Stevenson’s Duffy getting it done at St. Thomas
Genny Duffy put up impressive offensive numbers when she batted .481 last spring for Stevenson softball coach Larry Friedrichs.
The three-year varsity starter knocked in 27 runs and struck out only eight times. Her 50 hits included 5 doubles, 3 triples and a home run.
Now a freshman for St. Thomas in Minnesota, Duffy doubled her home run total from her senior year of high school.
Duffy hit a pair of 3-run homers as St. Thomas (41-4) stormed to a 19-3 win over Ripon in the double-elimination NCAA Division III softball regional at Eau Claire, Wis.
Duffy will be a member of John Radtke’s Northern Illinois Lightning women’s team for the first time this summer after spending the last two seasons as a leader on the Lightning’s 18-under squad.
Play for a Cure
The second annual “Play for a Cure” event between Stevenson and Lake Forest high schools was held last week.
The total donations being sent to The Chicagoland Area Affiliate of Susan G. Komen For The Cure will be in excess of $5,700. The two-year total is more than $14,000.
Men’s track
Two-time All American Jack Howard (Libertyville) won the 800-meter dash in 1:48.24 at the Big East Outdoor Championships at the Jumbo Elliott Track at Villanova Stadium in Villanova, Pa.
He was the first Notre Dame athlete to win the event. Howard also had a first-place finish (7:24.91) anchoring the 4 x 800-meter relay team as well. Next up is a trip to the NCAA regionals in Bloomington, Ind., on May 27.
Men’s golf
Vernon Hills senior Kris McGovern has committed to play at Central College in Pella, Iowa. He was a three-year varsity golfer at Vernon Hills and captain and MVP his senior year. McGovern won regionals this fall and made it to the state finals in Bloomington.
McGovern had a lot of interest from the top D-III and NAIA schools in the Midwest. He decided on Central because of its rich golf tradition. Central recently won the Iowa Conference.
Hall of Fame
It’s been three years since Washington Bush retired after serving as the athletic director at Concnat High School for 15 years.
“I still call him for stuff,” said current Conant AD Jon Kane. “ He’s a wealth of knowledge.”
And now Bush is a Hall of Fame member.
Bush was inducted into the Illinois Athletic Directors Association Hall of Fame on April 30 in Peoria at the IADA state conference.
Bush served the IADA in a variety of capacities, including 10 years as a CCA test administrator, six as an LTC instructor and five as a business manager. He was also a mentor, assistant golf chairman, assistant conference chair and chair.
Bush received the IADA outstanding Athletic Director award in 1998 and IADA Athlete Director of the Year in 2007. He served on the IHSA Sportsmanship committee, the IHSA Legislative Commission and the IHSA Strategic Plan Committee on finances.
He served and presented for the MIAAA National Conference and was awarded the Illinois Wrestling Coaches and Officials Association’s Administrator of the Year honors in 2002.
“Washington Bush was one of the finest athletic directors of his era,” said Wheeling athletic director Steve May. “He had the respect and admiration of his entire coaching staff at Conant and the community.
“When your team went to compete at Conant, you knew they would be treated to a first-class event. Washington was there to greet you and make sure things ran smoothly. When you thought of Conant athletics, you thought of Washington Bush.”
In his years as AD, Conant hosted state series in many events, including the girls state soccer finals. Bush also voluntered his time at the boys state volleyball finals, the girls gymnastics state meet, the boys state track meet and the state wrestling meet. He was also a member of the Northern Illinois Sporting Officiating Committee and he served as the president of the Mid-Suburban League and its Board of Control. He also was a liaison for the MSL in wrestling, swimming and water polo.
Women’s volleyball
Kyrsten Becker (Rolling Meadows) has been hired as a graduate assistant for the woman’s volleyball program at Morehead State University in Kentucky. She will be Director of Operations as well as an assistant coach, while receiving her masters in education.
Becker graduated from the University of St. Francis with a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and a minor in secondary education. She also graduated summa cum laude.
Men’s track
Eastern Illinois University senior Patrick Tortorici (Conant) won the Ohio Valley Conference championship in the 400 hurdles at Murray State, finishing in 51.95 — the seventh-best time in EIU history.
He also anchored the winning 4 x 400 relay team (3:16.23). Tortorici hopes to qualify to run in the regional championship to be held at the University of Oregon in June.
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