DuPage County, Fox Valley baseball notes: Willowbrook streaking heading into postseason; Geneva readies for first year in 3A

Willowbrook baseball coach Vic Wisner is certainly going out with style – and plenty of wins.

Wisner, who will retire following the season, has guided the Warriors to their first unbeaten season in the West Suburban Gold at 18-0 and a school-record 27 consecutive victories after last Saturday’s 10-4 win over Lyons Township and Tuesday’s 10-6 win over Marmion.

“All of those firsts – the unbeaten conference record, the winning streak, and all that stuff – is kind of secondary,” said Wisner. “We really want to win the hardware.”

Led by seniors Jake Bonino (5 home runs), Jory Crocker (.482, 4 home runs, 39 RBI), Alek Ramey (6 home runs, 30 RBI), Alex Dew (.382), and junior catcher Alex Rodriguez (.411), the Warriors are looking to make a deep run in postseason play, which begins next week with regional action throughout the area.

Starting pitchers Bobby Biggs, Noah Edison, and Mikey Garner, relievers Jacob Bylsma, Ramey, and closer Crocker (5 saves) have the Warriors in prime playoff position.

Wisner, who has led the Warriors to 3 Class 4A regional titles and 12 20-win seasons during his 16-year career as head coach, knows nothing will be handed to his team.

A year ago, the top-seeded Warriors suffered a season-ending, 8-1 loss to eighth seed Bartlett in the regional finals.

“It always can (come to an end), especially in high school baseball where it’s one and done,” said Wisner, whose career record is 338-160-1. “There’s no series. Anything can happen. I think the boys know that.”

Willowbrook has always been a special place for Wisner, who played football and baseball for the Warriors 41 years ago.

“I grew up here, I played here,” said Wisner, elected to the school’s Hall of Fame in 2023. “My brother is a ’77 grad – I’m ’85. My son (Troy) played for me here last year.

“My grandma was the first lunch lady here (in 1959).”

Willowbrook earned 4 WSC Gold titles under Wisner – 2017, 2019, 2022, and 2026.

“I didn’t think about it until the last couple weeks,” Wisner said of his retirement.

When the Warriors came up to bat in the bottom of the first against Morton last week, Mustangs third baseman Casper Salgado offered a respectful handshake to Wisner as he entered the third base coaching box.

“That’s why we do this – we’re high school coaches,” he said. “It’s the relationships made. Those are the things I’m going to miss. I’ll miss my guys and I’ll miss the kids on the other teams.”

Wisner takes care of his team – and its field.

“I cut the grass with a push mower,” he said. “I think that’s why the kids love taking care of it, too. It’s awesome. I’m super excited to watch these kids grow.”

His players are grateful for Wisner’s guidance.

“I grew up knowing him, being here with the little kids camp, so I’m honored for him to be my coach,” said Bonino. “He’s a great coach, and he knows a lot about the game.”

“He pushes you every single day,” said Crocker. “He never lets up. He wants the best for you on and off the field.”

Top-seeded Willowbrook (28-4) begins 4A regional semifinal action Wednesday against No. 16 seed Maine East or No. 17 Maine West in Villa Park. With a win, the Warriors will face No. 8 Wheaton Warrenville South-No. 9 York winner for the regional championship on May 30.

Postseason outlook: Additional regional matchups (Bartlett sectional) include No. 2 Maine South vs. No. 15 West Chicago/ Proviso East; No. 3 Bartlett vs. Leyden/Proviso West; No. 4 Lake Park vs. No. 13 Glenbard North; No. 5 Glenbard East vs. No. 12 Wheaton North; No. 6 Notre Dame vs. No. 11 Batavia; and No. 7 Glenbard West vs. No. 10 Addison Trail.

“We’re definitely catching heat at the right time,” said Bartlett senior Josh Colaizzi following Tuesday’s 7-5 win over South Elgin. “It’s sure better than going into the tournament cold.”

At Lockport, a strong statement could be said for waiting another week to announce postseason pairings.

Naperville North (17-11), which captured the DuPage Valley Conference title with 9 consecutive wins, drew the 10th seed and will face No. 8 West Aurora on May 28 at Naperville Central.

The Huskies’ “reward” is likely facing Blackhawks left-hander Zach Toma in the regional semifinals.

“In the playoffs, you have to beat good teams and good pitchers regardless of your seed,” said Huskies coach Jimmy Chiappetta. “Toma is one of the best around. He’s as good as they come in our area, so it will be another challenge for sure.

“As we’ve told our kids all year – one game at a time. It’s a tough regional/sectional. Our focus will be consistency and playing a complete game from the first inning through the seventh.”

The Huskies have turned things around following somewhat of a slow start.

“The team has come together the past 2-3 weeks,” said the coach. “I’d say the biggest difference has just been consistency in all aspects of the game, and an elevated level of confidence across the board.

