. "He had command of all three of his pitches," Cary-Grove coach Don Sutherland said, "and he had the temperament that all good pitchers have and that's a calm competitiveness."

Brandon McPherson MarmionA repeat all-area selection who wants to play both baseball and football in college, this 6-foot-3, 210-pound junior continues to impress on the diamond. The right-handed pitcher held the mighty offenses of Chicago Catholic League opponents St. Rita, St. Laurence and Mt. Carmel to 2 earned runs combined in 15⅔ innings. He enters the state finals with a 1.21 earned-run average. In 52 innings McPherson has allowed 32 hits and 32 walks (1.23 WHIP) while striking out 75. He has yielded 9 earned runs in 10 appearances, 6 starts. "On the mound he just continues to develop and show that he's a top-caliber kid," Marmion coach Frank Chapman said. "Playing in the CCL, one of the best conferences, he's still dominant. And he's really been coming on strong lately at the plate." McPherson is a .323 hitter (31-for-96) with 5 doubles, a home run and 13 RBI.

Tyler Mettetal St. Charles NorthThis senior bound for South Carolina returned to the lineup this spring after missing the bulk of his junior season due to Tommy John surgery. While splitting his time defensively between first base and left field, Mettetal (6-foot-1, 200 pounds) batted third and hit .359 (33-for-92) with 10 doubles, a triple, a home run and 21 RBI. The left-handed batter drew 11 walks and scored 33 runs for a team that won conference and regional titles. "He struggled early on and put a lot of pressure on himself, but he got hot down the stretch and started getting hits in bunches," St. Charles North coach Todd Genke said. "That helped the guys in the lineup around him."

Zach Mettetal St. Charles NorthThis 6-foot-1, 185-pound shortstop committed to Memphis goes down as one of the most accomplished players to come through St. Charles North. A repeat all-area selection, Mettetal's teams won 122 games in his four varsity seasons, including three conference titles, four regional titles and the 2016 Class 4A third-place trophy. The senior led North to a 30-5 record and the Upstate Eight River title in 2017 by batting .387 with 7 doubles, 2 triples, 2 home runs and 31 RBI. He swiped 12 bases, drew 11 walks and struck out just 4 times in 124 plate appearances. His on-base percentage (. 452) and slugging (. 547) resulted in a .999 OPS. "I think he's one of the best players in the state," St. Charles North coach Todd Genke said. "He was a coach's best friend: a leader on the field. He made me a better person and a better coach by having the opportunity to coach him. He's special."

Clay Milas Burlington CentralThis senior second baseman and leadoff hitter sparked a team that went 28-10 and advanced to a Class 3A sectional final. The 5-foot-11, 177-pound second baseman committed to Elgin Community College batted .398 (51-for-128) with 9 doubles, 3 triples and 2 home runs. He drove in 24 runs and scored a team-best 38, partly because he reached base in 45.5 percent of his at-bats and partly due to his speed. He swiped 26 bats in 28 tries. "For two years it was great being able to write his name at the top of the lineup and always get big plays from him" Central coach Kyle Nelson said. "This year he developed his power game a bit. He learned to turn on the ball more and pulled the ball." Milas was also tough on the mound. He went 4-2 in 8 appearances, 3 starts. He forged a 2.01 earned-run average in 31⅓ innings, struck out 24 and walked 11.

Kyle Morgan HuntleyOne of many talented pitchers to lead Huntley to the Fox Valley Conference title and a sectional final appearance, this 6-foot-3, 170-pound junior left-hander posted a 1.73 earned-run average and 4-2 record in 9 starts. Morgan struck out 45 and walked 15 in 48⅔ innings. He closed Huntley's sectional semifinal win over McHenry with 3 scoreless innings to earn his second save. "Kyle got some impressive wins in our conference championship season," Huntley coach Andy Jakubowski said. "He has a lot of upside. He has a live fastball, his curveball has gotten tighter and his changeup has improved."

Josh Noeska Burlington CentralThis 6-foot-3, 165-pound senior took the steam out of opponents with his live arm and lively bat. A .411 hitter (44-for-107), the center fielder blasted his only 2 home runs of the season in a 9-5 victory over Sterling in a sectional semifinal. He also belted 10 doubles, drove in 26 runs, drew 26 walks in 135 plate appearances, stole 6 bases in 7 tries and scored 31 runs. Noeska (6-1) posted a 3.02 earned-run average in 55⅔ innings. He struck out a team-best 54 batters and walked 21. "He's made great strides," Central coach Kyle Nelson said. "All season he's hit the ball on the screws and he competes against the better pitchers we've faced. He's still got a lot of growing left to do, so I think his best baseball days are still ahead of him." Noeska will continue his development at Elgin Community College.

