SCN water polo sweeps Saints
Kelsey Zaccagini needed only 13 seconds to put St. Charles North in the lead.
By the time the fourth quarter arrived in the North Stars' girls water polo match against St. Charles East, the senior decided to put the match away personally.
The Saints had reduced the North Stars' 5-goal halftime cushion to a pair of scores on two occasions, but Zaccagini was not to be denied.
Zaccagini scored half of her game-high 6 goals in the final three-plus minutes as St. Charles North staved off the Saints' rally with a 12-6 victory Thursday afternoon at the Norris Center at East High.
"I think we all did well in the fourth quarter," Zaccagini said. "When it came down to the end, we came together as a team. It was intense."
Zaccagini had 3 goals in each half, and Kristen Bast also added a hat trick for the North Stars, who improved to 3-5.
The action was fast and furious from the start. Following the opening Zaccagini salvo seconds into the match the Saints' Jo Park had the first of her 2 goals for a quick 1-1 deadlock.
It proved to be the only tie of the match.
Zaccagini notched her second goal -- off an assist from Laura Difiglio -- 23 seconds after the Saints' equalizer, and the North Stars would add 5 more goals to take a 7-2 lead at halftime.
The North Stars' keeper, senior Sarah McDonald, was far more than a last line of defense for the guests.
McDonald set up her teammates with several top-notch scoring scenarios with her seamless outlet passes.
"We try to get the ball down the pool as fast as we can," McDonald said. "Our fast break offense is one of the best parts of our game."
But St. Charles East (1-3) would stiffen considerably after the break.
The Saints held the North Stars scoreless in the third, and goals from Jess Howard and Park brought the team within 7-4.
The North Stars' late run overshadowed an otherwise consistent effort from St. Charles East goalie Erin Arnoff, who stopped repeated point-blank shots from North.
"It would have been a much worse loss if we didn't have her in as our goalie," St. Charles East coach Maureen Sheehan said. "(The match) was much better than last year. They pretty much stomped us last year."
Boys water polo
St. Charles North 16, St. Charles East 8:ŒAs far as David Likar was concerned, St. Charles North's boys water polo team passed his litmus test Thursday afternoon.
The more fatigued his team looked upon exiting the pool, the better in the eyes of the North Stars' coach.
"We were a lot more tired today than some of the other days because they were moving," said Likar shortly after watching the North Stars record a 16-8 victory over cross-town rival St. Charles East at St. Charles North. "They were moving and they were swimming with everything they've got."
Leading 5-4 after a hotly contested first quarter, the North Stars (1-4) seized control of the match with 6 unanswered second-period goals while taking an 11-4 halftime advantage.
Senior Derek Hampton, who finished with a 10-goal game, two off his career best, keyed the second-quarter assault with 4 of his team's 6 goals.
"This is one of our better games of the year," said Hampton. "It was a good team effort."
After the Saints closed within 11-6 on third-period goals by Shane Seuschels and Nick Lauf, the North Stars put the game away with 4 consecutive goals -- 3 of which were scored by Hampton off of length-of-the-pool passes from goalie Eric Stoffregen.
"Me and Stoffregen have kind of a symbiotic relationship," said Hampton. "He knows where I'm at all the time."
Unfortunately for the Saints (0-9), Hampton usually was ahead of their defense.
"I thought we had some good individual performances," said Saints coach Kyle Lauterer. "I give a ton of credit to No. 9 (Hampton) on their team. He's a very fast player and we just couldn't keep up with him."
Joey Clay and Jon Leal added 4 and 2 goals, respectively, for the North Stars, who were still without Jimmy Brooks, John Higgins, Nick Smith and Daniel Stanek.
"They're swimming at nationals," said Likar. "When we get them back, I may not have the best team but I'll have the fastest team in the pool."
Seuschels and Greg Ballweg led the Saints with 3 and 2 goals, respectively, while Andrew Gier and JJ Baginski each netted a goal.
"The second period killed us but that was actually the best game that they've played the whole year," said Lauterer.
-- Craig Brueske
Baseball
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