Bonadonna completes big season with Big Ten recognition
Joe Bonadonna got his chance and made the most of it this season at the University of Illinois.
The Stevenson High School product was a second-team all-Big Ten selection in baseball.
He had a career year in his first season playing every day, batting .356 overall and .377 in the Big Ten.
Bonadonna went long ball and Illinois got off to a fast start in the Big Ten tournament. His first career homer at Illinois was the game-winner in a dramatic 3-2 win over Ohio State.
However, the 31-25 Illini then dropped two straight games to bow out of the tournament, losing to champion Michigan and Indiana.
• Junior shortstop Josh Damore (Grayslake) of Aurora University was a second-team choice on the NCAA Division III All-Central Region.
• The College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin honored seven area products on its all-conference baseball team.
Making the CCIW first team were infielder Jason Acevado of Carthage (Vernon Hills) and pitcher Mario Perez of Carthage (Warren).
Making the second team were outfielders Tyler Burback of North Park (Schaumburg), and Josh Weaver of Wheaton (Leyden), pitchers Trace Ruffie of Carthage (Hersey) and Micah Yarbrough of North Central (Grayslake North) and utility player Trevor Popp of North Park (Antioch).
Acevado was named a first-team All-American by D3baseball.com.
• The numbers on the field were very impressive.
Now it's just a matter of seeing what number Tyler Ladendorf (Maine West) draws off the field when the Major League Baseball Draft is held on Thursday, June 5.
Baseball America lists the 6-foot-2, 210-pound Ladendorf as No. 69 among the top 100 draft prospects in the country. He is ranked No. 29 by PGCrosschecker.
"Ladendorf has put up the gaudiest numbers in junior college baseball over the last two seasons," Baseball America reports. "The best juco prospect in the draft. Scouts aren't sure if he truly has more than gap power, but they like him as a multi-tooled shortstop."
Ladendorf is coming off a spectacular season at Howard College (48-8) in Big Spring, Texas, where he finished first in the nation in four different categories.
He was the leading hitter in NJCAA Division I with a .542 mark and also in total bases per game (3.358), runs scored per game (1.849) and slugging percentage (1.060).
Ladendorf drove in 82 runs in the 53 games he played and had 29 doubles, 5 triples and 16 home runs. He also stole 31 bases in 32 attempts.
• Southern Illinois University catcher Mark Kelly (Hoffman Estates) earned first-team all-Missouri Valley Conference honors for the second straight year.
• Concordia Chicago's J.D. Rotzoll (Prospect) was named to the D3baseball.com All-American third team.
• Ty Rubio (Palatine) of the University of Illinois Chicago is hitting .303 as a redshirt junior outfielder. Conference champ UIC now will play in the NCAA regionals. Rubio has 9 doubles, 22 RBI and 20 walks and leads the team with 14 stolen bases and getting hit by pitches (18).
Football
Chris Miller (Carmel), senior punter at Ball State University, has been named to the Playboy Magazine Pre-season All-America team for the second straight year. Miller ranked third in the country in punting with a 45.4 average, and his career average for 186 punts is 45.1.
Lake Zurich Flames
Mark your calendar now.
The Lake Zurich Flames Youth Football and Cheerleading organization has designated Friday, Sept. 5 for its fourth annual Hula Bowl party at Concorde Banquets. The Flames fundraiser is also a community event and local residents and businesses are invited to attend.
Last year's event of dining, dancing and silent auction items attracted 325 people.
Any businesses interested in donating silent auction items or becoming a sponsor should contact Jennifer Schalk at jenniferschalk@sbcglobal.net.
For more information on the Flames organization, go to www.lzflames.org.
Track and field
Lauren Martin (Conant), a sophomore at Indiana State University, finished first in the triple jump (41-10) and second in the long jump (19-7 ½) at the Missouri Valley Conference meet, earning all-conference honors.
Lacrosse
Sophomore midfielder Jaclyn Griffin (Barrington) of Bentley College (Waltham, Mass.) was named to the Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association Division II North All-Region second team.
Conditioning camp
Steve Colletti and Larry Stone of Kinetic Connections will hold their fifth annual S.P.A. (speed, power, agility) Conditioning Camp from June 17-July 12 at Grass Lake School, 26177 W. Grass Lake Road, Antioch.
Sessions will be held three times a week, and there will be a second session for two weeks focusing strictly on improving running speed.
The four-week session will address speed, power, agility, flexibility and balance.
The camp is designed to enhance the athletes' ability to perform the sport-specific skills necessary to compete at their maximum potential and reduce the risk of injury.
There also will be a "combine style" testing for no additional charge on June 7 at College of Lake County for all athletes enrolled in the camp.
For questions, call (847) 395-6100 or go to the Web at www.kcconditioning.com.
Registration deadline is June 2.
Wheeling Spur Club
The eighth annual Wildcat Spur Club Golf Outing has been scheduled for Monday, July 21 at Traditions at Chevy Chase.
Registration will begin at 10 a.m. with a shotgun start at 11:30 a.m.
The Wildcat Spur Club is the Athletic Booster Club of Wheeling High School.
There will be prizes for men and women, including longest drive, closest to the pin and hole-in-one.
Raffles and silent auction will be held with a cash grand prize and sports events tickets, memorabilia, dinner certificates, and golf equipment.
The cost is $115 per golfer, and individual golfers are welcome. The cost covers the golf and cart, lunch and beverage and buffet dinner at 6 p.m. at Chevy Chase Country Club.
The deadline is July 15, and checks should be payable and mailed to Wildcat Spur Club of Wheeling High School, P.O. Box 124, Wheeling, IL. 60090.