These teams are nothing but fun

Posted February 04, 2009 10:00 pm

By Joe Aguilar

Vernon Hills' DaVaris Daniels, who makes the "All-Sophomore" and "All-Name" teams, lays the ball up against Lakes' John Androus, who makes the "All-Junior," "All-Rebounding" and "All-Breakout-Season" squads. George LeClaire | Staff Photographer

February flies. Before long, it'll be March and time for postseason high school basketball awards. The Daily Herald official boys and girls all-area teams will run in our next Sports Monthly, on Friday, March 6.

In the meantime, let's have some fun. Thus, without further ado, my annual look at the season's best so far in the Daily Herald's Lake County circulation area.

• All-Senior (Boys): Grayslake Central PG Mike Brumm, Warren G David Duncan, Lake Zurich PG Connor Mooney, Warren G Brandon Paul, Grant F Gilbert Sheehan

Team could easily include Vernon Hills G Riaz Hoveydai, Warren C James Poliquin, Lake Zurich C Brandon Kunz or Libertyville C Jeremy Letchford. Hey, I'm 5-foot-9. I'm partial to guards.

• All-Senior (Girls): Lake Zurich G Olivia Allen, Lake Zurich G Lydia Bauer, Vernon Hills G Mallory Feece, Round Lake G Labrenthia Murdock, Libertyville G Kristy Williams.

Could our Lake County all-area team captain be one of these players? Still thinking about it.

• All-Junior (Boys): Lakes F John Androus, Mundelein G Ben Brust, Stevenson F Nate Johnson, Stevenson G Jeff Levitt, Grayslake Central F Josh Rappaport.

Brust's season ended after 18 games when he broke his leg. Thank goodness for his sake - and ours - he has anther year to entertain us.

• All-Junior (Girls): Antioch F Alli Anttila, Lake Zurich F Audrey Bauer, Grayslake North F Lauren Erickson, Mundelein G Toni Knar, Wauconda PG Kate Martino.

Li'l Bauer might be the most improved player I've seen. Could she be the captain of the all-area team? Still thinking about it.

• All-Sophomore (Boys): Stevenson G Ryan Chapman, Vernon Hills G DaVaris Daniels, Round Lake F Jake Paulsen, Grant G Shane Richardson, Mundelein F Ryan Sawvell.

Because Brust was so good before getting hurt, and because Mundelein has been only mediocre, the 6-foot-7 Sawvell maybe hasn't gotten a lot of recognition. That'll change in the next couple of years.

• All-Sophomore (Girls): Mundelein F Olivia Dunigan, Wauconda G Tammy Ellis, Stevenson F Anna Morrissey, Stevenson F Michelle O'Brien, Grayslake Central G Alex Scarbro.

Team could easily include Grayslake Central's Kat Dickson and Maddy Miller, Lakes' Mary Doupis, Carmel's Erin Quinn, Round Lake's Chanee Brown, Warren's Morgan Garrett, Libertyville's Savannah Trees, Lake Zurich's Karlissa Skarb, Wauconda's Melanie Prudhomme and Vernon Hills' Jessica Schwartz. It definitely would include Antioch's Andi Potkonjak if she hadn't tore her ACL in the Sequoits' first game.

• All-Freshman (Boys): Round Lake G Juddon Carter, Grant F Jerry Gaylor.

Only two freshmen playing varsity, but both guys have bright futures.

• All-Freshman (Girls): Antioch G Lindsey Gofron, Warren G Alexis Leneau, Grayslake North G Katie McGrath, Grayslake North C Kelsi Leith, Grayslake North F Kinsey Siler.

Two players who might have more upside than the five above: Warren's Amanda Barger and Jessica Prince.

• All-Rebounding (Boys): Lakes' John Androus, Lake Zurich's Brandon Kunz, Libertyville's Jeremy Letchford, Mundelein's Ryan Sawvell, Antioch's Eric Smith.

Kunz snagged a school-record 23 rebounds against Mundelein in December and hauled down 21 vs. Libertyville this week.

• All-Rebounding (Girls): Lake Zurich's Audrey and Lydia Bauer, Grayslake North's Lauren Erickson, Grant's C.J. Hill, Wauconda's Lauren Mead.

The 5-foot-9 Hill is an absolute warrior.

• All-Non-Daily Herald-Circulation-Area (Boys): Waukegan G Colin Nickerson, Waukegan G/F Jereme Richmond, Zion-Benton G/F Lenzelle Smith, Zion-Benton PG Ronald Steward, Lake Forest G Matt Vogrich.

This could be an all-state team.

