Baseball: Lake County all-area team

Jacob Booden, Libertyville

Booden wore a Libertyville uniform all season, but looks can be deceiving. "Jacob's a college pitcher right now in a high school uniform," Libertyville coach Jim Schurr said. "Bradley was smart enough to pick him up early." Booden committed before the season to play next year at Bradley, where he will be on an 80 percent scholarship, which is generous for baseball. The 6-foot-6 Booden, whose pitches were clocked consistently between 86 and 88 miles per hour, finished with a 1.58 earned run average and went 5-3 on the mound. He struck out 53 batters and held the opposition to a .112 batting average. "He pitched against everyone's No. 1 this year, so he had the least run support of any of our pitchers," Schurr said. "His earned run average says a lot. He kept us in every game. He's got a great change up, great control and a really good presence on the mound. His best games are ahead."

More Coverage Links All-Area co-captains Joey DeBernardis and Eric Rohe

Andy Danna, Antioch

Just a junior, Danna was still one of Antioch's best leaders -- on the field and off. "Andy is a hard worker, a great teammate and has lead by example at every turn," Antioch coach Paul Petty said. "Andy has also become a great hitter. His numbers were incredible this season." Danna, who started at shortstop for the Sequoits, finished with a .426 batting average. In 101 at-bats, Danna rolled up 43 hits, including 8 doubles and a stunning 7 triples. He also belted 5 home runs and drove in 15 runs. Danna also scored 27 runs and stole an eye-popping 16 bases.

Joey DeBernardis, Lake Zurich

There's a reason a Division I school snapped up DeBernardis in the fall, and why he may get drafted in the upcoming Major League Baseball draft. The Penn State-bound DeBernardis has legit star power. All he did at Lake Zurich while pitching and playing the infield is set nine school records, make the North Suburban Conference team for three straight years and earn all-state accolades this season. "Joey is the most talented player I've ever had the pleasure to coach. I could go on and on about him," Lake Zurich coach Gary Simon said of the all-area team's honorary co-captain. "Joey was also the guy that everyone looked up to for leadership. He came through all season." DeBernardis hit a school record 13 home runs this season to push his career total at Lake Zurich to 28, also a school record. He finished with a gaudy .542 batting average and 52 hits, including 15 doubles. He also drove in 56 runs. On the mound, DeBernardis went 7-2 with a no hitter. He finished with a impressive 0.82 ERA.

Jason Douglas, Stevenson

At the plate or behind it, Douglas came up big for the Patriots. The senior catcher, who will be playing next year at Cornell College in Iowa, maintained a .379 batting average and rolled up 25 hits, including 3 doubles and a triple. He also drove in 15 runs. But that wasn't the half of it. "Jason won as many games for us behind the plate as he did at the plate," Stevenson coach Paul Mazzuca said. "He was our quarterback on the field. He handled our pitchers well. He talked with them, settled them down and he made sure that everyone on the field was doing what they needed to do." Douglas also kept opponents in check with his arm. "He probably threw out more than 50 percent of the runners that tried stealing on us this season," Mazzuca said. "He has a really strong arm and played a lot of long toss over the off-season to strengthen it."

Clay Henricksen, Grayslake North

Henricksen, the Knights' catcher, made base stealers think twice. Of the 36 runners who attempted to steal on Grayslake North this season, he threw out 22, for a 61 percent success rate. "Clay had the ability to control the game behind the plate," Grayslake North coach Andy Strahan said. "He threw out four base stealers and picked off two more off base in one game. Clay is also just a great kid and a team leader." Henricksen also lead the way on offense. He finished with a .410 batting average. He rolled up 34 hits, including 6 doubles, 1 triple and 1 home run. He also drove in 20 runs. The two-time Fox Valley all-conference selection will play at Loras College next year.

Andrew Highland, Lakes

Highland stepped up on the field and in the dugout for the Eagles. "We had a spell where we lost like four or five games in a row and right when we needed someone to step in and refocus everyone, Andrew stepped up," Lakes coach Mark Tschappat said. "He said the things that needed to be said." Highland also did the things that needed to be done in leading the Eagles to their first regional title in school history. In 105 at-bats, he pounded out 38 hits, including 9 doubles and an impressive 6 triples. He also drove in 23 runs on his way to a .362 batting average. Meanwhile, he was successful on 21 of 24 stolen base attempts. "We often went how Andrew went," Tschappat said. "He made things happen for us."

