St. Viator set to induct 2020 Hall of Fame class
It will be a special night in the Cahill Gymnasium at St. Viator High School on Friday night.
The Class of 2020 will be inducted into the school's Athletics Hall of Fame with a ceremony at halftime of the boys basketball game against Marist.
Individuals include Emmett Cleary (2008), Pat McGee (2008), Charles Mondi (2010) and golfers Joe Carlson (2010) and Danny Stringfellow (2010).
The Robert C. Artmann award goes to Marius Julio (posthumously) while the Pat Mahoney Dedication to Coaching awards will be presented to Bill Pirman and John Scotillo.
The team inductees are dominated by Jack Halpin's boys golf teams. Four of them (2006 through 2009) will be inducted.
The 2007, 2008 and 2009 teams are three of only 11 that have won state championships in the 60-plus years that St. Viator has competed in the IHSA.
"To be honest, it all started on the first day of school in 2006 when Danny Stringfellow, Joe Carlson and Brad Klune walked in the door as freshmen," said the hall of farmer Halpin. "Any golf coach would be thrilled to have one of these guys in their career, and to have three in the same class."
They joined returning seniors Taylor Krug and Nick DeTrempe and sophomore Matt Vitalle from a team that just missed going downstate in 2005.
DeTrempe shot a career-best 74 on the final day and the Lions' score of 614 was good for second place, only 4 strokes behind champion Quincy.
The 2007 team was led by Stringfellow, Klune and Vitalle with Carlson joining the squad. The Lions won the East Suburban Catholic Conference, regional and sectional before winning the state crown by 6 strokes over Quincy.
The Lions led the whole tourney and on day one they recorded a 299 by counting the scores of Stringfellow (73), Carlson (75), Matt Vitale (76) and Matt Crandall (76).
On the second day, the Lions shot a 301.
"Knowing that we needed help for the last score I went out to see how Michael Ferrari was doing as he was playing the front nine as his final nine," Halpin recalled. "I looked at his dad and he signaled me that Michael was even-par with three holes to go. Amazed as I was, I managed to stay calm."
Halpin gave some inspirational words to Ferrari, who ended up finishing even par 72 to give a score of 600 for the tournament.
Halpin called 2008, "truly a dream season."
It was the first year of three classes at state and Viator was close to the smallest school in its class.
The Lions won 11 tournaments in a row (most by double digits) and dominated the ESCC by 18 strokes.
They won the regional by 20 and sectionals by 8.
"We were hot and got hotter at state," Halpin said. "We shot an amazing 291 the first day (Carlson a 69, Stringfellow a 70, Vitale a 75 and Kenny Wienckowski a 77).
The second day was more of the same with Carlson shooting an amazing 68 followed by Stringfellow (73), Klune (74) and Vitalle (77).
Carlson shot 7-under to win the individual championship with a record score of 137, a Class 3A record that still stands today. The team shot an astonishing 583 (+7) to win the title by 12 strokes over Hinsdale Central. The team score is still a Class 3A record today.
In 2009, St. Viator moved into Class 2A.
"The road was a little tougher the third time around as we lost the ESCC title to Carmel by one stroke," Halpin said.
The Lions won the regional 6 strokes and tied New Trier at the sectionals.
"State was a tough fight also but we won again for the third time," Halpin said.
The Lions were led on day one by Stringfellow (69), Carlson (79), Kenny Wienckowski (80) and Joey Ferrari (80) for a score of 308.
"The second day was filled with pressure, " Halpin said. "And the boys came through again."
Carlson fired a 73, Stringfellow a 75, Wienckowski a 76 and Joey Ferrari's career-best 76 for a 303.
The Lions finished with a score of 611 to best New Trier by 8 strokes. Stringfellow won the state title with a 144. It was his fourth straight Top 10 finish. The only other player to accomplish that feat is PGA pro D.A. Point.
Men's basketball
Carthage senior center Brad Perry (Maine South) was selected as the College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin Men's Basketball Player of the Week
Perry notched his first double-double of the season in a 73-65 win at Carroll. He finished with season highs of 18 points and 12 rebounds and shot 73 percent (8-of-11) from the field against the Pioneers.
Women's basketball
St. Louis sophomore guard Myia Clark (St. Viator) scored a career-high 24 points to help lead the Billikens to a 72-51 win over St. Bonaventure.
Clark tied a career-high with four 3-pointers for the Billikens (10-7, 2-2 A-10) while also collecting 3 rebounds and 3 assists.
Billikens freshman Rachel Kent (Maine West) nearly recorded her first double-double, scoring 10 points and grabbing 9 rebounds.
Women's cross country
North Central junior Katie Bonney (Hoffman Estates) has been awarded academic all-CCIW honors. In order to earn academic all-CCIW honors, individuals needed to have finished the season on their team's active roster and carry at least a 3.30 GPA. Bonney competed in four races this season. Her best finish was at the Elmhurst College Early Bird Invitational with a time of 17:44.9.
• North Central senior Dianne Barajas (Schaumburg) has been awarded academic all-CCIW honors. Barajas competed in six races for the Cardinals and finished first at the CCIW championships with a time of 22:19.2, competed in the NCAA Division III Midwest Regional Championships, and competed in the NCAA Division III National Championships.
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