“Our pitching has put us in position to win games. We knew we returned a few good arms in Max Steele and Lawton Close, but it’s been impressive to see a crop of juniors step up on the bump – Cohen Jeppson, Brian Sokolnicki, and Brady Marino.”

Other regional matchups (Lockport sectional) include the top-seeded Porters vs either No. 16 Neuqua Valley or 17 Metea Valley; No. 2 Naperville Central vs. Romeoville/Bolingbrook; No. 3 Hinsdale Central vs. Plainfield East/East Aurora; No. 4 Downers Grove North vs. Oswego; No. 6 Benet vs. No. 12 Downers Grove South; and No. 9 Waubonsie Valley vs. Plainfield North.

At McHenry, seven of the 19 teams own 20 wins or more, including Huntley (27-5), McHenry (25-6-1), South Elgin (23-9), Harlem (23-8-1), Barrington (21-11), St. Charles East (20-11), and St. Charles North (20-11-1).

Regional semifinal matchups include top-seeded McHenry vs. No. 8 Grant or No. 9 Elgin; No. 4 St. Charles East vs. No. 5 Barrington; No. 2 Jacobs vs. Rockford Guilford; Rockton Hononegah vs. No. 6 Jacobs; No. 1 Huntley vs. Rockford Jefferson or Rockford Auburn; No. 2 South Elgin vs. No. 7 Larkin or Round Lake; and No. 3 St. Charles North vs. No. 6 Dundee-Crown.

“We’re playing much better baseball now,” said North Stars coach Todd Genke, whose team could face a possible regional title rematch with South Elgin on May 30 (the Storm won, 4-3, last year). “Competing in this conference (DuKane) always gets you ready for a playoff run.

“I tell the guys all the time, ‘you’ve just got to win seven in a row.’”

Class 3A: DuKane Conference champion Geneva (26-6) finds itself in Class 3A for the first time.

Led by Mason Bruesch (.424, 42 hits, 37 runs, 26 stolen bases), Alex Abraham (.423, 41 hits, 28 RBI), Ryan Kastor (35 hits, 30 RBI), Aidan Hall (4 home runs, 21 RBI), Nelson Wendell (28 runs, 7 doubles), and Nick Torrence (.400), the Vikings have plenty of punch throughout their lineup.

Coach Brad Wendell’s squad, which opens regional semifinal action as the top seed against No. 8 Streamwood next week at Burlington Central, also features solid pitching with Blake Kopec, Matthew Martija, Noah Hallahan, and AJ Minderman.

“Moving to 3A doesn’t change how we go about things,” said Wendell. “Good baseball is good baseball, regardless of classification. There are strong programs throughout the bracket. Streamwood has some quality wins. Kaneland is well-coached, consistently competitive, and faces DuKane teams every year, and Burlington Central schedules aggressively and wins a lot of games.

“Our schedule, especially in the DuKane, prepares us as well as anything could. We face good pitching, physical lineups, and playoff-like environments all season. You must play clean baseball all the way through and finish innings/games – get all 21 outs. Going through that should give our group a level of confidence heading into the postseason.”

Additional regional semifinal (Sycamore sectional) matchups include Chicagoland Christian champion No. 2 Wheaton Academy (24-8) vs. No. 7 Marmion; No. 3 St. Francis vs. No. 6 Sycamore; and No. 4 Kaneland vs. No. 5 Burlington Central.

The Grayslake Central sectional features No. 1 seed Crystal Lake South (21-9).

Led by Carson Trivellini, Nick Stowasser, Jackson Lee, Nolan Dabrowski, Michael Silvius, Wes Bogda, Matt Bychowsky, and Devin DeLoach, the Gators open regional semifinal play against either Woodstock or Harvard at Vernon Hills.

Other regional semifinal matchups include No. 6 Prairie Ridge vs. No. 12 Cary-Grove; and No. 6 Fenton vs. Chicago Disney II.

At Nazareth, regional semifinal matchups include No. 3 Montini vs. Chicago Clark; No. 5 Glenbard South vs. Juarez; No. 6 Hinsdale South vs. Chicago Kelly; and No. 7 Timothy Christian vs. Chicago Hancock.

Class 2A: Aurora Christian (21-8) drew the top seed in the Byron sectional.

Led by Zach Zappia, Noah Zappia, Nolan Robertson, Preston Morel, Owen Niedzwiecki, and Jackson Zorger, the Eagles open regional semifinal action against No. 8 Aurora Central Catholic or No. 9 Genoa-Kingston next week at Johnsburg.

No. 2 Harvest-Westminster Christian (21-6) begins regional semifinal play against No. 7 North Boone or No. 10 Rockford Lutheran next week at Marengo.

Class 1A: St. Edward, the No. 10 seed in the Forreston sectional, opens regional quarterfinal action against No. 7 Marian Central Catholic on Monday in Woodstock.

All regional championship games are set for May 30.