Tom Jacobson, Libertyville

Libertyville coach Jim Schurr says that his pitchers threw a lot of groundballs this season. And many of them ended up on the left side, right at Jacobson, the Wildcats' third baseman. "I can't imagine how many ground outs Tom recorded," Schurr said. "He did a great job for us defensively. He did a great job shoring up third base for us. I can't say enough about him." Jacobson had a similar impact offensively. He finished with a .369 batting average, hitting an astounding 16 doubles and 3 home runs. He also drove in 23 runs. "He went from the six spot to the four spot for us and I told him, 'You won't see as many fastballs, you'll see more curves and changeups,'" Schurr said. "But that didn't slow him down. His average only got better."

Sean Kennedy, Warren

Kennedy was at his best against some of the best. He led Warren to wins against some of the better teams in the North Suburban Conference, including league co-champ Mundelein and Libertyville. "When he's on, he's on," Warren coach Clint Smothers said of his junior ace. "He can throw all three of his pitches for strikes, but his changeup is his best pitch." Kennedy led the Blue Devils to 6 wins and rolled up 82 strikeouts in 62 innings. At the plate, Kennedy was just as valuable. He blasted 3 home runs and 10 doubles while maintaining a .319 batting average. He tallied a total of 30 hits in 94 at-bats. "He hit the ball very well for a junior," Smothers said. "We look for him to have a great summer and an even better season next year."

Logan Kent, Antioch

Logan Kent could have been Clark Kent's ultra ego this season. Antioch's Superman put up some impressive numbers at the plate. In 90 at-bats, Kent rolled up 41 hits, including 10 doubles and a whopping 10 home runs. The junior outfielder also drove in 30 runs and scored 33. "Logan put up some very good numbers, hitting for power," Antioch coach Paul Petty said. "Logan is a great leader, a hard worker and a very good team player at any cost." Kent also stole 8 bases for the Sequoits.

Bobby Lyne, Carmel

Game in and game out, Lyne had a great pitching line. This year, he led the team in innings pitched and strikeouts, with 531/3 and 43 respectively. He also gave up a team-low 11 walks. Lyne was 7-2 overall with 2 saves. His ERA was 2.63. "Bobby was very steady for us this year, and last year," Carmel coach Chuck Gandolfi said. "He's really been our No. 1 pitcher for the last two years. He and Jordan (Sivertsen) really gave us a great 1-2 punch. Bobby's also been a fine third baseman and hitter for us as well." At the plate, Lyne maintained a .379 batting average while rolling up 39 hits, including 8 doubles and 4 home runs. He also drove in 30 runs. Gandolfi says Lyne is considering offers from several schools.

Tim Matheson, Libertyville

A speedy running back for the Libertyville football team in the fall, Matheson kept his wheels moving on the base paths. Matheson attempted 34 stolen bases this season and made good on every single one of them. "In all my years of coaching, I can't think of a kid who tried to steal 34 bases and never got thrown out once," Libertyville coach Jim Schurr said. "And he could have had even more stolen bases. In the games we were winning by a lot, things like that, I wouldn't let him steal. If I had, Tim probably could have had 45 stolen bases this year. He's flat out one of the fastest guys in the county. In football, when he was in the clear, he was gone. His speed is impressive." Matheson, a senior right fielder, quickly impressed college scouts, too. Coaches from Butler University, where he'll be playing next season, saw him in one game and offered him a spot on their team the next day. Matheson, who just missed making the all-state team, also was impressive at the plate. The Wildcats' leadoff hitter, he finished with a .438 batting average. He drilled 3 home runs, 6 triples and drove in 20 runs.

