Plenty of talent in SCN sectional field
How challenging is the upcoming St. Charles North Class 4A sectional baseball tournament?
Put it this way - the North Stars own a winning record (19-11) and possess a true pitching ace in left-hander Zach Hirsch, yet could only snag a 11th seed in the 22-team field.
They'll have to play an extra game (against No. 22 Lake Park Monday at St. Charles North) just to reach the regional semifinals at Willowbrook.
Take a look at the first-round regional matchup next Thursday at St. Charles East between ninth-seeded Marmion and eighth-seeded Bartlett, a potential mound battle between Illinois-bound Matt Milroy and Creighton-bound Kyle King.
The Suburban Catholic Conference champion Cadets brought a 14-2 record to the seeding meeting and could fare no better than a No. 9 seed.
Not much respect for a team that returned its top two pitchers (Milroy, Brian Burns) from last year's 3A regional championship squad (first regional title since 1969).
"Our schedule is mostly 3A teams this year and we had a couple 4A games rained out early which I think hurt," said Marmion coach Dave Rakow.
"Plus, it (seeding) was done online this year which maybe made it easier for coaches who have a bias this way or that. You didn't have to see anybody's face but you do get to see where everybody rated you.
"Out of 21 (coaches), the majority of them had us between 2 and 8. But I think there were four or five of them who had us (seeded) in the teens."
Rakow realizes that capturing a second straight regional title won't be easy - especially in a field that includes top-seeded Wheaton North, Bartlett and the host Saints.
"Nothing against anybody else but we'd probably prefer to be in another regional," said Rakow. "But I think anybody in the state would prefer to be in a regional that doesn't include Wheaton North."
After last year's fourth-place state showing, the senior-dominated Falcons opened the season on an eye-opening, 20-game winning streak (now 23-4).
"Wheaton North is an extremely talented team," said St. Charles East coach Mark Foulkes, whose 16th-seeded team will face the Falcons if it gets past Addison Trail Monday.
"They earned their No. 1 seed in our sectional with their excellent play so far this season."
"I'm impressed by their overall pitching depth this year," said St. Charles North coach Todd Genke of the Falcons, who eliminated the North Stars in last year's sectional semifinals.
"After playing them last year, I also know they're well-coached and they usually don't beat themselves."
Another team fitting that description is third-seeded Batavia.
The Western Sun Conference champs boast a balanced pitching staff that includes Miami of Ohio-bound Brian Krolikowski, Adam Karger, Henry Duque, Jordan Coffey and reliever Chris Wood, who could qualify as the team's MVP with his 6-0 record and 3 saves.
"I made a comment the other day that almost sounded negative to Adam (Karger) when I said I didn't know if I'd call him a No. 1 (pitcher)," said Bulldogs coach Matt Holm. "I've got three guys - and maybe four if Jordan (Coffey) gets going here - that I can call my ace. What a luxury that is."
Holm, whose team opens regional play Wednesday against either West Aurora or Glenbard North at Willowbrook, is a firm believer of doing the little things come tournament time.
"Everybody needs to bunt, everybody needs to make contact (hit-and-run) and everybody needs to be a good baserunner," said Holm.
Meanwhile, Geneva earned the fourth seed and will play host to either Glenbard East or West Chicago Wednesday.
"In the old system, that first game might have been a little bit of a 'gimme game,' where you didn't have to pitch your No. 1," said Vikings coach Matt Hahn.
"Now with the four classes, even your regional semifinal game is a tough one. You have to think about throwing Riley (Perry) in your first game because you don't want to lose without your ace going."
Rolling the dice and playing matchups can be an intriguing - and dangerous - proposition.
"This is always a difficult decision for many coaches," said Genke. "Saving your ace for the second game of regionals or sectionals can be enticing. But what happens if you don't make it to the next game and you saved your best pitcher?
"I believe you have to play for today."
Foulkes could gamble and save ace Kyle Wiebe for Wheaton North Wednesday. But that won't do much good unless the Saints defeat Addison Trail first.
"I think you have to look at the matchups that best suit your team," said Foulkes. "For us, we have to get by Addison Trail before we can even worry about Wheaton North."
What does it take to win a regional?
"You need solid pitching and excellent defense," said Foulkes, who guided the Saints to regional crowns in 2004 and '05. "I think our regional is loaded with excellent pitching top to bottom.
"The team that wins it will pitch the best, field the best and do the little things well."
Despite his team's strong seeding, Holm warns players against overconfidence.
"We're not taking anything for granted," said the coach. "We won't take the first game or any of them for granted the way things have gone for us in the playoffs the last couple years."
That's what happens when your team has been outscored 29-12 in its last two regional games.
That's baseball.
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