HS Rankings 2014

[B-Dad]

I'll update throughout the season.
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5/26 Sun Times
Bill Harrison ranks the area's best softball teams, including a Lockport squad that cracked the top 10.
Benet second baseman Megan Stoppelman tags out Susie Baranski of Marian Catholic.
Last week’s rankings in parenthesis
1. Manteno 33-1 (1)
2. Benet 29-2 (2)
3. Downers North 26-2 (5)
4. New Trier 27-4 (7)
5. Mother McAuley 21-4 (11)
6. Lincoln-Way West 30-2 (3)
7. Downers South 30-2 (4)
8. Marist 25-8 (6)
9. Naperville Central 22-6 (8)
10. Lockport 25-8 (14)
Others: St. Charles East, Conant, Joliet West, Beecher, Glenbard North, Peotone, Providence, Waubonsie Valley, St. Charles North, Lake Zurich.
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5/26 Daily Herald
Team Comment
1. Benet (29-2) Redwings can't be beat in home run derby
2. Downers South (30-2) Fell to Glenbard North
3. Downers North (26-2-1) Won WSC Silver Division
4. St. Charles East (28-6) Outright UEC River champs
5. St. Charles North (22-7) 5-year UEC streak snapped
6. Naperville Central (22-5) Tough loss to Naperville North
7. Glenbard North (26-4) Shared DVC title with Naperville C.
8. Conant (23-5) MSL champs 3 of 4 years
9. Waubonsie Valley (26-7) Upstate Eight Valley champs
10. Bartlett (26-7) Dangerous No. 5 seed in Addison Trail sectional
11. Lake Zurich (22-4) North Suburban champs have won 12 straight
12. Barrington (23-11) Fillies top seed at Cary-Grove regional
13. Schaumburg (25-8) Elaine Walker is a tough out
14. Fremd (21-9) Farina HR at Bandits Stadium
15. Wauconda (25-8) Kayla Wedl: 280 Ks, 13 walks
16. Buffalo Grove (19-9) Camardo crafty in circle
17. Elk Grove (28-7) Maher's 12 HRs a school record
18 Libertyville (26-8) Hard-hitting Wildcats over mini slump
19. Burlington Central (21-9) Top seed in own 3A regional
20. Montini (23-10) Tough week for Broncos
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5/26 ILLINOIS COACHES ASSOCIATION 4A - Not Published
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5/19 Sun Times
Naperville Central and St. Charles East each climb a spot this week while the top seven remain unchanged.
Top 10 softball teams With record and last week’s ranking
1. Manteno: 31-1 (1)
2. Benet: 26-2 (2)
3. Lincoln-Way West: 26-1 (3)
4. Downers South: 26-1 (4)
5. Downers North: 22-2 (5)
6. Marist: 21-7 (6)
7. New Trier: 22-4 (7)
8. Naperville Central: 22-5 (9)
9. St. Charles East: 25-5 (10)
10. Conant: 21-2 (8)
Others: Mother McAuley, Joliet West, Beecher, Lockport, Bishop McNamara, Elk Grove, Bartlett, Glenbard North, Tinley Park, Peotone
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5/19 Daily Herald
Team Comment
1. Benet (26-2) Clinched ESCC championship
2. Downers South (26-1) Four rainouts last week
3. Downers North (21-2-1) Tied with Oak Park in Silver race
4. St. Charles North (18-6) Howlett's heating up
5. Naperville Central (22-5) Narrow lead in DVC race
6. Conant (21-2) Hunter homers twice vs. Fremd
7. Glenbard North (21-5) Fell 5-2 to Naperville Central on Saturday
8. St. Charles East (25-5) UEC River title on line Tuesday vs. SCN
9. Waubonsie Valley (23-5) Can the Warriors win out?
10. Bartlett (23-5) Hosts Waubonsie Valley Tuesday
11. Lake Zurich (20-4) Freshman Amanda Guerico hits 8th HR
12. Barrington (21-9) 11-3 in MSL West
13. Schaumburg (21-7) Felde, Alt tough in circle
14. Fremd (19-9) Kaufman, Garcia showing HR power
15. Wauconda (22-7) Bulldogs clinch NSC Prairie
16. Buffalo Grove (18-8) Two-time MSL East champs
17. Warren (20-8) Jenny Carpenter shuts out Prairie Ridge
18. Elk Grove (25-6) Maher: HR, 2 doubles vs. Hersey
19. Montini (22-6) Even bottom of the order hits
20. Libertyville (21-8) Stevens' walk-off hit beats Mundelein
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5/19 ILLINOIS COACHES ASSOCIATION 4A Poll - Not Published
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5/12 Sun Times
St. Charles East vaults into the top 10 this week while the top 5 hold strong.
