Both FVC divisions look plenty tough

Fox Valley Conference schools have a recent history of advancing deep into state tournaments in football, boys basketball, wrestling and girls volleyball - but baseball played at the highest level has become the hallmark of the FVC.

Last season the twelve-team league advanced two schools from its "small school" Fox Division to Final Fours - Crystal Lake Central in Class 3A - and Prairie Ridge, which secured the Class 4A state championship by beating traditional power Oak Park-River Forest.

Dundee-Crown has made two trips to Elite Eights in this decade, most recently in 2007, and Cary-Grove advanced to a supersectional at NIU in 2006.

The competition looks to be just as promising this season in both divisions.

In the Valley Division, Cary-Grove is the preseason favorite among coaches. The Trojans return three top pitchers and five position players to go with an outstanding junior class that will contribute.

"We've had two good classes together, and that's not always the case," 22nd-year Cary-Grove coach Don Sutherland said.

However, it won't be a cakewalk for the Trojans. Experienced Crystal Lake South returns a pair of Division-I talents in Ian Gardeck (Dayton) and Mike Vazquez (SIU-Edwardsville), Jacobs is prepping for the season this week on a spring break trip to Florida under the direction of second-year coach Eric Sanders, and McHenry returns most of the starting lineup from a team that went 18-13. Dundee-Crown and Woodstock graduated plenty of talent but remain dangerous depending on who pitches that day.

"I think the whole conference overall is really good again," said first-year Dundee-Crown coach Jon Sawyer, who takes the reins of a program held for 18 seasons by Fred Bencriscutto. "Cary, on paper, is a little ahead of everyone, but Crystal Lake South is still really good."

In the Fox Division, defending state champion Prairie Ridge graduated some top talent but the Wolves remain the team to beat. However, deep pitching staffs at Huntley and Grayslake Central should make it an interesting race, and Johnsburg can beat any team in the state when Miami (Fla.)-bound flamethrower Jerad Grundy takes the hill.

"Prairie Ridge is just going to reload this year," Huntley coach Andy Jakubowski said. "I expect them to be fighting right at the top. Grayslake Central has all their pitchers back and coach (Troy) Whalen does a nice job. I think Crystal Lake Central will be tough and Grayslake North will be greatly improved.

"I think you'll see teams knocking off one another. We'll see what happens."

Here's what to expect from the local FVC teams this season:

Cary-Grove: The Trojans enjoy luxuries other teams covet. Returning are senior pitchers Matt Nelsen (8-0), Corey Bruns (6-2) and Sean Kaveney (2-0), joined by talented juniors Stuart Gaulke and Steve Hapanovich.

Nelsen (.376), junior shortstop Chris Waylock (. 375) and strong-armed catcher Luke Mottashed (.363) provide the order with pop and outfielders Nick Hammonds (.281) and Kegan Mascarella (.280) add to the Trojans' overall team speed. Three sport-athlete Kevin Adams (6-foot-4) is a left-handed first baseman who has soft hands and adds another big bat to the lower third of the order.

"We have high expectations always, but it depends on your pitching and how you defend," Cary-Grove coach Don Sutherland said. "I'm real impressed with our depth. Our pitchers aren't walking anybody and that's just outstanding.

"There's a lot of those little things we have - a good-throwing catcher, a tall first baseman with good hands, a deep pitching staff, team speed, balance and experience. All those things make you have confidence. We still have to play the ballgames, though. Our nonconference schedule is real tough, so we'll find out about ourselves early."

The Trojans have opened the season 3-1-1 through Thursday's 9-9 tie with Lake Zurich.

Crystal Lake South: A core group of returning pitchers from the Gators' Class 4A regional title team that finished 15-15 gives CLS a chance to compete with Cary-Grove in the Valley Division. Pitchers Ian Gardeck, Tim Ambrose, Easton Kowalski and Josh Wruck are all experienced varsity moundsmen.

"We have a lot of guys coming back who threw innings for us last year, so that's certainly going to be a strength," second-year Gators coach Brian Bogda said.

Second baseman Mike Vazquez paced the team in hitting last season. Outfielder Gavin Meyer, Kowalski and Gardeck are also top-flight batters. Do the Gators have enough talent to surprise defending division champion Cary-Grove and make a run for the title?

"I think Cary is certainly the front-runner going in," Bogda said. "They have a lot of depth and Don is a great coach who gets his kids ready. We won a regional last year and should be right there with them and be competitive with them, but we've got some work to do to get there."

Dundee-Crown: With only two senior starters returning, first-year coach Jon Sawyer is going with a young lineup. The Chargers have three sophomores and two freshmen on the roster and Sawyer intends to play them regularly.

D-C will look for guidance from all-conference returnee Willy Larsen in center field and No. 1 pitcher Brendan Schumacher. However, 2008 all-area pick Logan Kissack passed on his senior season in order to prepare for his freshman season as a quarterback for Elmhurst College. It may be another year before D-C can threaten the top teams in the division.

"We talk with the kids all the time about taking baby steps right now," Sawyer said. "Some of them have really good skill that allow them to play now and compete and fill the holes.

Some days it looks really good, some days bad. But we want the kids to see the big picture and learn from the good and the bad."

Jacobs: The Golden Eagles put in a long winter of work to prepare for the season, which kicked into high gear this week with 5 games in Florida. Many jobs are still being fought for in the Sunshine State.

The starting rotation includes seniors Nick Bambino and Rick Ames "and about five juniors who are fighting for those third and fourth spots," second-year coach Eric Sanders said.

Versatile No. 3 hitter Johnny Amann, a third-year varsity performer, will play shortstop, third and second base. Senior Patton Hofer is back at catcher, and Jake Vojtsek returns at second base.

"Our defense is pretty solid and our team speed has been beyond what we expected," Sanders said from Florida this week. "We're hitting the ball. We still have some open areas as far as decisions we have to make, but guys are starting to step up and competing for positions. "Our pitching staff, all and all, is going to be pretty good as well. As a coaching staff we feel this could be a special season, but the key to that obviously is if they work together."

Jacobs is 1-4 in the early going.

Huntley: The upswing for Huntley baseball should continue this season under fourth-year coach Andy Jakubowski, whose team finished 20-15 last season.

The core of the Red Raiders returns, led by a solid pitching staff anchored by Southern Illinois-bound pitcher Tanner Funke, who won a 12-1 decision at Barrington on Thursday. Joining Funke (4-1, 1.98 ERA, 91 strikeouts) in the rotation are experienced pitchers Craig Lipp (1-1, 1.58 ERA), Judson recruit Zach Liebman (2-2, 1.48 ERA), and junior Chris Klein, who could be used more in relief as the season unfolds.

Lipp, who will play at Heartland Community College next year, is a two-time all-conference player who hit .385 with 13 doubles, 3 triples, 4 home runs and 28 RBI a year ago. Another Heartland recruit, senior shortstop Nathan Sopena, hit .256 with 7 doubles, 2 home runs and 17 RBI.

"I love our pitching and I love our defense," Jakubowski said. "We're continuing to get better on the offensive end. In our first 4 games we've scored 33 runs, so we're coming together.

"We want to improve on our 20-win season last year. The guys have set a goal to get some hardware, whatever that might be, and we're going to do everything in our power to do that. I think we're going to have a special year."

Huntley is off to a 3-0-1 start.