Benedictine ready to play local rivals
Benedictine’s men’s basketball team won’t have to worry much about its standing in the Northern Athletics Conference this week.
Its place in the local college basketball scene is a different story.
The Eagles are taking a break from conference play this week for a quick two-game set with teams from the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin. Those two teams just happen to be local rivals Elmhurst — which Benedictine will host at 8:30 p.m. Wednesday — and North Central.
Neither game will help the Eagles (3-4, 2-2 NAC) improve upon their third-place standing in the NAC South Division. But the local angle gives the pair of nonconference tilts some added weight.
A win “gives you a little bragging rights for the year,” Benedictine coach Keith Bunkenburg said. “Coaches, players, I know we want to win that game.”
Benedictine is off to an uneven start in 2011-’12 as it struggles to replace three starters from a team that posted a 13-3 record in league play and made the NCAA Division III Tournament a year ago.
Senior guard Nate Green was supposed to power the Eagles’ offense, but he played only three games this season before being suspended for what Bunkenburg called a violation of team rules. Green is unlikely to play Wednesday, though Bunkenburg did not rule the 2010-11 all-NAC selection, averaging 22.7 points a game, out of Saturday’s game against North Central.
Even without Green, Benedictine has managed to hang around in just about every game this season. But while junior forward Mark Pace has been a reliable scorer at 13.4 points a game, the Eagles have shown their inexperience at times.
“Our biggest thing is finishing off games,” Bunkenburg said. “You feel like you’re close, but you never know.”
Elmhurst enters Wednesday’s game at 4-4 but is running hot with wins in three of its last four. Senior guard Zack Boyd averages a team-high 14.6 points a game, but senior forward Jerome Robinson’s post play is the key to the Bluejays’ offense, which leads the CCIW in 3-point shooting at 39.4 percent.
“We have an inside-out mentality,” said coach Mark Scherer, adding that the Bluejays want to establish the 6-foot-6 Robinson early. “We’ve played (Benedictine) a lot over the years. ... It’s always a great rivalry.”
Benedictine will make the short trip to Naperville to play North Central at 7:30 p.m. Saturday.
The Eagles haven’t lost to the Cardinals since Dec. 15, 2008, when they dropped a 71-63 decision at the Rice Center. North Central fell to 3-4 this season with a 71-51 road loss to Wisconsin-Platteville Tuesday but was picked to finish second in the CCIW preseason coaches poll.
The Cardinals are led by a pair of sophomores in guard C.J. Goldthree and forward Landon Gamble.
Football: The American Football Coaches Association named Benedictine’s John Borsellino (Montini) to its All-America team Monday, making the junior running back the fourth player in school history to earn the honor.
Borsellino was recognized as an all-purpose player after a season in which he established new single-season school records for rushing attempts, yards and total touchdowns. He ran for 1,362 yards on 249 carries with 22 touchdowns, 17 on the ground. Borsellino is the first Benedictine player to earn All-America status since 1993.
North Central senior Kyle Fiedorowicz was also named to the All-America team as a tight end after he caught 25 passes for 381 yards and 8 touchdowns this season.
Wheaton: Jaime Orewiler (Wheaton North) has been named a Division III All-America for the second consecutive season, capping her standout career with the Wheaton women’s soccer team.
The National Soccer Coaches Association of America announced the 40-player team Saturday, placing Orewiler on the first team. The senior forward was one of nine repeat selections on the team, earning her spot with 15 goals and 16 assists for Wheaton (23-2-2) this season.
“It’s a great honor. It’s exciting,” Orewiler said. “It’s been a great four years.”
Orewiler helped lead the Thunder to the NCAA Tournament championship match this season, where they dropped a 3-1 decision to Messiah.
She finished her career with 48 goals and 31 assists. She is seventh in the Wheaton record books in career goals and assists and sixth in total points, despite having her freshman and sophomore seasons cut short by injuries.
“Jaime is a very unique kid,” Wheaton coach Pete Felske said. “She’s such a solid, steady performer.
“Just a quality kid and a stellar career.”
Teammate Laura Karsten joined Orewiler as a first-team selection. The junior defender was the leader of a Wheaton defense that posted 14 shutouts and a 0.72 goals against average in 2011.