Jacobs, OP-RF share third place
The Jacobs and Oak Park-River Forest baseball teams didn't let a little bad weather spoil their fun in Joliet on Saturday.
Both teams were awarded third place by the Illinois High School Association after the Class 4A consolation game was called due to torrential rain in the top of the third inning with Jacobs leading 1-0.
Before the cancellation was made official, the Golden Eagles and Huskies made the most of their respective last hour together as a team.
During the delay they played tic-tac-toe by marking an X or O on a baseball and tossing it back and forth between dugouts. "I think we won a couple of games," Jacobs senior Jeff Sidor said.
That wasn't entertaining enough, so the teams eventually met behind home plate for a good, old-fashioned dance-off. However, before they could get started an IHSA official reminded the players they needed to stay off the field because, well, you know, the lightning and all.
In a demonstration of the never-quit attitudes that led both teams to Joliet in the first place, they had their dance-off anyway in the tunnel beneath Silver Cross Field. Opinions were split on a winner.
Once the cancellation was finalized, several Golden Eagles did their best Rick Dempsey imitation, sliding as far as they could on the wet tarp covering the infield.
"I think (Ryan) Sargent slid the longest," starting pitcher Casey Dennison said. "That's because he squats the most of any of us and has the strongest legs."
While the Golden Eagles were disappointed in the anticlimactic conclusion to their state trip, they weren't disappointed with the journey or what they accomplished along the way. In reaching the Final Four, they became the first boys team to reach the finals of any sport in the school's 40-year history. They also set a new program record with 29 victories.
"I think it's amazing," senior third baseman Owen Oreskovich said. "We went out there these playoffs and played our best ball. We played unbelievable defense, we got timely hits. This whole ride has just been surreal. It's an amazing feeling. I couldn't be more proud of this team. I love these guys and I'll always remember."
Jacobs (29-11) acquitted itself well against two of the finest baseball programs in Illinois. After taking an early barrage from Mt. Carmel in Friday's semifinal, they made it a game before dropping a 5-2 decision.
Against Oak Park-River Forest, they led 1-0, courtesy of junior Tim Randl's second-inning RBI single and 2 perfect innings from starting pitcher Dennison.
Now that the bar has been raised, the Jacobs junior class will try to match or surpass this year's accomplishments. They'll have a good chance to return to an elite level in 2016 based on pitching alone. The Golden Eagles return Arkansas-bound pitcher Brenden Heiss, whose innings were limited this spring due to a sore arm.
They also return Dennison, who went 4-2 with a 1.58 ERA in 44 innings. Also back will be closer Johnny Rohde, who saved 12 of 13 opportunities and struck out 34 in 24⅔ innings. He will assume the role of starting pitcher.
"We've learned a lot this year from the seniors," Heiss said. "Our goal is to get back down here next year and take it all the way and not come up short. It's definitely a good experience knowing we can get down here."
Jacobs coach Jamie Murray, whose lineup against OP-RF included juniors Heiss, Randl, Dennison, Stevie Krueger and sophomore Mike Addante, said Joliet hasn't seen the last of his Golden Eagles.
"We'll be back. I promise you guys that," the fourth-year coach said. "I'm very confident that these guys are going to work hard. The juniors know they want to get back here. It's going to be a tough challenge every year but the bar stays Joliet. I think we go after it again."