Justin Piasecki, Mundelein

A knee injury at the beginning of the season slowed Piasecki a bit, but it didn't stop him from having an impressive senior season. After missing the first few weeks of the season, he came back to put up big numbers. "In a funny way, I think that the injury almost helped Justin," Mundelein coach Todd Parola said. "I think he realized how important baseball is to him. He didn't want to see his senior year slip away. When he came back, he played with even more purpose and an even greater passion." Piasecki, who will play at the College of Lake County next year, was the Mustangs' starting first baseman and their No. 2 pitcher. On the mound, he rolled up an impressive 8-1 record and finished with a 2.65 earned run average. In 40 innings, he tallied 41 strikeouts and just 19 walks. At the plate, Piasecki drove in 14 runs, hit 4 doubles and 1 home run while maintaining a .282 batting average.

Eric Rohe, Mundelein

It was lucky 13 for Rohe, who put together an incredible 13-win season on the mound. The honorary co-captain of the all-area team was undefeated until Mundelein's heartbreaking loss to Buffalo Grove in the sectional semifinals. That closed out Rohe's record at 13-1. "There's no doubt that Eric put together one of the better individual seasons anyone could," Mundelein coach Todd Parola said. "He was a coach's dream. You knew you were always going to get his very best effort. He wanted the ball and was as durable as they come. His arm was made of rubber. He had a good bite on his curve. It broke late, which made it tough to pick up. When he had all three of his pitches going, he was tough to hit." Rohe, who will play at Carthage next year, finished with an incredible 0.95 ERA, one of the best in school history. In 88 innings, he also rolled up an astounding 113 strikeouts against just 26 walks.

Matt Schmidt, Grayslake Central

Schmidt was literally a smart player on the field. The honors student is committed to play at Yale next season. The three-year starting shortstop is a two-time all-conference selection in the Fox Valley Conference and was ranked one of the top infield prospects in the state by various scouting reports. "Matt was as close to automatic as they come at making plays in the field," Grayslake Central coach Troy Whalen said. "He made hard plays look routine and that is what separates him from other infielders." Schmidt also distinguished himself at the plate. He finished with a .385 batting average. In more than 100 at-bats, he struck out only 7 times while driving in 25 runs. He also scored 27 runs.

Brad Schnitzer, Vernon Hills

Schnitzer went 5-2 on the mound for Vernon Hills, which isn't bad at all considering the assignments he got. "Brad only threw in the big games," Vernon Hills coach Jay Czarnecki said. "He's just a big-game pitcher. The more there was at stake, the tougher Brad got. He thrived in high-pressure situations." In 53 innings, Schnitzer rolled up 54 strikeouts and just 24 walks. He finished with an impressive 1.19 ERA. In 8 starts, he threw six complete games. "Brad really worked on his velocity over the off-season and he just threw the ball by people this year," Czarnecki said. At the plate, Schnitzer was also tough. In 92 at-bats, he rolled up 31 hits, including 5 doubles, a triple and a home run. He also drove in 22 runs and maintained a .337 average. Schnitzer will be pitching next year at the University of Tampa.

Zack Schwartz, Vernon Hills

Schwartz was one to throw batters for a curve. "Zack probably had the best curveball out of any of our pitchers and that made him really tough to hit," Vernon Hills coach Jay Czarnecki said. "He relied a lot on his location and he was always ahead of hitters. He was very solid mechanically. But he threw hard enough that kids had to respect that, too. Zack was also so calm, cool and collected on the mound. I think that was another reason he was so successful." In 40 innings, Schwartz rolled up 34 strikeouts against just 16 walks. He also finished with a 1.58 ERA. He pitched 2 complete games with 1 shutout. At the plate, Schwartz batted .380 and tallied 35 hits, including 8 doubles and 8 home runs. He'll be playing at Loras College next year.

Brian Siedlecki, Carmel

The Corsairs couldn't have asked for much more out of a lead-off hitter. Siedlecki rolled up 59 hits, the most ever in a single season by a Carmel hitter. Through much of the season, he maintained a plus-.500 batting average and wound up with a .492 average for the season. Siedelecki, who tallied 7 doubles and 2 triples, drove in 34 runs and scored a team-high 42. Meanwhile, the senior was also invaluable in the field. With blazing speed, Siedlecki covered a lot of ground in center field and came up with a long list of amazing catches, including an over-the-shoulder Willie Mays type catch against Libertyville during the regular season. "He had an all-state type of year for us," Carmel coach Chuck Gandolfi said. "He hit the ball well and made a lot of great catches."

