Flying in to LaX
Lacrosse is on the Illinois High School Association's list of "emerging sports."
Emerge they did, some 150 prep lacrosse players from the suburbs and neighboring states, looking to boost their college prospects this past Sunday and Monday at the 2008 Chicago Showcase.
"This is a huge sport that's growing," said Benet lacrosse coach Paul Stolzer. He said between 25-30 college coaches representing Divisions I, II and III attended, some flown in courtesy of the Chicago Machine and Shamrox pro lacrosse teams.
"Kids are going to college because of it, and there's money," said Stolzer, who admits he's "half-evangelist" when discussing the sport.
Benet's Neil Ostrander and Kyle Honn, Naperville Central's Jack Klupchak, Neuqua Valley's Spencer Curley and Naperville North's Pat Bassett were among the standouts at the Showcase.
"The intent of the combine is exposure, to get these kids exposed to some of the college programs," Stolzer said.
The East Coast has been the main target for talent. In the Machine's inaugural season of 2006, for example, there was one Illinois native with the bulk of the players from Eastern states or Ohio.
Not anymore, Stolzer said. "Illinois has now become the new catchword for a lot of these coaches."
Illinois prep teams are governed by the Illinois High School Lacrosse Association. About half the coaches favor assimilating into the IHSA, Stolzer said, and half do not. Releasing control of the operation has its pros and cons.
Beth Sauser, the IHSA assistant executive director in charge of emerging sports, reminds us that before the IHSA can consider starting a state series for a sport, 10 percent of the IHSA's roughly 760 member schools must have a team.
The IHSA lists 35 boys lacrosse teams and 29 girls teams for 2008. Those numbers will increase as the IHSA registration deadline nears for the spring sport. Sauser recalls around 50 boys teams playing in 2007.
"I would think in a few years there would be enough to move forward with a state series," she said.
Huskies honor roll
Five athletes and a Hall of Fame coach will be inducted into the Naperville North Athletic Hall of Fame tonight in the school gym before the boys basketball game against Glenbard East.
Delving into the Class of '84, three-time Italian Olympian Gianni Minervini holds the state's longest-standing swimming record, 55.56 seconds in the 100 breaststroke.
The Class of '92 offers two-time U.S. Olympic volleyball player Kevin Barnett; and Mike Renella, a two-time state wrestling champ and an all-state soccer player.
Jenny Marine, Class of '93, earned five state medals in track and cross country, then returned to help Dan Iverson coach the Huskies girls to four top-three finishes and the 2001 title.
Larry Christian, Class of '94, was on Lou Henson's last basketball team at Illinois. He was all-DuPage Valley Conference twice in basketball and was all-Midwest in soccer.
The late Dick Whitaker was Naperville North's first basketball coach, leading the Huskies boys from 1975-91. At Peoria Central and in Nebraska prior to his arrival here, Whitaker's teams won five conference titles, three regionals and a sectional. He was inducted into the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 1994.
The Naperville North Athletic Hall board includes the Daily Herald's Kevin Schmit as its media representative.
Love-all
The Illinois High School Tennis Coaches Association is holding its Hall of Fame luncheon today as part of its annual two-day workshop.
The association will also honor its coaches of the year, including girls head coach Dr. Peter Freischlag of Downers Grove South and boys assistant Dan Miller, also of Downers South.
The girls assistant of the year is Robin Kramer, Jerilyn Scardina's assistant at state champion Hinsdale Central.
This guy is awesome
University of Michigan junior Adam Harris, a multiple all-state hurdler and sprinter at Wheaton North, earned two awards for his work at the Eastern Michigan Open on Jan. 12.
Harris' time of 6.64 in the 60-meter dash broke his own school record of 6.71. The new time provisionally qualifies for the NCAA indoor meet, and was .01 second off automatic qualifying.
Harris also went a personal-best 23 feet, 6 inches in long jump on the way to earning Big Ten runner of the week and Trackshark.com performer of the week.
Light the lamp
Should you see a bunch of hockey players milling around your local Jewel store in Naperville or Aurora on Saturday, not to worry. It's no "Warriors"/Baseball Furies-style gangland action.
It's "Fill the Skate Day." Hockey players from Naperville Central, Waubonsie Valley, Neuqua Valley and Naperville North will be collecting donations as part of the annual District 203/204 Shootout for Cancer.
Last year the event raised $20,000 for the American Cancer Society.
Former all-state Neuqua goalie Brian Kenney, a cancer survivor, sparked the idea behind the event, which in five years has raised more than $80,000 toward research and patient support services.
The game itself pits players from the Napervilles against skaters from Neuqua-Waubonsie, augmented by the Naper Warriors girls team and the Tomahawks special-needs players.
It's scheduled for 7 p.m. Feb. 8 at the International Ice Centre in Romeoville. Cost is $5 for adults, $2 for students.
There will be a luminary ceremony honoring cancer victims and survivors (we've heard it's very touching), a skills competition for players and on-ice contests and raffles for fans.
District 203 holds a 3-2 edge over 204 in this heated rivalry. But in this charity game there's no hitting -- the big checks are up to you.