The top 10 list: Only state champions need apply
Last week Daily Herald teammate Josh Welge listed the top 10 moments for girls high school athletics in DuPage County for the 2008-09 school year, and now it's my task to compile a similar list for the boys.
Wish me luck. Among the stellar feats left on the cutting room floor are sectional titles won by Neuqua Valley's basketball team and Naperville Central's baseball team.
With only 10 moments, the list is limited - in chronological order - to state title winners. And, even then, there had to be a little cheating.
Oct. 18, 2008: NORMAL - Two years ago as a freshman, Wheaton Academy golfer David Flynn finished 67th in the state in Class AA and improved to seventh in last year's Class 2A tournament.
This time the junior reaches the top. By shooting a 142, Flynn wins the 2A state title by a single stroke. The difference comes down to Flynn's birdie on the final hole.
Nov. 8, 2008: PEORIA - Naperville North's cross country team edges York 84-85 in the Class 3A race to earn the program's first state title. Leading the charge are Kyle Gibson, who places fourth, and all-staters David McWilliams and Tyler Jermann.
Nov. 28-29, 2008: CHAMPAIGN - Suburban Catholic Conference football asserts itself behind Immaculate Conception and St. Francis.
After winning its first four Class 2A playoff games by an average of 32 points, Immaculate Conception stuns unbeaten Casey-Westfield 36-17 in the title game.
The next day St. Francis becomes the fifth SCC school to win a state football title by beating defending state champion and previously unbeaten Metamora 49-35.
Jan. 31, 2009: O'FALLON - Lake Park's bowling team wins its first state title. Adam and Ryan Keith finish fourth and fifth, respectively, as the Lancers tally 13,129 pins for a per-game average of 281.8 pins.
Feb. 21 and Feb. 28, 2009: CHAMPAIGN AND BLOOMINGTON - Montini dominates in the first year of three-class wrestling. Four grapplers win individual Class 2A state titles in a list that includes 125-pounder Stephen Robertson, 160-pound Isaiah Gonzalez, 189-pound Carl Foreside and 215-pound Grant Goebel.
In Class 3A Glenbard North's Tony Ramos wins the 125-pound title for his third straight state championship.
It comes as no surprise the following weekend when Montini wins the Class 2A dual team state title by averaging a 40-point margin of victory in three matches.
Feb. 28, 2009: WINNETKA - Neuqua Valley's swim team receives three individual state titles while finishing second in the team standings.
Kevin Overholt wins the 100 and 200 freestyle state titles while Kevin Cordes wins the 100 breaststroke. Downers Grove North's Burke Sims claims the 500 freestyle title.
May 15-16, 2009: FRANKFORT - Seventeen years after its first state gymnastics title, Glenbard North repeats the feat by edging Lincoln-Way East 160.2-159.3.
The Panthers clinch the crown with a strong finish on pommel horse and still rings. Seniors Tyler DeAnda, Tyler Arl, Ryan Vandenack and sophomores Ryan Kennedy and Jesus Soto combine to bring home the top prize.
The next day in the individual competition, Wheaton co-op senior Tim Krueger wins three state titles - the floor exercise, vault and parallel bars. York's Kyle Carmona wins the pommel horse championship while Downers Grove North's Doug Rybar claims the all-around title.
May 30, 2009: ARLINGTON HEIGHTS - Hinsdale Central's tennis team wins its third straight state title behind the championship doubles team of Dan Ballantine and Ian Tesmond in addition to a fifth-place singles finish by Augie Bloom. The Red Devils top Stevenson 43-42, the difference coming in Ballantine and Tesmond's 7-5, 6-0 final win over Stevenson's top team.
May 30, 2009: CHARLESTON - Meanwhile, at the state track and field meet, Lake Park senior Dan Block wins the Class 3A discus and shot put titles to give him four state titles in his illustrious career.
York earns the 3A team title behind the Dukes' Steve Sulkin and his championship run in the 3,200-meter race. A victory in the 1,600 relay leads Neuqua Valley to a second-place team finish. Waubonsie Valley wins the 3,200 relay.
June 6, 2009: HOFFMAN ESTATES - A third straight volleyball state title goes to Wheaton Warrenville South, which beats Maine South 25-23, 25-14 in the final.
Five seniors who competed on all three championship teams, including Daily Herald All-Area captain Joe Kelly, dominate the weekend tournament by winning all three matches in two games.
The Tigers cap a tremendous school year for DuPage County boys high school athletics, one that'll be tough to beat in 2009-10.
You can bet, though, that another crop of athletes will be working this summer to make next year's top 10 list.
kschmit@dailyherald.com