Jordan Sivertsen, Carmel

A four-year starter for the Corsairs, Sivertsen has left his imprint all over the program. He finished his career with 32 home runs and 150 RBI. This season, after battling injuries that kept him off the mound last year and playing exclusively in the outfield, Sivertsen proved to be one of the toughest pitchers in Lake County. He rolled up a 7-1 record and finished with 52 strikeouts and a 1.60 ERA. He also gave up just 16 walks in 52 innings. At the plate, Sivertsen was just as big of a threat. He rolled up 40 RBI and 43 hits, including 8 home runs and 8 doubles. He finished with a .398 batting average. "He was outstanding, over his entire career," Carmel coach Chuck Gandolfi said. "Having him come back as a pitcher for us this year really helped get us where we were at." Sivertsen will play next year at Southern Illinois.

Aaron Snyder, Grayslake Central

Just a junior, Snyder put the Rams on his back like a veteran. He was Grayslake Central's ace pitcher and led the team in innings pitched with 55. "Aaron was our horse from Day One," Grayslake Central coach Troy Whalen said. "He often was opposite other team's No. 1 pitchers. And he beat some quality opponents this year like Cary-Grove, Vernon Hills and Johnsburg. He has a high ceiling and will be fun to watch in 2009." Snyder led Grayslake Central to 5 wins and rolled up 58 strikeouts against just 18 walks. He allowed just 18 earned runs and finished with a 2.20 ERA. His best game of the season came against Waukegan in which he threw a no-hitter.

Donald Stopka, Carmel

Carmel coach Chuck Gandolfi is interested to see what Stopka will do at the Stevenson Showcase this summer. If Stopka picks up where he left off this season, college coaches might be knocking down his door. Just a junior, Stopka rang up 45 hits and maintained a .421 batting average. He also pounded out a team-high 14 doubles and had 2 home runs while ranking among the team leaders in RBI with 40. Stopka was also a consistent presence at first base for the Corsairs. "He did a great job for us all year," Carmel coach Chuck Gandolfi said of Stopka. "When teams tried to pitch around Jordan (Sivertsen), Donald was right there to pick up big hits and RBI for us."

Kyle Stroup, Grant

With multiple professional scouts attending every single one of his starts, Stroup was under the hot spotlight all season. But he managed to keep his cool. Stroup fell victim to some tough luck, but still guided the Bulldogs to 3 wins and constantly floored batters with his blazing velocity. His fastball has been clocked consistently at 95 mph. "Kyle at times dominated the opposition," Grant coach Mike Mizwicki said. "He struck out 1.9 hitters per inning pitched." In 42 innings, Stroup delivered 64 strikeouts and walked just 18 batters. He struck out 10 or more batters five times this season. Over his four-year varsity career at Grant, Stroup struck out 228 batters. Offensively, he hit better than .340 every season. This year, he finished with a .372 batting average. He rolled up 32 hits, including 7 doubles and an impressive 8 home runs. He also drove in 31 runs. Pending what occurs in the Major League Baseball draft, Stroup could pitch at either Northern Illinois or Chipola Junior College in Florida next year.

Travis VanderWall, Lakes

The only sophomore on the first team, VanderWall has more than enough impressive numbers to back-up his selection. VanderWall led Lakes with a 5-3 record on the mound. He also got the win in the regional championship game, giving Lakes its first regional baseball title in school history. In 44 innings, VanderWall rolled up 32 strikeouts and held the opposition to a .291 batting average. He also was credited with 1 save. Offensively, VanderWall finished with an impressive .398 batting average. In 93 at-bats, he tallied 37 hits, including 8 doubles and 3 home runs. He also drove in 28 runs. "Travis was our biggest impact player, right from the beginning," Lakes coach Mark Tschappat said. "He was in the four-spot for us, and for a sophomore, that's pretty good. He was batting about .450 for most of the season. Every time he came to bat, we expected something good to happen. And on the mound, he has a really good idea of what to pitch. But it's one thing to just know that, it's another to also be able to execute it and Travis could do that, too."

