Scouting report: Another Bailey Eagle has landed
Ever since his older brother attained Eagle Scout status, Dave Bailey wanted to do the same - and on Jan. 9, the Naperville Central senior officially will be presented with the highest rank in Scouting.
Just like his brother, Paul, 20, attained.
"It feels really good to be an Eagle Scout," said Bailey, 17, of Naperville. "I stuck with (Scouting) mainly because my brother did it and I look up to him a lot. I always wanted to get my Eagle (Scout) ever since he got his.
"(Scouting) is pretty much a lifestyle for me, the Scout oath and law is how I live my life."
Bailey, a right handed shooting defenseman, is in his third season on the Redhawks' varsity team. He also plays rugby.
But Scouting and ice hockey?
"I think the leadership (qualities obtained through Scouting have) helped me on the ice," said Bailey, who leads by example.
As for negative comments about being a Scout, Bailey said he hasn't heard any, especially at 6-foot-1, 230 pounds. "At my size, no one has made fun of me for (Scouting), but I do know people who have been (ridiculed) and that definitely has affected them staying with Boy Scouts, and they dropped out," he said.
Bailey is a prototypical stay-at-home defenseman who often delivers bone-crunching checks.
"What I've learned over the years is, the (best) way to stop a fast team or a fast skater is to play the body. And it works; it seems to get them out of their game and (they) start worrying about getting hit," Bailey said.
Bailey started in Scouting in September, 1998. Since then:
• Received the Arrow of Light Award in February, 2003.
•Donated more than 40 hours to Troops Service & Eagle Scout Projects.
•Has participated for five years in the Children of the American Revolution.
•Has volunteered for two years at the annual "Rockin For The Troops," a fundraising concert for military troops.
•Operated a neighborhood lawn care and snow removal service for five years.
• Has received 35 Merit Badges, including Citizenship in the World, Emergency Preparedness, First Aid and Personal Fitness - which he definitely offers partial credit to his hockey career.
• "I always want to help out with Boy Scouts, give back for what they gave me," he said.
Bailey's Eagle Scout project included completing part of the Outdoor Education Center at The Conservation Foundation's headquarters at McDonald Farm in Naperville. He solicited plant donations, then organized fund-raising for additional plants. Then, Bailey organized and led a work group in preparing the site and planting the new plants.
Ultimately, more than 170 plants representing 10 species were planted, four cubic yards of mulch were spread, new borders outlining the walking paths were installed and one birdhouse was erected.
It was one day of work with about six months of planning - and some of his teammates helped him along the way. Those include senior forward Joe Andalina and Naperville Central head coach Jeff Nelson - who are expected to attend Bailey's Eagle Scout Court of Honor.
Scouting Success: Lake Forest skated past host Crystal Lake South to capture the annual Gator Cup on Dec. 28, winning the championship game 2-0.
The Scouts defeated the Glacier Midget Major team 5-1 in the semifinals, while the Gators beat Jacobs 8-3 to advance.
Brett Bartuch scored what proved to be the championship game-winner on a rebound with less than six minutes remaining in the second period. Parker Teufel added a late empty-net goal.
Lake Forest goalie Mark Klein stopped 36 shots; Gator goalie Eric Bartos made 25 saves. Bartos stopped 62 of 65 shots in three tournament games.
"Their goaltender played well, but we didn't do the things that have made us successful all year. We didn't get any traffic in front of the net. He was able to see most of the shots," said CLS coach Rich Perillo.
Junior Eric Purcell was the Gators' leading scorer in the tournament (5 goals, 6 assists), while senior Mark Greenberg had 6 goals and 3 assists. Junior Kenny Hall (3, 5), junior Scottie Stalo (4, 4), senior Chris Hollich (2, 5) also had strong tournament showings.
Short-handed Stud: Neuqua Valley junior Matthew Kostopoulos single-handedly carried the Wildcats to a 2-1 over rival Naperville North on Dec. 26, scoring both goals.
And both were short-handed tallies. His first, at 3:32 of the first period, came off an assist from senior Colin Willis. Kostopoulos scored the game-winner unassisted at 4:36 of the second period.
In addition to the win over Naperville North, the Wildcats skated past Bartlett (3-1) in pool-play at the 16th annual Chicago Blackhawk Charities Holiday Hockey Classic, but lost 4-3 to Oak Park River Forest. Still, the Wildcats advanced to the event's quarterfinals, but that's where they skated into a buzz saw. New Trier Green crushed the Wildcats, 10-0.
Scarfs and gloves needed: The Northeastern Women's Club Hockey is ranked No. 1 in the East for Division 2 - and the team features freshmen Casie Fields (Buffalo Grove) and Kelly Wallace (Libertyville). The Huskies (10-4-2) will be part of history on Jan. 8, when they are part of an outdoor women's college hockey game, against the University of New Hampshire, in the first game of a doubleheader at Fenway Park in Boston. The second Fenway game that day pits the men's teams from Boston College and Boston University.
Wallace has 3 goals and 1 assist in eight games played - and leads the team with a .429 shot percentage. Fields does not have a point in 15 games played.
Don't blink: Stevenson junior right wing Brad Levinson did the incredible in a game this season against Barrington: he tallied a hat trick in 28 seconds. His feat is even more amazing considering he only has 7 goals and 2 assists all season.
"I've never seen a natural hat trick that quickly," said Stevenson coach Jim Wood. "It was kind of funny (to see); he definitely had a big smile on his face (after the third goal). And it was a good thing he scored three because we wound up tying the game, 4-4.
"It really was something to see."
Levinson skates with center Greg Rachke and left wing Kollin Fairbanks, both seniors.
The Patriots have had other scoring heroes this season: Rachke, Jack Mannion and Sam Mannion each have 4-goal games.
The Patriots (28-7-6) are 10-3-4 in Metro North, 6-1-2 in the season-long High School Invitational Tournament. At the Chicago Blackhawk Charities Holiday Hockey Classic, Stevenson defeated Christian Brothers College (CBC) 2-1, yet ultimately lost 4-1 to New Trier Green in the semi-finals.
"The CBC game was one of biggest wins in Stevenson history," Wood said. "CBC is the defending Missouri state champion and has won this tournament three of the past five years. It's just a solid program; it was a great win."
Notes: New Trier Green defeated the co-op Rockford team 4-1 on Dec. 29, to retain the championship in the 16th annual Chicago Blackhawk Charities Holiday Hockey Classic, played in Bensenville. The Trevians advanced to the finals with a win over Stevenson, while Rockford defeated York to advance.
The Trevians are coached by the most successful coach in Illinois history: Bob Melton, who has led Green to seven state championships in 12 years.
Melton will be honored Jan. 31 with induction into the fifth-class of the Illinois Hockey Hall of Fame (IHHF), ironically, in the Players Category (along with Jim Augustine and Patrick Bryne) for his career at Glenbrook North. He skated the Spartans to the state championship before graduating in 1985 and then continuing his playing career at Illinois-Chicago.
The IHHF also has honorees in the Builders and Officials Categories, such as Chico Ahdratas and Buffalo Grove's Tom Hughes, respectively.
Nine will be inducted on Sunday, Jan. 31, at the Belvedere Banquet Hall in Elk Grove Village. Tickets are available by contacting Norm Spiegel at (847) 269-2922 or by emailing Spiegel at jacole@comcast.net.