Palatine adds four to Hall of Fame with Friday ceremony

The class is loaded with class.

Four names will be added Friday to the Palatine High School Athletic Hall of Fame, and this distinguished group arrives with impressive credentials.

The committee did its homework.

Stan Anderson, Don Crandall, Joe Petricca and Carolyn Currins-Scanlon will be honored at a reception and ceremony, starting at 6 p.m. prior to the homecoming football game with Barrington.

The reception begins at 6 p.m. at the north end of the stadium.

The Class of 2007 will be introduced just prior to the kickoff of the varsity game. All inductees and returning Hall of Fame members will be recognized during the induction ceremony.

The 2007 Hall of Famers:

Stan Anderson -- The son of legendary Palatine athletic director Chic Anderson, whose name is carried on the stadium, was Palatine's Athlete of the Year in 1985 after an outstanding soccer and baseball career.

A four-year letter winner as a soccer goalie at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville, Anderson held many national records for shutouts in a single season, consecutive shutouts and goals-against average. He participated in a college all-star game.

Anderson began a successful coaching career after one season of professional soccer. He spent 10 years at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, helping them gain five straight NCAA tournament appearances and win 136 games, and he earned national recognition as an assistant coach.

Anderson, whose successful summer camp for goalies received national attention, became associate head soccer coach at Marquette in 2005, a program that has grown in stature.

He has worked to create charitable organizations to provide money for the Red Cross.

Don Crandall -- Don filled many roles in his 32-year career in District 211. He taught math, was an assistant in football and basketball for 13 years and served as athletic director at Conant for three years and Palatine for four.

In 1992 Crandall became Director of Student Activities for District 211, a supervisory position he held for 12 years that involved approximately 9,000 athletes and 500 coaches. He developed the district's Drug/Alcohol Education Program, College-Bound Student-Athlete Handbook and Aquatics Procedure Handbook.

In 1998, Crandall received the Illinois State Board of Education "Those Who Excel" award, and in 2004 he was named Athletic Administrator of the Year.

Crandall, who continues to support District 211 athletics and works as a volunteer at the Palatine Relays, was inducted into the Illinois Athletic Directors Association Hall of Fame.

Joe Petricca -- Joe directed Palatine varsity football teams to a 103-40 record in his 13-year career, winning a division title in the Mid-Suburban League seven times. His teams qualified for the state playoffs 11 straight times, reaching the semifinals in 1989 and '96 and the finals in 1994.

Petricca also guided the Palatine girls to the state bowling championship in 1992, and he has served as an assistant in the school's successful girls track and field program that gained two third-place state trophies.

Petricca, a member of the Illinois Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame, received the Frank Leahy Prep Coach of the Year Award, B'nair B'rith Inspiration to Youth Award, Santa Cruz Award for leadership from his high school Notre Dame, 1996 Prep Coach of the Year by the Chicago Bears and Sportsman of the Year by the Northwest Community Hospital.

Carolyn Currins Scanlon -- A 1996 graduate, Carolyn earned all-state honors in cross country and track. She was a four-time state qualifier in cross country in leading her team to 4 league, 4 regional, 4 sectional and 2 state titles. Her 1995 team is still considered the best in Illinois history.

In track, she was a three-time all-stater in the 1,600 meters and anchored the 3,200 relay teams to state titles in 1993 and 1995, a second in '94 and 4th in '96.

Carolyn earned 14 state medals in high school, the most by any athlete in Palatine history, and she was the Palatine Female Athlete of the Year in 1996.

She lettered in cross country and track at Missouri and now teaches in Homewood.

Volleyball

Kelley Wernert (Schaumburg) is having a big senior year at East Carolina University.

The co-captain was named to the all-tourney team at the Duke Invitational, tournament MVP at the North Carolina State event, tourney MVP at the George Washington Invitational, Conference USA Offensive Player of the Week, and National Player of the Week by Collegiate Volleyball Update.

Wernert set a school record with 31 kills against University of North Carolina-Wilmington.

• Kristin Paczosa (Buffalo Grove) of Cornell College was named Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Player of the Week for the week of Sept. 16 and then runner-up for the same honor for Sept. 23. She was named to the all-tournament team at the Wheaton College Tournament. Last weekend, she had 61 kills (21 against Lake Forest, which ties her career high), 53 digs, 5 aces and 10 blocks in a tourney at Wisconsin-Platteville.

• Sophomore Megan Fesl (Hersey) of Notre Dame had 15 kills in a 3-2 loss to Villanova.

Football

Dan Carter (St. Viator) of Lake Forest was named Midwest Conference Player of the Week on offense. The wide receiver caught 9 passes for 164 yards and 3 touchdowns against Beloit.

• Through four games, Tom Almanzo (Elk Grove) is the leading pass receiver at Illinois Wesleyan with 18 catches for 172 yards and 1 touchdown. Linebacker Dan Souder (Elk Grove) has 40 tackles (22 solo) and 1 interception.

• Marco Porcelli (Maine West) is starting on special teams for Valparaiso University. Scott Dueball, another Maine West graduate, is a senior on the coaching staff with an internship as weight and conditioning coach.

Soccer

Jackie Peterson (Schaumburg) of Carthage was named College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin Player of the Week. She then added her 10th goal in a 4-1 win over Lake Forest.

Basketball tryouts

The Conant High School Girls Feeder Basketball Program will conduct tryouts for the 2007-08 season on Tuesday, Oct. 9 and Friday, Oct. 12, in the North Gym of the high school.

Fifth- and 6th-grade tryouts will be held from 6:30-7:30 p.m.; 7th grade from 7:30-8:30 p.m.; and 8th grade from 8:30-9:30 p.m.

All participants must live in the Conant High School district and plan to attend the school. Arrive about 15 minutes before your time so you can register and warm up.

Each girl should bring her own basketball and wear appropriate gym attire.

For questions, call Tom Bauch at (847) 352-8050 or e-mail to topa3@aol.com.

NIU Hall of Fame

Jack Brumm, who graduated from Arlington High School, was an all-conference pitcher on the 1950 Northern Illinois University baseball team that will be inducted into the NIU Hall of Fame.

The ceremony will be held on Friday, Oct. 12 at the Duke Ellington Ballroom in the student center as part of the 101st homecoming weekend.

Tickets for the induction banquet cost $50. The reception will be held at 5:30 p.m., followed by dinner at 7 p.m. and the induction program at 8 p.m.

For information or to RSVP for the banquet, contact Tara Hefter at (815) 753-5510.