Softball: Elk Grove's Thomsen will take her skills to St. Cloud State
When this column wrapped up last season, Elk grove's softball team was wrapping up a Cinderella run through the IHSA Class 4A state tournament.
With Hall of Fame coach Ken Grams at the controls, the Grenadiers advanced all the way to the Rosemont supersectional before falling to eventual state champion Oak Park-River Forest.
Playing a key role as the Elk Grove pitcher and key hitter during the magical state run was a junior by the name of Kylie Thomsen.
When she returns next spring for her senior season, she will be known as St. Cloud State University recruit Kylie Thomsen.
A five-year member of Jim Goranson's Illinois Bash program, Thomsen committed last month to the Division II program located in St. Cloud, Minn.
She was an all-area player for Grams last spring.
The Grens rode the arm of Thomsen (19-4, 203 strikeouts, 1.99 ERA) all the way to the Elite Eight in the Class 4A state tournament.
"Kylie developed into a top-flight high school pitcher this season," said Elk Grove coach Ken Grams after the season.
Thomsen batted fourth in Grams' batting order and was second on the team in RBI. She hit 9 home runs and batted .372 with a .413 on-base percentage.
"She is a very disciplined worker who has made great progress both in the physical and mental part of the process," Grams said. "Kylie has learned to battle through difficult moments on the mound - which was very impressive."
Women's volleyball
Northern Illinois senior Jenna Radtke (Stevenson), a resident of Buffalo Grove, earned the Huskies' second weekly honor of the season when she was named offensive player of the week in the Mid-American Conference's West Division.
Registering 4.50 points per set in three matches at the NDSU Classic, Radtke hit .444 in attack, averaging 3.50 kills.
She also tallied 0.50 service aces and 1.00 blocks per set and never hit below .400.
Radtke twice totaled 10-or-more kills in a match, hammering down 10 against Bradley and a season-high 16 versus South Dakota State. She was one kill shy of tying her career-high against the Jackrabbits.
In her final match of the weekend, Radtke registered 8 kills, 3 aces and 8 blocks while recording her best-hitting percentage of the weekend at .462.
Following the conclusion of the tournament, Radtke was named to the NDSU Classic All-Tournament team.
Women's soccer
DePaul's Alexa Ben (Schaumburg) assisted the game's opening score in a 5-0 win against Army, the team's first victory of the season.
Women's volleyball
Cornell College senior Diamond Boyd (Elk Grove) was recognized as one of the Midwest Conference 'Performers of the Week' for women's volleyball.
Boyd had a strong weekend at the Elmhurst Invitational.
The senior outside hitter averaged 4.25 kills and posted a .236 attack percentage in four matches. Boyd was second on the team with 10 total blocks (0.62 bps).
Boyd had an impressive opening match with 26 kills - three shy of her school record - in a five-set loss to No. 18 nationally-ranked Elmhurst. She also reached double-figure kill totals in her next three matches, including 16 on .270 hitting against Augustana.
Women's golf
Lindenwood senior Noelle Johnston (Prospect) finished in ninth place after posting her best score of 78 during the second-round of the Lindenwood-Belleville Fall Tournament.
The Lady Lions opened the fall portion of their 2016-17 schedule with a first-place finish in the tourney.
The tournament was hosted by Lindenwood-Belleville, and was held at the Stonewolf Golf Club in Fairview Heights, Ill.
The two-round tournament featured six competing teams and 42 individuals.
The Lady Lions finished the tournament with a total score of 600, placing them 55 strokes in front of second-place Columbia College.
Men's track
Eastern Illinois' Juan Barajas (Schaumburg) placed 11th with a time of 26:44.14 in the Panthers' Walt Crawford Open title contested at the Tom Woodall Panther Trail. The Panthers won the team title scoring 33 points.
Women's volleyball
Harper College sophomore setter Katelyn Somers is No. 2 in the nation for assists while the Hawks are ranked No. 1 with a 15-0 record.
In a 25-12, 25-10, 25-21 win over Triton, Sommers was 8-of-8 attacking with 6 kills, 10-of-11 serving with an ace, collected 5 digs and 14 assists.
Harper has won 44 consecutive sets in a row.
Feeder Girls basketball
Fifth through eighth grade tryouts for the Fremd girls basketball feeder programs are at Harper College/Building M-Sports and Wellness Center. Fifth and sixth grader are Sept. 5 and 6. Fifth graders are at 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. both nights while sixth graders are from 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. on each night.
Seventh and eighth grade tryouts are Oct. 17 and 19. Times are 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. on both nights.
Girls should bring 28.5 sized basketball and a water bottle. The Feeder Program welcomes inquiries regarding coaching the fifth grade team.
For any questions contact Girls Feeder Director Mike Fullerton at (630) 258-4514 or mfullerton75@gmail.com. Check Fremd feedergirls.com for the waiver form which is needed to participate in the tryouts.
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