Tyler Pennington Cary-GroveCary-Grove High School's two-time athlete of the year will play football at Arkansas this fall as a walk on. He's a pretty good baseball player, too. The three-time all-area selection and Cary-Grove co-captain was named MVP of a 24-win team. A left-handed hitter who throws right-handed, Pennington batted .449 (40-for-89) with 7 doubles, a triple, 6 home runs and 36 RBI. His average jumped to .559 with runners in scoring position. In 120 plate appearances the senior catcher drew 22 walks, was hit by 8 pitches, scored 25 runs and struck out only 6 times. He finished with a .583 on-base percentage and slugged .753, giving him an area-best 1.336 OPS. "He is a complete offensive player, high average, good power and very effective in RBI situations," Cary-Grove coach Don Sutherland said. "Defensively, he was very good at calling games.

Joey Pepper Harvest Christian AcademyNamed Class 1A All-State by the Illinois High School Baseball Coaches Association, this junior pitcher and utility man helped the Lions win 29 games and their second straight regional title. On the mound the right-hander finished 7-1 with a 2.21 ERA and 1.18 WHIP. In 38 innings he struck out 39 and walked 6. A dual threat, He batted .457 (53-for-116) with 13 doubles and a triple, coaxed 10 walks and struck out 10 times in 133 plate appearances. Pepper didn't miss many opportunities. He drove in 51 runs in 35 games by batting .493 with runners in scoring position. "When you have 51 RBIs in 35 games you're really swinging the bat and doing some good things," Harvest Christian Academy coach Jeff Halter said. "He was a quiet leader that did whatever we asked of him and did it in a professional, leading manner, which is nice to have on a young team."

Quinn Priester Cary-GroveNo underclassman made a bigger splash in his varsity debut than this 6-foot-3, 185-pound sophomore committed to Texas Christian. Armed with a low-90s fastball made more effective by a sharp curve and a hard-to-hit changeup, Priester (4-2) posted a 1.13 earned-run average in 11 appearances (9 starts) over 49.2 innings. The right-hander limited opponents to 22 hits and 22 walks for an impressive .926 WHIP. He led the Trojans with 71 strikeouts. He is also quarterback of the football team. "Quinn is a complete pitcher with command of his three pitches," Cary-Grove coach Don Sutherland said. "He is very athletic with a great work ethic that makes him a very effective two-way player." Priester batted .276 (21-for-76) with 5 doubles and a home run.

Cam Reed HuntleyHuntley's closer a year ago, this right-hander committed to Luther College stepped into the starting rotation as a senior and led the way to a Fox Valley Conference title and a sectional final appearance. Reed (6-0, 145) finished 8-0 in 10 starts, including a 5-inning no-hitter against Rockford Boylan on March 29. He posted a 0.69 earned-run average in 50⅔ innings, struck out 49 and issued 21 walks. He helped the Red Raiders close in on the FVC title on May 13 with 7 shutout innings against eventual state qualifier Crystal Lake South in a game Huntley won 2-1 in eight innings. "To go 8-0 against the kind of nonconference and conference schedule we played shows the type of season he had," Huntley coach Andy Jakubowski said. "He's fearless with his fastball and he has a curveball to go with it."

Jesse Rico StreamwoodNo player made a bigger year-over-year improvement than Streamwood's center fielder. Rico batted just .205 in 73 at-bats as a junior but he turned it around in his senior season by batting .481 (38-for-79). He swatted 11 doubles, a triple, a home run and drove in 14. He led the Upstate Eight River by batting .500 in conference games (26-for-52). The speedy leadoff man helped the Sabres to a winning record (16-15) by pacing his team in hits, walks (22), steals (18), runs (39) and on-base percentage (. 606). His OPS of 1.289 was best among the 27 teams in the Fox Valley area. "It's not too often you see someone make a 300-point improvement," Streamwood coach Ryan LaSota said. "He was white hot down the stretch. Pretty much every time he came up it felt like he was getting a hit." Rico (2-0, 1.26 ERA) pitched 16⅔ innings, highlighted by a 3⅓-inning scoreless stint in a regional semifinal victory over St. Francis in which he struck out 7.

