Switch to Roosevelt paying off for Barrington grad Meyer

Now here's a collegiate rarity.

Barrington graduate Jake Meyer has played two different sports this school year - for two different schools.

This past winter, he was a successful wrestler for Wisconsin-Lacrosse.

Now he is a key member of the Roosevelt University pitching staff.

Meyer initially attended LaCrosse last semester to play baseball and wrestle. But when he did not make the cut for the Lacrosse baseball team, the thought of not playing the sport did not sit well with Meyer.

So he made a call to Roosevelt coach Steve Marchi, who had offered him scholarship money after his junior year to play baseball.

Meyer inquired as to whether they were still interested in him playing baseball at Roosevelt.

The answer was a resounding yes so Meyer made the transfer.

Because Roosevelt is a NAIA school, he was able to play baseball immediately upon the transfer.

And he's been quite a catch - perhaps pitch is a better word - for the Racers.

Meyer recently made his first collegiate start at Ozinga Field in Crestwood against a very formidable Robert Morris club.

Making just his fourth college appearance, Meyer went 7⅓ innings and gave up only 2 runs and 5 hits against a team that had previously scored 14 runs in a win over Division I Eastern Illinois.

Obviously Meyer is very grateful for the opportunity Roosevelt provided him despite giving up its previous scholarship offer.

In his previous sport this winter, Meyer earned the starting 197-pound spot on the dual team which was ranked as the No. 7 dual team in the country in D-III.

He also won two individual tournaments at 197 pounds, including the highly-competitive North Central College Open in Naperville on Dec 8. Meyer cracked the national D-III rankings by the fourth week of the season.

Women's golf

Wisconsin-Oshkosh freshman Margherite Pettenuzzo (Prospect) scored a career-best 77 (5-over-par) to tie for 13th place at the Kathy Niepagen Spring Fling at the Ironwood Golf Course in Normal.

Oshkosh shared fourth place among 17 teams. The Titans entered the tournament ranked 20th in the NCAA Division III by the Women's Golf Coaches Association.

Tilly commits

Barrington three-time all-area outside hitter Peyton Tilly has signed a letter of intent with Northern Illinois University and head coach Ray Gooden.

"We're very excited that Peyton is a Huskie," Gooden said in a school news release. "She possesses a solid array of skills. Peyton has the ability and potential for tremendous growth."

The 6-foot-2 Tilly was a four-year letter winner at Barrington, recording 801 career kills and 108 blocks as a Filly. This past season, she had a career-high 336 kills in leading Barrington to the Mid-Suburban League championship and earning MSL West Player of the Year.

Baseball

Bradley sophomore pitcher Brooks Gosswein (Barrington) was named the Bradley Country Financial Scholar Athlete of the Week after making two appearances on the mound during a 5-0 week for the Braves.

Gosswein totaled 8⅓ innings of hitless and scoreless work in his two outings.

In a 9-6 win against SIU-Edwardsville, he came out of the bullpen to retire all four batters he faced, allowing the Braves to rally from an early 5-0 deficit.

Gosswein made his regular start against Robert Morris-Springfield and tossed the first seven innings of Bradley's eight-inning no-hitter.

His 11 strikeouts against the Eagles equaled the fifth-best single-game total in program history and were the most by a Bradley pitcher since Joe Bircher fanned 12 Missouri State hitters on April 6, 2012.

An accounting major, Gosswein owns a 3.73 cumulative grade-point average.

• Lewis College's Brandon Post (Elk Grove) had a leadoff double down the right field line and then scored in the Flyers' 17-3 loss to Illinis Springfield.

Basketball

Buffalo Grove graduate Kristen Sommers-Christensen, who played for Bison hall of fame coach Tom Dineen, is a finalist for Illinois Middle School girls basketball Coach of the Year.

The award will be presented on May 4 at a banquet at Illinois State University.

Sommers-Christensen. is the head coach for Thomas Middle School in Arlington Heights, where she guided the Wolves to an 18-1 record and a top eight showing in the state tourney.

Sanchez camp

The Coach Sanchez Youth Spring football camp will be held on Sundays April 28, May 5, May 19 and June 2 at Barrington Community Stadium.

It is open to all students from kindergarten to eighth grade who attend Barrington District 220 schools.

The kindergarten to second grade and third to fifth grade sessions will be from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. while eighth graders will participate from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.

The camp will provide safe non-contact football instruction. All participants will be learning from the Barrington High School football program staff, led by head coach Joe Sanchez, his staff and players

The focus will be on skill development, athletic challenges, team contests, prizes and fun.

The cost is $60 for the entire camp or $20 for each session, including a free T-shirt to all registered campers.

For more information got to www.bhsfootball.org

Women's track

North Central sophomore Kelsey McLaurin (Barrington) was selected as a College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin women's outdoor Track & Field Athlete of the Week. McLaurin won the triple jump at the Wheaton Invitational and set a new school record in the process. Her mark of 11.68 meters (38-4) is currently ranked sixth on the Division III national list. McLaurin was also part of the second place 4x100 (48.89) and winning 4x400 (3:56.74) relay squads.

Men's soccer

Augustana junior soccer player Daniel Artman (Schaumburg) was selected as a recipient of the Merle Chapman Leadership Award for the College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin 2018-19 school year. Artman was presented with the honor at the at the CCIW year-end Student Athletic Advisory Committee in Naperville on April 10. The Merle Chapman Leadership Award, which began during the 2002-03 academic year, is named after the longtime football coach/director of athletics at Millikin University who served as the second commissioner of the CCIW. Artman saw action in all 17 games as a starter for the Vikings last fall.

Garropolo appearance

San Fransisco 49ers quarterback and Rolling Meadows High School graduate Jimmy Garoppolo has signed on to participate in SkillsUSA and Klein Tools first National Signing Day on May 8. Jimmy and his father, Tony Garoppolo, a recently retired career electrician, will be attending the Silicon Valley Career Technical Education in San Jose, CA. That is one of the approximately 300 schools participating in this special event to celebrate high school seniors signing letters of intent for a career in the skilled trades. "Just like signing day is an unforgettable moment for high school athletes, it is just as important for students who choose to pursue ongoing technical education, "said Jimmy Garoppolo in a news release from Klein Tools. "My father, an electrician for over 40 years, supported me and my family with a stable and rewarding career. Having witnessed first-hand the hard work, skill and dedication it takes to be an electrician, I applaud the students who are taking that next step to a gratifying career in the skilled trades." Locally, students will be celebrated at Technology Center of DuPage in Addison on May 8.

Women's lacrosse

Illinois Wesleyan senior midfielder Dani Engelbreit (Conant) was selected as the College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin women's lacrosse Player of the Week. Engelbreit helped lead the Titans to a 15-6 win at Augustana in the CCIW opener. She had a season-high 5 caused turnovers, along with 10 draw controls. She added 4 goals and 5 ground balls in the win.

• Email Sports Notes items to jleusch@dailyherald.com