D-C's Cinderella run to state caps off another fine season
Baseball, softball, soccer and track athletes will rightfully dominate these pages for the next few months. But today feels more like winter than spring, so it seems an appropriate time to take a final look at the recently completed boys basketball season.
Boys hoops dominated the headlines locally into the first two weeks of the spring sports season due to the tremendous postseason run by Dundee-Crown, a team that earned every piece of hardware it received.
Continued hard work and a true dedication to the idea of unselfish team play allowed the Chargers to get better as the season progressed. Few outside the program (and I'd guess only a few inside it) would have predicted Dundee-Crown could win 5 straight playoff games against Elgin, Huntley, McHenry, St. Charles North and Neuqua Valley to reach the Class 4A state semifinals. Then again, such unpredictability makes the postseason fascinating.
D-C's supersectional victory over once-beaten Neuqua was the thrill of a lifetime for the school's supportive basketball fan base, even if the victory itself wasn't what you'd call a thriller. Really, the win was methodical. The Chargers imposed their will on the Wildcats, denied their three top scorers access to the lane, won most of the 50-50 balls and made beating Neuqua Valley 64-59 look surprisingly easy. That had to leave the Wildcats' 31 previous victims scratching their heads.
The Dundee-Crown run to state was a joy to cover as a reporter. Professionally, few stories rival a boys basketball Cinderella making it to Peoria. The entire region begins to back the underdog. Alumni who haven't followed the team in years start paying attention. The copy writes itself.
It's equally enjoyable from a personal standpoint when the kids in the spotlight are as polite, open, and intelligent as the Chargers. Senior Jeff Beck? I'd swear he's 30 years old based on the mature manner in which he speaks. Guard Rob Stupar is so smart I felt like asking him at the end of each interview to please put the basketball down and go cure cancer.
I'll settle for the fact coach Lance Huber and his Chargers cured the winter blahs and found the antidote for the Fox Valley Conference's 30-year case of downstate-itis.
Here's a look at how the rest of the area teams fared this season in alphabetical order:
Bartlett: The Hawks put together a 9-game winning streak to close the regular season, but the No. 11 seed in the Oswego East sectional was stunned in its opener by No. 22 Lake Park. It was a disappointing end to the high school career of all-area honorary co-captain Marc Little. The Hawks will return two of the area's best shooters next season in four-year varsity guard Luke Labedzki and sniper Frankie Cleope.
Burlington Central: It was a season of learning for the young Rockets, who finished 12-14. They nearly knocked off eventual league co-champ Richmond-Burton at the end of the season, which shows promise for next year behind improving guard Matt McCurdy and returning all-area forward Shane Larkin, a unanimous Big Northern Conference selection. First things first, though. The Rockets need a new coach after Chris Payne stepped down this week after six seasons.
Cary-Grove: The Trojans had won 4 straight games in January to improve to 11-5 overall when an unfortunate injury derailed the momentum - point guard and keystone Pete Pellizzari broke his leg. Without their captain, the team struggled to a 3-9 finish and a final record of 14-14. Returning all-area forward Chad McCarron gives Cary-Grove reason for optimism next season.
Crystal Lake South: The Gators moved to 10-6 in early January with impressive back-to-back road wins at Bartlett and Prairie Ridge and earned a No. 1 regional seed, but they couldn't sustain any consistency. CL South dropped 9 of its last 12 games, including the playoff opener against host McHenry, and finished 13-15.
Elgin: Guard Tom Roth and forward Marcus Redburg, holdovers from the 2008 supersectional team, carried the offense all season but they didn't have enough support. Junior guards Tim Newcombe, Mike Richard and Nikil Satish all saw important minutes this year, but it will be a challenge to replace the interior punch Redburg provided.
Elgin Academy: They've had a few down seasons, but the 5-19 Hilltoppers showed signs of better things to come this season. Sophomore Javon McDonald topped 30 points twice in a week and heads a young, athletic nucleus that also includes Drew Stuart. The win total should rise each of the next two seasons for coach Everette Stephens.
Hampshire: It was a successful campaign overall for the Whip-Purs (18-9), who broke in their new gym with a co-Big Northern East title. All-area guard Justin Bieber is one of the area's best 3-point shooters and his all-around game is still developing. The Whips will have a legitimate shot at consecutive BNE titles with starting guard Shyler Ralphs and key reserves Ryan Burke, Ryan DeChant and big man Tyler Watzlawick also returning.
Huntley: The Red Raiders finished 15-13 and nearly won their third straight regional. After upsetting Jacobs in the playoff opener, Huntley tied host Dundee-Crown at 33-33 with 14.4 seconds left in a regional final but couldn't derail the Charger express. The program has a bright future. Sophomores Tyler Brunshon and Dylan Neukirch had big impacts this season, junior Richard Gonzaga worked his way into the starting lineup at midseason and key reserves Joe Muren and Adrian Avelar will be back.
Jacobs: It's hard to say a team had a disappointing season when it finished 24-4, but the Golden Eagles didn't reach the goals they set for themselves. They were unseated as Fox Valley Conference Valley Division champs after losing 2 thrillers to Dundee-Crown. More painfully, they were dismissed from the playoffs in a regional semifinal by Huntley, a team Jacobs defeated 56-33 in December. The Golden Eagles should challenge for the division title again next season with forward Mike Barch and sophomore guards Mike Peterson and Nick Hofman returning, but replacing the 21-point, 9-rebound consistency of all-area honorary captain Conrad Krutwig won't be easy.
Larkin: The Royals suffered through an 11-game losing streak in January and February and finished 8-19, yet it was a huge improvement for a program that won just a single game the previous year. Larkin should take another step forward next year with returning 3-point shooters Ryan Smith, Drew Simonini and Ramadon Adili back for their senior seasons. Forward Alex Wahl (6-2) will need some help to offset the graduation of all-area forward Terell John. John led the Royals in scoring and rebounding.
St. Edward: Good competition paid off for the Green Wave. St. Edward played Class 4A competition at the Jacobs Holiday Tournament and battled Class 3A foes throughout Suburban Catholic Conference season, all of which prepped the team for success in the Class 2A playoffs. The Wave upset top-seeded Genoa-Kingston on the way to a regional title, their first since 2003, despite finishing 12-19 overall. Guards Phil Johnson and Nick Kerger return for the Green Wave.
South Elgin: The building plan is complete. The newest school in District-U-46 notched 19 wins in its third varsity season and tied for third in the Upstate Eight Conference before losing to St. Charles North in a regional final. Winning consistently year to year will now be the challenge after three-year starters Alex Sanchez, Jeff Lewis and Dani Lopez move on. Scoring guard Tommy Childs and guards Sheldon Chaney and Sam Jordt give coach Chaz Taft experience in the backcourt next season.
Streamwood: Tem Esikiel had another huge year and graduates as the school's all-time leading scorer. However, this program on the rise could actually be better next year. High participation at the lower levels means developing players for coach Tim Jones, who will have all-area forward Marcus Lewis and exciting guard Jerrold Ofiana returning from a team that went 13-14.
Westminster Christian: The Warriors enjoyed a winning season and have much to look forward to next year. All-area guard Ryan Beachler returns along with junior guard Ben Carani and 6-foot-7 center Ian Dutcher, who had a solid sophomore season.
jfitzpatrick@dailyherald.com