LaRocco earns All-America honor
Harper College women's soccer standout Jaclyn LaRocco received an extra special side dish with her Thanksgiving turkey. That's when the freshman forward was named NJCAA Division III First Team All-American.
“She deserved to be an All-American,” said Harper women's soccer coach Dwyane Cruz.
LaRocco and Joliet Community College midfielder Caytin Lewin were the only two players from the North Central Community College Conference who earned All-American honors. LaRocco finished fourth in the nation with 58 points.
“She did what she had to do this year to become an All-American,” Cruz said.
The Schaumburg alum scored 23 goals while dishing 12 assists.
Mat men: The grueling Harper College wrestling schedule continued last week when the Hawks wrestled at Wisconsin-Parkside on Saturday.
“What I'm looking for (early in the season) is for kids to get alot of matches and places (in tournaments),” said Harper coach Dan Loprieno. “Everybody is getting in a lot of good matches.”
Including heavyweight Adam Chalfant, who has won every tournament in his weight class this season.
Loprieno also praised freshman Khari Washington (184 pounds) who won the Coe (Iowa) tournament.
Loprieno also likes the way 174-pounder Josh Ronne (Liberytville) and 133-pounder Nick Pagano (Stevenson) are wrestling.
The Hawks are currently the No. 1 team in the country in the NJCAA poll.
The Hawks travel to Triton College on Saturday.
Inside story: Coming off Saturday's 66-53 loss to Oakton Community College in women's basketball, it was clear to coach Mark Smith where his Hawks were lacking.
“We got hurt inside,” he said. “We are making too many mistakes. It's all things that are correctable.”
Harper (4-5) was scheduled to play two games this week, but Tuesday's game against Daley College was a forfeit due to transportation problems for the visitors.
The Hawks travel to Elgin Community College to take on the Spartans at 6 p.m. tonight. The teams last met Nov. 9 at the Sports and Wellness Center, and the Hawks suffered a 63-49 loss.
“We know what they do” Smith said of Elgin.
Harper center Sara Kellermeyer (Schaumburg) could be out up to four weeks, according to Hawks assistant coach Marlene Sarley, with a right ankle injury suffered in the first half of the McHenry game Nov. 30.
“We just have to buckle down,” Smith said of the Kellermeyer loss.
Look for 5-foot-11freshman Larissa Aguero (Wheeling) to fill in for Kellermeyer.
“She showed me something offensively (Saturday)” Smith said of Aguero.
Against Oakton, Aguero finished with a team-high 17 points. Smith would like to see freshman guard Lizzy Dyrek (Cary-Grove) score a little bit more.
The Hawks have been playing without sophomore forward Betsy Bailey (Palatine), who is rehabbing a torn MCL and ACL suffered near the end of last season.
Fast and furious: The Harper men's basketball team's 76-61 victory over Daley College on Tuesday tipped off a stretch in which the Hawks will play six games in 14 days.
“I don't think we defended as well as we can (Tuesday),” said Harper coach Tony Amarino.
But Amarino likes the intelligence his team has played with offensively, saying “the guys are smart enough to find the shooter (against the zone defense played by Daley).”
The Hawks cap off this week with two games at the Kankakee Invite. On Friday, the Hawks play Illinois Centrial. Amarino called the Cougars, who weree 7-2 before a touranment last weekend, “a solid team.”
Tipoff is slated for 6 p.m. Saturday as the Hawks play 11-0 Kankakee Community College. The Cavaliers are ranked 13th in this week's NJCAA Division I poll.