Expect the unpredictable in area baseball postseason

There is no high school postseason as unpredictable as baseball.

It's always filled with surprises and shockers because, well, it's baseball. There are days the ball bounces and falls your way and days when it doesn't.

An average-to-below-average team may not have the pitching depth to make a long tournament run. But it might have the one guy who can shut down a top-seeded team and upset the whole balance of a regional or sectional.

And some coaches face the annual dilemma of whether to try and sneak past a regional opener with a No. 2 or No. 3 pitcher - with the risk of an ace being well-rested for his next start sometime in the summer.

So will anyone from the area duplicate what Buffalo Grove did with surprise runs to the Elite Eight two years ago and the sectional final last year?

Will someone follow what Wheeling did when it went from an 18th seed to an out away from playing for a sectional title in 2005? The Wildcats also made a magical run in 1995 when they beat three 20-win teams and a 32-win team to reach a sectional final.

Answers to the questions will begin when regional play starts Monday for area teams in Class 4A hoping to pull surprises and not be surprised.

Elk Grove got the No. 2 seed in the St. Charles North sectional behind Wheaton Warrenville South, which won its first 20 games. The Grenadiers have lost seven of their last eight games, but will try to recapture their summer magic when they went from a 500 team to the Elite Eight.

Sixth-seeded Willowbrook has won 20-plus games but could have a difficult regional semifinal test from No. 11 St. Charles North.

But one of the most intriguing local matchups figures to be Conant and Schaumburg - provided the Saxons get past Proviso West in a play-in game - on Thursday at Geneva.

It would be the third straight year they've played three times. Two years ago, Schaumburg won twice by a combined 26-4, only to lose 11-9 in the sectional semifinal.

Last year Schaumburg won three 1-run games. This year they split, with Kyle Meyer (11-1) - who has had an incredible breakout season - avenging his only loss, while Conant has pitching depth and talent in seniors Walt Wijas and Derek Wojcik and sophomore lefty Paul Warble.

In the Barrington sectional, Buffalo Grove and Prospect will settle their regular-season split for a shot at top-seeded Highland Park. A rematch of last year's regional opener has two teams who had roller-coaster seasons in St. Viator and Barrington.

The Lions' offense is led by Illinois State-bound shortstop Brett Kay. Barrington's strength is its pitching led by Tom Unak and juniors Robby McDonnell and Sean Buchholz.

Rolling Meadows is seeded 11th but has a shot against anybody with lefty Jon Carlson on the mound. The opening test is at red-hot Lake Zurich.

A young Palatine team had won 12 in a row before losing its last three MSL games, but the Pirates could get a shot at pitching-rich Stevenson led by Scott Firth and Matt Robin.

Seventh-seeded Fremd is dangerous and on its home field with Bradley-bound Mike Tauchman, Oakland-bound shortstop Todd Dunham and the pitching of lefties Matt Johnsen and Clint Terry.

Maine West hopes to ride the power surge of Steve Zimmerman during its drive to a share of the Central Suburban North title for a possible shot at top-seeded New Trier in a regional final. Leyden could be dangerous since it has done better than most figured in a rebuilding year after heavy graduation losses from a pair of sectional finalists.

mmaciaszek@dailyherald.com