North Park makes ultimate climb

Joe Belmonte and Steve Kuligowski helped the North Park University baseball program make its way out of the ultimate abyss.

Belmonte, a freshman from Conant, and Kuligowski, a senior from Grayslake Central, are part of the Vikings’ first College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin tournament champion in 22 years. Kuligowski, a first-team all-CCIW pitcher, won the tourney opener and Belmonte went 4-for-5 with a double, triple and 4 RBI in the title game.

North Park (32-12) earned its first NCAA Division III tournament trip since 1993 and a No. 3 seed and will play No. 6 College of St. Scholastica (33-9) from Minnesota at 4 p.m. today in the Wisconsin-Whitewater regional.

Not bad for a team that lost 39 of 40 games a year before head coach Luke Johnson’s arrival in 2006. North Park was 6-108 from 2003-05.

Kuligowski went 11-2 with a 2.57 ERA and 85 strikeouts in 91 innings this season. Belmonte hit .396 with 12 RBI in 21 games and pitchers Merrick McGrady (Stevenson) and Johnny Larson (Prospect) also saw action.

There are a lot of local ties in the regional starting with fifth-seed Concordia (33-11) facing No. 4 Whitewater (29-15) at 10 a.m. Former Schaumburg star Adam Smith has led Concordia to only its second NCAA berth in his second year as head coach.

Senior third baseman Anthony Even (Leyden) was chosen Northern Athletics Conference player of the year after hitting .442 with 22 doubles and 38 RBI. Outfielder Cam Stephens (Leyden) hit .358 with 44 RBI and catcher Nick Skala (St. Viator), a 37th-round draft pick by the Orioles last year, hit .320 with 8 homers, 15 doubles and 44 RBI.

Wheeling junior Bobby Beelen (7-1, 2.56) has made an impact on the mound and Kurt Kempema (Schaumburg) and Pat Conlin (Rolling Meadows) have appeared in more than 10 games.

Seventh-seed Aurora (36-8) also has a big Leyden contingent as it faces No. 2 Wisconsin-LaCrosse (33-9) at 7 p.m. Senior Tim Mackey (.400, 18 2B, 4 HR, .400, 34-for-35 stolen bases), freshman Eric Palmer (8-0, 2.08, 49 strikeouts in 53 innings) and freshman infielder Carlos Olavarria hit .308 with 16 RBI.

Conant grad Ben Prather is also in his third year as hitting coach at Whitewater.

Kapka has Lewis flying: Sophomore designated hitter Kyle Kapka (Prospect) helped Lewis qualify for the NCAA Division II tournament for the first time since 1995. Kapka is at .350 with 12 doubles, 3 homers and 20 RBI.

Lewis got the sixth seed in a regional starting Thursday at Eastern Michigan University. Also in the field is Northern Kentucky, where junior catcher Pat Hyde (Hersey) hit .246 in 19 starts.

Wojcik helps Winona State return: Conant grad Derek Wojcik helped Division II national runner-up Winona State make its third straight tourney appearance. Wojcik hit .317 with 11 doubles and 29 RBI.

Spandiary picks North Central: Schaumburg senior Christian Spandiary, the Daily Herald All-Area boys basketball honorary captain in Cook County, will continue his basketball career at North Central College in Naperville.

The 6-foot-2 Spandiary averaged 16 points a game and led the Saxons to a Mid-Suburban League title and 24 victories. Spandiary also started for three teams which reached sectional championship games.

Hart picks Illinois Wesleyan: Maine West senior and two-time all-area guard Conor Hart will play basketball at Illinois Wesleyan, which made the Division III Final Four. Hart averaged 19 points a game before suffering a season-ending knee injury in February and is part of a recruiting class which includes Rolling Meadows guard Brian Nelms.

Three pick Illinois Wesleyan football: Three all-area football standouts will continue their careers at Illinois Wesleyan — Elk Grove lineman Greg Johnson and wide receiver-defensive back Fernando Lozano and Rolling Meadows wide receiver Artie Checchin.

Hersey football players make college picks: Five Hersey football players have made their college picks — wide receiver Justin Jobski and defensive back Frank Kalble (Augustana), offensive lineman Jackson Smith (Elmhurst), defensive back-linebacker Joey Rodgers (Wisconsin-Whitewater) and wide receiver-punter Joey Mailloux (Lake Forest).

Erik Stoltzner will play baseball at St. Norbert’s in Wisconsin.