Top 10 teams with record and last week’s ranking
1. Manteno 30-0 1
2. Benet 23-1 2
3. Lincoln-Way West 24-1 3
4. Downers South 25-1 4
5. Downers North 19-2 5
6. Marist 16-6 7
7. New Trier 21-2 8
8. Conant 19-1 9
9. Naperville Central 20-4 6
10. St. Charles East 23-4 13
Others: Mother McAuley, Joliet West, Elk Grove, Bartlett, Beecher, Glenbard North, Lockport, Peotone, Tinley Park, Montini
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5/12 Daily Herald
Softball Team Comment
1. Benet (23-1) Undefeated in the ESCC
2. Downers South (25-1) Mustangs making it look easy
3. Downers North (19-2-1) Pitcher Ryndak (15-1) has 12 shutouts
4. Conant (19-1) 38 homers in 20 games
5. Glenbard North (19-4) Rematch with Naperville Central this week
6. St. Charles North (16-6) Goetz 6 RBI vs. Geneva
7. Naperville Central (20-5) Lost to WW South, Lockport last week
8. St. Charles East (23-5) Saints looking dangerous for postseason
9. Waubonsie Valley (22-5) Warriors are rolling
10. Bartlett (22-5) Amy Johnson on a hitting tear
11. Barrington (20-8) 22nd straight 20-win season
12. Lake Zurich (19-4) Bears edge Wauconda 4-2
13. Schaumburg (17-7) Alt career-high 13 Ks vs. Meadows
14. Wauconda (19-5) Bulldogs still leading NSC Prairie
15. Libertyville (20-7) Wildcats have lost 4 straight
16. Fremd (16-8) Kaufman hits with power
17. Elk Grove (23-5) Masnica walk-off homer vs. Loyola
18. Buffalo Grove (15-8) Leads MSL East by one game
19. Montini (18-5) These Broncos can hit
20. Burlington Central (15-7) If they play D, Rockets tough to beat
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5/12 ILLINOIS COACHES ASSOCIATION 4A Poll - Not Published
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5/5 Sun Times
Manteno stays undefeated and top-ranked, while Minooka makes the biggest climb from No. 17 to No. 10 in this week's rankings.
Top 10 teams with records through May 4 and last week’s ranking
1. Manteno 27-0 (1)
2. Benet 20-1 (2)
3. Lincoln-Way West 20-1 (3)
4. Downers Grove South 20-1 (6)
5. Downers Grove North 15-2 (8)
6. Naperville Central 15-3 (9)
7. Marist 15-6 (4)
8. New Trier 17-2 (5)
9. Conant 13-1 (7)
10. Minooka 14-5 (17)
Others: Morris, Mother McAuley, St. Charles East, Joliet West, Bishop McNamara, Elk Grove, Bartlett, Peotone, Beecher, Lincoln-Way East
