Suburban Sprawl takes a dip in the pool
This week, let’s start with swimming for a change of pace. Virginia won the women’s title for the fourth straight year. The Cavaliers featured three suburban swimmers -- Kate Morris (Glenbard West), Carly Novelline (New Trier) and Maxine Parker (Bannockburn).
Maxine Parker had an impressive performance at the NCAA Finals. She won four relay championships, in the 200 medley, 200 freestyle, 400 medley and 400 free; plus an individual seventh place in the 50 freestyle. She transferred to Virginia from Georgia this year.
Parker did not attend an area high school, but is the daughter of former Maine West and Northwestern basketball star Heather Ertel, the center on the Warriors’ 1988 state championship team with Nancy and Moira Kennelly.
A couple other suburban swimmers won medals at the NCAA meet, including Duke’s Kaelyn Gridley from New Trier.
Oswego East’s Grace Cooper placed in the 400 relay for Texas.
Meanwhile, Batavia grad Garrett Clasen won another DIII title for University of Chicago, the third of his career in the 200 IM.
Goal achieved
Exciting times for Naperville Central grad Chase Adams, who scored his first professional goal for Columbus Crew 2, the developmental squad of the MLS franchise. Adams was named Gatorade high school player of the year in Illinois in 2022.
Scenes from the Big Dance
Neuqua Valley’s John Poulakidas scored 28 points to lead Yale to a first-round upset win over Auburn.
Fremd’s Emily Klaczek tossed in this incredible shot during Rice’s NCAA Tournament loss at LSU.
Maine West’s Angela Dugalic is headed to the Sweet Sixteen with UCLA. Here’s a blocked shot in the second-round win over Creighton.
Clemson men made the Sweet Sixteen with help from Glenbrook North grad Billy Donlon on the coaching staff.
Donlon missed out on this all-GBN coaching photo, featuring Northwestern’s Chris Collins, Duke’s Jon Scheyer and former Glenbrook North head coach Brian James.
Collins and Scheyer were in high school a few years apart, but the setup in Brooklyn provided a good chance to relive some of the good times in Northbrook.
Here’s a fun fact from Northwestern’s two-game run...
The new era of free enterprise in college sports allowed for some instant NIL opportunities.
Here’s another snapshot from the NCAA Tournament: Oakland 3-point specialist/folk hero Jack Gohlke is a true man of the people. Sign him up, Windy City Bulls.
Alternate tournaments
Grant’s Jazzlyn Linbo (pictured) and Purdue Fort Wayne are moving on in the Women’s NIT. They’ll play Saint Louis on Friday.
A number of local players are still alive in the WNIT. Some other third-round games are Illinois State vs. Wisconsin; Purdue vs. Duquesne, and South Dakota vs. Wyoming.
Postseason fun fact: Besides the WNIT, there’s the 32-team WBIT going on. Lake Park’s Darrione Rogers helped lead Mississippi State into the final eight. Illinois is also still going in this tournament.
DII update
To follow up on last week’s Division II tournament rundown, Minnesota State rolled past Ferris State in the quarterfinals on Tuesday. Justin Eagins (Downers Grove South) scored 8 points for MSU.
Minnesota State will face West Texas A&M in the semifinals on Thursday. Johnsburg’s Zach Toussaint scored 19 points and went 5-of-6 from 3-point range in WT A&M’s win over North Georgia.
Portal news
Mundelein grad Conor Enright confirmed he’ll enter the transfer portal, now that his coach at Drake, Darian DeVries, took a new job at West Virginia.
Meanwhile, Buffalo Grove’s Kam Craft will stay in Ohio, transferring to Miami University from Xavier.
Troy D’Amico, a 6-7 forward from Notre Dame College Prep, is moving to DePaul from Southern Illinois. DePaul reportedly hired former SIU head coach and Downers Grove South grad Bryan Mullins as an assistant.
Wrestling championships
At the NCAA wrestling championships, Glenbard North’s Austin Gomez took second place at 149 pounds. The two-time All-American helped his Michigan squad earn the third place team trophy.
Fremd’s Adam Kemp had a nice run at the NCAA tourney for Cal Poly.
The windmill is open
The NBA is shutting down the G-League Ignite squad at the end of the season, but there’s still time for highlights from Willowbrook native Matas Buzelis.
Early Burdi
In other pro news, Downers Grove South grad Nick Burdi earned a spot in the the Yankees bullpen for Opening Day. Burdi had a brief stay with the Cubs last year before appendicitis ended his season.
Hitting the books
Glenbrook South’s Nick Martinelli earned Academic All-District honors for Northwestern, a challenging task.
Spring sport highlights
Lake Park’s Michela Barbanente made this clutch catch for Penn State against Indiana.
Illinois baseball is having a nice week. The Illini won two out of three at Indiana in Big Ten play, then knocked off Missouri for baseball braggin’ rights. Wauconda’s Cam Janik is the team’s top hitter at .341.
Grayslake North’s Kassidy Wais went deep in Mississippi for College of Lake County.
Lake Zurich’s Lucas Foley struck out 6 for Valparaiso during a relief outing against national power Vanderbilt on Tuesday. Vandy won the game 3-2.
CCIW baseball players of the week featured two area athletes — Dymitri Kanellakis from Cary-Grove and Cole Bozzi from Hinsdale South.
North Central’s Juliana Maude (Huntley) was named CCIW softball pitcher of the week.
Postcards from break
Been on the lookout for some fun spring trip photos this week. Wheeling baseball took in a Cubs spring training game in Mesa, Ariz.
Saint Viator softball visited a volcano. Pretty sure this is Orlando, not Polynesia.
Libertyville baseball found a mountain to climb.
Grayslake Central baseball did some cross-training at the Payne Stewart Athletic Complex in Orlando.
The Glenbard East Rams stopped at a Southern Illinois game on the way to Tennessee.
Willowbrook baseball settled for indoor activities.
Hardwood all-stars
There were senior basketball all-star games at Joliet Junior College last weekend and some area players took home awards.
Seeing Red in Poland
Finally, during Saturday’s Bulls-Celtics game, there was meetup of Polish fans of both teams. They seem to be getting along surprisingly well.