Vince Viverito, Warren

Warren felt secure on flyballs to the middle of the outfield. "When a ball was hit to center field, we just didn't have to worry about it," Warren coach Clint Smothers said. "We knew Vince was there with range and a great arm." Viverito has been in center since his sophomore year, when he was called up to the varsity. Since then, he's flourished. This year, he didn't commit a single fielding error. Offensively, he was also extremely consistent. He finished with a .333 batting average, tallying 33 hits along the way. That included 7 doubles and 3 home runs. Viverito also drove in 23 runs and led the Blue Devils with an impressive 16 stolen bases. "Vince is hard-nosed and goes 100 percent all the time," Smothers said. "That's what you like as a coach."

Jack Walliser, Mundelein

After battling a series of injuries earlier in his career, Walliser put together an injury-free season that often put the hurt on the competition. Walliser, who played first base, outfield and was occasionally slotted as Mundelein's designated hitter, finished with a .376 batting average while hitting from the 5-spot. He belted 9 doubles, 1 triple and 3 home runs. He also drove in a team-best 28 runs and stole 8 bases. "Jack was the ultimate team leader," Mundelein coach Todd Parola said. "He had as good of an attitude as you can have and he was one of our hardest workers. He led by example. He also found a way to be at his best in key situations. Jack had a lot of big hits. It's great that after a lot of injuries he was able to have a year like this."

Gerik Wallsten, Grant

Whoever plays catcher for Grant next year will have some big shoes to fill. Wallsten was a three-year starter for the Bulldogs and quite a commanding presence behind the plate. He threw out 18 of 32 runners who attempted to steal on Grant. "Gerik was able to control the opposition's running game, while being a major offensive threat" Grant coach Mike Mizwicki said. Mizwicki pointed out Wallsten's consistency. The senior hit .418 last year and .421 this season. In 84 at-bats this season, he racked up 35 hits, including 7 doubles and an impressive 7 home runs. Wallsten also drove in 25 runs. Wallsten was heavily scouted all season and has offers on the table from several junior colleges and is also exploring options at four-year schools.

Danny Zummo, Lake Zurich

Zummo was perfection on the mound for Lake Zurich. He finished up the season with a spotless 7-0 record. "Danny was solid for us all season on the mound," Lake Zurich coach Gary Simon said of Zummo, who wound up with a 2.65 ERA. "He was one of our team leaders with a great work ethic." When Zummo wasn't working on the mound, he was at first base and was just as consistent. "Danny was such a multiple threat," Simon said. "He was a great pitcher, but he also was very valuable at first. He had a great stretch and some big diving catches for us." At the plate, Zummo finished with a .376 batting average. He also drove in 17 runs for the Bears. Zummo will likely try to walk on at Illinois State.

Honorable mention

Libertyville 2B Joey Aiello, sr.; Mundelein 2B Alex Ahonen, sr.; Libertyville P Troy Barton, jr.; Lake Zurich IF/OF Reid Bergstrom, sr.; Libertyville SS Jeremy Butler, sr.; Grayslake North OF Jim Butler, jr.; Grayslake Central P Kevin DeRue, soph.; Warren SS Ryan Economos, jr.; Round Lake P/1B David Ershbock, sr.; Grayslake North P/1B Jordan Field, sr.; Stevenson P Scott Firth, jr.; Lakes OF Kyle Frye, sr.; Lake Zurich 2B Corey Halicke, sr.; Grayslake North P/OF Nick Harrington, sr.; Warren P/3B Chad Johnson, jr.; Lakes DH Eric Lopez, jr.; Vernon Hills OF PJ Marsek, jr.; Vernon Hills C Nick Mazza, jr.; Carmel P Jeff Moree, jr.; Round Lake P/IF Jeff Nicoline, jr.; Grayslake Central P Kevin O'Rourke, jr.; Carmel OF Joey Pudlo, sr.; Warren OF/P Ryan Pyles, sr.; Warren P/3B Tony Roberts, sr.; Grayslake Central 2B Kurt Schmidt, jr.; Wauconda P/OF Adam Tagli, sr.; Carmel C David Venegoni, sr.; Grayslake Central OF Jordaan Williams, sr.