Softball aplenty at Elgin Sports Complex next two weekends
Area softball fans will have an opportunity to see plenty of tournament action the next two weekends at the Elgin Sports Complex.
This Saturday, St. Edward hosts the annual Chicagoland Challenge with eight teams playing three games each beginning at 9 a.m.
First-round matchups have Illiana Christian taking on Genoa-Kingston, St. Edward meeting Aurora Central Catholic, Marengo matching up with downstate Farmington, and Hampshire facing Chicago Christian.
"We've got a lot of good teams coming in again," said St. Edward coach Mike Rolando, whose team is 7-2 after beating Lisle on Thursday. "Marengo's very good, Farmington's ranked and Chicago Christian is a good team. There's a lot of quality teams and that's what we need to see. We've got a lot of young players in the field that need the reps."
Marengo, off to a 10-2 start to the season, is the defending tournament champion. The Indians, in the Challenge for the first time last year, beat Illiana Christian 2-1 in the title game. Genoa beat Chicago Christian to take third. St. Edward went 2-1 last year but lost its first-round game and had to settle for fifth place after coming back to beat Farmington and Hampshire.
Larkin Slugfest: Larkin coach Larry Hight released the pairings for the 17th annual Larkin Slugfest, which will be at the complex next Saturday, April 24. And for the first time, fans can see both Elgin public schools play in the tournament as Elgin has joined the field.
"Chad had some games open and we needed a team," said Hight of first-year Elgin coach Chad Dahlman. "We're glad to have them."
Last year's Slugfest was rained out after one round of games. Lincoln-Way Central won the 2008 tournament.
Chatham-Glenwood, the defending Class 3A runner-up, is the top seed this year and will take on Hersey in the opening round. The Titans were 8-0 this season earlier this week.
No. 2 seed Plainfield Central will take on Larkin in the opening round, No. 3 Lincoln-Way Central faces newcomer Johnsburg, and No. 4 Oak Lawn meets Elgin.
Slugfest has remained unique over the years with one rule - pitchers are not allowed to throw more than 14 innings in the tournament.
Road trip: Bartlett heads east this weekend to again play in the Wendy's Spring Classic in Ashland, Ohio. Ohio is a state that did not choose to adopt the 43 feet pitching distance this season (states had the option this year; next year it becomes an NFHS mandate nationwide).
"That will be different for us," said Bartlett coach Jim Wolfsmith. "We're still getting adjusted to 43 and now we're going back to 40 for four games. We'll see what happens."
The Hawks (7-3), who lost to St. Charles North and Waubonsie Valley this week, open their Ohio trip with a 2:30 p.m. game today against defending Division I Ohio state champ Elyria, a school with an enrollment of 838. Bartlett then plays three games on Saturday, facing Ohio teams Colonel Crawford, West Liberty-Salem and North Royalton. Lake Park and Oak Park-River Forest also participate in the Spring Classic.
Senior all-star game: The Seventh Annual Dave Fehlman Memorial Senior All-Star game will be played Monday, June 14 at Judson University. Game time is 6 p.m. and admission is free. The game is being held at Judson for the first time after the Fox Valley Renegades travel softball organization dropped its sponsorship of the event. The first six all-star games were played at Jockey Field in East Dundee.
The game is sponsored by the Northern Illinois Lightning, Fox Valley Sports Academy, Scheffler Electric and Judson, and supported by the Daily Herald, with organizers seeking additional sponsors to help defray the cost and keep the event admission-free.
The game is named in memory of Dave Fehlman, a past president of the Fox Valley Renegades and a staunch supporter of high school and travel softball who passed away in 2007. Fehlman's daughter, Lissa, was a standout all-area player at St. Edward before going on to play at Evansville University. She is also a former Lightning player.
Players are invited to participate in the game from 20 Fox Valley area high schools.
For further information or to offer a sponorship, call (847) 812-1522 or e-mail northernillinoislightning@gmail.com.