• All-Defense (Boys): Grayslake Central's Mike Brumm, Grayslake North's Grant Henricksen, Lake Zurich's Brandon Kunz, Stevenson's Jeff Levitt, Warren's Brandon Paul

• All-Defense (Girls): Lake Zurich's Lydia Bauer, Wauconda's Tammy Ellis, Wauconda's Kate Martino, Mundelein's Kelsey O'Connor, Mundelein's JJ Sawchuk

• All-Name (Boys): Vernon Hills' DaVaris Daniels, Wauconda's Gibson Gaite, Grayslake North's Rollin Idlas, Wauconda's Darian Kamai, Lakes' Marcell KirkmanBey

• All-Name (Girls): Warren's Jon Taye' Bonds, Lakes' Simone Hobbs, Warren's Alexis Leneau, Libertyville's LeTia Tucker-Shead, Warren's Destinée Wells

• All-Beef (Boys): Carmel's Mickey Baucus (6-7, 225), Lake Zurich's Brandon Kunz (6-6, 205), Libertyville's Jeremy Letchford (6-5, 225), Grayslake Central's Troy Manley (6-7, 315), Warren's James Poliquin (6-4, 255)

Try moving the manly Manley. I dare you.

• All-Tall (Girls): Grant's Heather Chapman (6-2), Grayslake North's Kelsi Leith (6-2), Wauconda's Lauren Mead (6-2), Round Lake's Ashley Miller (6-1), Stevenson's Kelsey Simon (6-1)

Mead has triple-double potential with her ability to score, rebound and block shots.

• All-Small (Boys): Stevenson's Shaun Albert (5-7), Wauconda's Gibson Gaite (5-8), Round Lake's Tim Kelley (5-8), Warren's Aaron Montgomery (5-8), Antioch's Robert Ritacca (5-7)

Gaite's got game (23 points in one game, 21 in another).

• All-Small (Girls): Round Lake's Stephanie Infante (5-2), Mundelein's Ally Hanas (5-2), Mundelein's Sarah Small (5-5), Grayslake North's Ali Vlahos (5-3), Libertyville's Hannah Walton (5-2)

Small's actually tall for this team. But how was I going to leave Small off All-Small?

• All-Shooter (Boys): Mundelein's Ben Brust, Grayslake Central's Mike Brumm, Libertyville's John Colao, Lake Zurich's Connor Mooney, Warren's Brandon Paul

Brumm (41 3-pointers) shoots 40 percent from beyond the arc.

• All-Shooter (Girls): Lake Zurich's Lydia Bauer, Grant's Gina Cellucci, Grayslake North's Lauren Erickson, Mundelein's Toni Knar, Grayslake Central's Katelynn Putkonen

Cellucci swishes at least two 3-pointers every game.

• All-Crayon: Ambers Larsen (Lakes), Phillips (Round Lake) and Potts (Grant), Wauconda's Kristin and Round Lake's Chanee Brown, Grant's Rose Mustari, Stevenson's Meredith Whitehead and Melissa Pearlstein, Antioch's Cameron White, Antioch's Andy and Warren's Joree Green

One of my favorite teams to pick.

• All-"O": Mundelein's Kelsey O'Connor, Warren's Kim O'Leary, Stevenson's Michelle O'Brien, Grayslake Central's Kevin O'Rourke

O'Rourke flashed good "O" on Opening Night, scoring 24 points.

• All-Breakout-Season (Boys): Lakes' John Androus, Warren's David Duncan, Vernon Hills' Riaz Hoveydai, Grayslake Central's Josh Rappaport, Grant's Gilbert Sheehan

Sheehan, a former Freshman B player, has scored 20 or more points in 10 games.

• All-Breakout-Season (Girls): Lake Zurich's Audrey Bauer, Vernon Hills' Mallory Feece, Mundelein's Toni Knar, Stevenson's Michelle O'Brien, Libertyville's Kristy Williams

Feece's all-around game has been impressive, especially for a girl who just signed to play Division I soccer for Louisiana Tech.

OK, all done.

jaguilar@dailyherald.com

Above: "All-Sophomore" selection Michelle O'Brien of Stevenson, left, drives on Libertyville's Maka Stewart. Right: Grayslake Central's Alex Scarbro, a member of the "All-Sophomore" team, chases down a loose ball as Deerfield's Kelly Derrig gets tripped up during Blue Devil Classic play at Warren. Steve Lundy | Staff Photographer

Right: Grayslake Central's Alex Scarbro, a member of the "All-Sophomore" team, chases down a loose ball as Deerfield's Kelly Derrig gets tripped up during Blue Devil Classic play at Warren. George LeClaire | Staff Photographer

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