Turnaround continues under Cooper at Benedictine
The Benedictine football team defense (5-4, 5-2) allowed just 50 yards of total offense and no pass completions as the Eagles continued their winning ways last Saturday with a 42-0 pasting of MacMurray.
Cornerback Matt Kunz picked off 2 passes and frees safety Pat Daniels pilfered his team-leading sixth pass of the season.
The win gives the Eagles a chance to finish in a tie for the Illini-Badger Football Conference title with a victory over Concordia this Saturday.
This is the third consecutive season the Eagles have improved their won-lost record under coach Jon Cooper.
"When we came in back in 2005, we knew we wanted to build a program that would be competitive year-in and year-out," said Cooper. "Our goals were to grow the program by bringing in numbers, while also maintaining a caliber of student-athlete who is competitive both on the field and in the classroom. We still have a way to go, but our achievements of the past three years are special. The improved won-lost record is a tangible reward for the hard work of these athletes."
Women's soccer: The Benedictine women's soccer team ended the season on a roll, with a 10-game unbeaten streak, 9 wins and a tie. The Eagles, (10-4-1, 8-3-1) finished in fourth place in the Northern Atlantic Conference (NAC) and will play host to No. 5 seeded Concordia (Wis) at home tonight to start the conference tournament.
The Eagles finished with 2 victories last week, an 11-0 win over Rockford on Wednesday and a 3-0 decision over Lakeland to close the regular season.
Lauren Omsberg (Glenbard East), who had the game-winning score in both games, was the Eagles' leading goal-scorer on the season with 13.
Both Omsberg and Kimyenna Abron scored a "hat-trick" against Rockford
Volleyball: After a 25-6, 9-3 regular season, the Benedictine volleyball team, which is seeded No. 3 in the NAC tournament, will also start postseason play tonight when it hosts No. 6 seed Rockford.
This was the third time in a row the Eagles finished with 20-plus victories.
North Central: The men's cross country team utilized the depth of its roster to secure their 34th straight College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin cross Country Championship last Saturday at Illinois State. The Cardinals scored 37 points, followed by Augustana and Wheaton, who tied for second with 62.
Leading the way for the Cardinals was sophomore Ryan Carrigan, who finished third overall. Michael Spain finished in fifth place.
Kyle Brady (Wheaton Warrenville South) was eighth, followed by Brian Lesiewicz in 10th and John Lancaster who finished 11th.
The Cardinals women were second in their 6K race with Megan Andracki (West Chicago) leading the way with a fifth-place finish. She was followed by Sarah McMillen, in the seventh position, Christy Adduci in eighth place, Lauren Mitchell and Colleen Oakes, who were 13th and 14th respectively.
The Cardinals finished with 47 points, 6 behind conference champ Wheaton.
Football: Sophomore quarterback Aaron Fanthorpe (Naperville North) was named the CCIW offensive player of the week for the second time this season for his role in last Saturday's 31-15 win over host Augustana.
Fanthorpe completed 11 of 20 passes for 105 yards and 2 touchdowns. He also rushed for a team-high 106 yards.
Volleyball: The women's volleyball team hosts Illinois Wesleyan tonight at 7 p.m. in a CCIW tournament play-in game.
The Cardinals (26-7) are led by senior outside hitter Maggie Kelly who broke the school's career and single-season record for kills with 619 and 1,611 for her career. She leads the conference in kills and has been named all-tournament in each of the six tourneys in which North Central has played.
Senior Diana Range recently broke the career record for blocks with 337 and senior CJ Heckman moved into third place on the Cardinals all-time career-assists list with 3,009.
"I'm certainly proud of our seniors and their recent accomplishments," said coach Karen Kunka. "It will be really hard for us to fill all those shoes next season."
Wheaton: The women's cross country team placed four runners in the top 10 to win its third CCIW championship in four years.
Junior Lisa Baumert finished second in the 6K race with a time of 22:49.64 to earn all-CCIW accolades. Senior Marah Borgman was also all-conference with a fourth-place finish.
"This was a very deep team and they have overcome a lot of things to get to this point," said coach Scott Bradley. "I am very pleased with how they all came together."
Brandon Mull became the first Wheaton runner to win the CCIW men's cross country championship since 1985, when he finished the 8K course in 25.02.49. The Thunder tied for second in the team standings.
Wheaton senior Matt Field (Wheaton Academy) finished sixth to join Mull on the all-CCIW team.
"There have been a lot of great runners in the CCIW through the years," said Bradley. "So for Brandon to be a CCIW champion is a great accomplishment."
Volleyball: The Wheaton volleyball team posted a 4-0 record last weekend to win the Elmhurst College Invitational. Junior setter Annie Himmelhaver and junior outside hitter Mallory Sullivan were selected to the all-tournament team.
Wheaton (24-8, 4-3) won its last 8 matches and will host Elmhurst tonight in a play-in match for the CCIW volleyball tournament.
Football: Senior Jordan Kemper was selected as the CCIW special teams player of the week for his role in Wheaton's 48-7 win at Elmhurst last Saturday.
Kemper recorded 6 tackles, including 5 solos, all on special team coverage for the Thunder, who are ranked No. 4 in the nation in the D3Football.com Top 25 poll.
DuPage: The men's soccer team's season came to an end last Saturday with a 2-1 overtime loss to South Suburban in the Region IV final.
The Chaps, who finished with an 11-8-4 record, tied the game in the 70th minute on a goal off a penalty kick by Michal Filipiak.
South Suburban won it in the sixth minute of overtime.
"If the team gives its best effort and we lose I can accept that," said COD coach Jim Kelly. "Everyone gave it their best effort and it just wasn't our day."
Jake Parrino (Wheaton Warrenville South) was the Chaps leading goal scorer this season with 6 goals.