Jack Stancl South Elgin This right-hander's competitive approach carried him to a 7-2 record in 15 appearances, 9 starts. The 6-foot-2, 200-pound senior led the Storm to Upstate Eight Valley and sectional titles by pacing a deep pitching staff with 54 innings. He finished with a 1.43 earned-run average and 1.07 WHIP, struck out 43 and walked 21. He also notched 3 saves, including a pressurized finish against top seed St. Charles North in a sectional semifinal. Three days later Stancl threw 6 innings of 3-hit ball with 5 strikeouts in a sectional final win over Willowbrook. "A very competitive kid," South Elgin coach Jim Kating said. "You never have to worry about him getting up for a game and not being prepared. He'll give you as much as he has for as long as he can."

Chase Stanke MarmionThis junior catcher committed to Arkansas is an on-field leader whose guiding presence helped Marmion advance to the Class 3A state finals in Joliet. A 6-foot-2, 185-pound left-handed hitter who throws right-handed, Stanke has erased 22.5 percent of baserunners attempting to steal and has 2 pickoffs to his credit. Marmion's coaching staff entrusts pitch calling to the veteran catcher, who handles a staff with a 3.23 earned-run average. That same staff has limited 6 playoff opponents to 4 earned runs. He also manages the defense. "He's a leader," Marmion coach Frank Chapman said. "When we need a big hit from one of the guys in the middle of the order, he makes his presence felt. He is really a difference maker."

Adam Walker South ElginThis senior committed to Webster University was a big reason Upstate Eight Valley champion South Elgin flourished in the playoffs. The 6-foot-2, 185-pound first baseman took the mound for the first time a week before the season ended simply overpowered opponents thereafter. Walker did not allow a run in 13⅔ innings spread across 4 appearances from May 17-June 5, a stretch in which he struck out 23 and issued a lone walk. He was a consistent force at the plate all season long, batting .461 (35-for-76) with 7 doubles and 3 home runs. He drove in 24 runs and scored 16 times. He drew 8 walks and was beaned twice to raise his on-base percentage to .523. He slugged .671 to finish with a 1.194 OPS. "Adam showed a lot of potential over the last two years and last summer as to what he could do both hitting and on the mound," South Elgin coach Jim Kating said. "I was excited about what we got from him all year and particularly on the mound for the last three weeks."

Ian Wilson Elgin AcademyNamed Class 1A All-State by the Illinois High School Baseball Coaches Association, this repeat all-area selection led the Hilltoppers to their first conference crown since 1993 and their second straight regional title. A 6-foot-2, 185 pound senior committed to Oglethorpe University in Atlanta, he batted .453 (34-for-75) with 13 doubles, a triple, 4 home runs and 30 RBI. Of Wilson's 34 hits, 18 went for extra bases, good for a slugging percentage of .808. He drew 13 walks, reached base in 57.6 percent of his 99 plate appearances, swiped 15 bases in 16 tries and scored 30 runs. "Ian's leadership and beast mode attitude helped put the 2017 Elgin Academy baseball team on the map as a program of success," Hilltoppers coach Steve Shapiro said.

Honorable mention

Aurora Central Catholic - Johnny Belskis, sr., SS

Aurora Christian - Eric Hernandez, jr., OF; MJ Stavola, so., OF

Bartlett - Martin Moreno, sr., SS; Max Smithberg, sr., P

Batavia - Quinn O'Brien, sr., IF

Burlington Central - Ryan Knowlton, jr. 3B/1B; David Lauber, sr., OF/P

Cary-Grove - Mike Eleftheriou, sr., P; Ryan Ignoffo, jr., IF;

Crystal Lake South - Griffin Bright, sr., 2B/OF; Ryan Parquette, sr., C

Elgin Academy - Jonathan Cruz, sr., P/SS; Jordan Hare, jr., C

Geneva - Sean Sinisko, jr., P

Harvest Christian - Zach Pawelek, jr., P/OF

Huntley - Noah Konie, sr., P/1B; Nick Laxner, jr., P; Brad Model, sr., P/OF; Adam Smylie, sr., P/1B

Jacobs - Adam Kale, sr., OF; Justin Lavrisa, jr., P

Kaneland - Robbie Dudzinski, jr. P/1B

Larkin - Gunnar Boley, jr., P/IF

Marmion - Bobby Pierce, sr., OF

St. Charles East - John DelloStritto, jr., SS/3B

St. Charles North - Anthony Delisi, sr., 2B; Ryan Litavecz, sr., P

South Elgin - Bryant Diel, sr., OF; Dylan Wells, sr., P

Streamwood - Adam Sojda, sr., OF/P

West Aurora - Dustin Tomas, jr., P

Westminster Christian - Tyler Schoemann, sr., P/1B

- All-Area capsules by Jerry Fitzpatrick