End of another school year reminds us of all the good times

It can't be over yet, can it?

Hard to believe, but this week marks the end of another high school sports season. But before we hang the "Gone Fishin'" sign for the summer let's look at the top 10 moments of the school year for DuPage County girls athletics.

Sept. 9, 2009: PALOS HEIGHTS - The signs with her picture on it, floral bouquet and place in the record book were all Peg Kopec's.

"But it's not just about me," said the St. Francis girls volleyball coach.

In front of a crowd that included many of her ex-players, Kopec's Spartans beat Chicago Christian 25-19, 25-22 for her 1,000th career win. Kopec, with eight state championships at St. Francis, is the first coach in Illinois history to achieve that milestone.

"You know you've been around for a while when there's a sophomore whose mother played for me," Kopec said afterward. "I do appreciate 1,000 wins. It's a dream."

Oct. 24, 2009: NORTHWEST SUBURBS - Bad weather forced matches at the IHSA state tennis tournament indoors all over the northwest suburbs. All four top seeds were bounced in quarterfinals.

But Hinsdale Central kept rolling.

The Red Devils won their fourth straight girls tennis title, the third time in IHSA history that feat has been accomplished. Coincidentally Hinsdale Central was the last school to do so, in 1976-79. Hinsdale Central's doubles duo of Marika Cusick and Kristy Hamilton placed fourth.

Nov. 5, 2009: WHEATON - It was the "unofficial" state championship between arguably the two best teams in the state, regardless of class.

In front of a standing-room-only crowd at St. Francis' Spyglass Center, Joliet Catholic fought off match point in Game 2 to beat St. Francis 20-25, 26-24, 25-22 in a Class 3A sectional final.

"It's a great year to be in 4A," Kopec said afterward. "We had an opportunity to win and we didn't."

The rest of the 3A tournament proved anti-climactic, as expected. Joliet Catholic didn't lose another set, beating Breese Mater Dei 25-20, 25-23 to win the 3A state championship.

Dec. 12, 2009: HINSDALE - Toni Kokenis' desperation 3-pointer at the buzzer against Glenbard West made history. With the 3-pointer the Stanford-bound Kokenis passed Morgan Kasperek as Hinsdale Central's all-time leading scorer. A month later, Kokenis became the all-time scoring leader - girls AND boys - eclipsing Brian Wardle. Kokenis, a two-time Daily Herald All-Area Captain, finished with 2,031 career points.

Mar. 6, 2010: NORMAL - Heavy favorites to win the Class 3A girls basketball state championship coming into the season, Montini was hit with the loss of star senior Michala Johnson to a season-ending knee injury days before a showdown with No. 1 Bolingbrook. It was the second straight year Johnson was sidelined with an ACL tear.

That didn't stop the Broncos.

Seven weeks later, Montini beat Hillcrest 64-53 to win the state championship, the school's first in girls basketball. Trailing by as many as 12 points in the second quarter, the Broncos stormed back to take a 2-point lead at halftime. Montini's Alison Seberger - playing on her future collegiate home floor - hit 6 of the Broncos' state finals record 12 3-pointers.

April 10, 2010: STREAMWOOD - Downers Grove South sweeps a nonconference doubleheader, giving 18th-year coach Ron Havelka his 500th career win.

Eight weeks later Havelka's Mustangs beat Lockport 4-3 for his fourth sectional championship at Downers Grove South. Jenny Nichols comes in from third base on a wild pickoff throw for the winning run in the bottom of the seventh.

May 22, 2010: CHARLESTON - Annette Eichenberger crashed to the ground at Eastern Illinois' O'Brien Stadium after an improbable state championship.

In her third appearance at the state girls track and field meet in the 800 meters, the West Chicago senior overtook Palatine's Ruth Allen to win her school's first track state championship.

At the same meet Hinsdale Central held off East St. Louis and Thornton, powered by championships in the 400 and 800 relays. And Downers Grove South junior Tori Franklin broke the 40-foot barrier to win the triple jump.

May 25, 2010: PALOS HEIGHTS - It took 101 minutes and 20 seconds, but it was well worth the wait. Emily DeLong scored the winning touch after a one-touch shot coming from a Nicole Urban pass, giving Lisle a 3-2 win over Chicago Parker in three overtimes for Lisle's first trip to the state soccer tournament.

May 29, 2010: PLAINFIELD - Four years of hard work reached its crescendo.

Seniors and four-year starters Colleen Hohman and Jenna Marsalli led Neuqua Valley to a 3-1 win over Plainfield Central in the Class 4A Plainfield Central regional final, giving Neuqua its first regional championship since 2003.

"It was our time," said Kansas recruit Hohman, who gave up just 1 run in two regional starts.

June 5, 2010: NAPERVILLE - Waubonsie Valley reigned once again, this time in the rain. Hannah Klancic scored 2 goals and Jessica Price also had a goal in a 3-0 win over Sandburg in the Class 3A final at North Central College, giving the Warriors their third state soccer championship in four seasons.

"This team started from scratch practically," Warriors senior Vanessa DiBernardo was quoted as saying, "so this is a great feeling."

jwelge@dailyherald.com