advertisement

State champs highlight a look back at 2017 in the Fox Valley

With apologies to Batavia's newly crowned Class 7A state championship football team that adopted the one more week slogan - my version is one more column this year.

As the 52nd week of the calendar year approaches, let's take a look back at a memorable 2017 for Fox Valley area athletics.

We are the champions: Led by Daily Herald Fox Valley All-Area Honorary Captain Tommy Stuttle, Batavia's football team captured the Class 7A state championship during a thrilling 21-14 overtime victory over previously unbeaten Lake Zurich in DeKalb.

Rebounding from a regular-season ending loss to St. Charles North, the Bulldogs responded with a 21-7 first-round win over Glenbard North before come-from-behind victories over Wheaton North (20-17 in OT), Lincoln-Way West (20-10) and Benet Academy (23-13) on their way to the title contest.

Against Lake Zurich, the Bulldogs survived a late 35-yard field goal miss by the Bears before quarterback Riley Cooper (28 of 42, 295 yards) connected with Stuttle on a 10-yard touchdown pass in overtime.

After forcing Bears quarterback Evan Lewandowski to throw 4 consecutive incompletions from the 10-yard line, coach Dennis Piron's Bulldogs captured their second state football crown in 5 years (Class 6A in 2013).

One week earlier, Rosary's girls swim team earned its third straight state title by a 169-138.5 margin over runner-up Oswego East in Winnetka.

Led by its first-place 200-yard medley relay team, coach Bill Schalz's squad relied on superior depth to build its point total.

"We have so many talented swimmers that we end up killing you with depth," said Schalz.

In June, Crystal Lake South's baseball team captured its first state championship with an 8-3 victory over Edwardsville in the Class 4A title game at Joliet Slammers Stadium.

Junior Noah Tyrrell, who entered the tourney with a respectable .351 batting average and no home runs with 16 RBI, went 5-for-9 with 2 home runs, a triple and 9 RBI in two victories.

"I was just more relaxed, I feel like," said Tyrrell.

In the Gators' 9-3 semifinal victory over New Trier, Tyrrell belted a 3-run, first-inning home run while fellow junior right-hander Kyle Lang pitched a complete game.

Last March, Geneva (29-4) earned the Class 4A girls basketball state championship with its heart-pounding 41-40 title triumph over Edwardsville at Redbird Arena in Normal.

Junior guard Stephanie Hart's offensive rebound putback with 3.2 seconds remaining accounted for the game-winning basket.

"The ball slipped through Grace's (Loberg) hands and landed in mine," said Hart. "I tossed it up there and it rolled around the rim a little bit but fell in. It was that perfect moment."

One night earlier, coach Sarah Meadows' Vikings had escaped with a 35-34 semifinal victory over Fremd on Margaret Whitley's buzzer-beating bank shot.

The list of individual state champions included Elgin's Nolan Williamson - gymnastics all-around (54.65); Cary-Grove's Luka Sisauri - high bar (9.25); West Aurora's DaVion Cross - track long jump (23-11.25) and Camron Donatlan - high jump (7-0); Batavia's 4x200 relay (1:27.01); West Aurora's tennis doubles duo of Elizabeth Stefancic and Maria Goheen; Aurora Central Catholic's Abby Flores - girls track 800 (2:12.37); and West Aurora's Dajour Miles - girls track 400 dash (54.75).

In February, Burlington Central junior Austin Macias became the program's first state wrestling champion with his come-from-behind 10-7, 126-pound victory over Washington's Tyler Delaware in Class 2A action.

Meanwhile, Aurora Christian freshman Cameron Johnson claimed the 106-pound state title.

'Fall'ing Stars: This fall, the buzzword was winning at St. Charles North.

While the football team captured its first Upstate Eight Conference River Division title in 13 years with a 35-28, Week-9 triumph over eventual 7A state champion Batavia, the North Stars' boys soccer and girls volleyball teams advanced to the state finals before returning home with fourth-place showings.

Led by seniors Peter Willis, Jake Persenico and Bernard Elegbede, coach Eric Willson's soccer team captured its first PepsiCo title while finishing with a 16-4-4 record.

GiGi Crescenzo, Abby Graham, Katie Lanz and Amanda Parker helped lift coach Lindsey Hawkins' volleyball team to its best finish in school history (37-5) and the program's first state trophy.

Junior Megan Furtney (8th place individually) guided North's girls golf team to a fourth-place state finish while sophomore Will Myhre (2nd in 100 breast, 3rd in 200 IM) led North's boys swim squad to an eighth-place state showing.

Milestones: Last January, ACC guard Brett Czerak became the school's all-time leading boys basketball scorer in a 60-59 win over St. Edward. Czerak finished his career with 1,843 points.

Larkin's Marlee Kyles capped her prep career with 2,039 points, becoming the eighth girl in the Daily Herald Fox Valley coverage area to top the 2,000-point mark.

In March, St. Charles East's Len Asquini (371-158-1) became the school's winningest baseball coach with the Saints' 4-2 victory over Barrington - his 351st.

Geneva's Grace Loberg and Jacobs' Cam Krutwig finished their prep careers as 1,000-point, 1,000-rebound performers.

Craig Brueske can be reached at csb4k@hotmail.com

Article Comments
Guidelines: Keep it civil and on topic; no profanity, vulgarity, slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked. If a comment violates these standards or our terms of service, click the "flag" link in the lower-right corner of the comment box. To find our more, read our FAQ.