Baseball notes: The main theme is fun on Grayslake Central's spring trip

Leaving behind the Florida sun was tough enough.

But there were plenty of other reasons the players and coaches for the Grayslake Central baseball team didn't want spring break to end.

The Rams were having fun: at Disney World, at the pool, at a big team barbecue that included 27 families and the Grayslake Central softball team, which went to Florida for a schedule of spring break games as well.

This was the 11th straight year that Grayslake Central, under head coach Troy Whalen, has played a handful of games at Disney World over spring break. Whalen was one of the first coaches in Lake County to take his team to a warmer, milder area for spring break once the IHSA lifted the 500-mile radius rule for road games in 2007.

Now, most baseball and softball teams in Lake County travel to warmer areas for spring break competition. After enjoying the southern sun last week, they all returned to the cold reality of Chicago spring weather right around Easter last weekend.

"There's a little bit of anxiety when you head down there, getting the entire team through security and checked in and all the typical (stresses) of traveling in a large group," Whalen said. "But then you settle in and you're having so much fun and then one day, you wake up and you're disappointed because you realize it's your last day there. We always have so much fun on that trip."

Speaking of the last day of the trip, Grayslake Central, which played six games at Disney World while also spending three days in the theme parks, has made a tradition of staging a huge barbecue at the team hotel on the last night. Parents are invited, the girls on the Grayslake Central softball team are also invited.

"It's really nice," Whalen said. "The kids get food, they can sit by the pool or at the beach. And all the families come, too

"Our parents set up the whole thing. It's pretty special and so much appreciated. It takes an enormous team effort to pull of a trip of this magnitude. I could not do it without the support of our parents and his administration."

Almost perfect: Junior pitcher Coby Moe had one of the best outings of his Grayslake Central career while at Disney World.

Moe came within one batter of throwing a perfect game in the Rams' 10-0 victory over Montour of Orlando. He retired the first 17 batters and then the 18th batter got in infield single.

Moe then retired the very next batter to end the game.

"It's hard to believe Coby is only a junior, because he's got so much poise on the mound," Grayslake Central coach Troy Whalen said. "But he's been itching on varsity since Day One of his freshman year. He just trusts his stuff and he competes on the mound. And he can throw multiple pitches for strikes at any time in the count.

"But what really impresses me about him is that even when he doesn't have his best stuff, he finds a way to get people out."

Moe, who has offers from several Missouri Valley Conference schools and is starting to hear from Big Ten schools as well, pitched 8 innings in Florida and picked up 9 strikeouts while allowing only one walk and 2 hits. He had a 0.0 ERA.

Overall, Grayslake Central's entire pitching staff was efficient in Florida. Over six games, the seven pitchers that were used by the Rams allowed just 5 walks and finished with a team ERA just more than 1.0.

Familiar faces: While the Grayslake Central baseball players cruised around Disney World over Spring Break, so did none other than their crosstown rivals: the baseball players from Grayslake North.

The Knights went to the same baseball tournament at the Wide World of Sports complex.

"Our team enjoyed sun and 70-plus temps every day at Disney," Grayslake North coach Brett Hill said. "We were able to bond with some time at the parks and a team barbeque at the pool."

On the field, pitching was a strength for the Knights.

"Over 27 innings pitched on the trip, our team earned run average was .778, with 7 walks to 19 strikeouts," Hill said.

Pitcher Edward Erickson led the way, going 2-0 with 7 strikeouts and just 2 walks over 11 innings. He finished with a 0.0 ERA.

The ultimate symbolism: The baseball season can be long.

The weather can be uncooperative.

Going strong from March to June can be a grind.

The coaches at Libertyville found a way to help their players get off on the right foot right from the start.

As part of the team's spring break trip to Arizona, the team climbs Camelback Mountain.

"This is an awesome team-building activity that is a good challenge and it is symbolic of the season being a constant grind," Libertyville coach Matt Thompson said. "It requires endurance and focus throughout the climb, just like our season."

The Wildcats also got to meet some Arizona Diamondbacks at their spring training facility.

"The kids were especially excited to meet Paul Goldschmidt," Thompson said.

Libertyville played eight games in Arizona and got a couple of top-notch performances out of their pitchers.

Riley Gowens shut down Thunderbird High School of Arizona by striking out 10 in five innings and giving up only 2 hits.

Colin Fields and Micah Holzworth threw a no-hitter against Mountain Range of Colorado but lost 1-0. Fields threw five innings and Holzworth threw the 6th. Mountain Range did not hit a ball out of the infield.

Getting to know you: The Stevenson baseball coaches saw a different side of their players during the team's Spring Break trip to historic Dodgertown in Vero Beach, Fla.

Vero Beach was the spring training site for the Dodgers from 1948 to 2008.

The Patriots got in nine games in Vero Beach, but it wasn't just the baseball that made an impression on the coaching staff.

"The coaching staff learned a lot about our team after spending a week with them," Stevenson coach Pat Block said. "It was so amazing to see how the kids not only love baseball, but genuinely care and like each other. It is great for a coaching staff to see their players support each other and see them come together as a team."

We are family: A pair of brothers helped Warren go undefeated over spring break in downstate Marion.

"They led us," Warren coach Clint Smothers said of senior Riley Kocen and sophomore Mikey Kocen.

Both Kocen brothers put up big offensive numbers. Mikey hit better than .500 while Riley was at .400 with a home run. Mikey drove in 7 runs while Riley drove in 6, and Mikey also had 2 doubles and a triple.

The brothers hit back-to-back in the order during the trip, with Mikey in the No. 2 spot and Riley in the No. 3 spot.

Rain, rain go away: Like Warren, Grant and Wauconda also ventured downstate to Marion.

It rained most of the time the teams were there, and Grant played a crazy four-hour game in the rain at Rent One Park, home of the Southern Illinois Miners.

"It was a nice come-from-behind win against Dundee-Crown," Grant coach Dave Behm said. "We were down 7-1 in the bottom of the sixth and with two outs and no one on, we mounted a six-run rally to tie the game at 7-7."

The Bulldogs would later win the game in the eighth on a walk-off fielder's choice by Chase Maifield.

"We were hoping the rain would ease up as we played, but it stayed pretty steady and rained the entire four-plus hours of the game," Behm said. "It was a crazy game but we were happy to be on the winning side."

Meanwhile, to pass the time through some of the rain, the Wauconda players and coaches played laser tag at a nearby mall."

Vroom vroom: Lake Zurich senior outfielder Jason Ims has bragging rights for the rest of the season.

Although his bragging rights have nothing to do with baseball.

Ims was a go-karting phenom during the team's spring break trip to Louisville.

"We played very well down there, but I would say the highlight of the trip was the go-kart tournament," Lake Zurich coach Rick Erickson said. "We went to Bluegrass Karting and Events and took part in three 8-minute races. The speed of the go-karts was surprising. I don't think I've ever been in a go-kart that goes that fast. We have a very competitive group of players and coaches. Everyone was going all-out to win and Jason Ims came out on top.

"Everyone had a blast, so it looks like this might become a staple for our spring break trips in the future."