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5/5 Daily Herald
1. Benet (20-1) Defeated Marist twice
2. Downers South (20-1) Andree putting up big number at bat
3. Libertyville (19-3) Dembinski keeps delivering with bat
4. Downers North (15-2) Woitovich has 28 RBI
5. Naperville Central (15-3) Big DVC game vs. Naperville N. this week
6. Conant (13-1) Durr with 9 homers this spring
7. St. Charles North (13-6) Rabin, defense stymie St. Charles E.
8. Glenbard North (13-4) Tough loss to Naperville Central
9. St. Charles East (19-5) Tied for UEC River lead after SCN loss
10. Waubonsie Valley (19-5) On 12-game winning streak
11. Bartlett (19-5) Mustang Stampede champs
12. Barrington (16-8) J. Inamoto has solid bat
13. Schaumburg (14-4) Undefeated at 6-0 in MSL West
14. Fremd (13-7) Garcia homers against Conant
15. Elk Grove (18-4) Megan Eul is 12-3 in circle
16. Wauconda (16-4) Bulldogs host Libertyville Thursday
17. Glenbard South (11-5) League win streak snapped at 41 games
18. Huntley (12-7) In thick of FVC Valley race
19. Buffalo Grove (12-8) Has won 5 in a row
20. St. Francis (15-2) Key SCC game vs. Montini Thursday
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5/5 ILLINOIS COACHES ASSOCIATION 4A Poll Week 4
School Last Week
1. Downer's Grove South 1
2. Benet Academy 3
3. New Trier 2
4. Downers Grove North 4
5. Edwardsville 5
6. Belleville East 7
7. Naperville Central 10
8. St. Charles East 6
9. Normal West 8
10. Moline 9
11. Marist 11
12. Lockport 12
13. Conant 13
14. Joliet West 15
15. Glenbard North 16
16. Normal Community NR
17. Bartlett NR
18. Minooka 14
19. Libertyville 20
20. Lincoln Way East NR
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4/28 Sun Times
The top five spots remain unchanged while undefeated Conant leaps into the top 10 at No. 7. Top 10 teams with records and last week’s ranking
1. Manteno 23-0 (1)
2. Benet 16-1 (2)
3. Lincoln-Way West 18-1 (3)
4. Marist 14-3 (4)
5. New Trier 14-1 (5)
6. Downers South 16-1 (7)
7. Conant 12-0 (NR)
8. Downers North 11-2 (6)
9. Naperville Central 12-3 (8)
10. Morris 16-1 (NR)
Others: Mother McAuley, St. Charles East, Joliet West, Bishop McNamara, Elk Grove, Libertyville, Minooka, Bartlett, Tinley Park, Peotone
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4/28 Daily Herald
1. Benet (16-1) 35 home runs already
2. Downers Grove South (16-1) Off to 3-0 start in WSC Gold
3. Conant (12-0) Three pitchers with at least 3 wins
4. Libertyville (17-3) Dembinski HR edges Fremd, before loss to Huntley
5. Downers Grove North (11-2) Ryndak has 9 shutouts
6. Glenbard North (10-3) Benz homered twice vs. Plainfield Central
7. St. Charles East (18-4) Won own invite for 3rd straight year
8. Naperville Central (12-3) Split with York
9. St. Charles North (11-6) Plays at St. Charles East Tuesday
10. Bartlett (15-4) Hawks on a 6-game roll
11. Barrington (14-8) Katis 5-for-5 Saturday in Washington
12. Schaumburg (13-4) 3-straight no-hitters for Alt
13. Fremd (11-6) Welninski has powerful bat
14. Elk Grove (17-3) Grens have 20 home runs
15. Wauconda (15-4) Motley HR edges Fremd, before loss to Huntley
16. Lake Zurich (12-4) Bears suffer 6-1 loss to Grant
17. Glenbard South (9-4) Struggled against Ryndak, Downers North
18. West Aurora (12-5) Got thumped by Naperville Central
19. Montini (8-5) Fell in extras to WW South
20. Huntley (11-7) 5-game streak includes Ws over Libertyville, Wauconda
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4/28 ILLINOIS COACHES ASSOCIATION 4A Poll Week 3
School Last Week
1. Downer's Grove South 2
2. New Trier 3
3. Benet Academy 1
4. Downers Grove North 4
5. Edwardsville 6
6. St. Charles East 7
7. Belleville East 10
8. Normal West 8
9. Moline 9
10. Naperville Central 5
11. Marist 11
12. Lockport 12
13. Conant NR
14. York 13
15. Joliet West NR
16. Glenbard North 18
17. Elk Grove 13
18. Minooka 14
19. Andrew 19
20. Libertyville 15
Others receiving consideration: Lincolon Way East, Schaumburg, Bartlett, Normal Community, Waubonise Valley, Sandburg, DeKalb, O'Fallon, Mother McAuley, St. Charles North, Oak Park, Providence, Lake Zurich, Barrington, Jacobs, Warren, Prairie Ridge, Fremd, Mundelein, Plainfield Central, Cary Grove
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4/21 Sun Times
Manteno is still undefeated, the first team to reach 20 victories and has claimed the No. 1 spot in the rankings.
With records through April 20, last week’s rankings
1. Manteno 20-0 (2)
2. Benet 12-1 (3)
3. Lincoln-Way West 13-1 (5)
4. Marist 11-3 (6)
5. New Trier 9-1 (7)
6. Downers North 9-1 (8)
7. Downers South 12-1 (1)
8. Naperville Central 8-2 (4)
9. Wauconda 12-1 (9)
10. St. Charles East 12-3 (10)
Others: Bishop McNamara, Providence, Tinley Park, Jacobs, Elk Grove, Andrew, Lockport, Fremd, Joliet West, Libertyville
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4/21 Daily Herald
1. Libertyville (14-1) Wildcats settle for split with Barrington
2. Benet (12-1) Plenty of power in the lineup
3. Downers Grove North (9-1) Ryndak is 8-1, 0.00 ERA
4. Downers Grove South (12-1) Suffered first loss to Lockport
5. St. Charles East (13-3) Saints perfect in UEC River
6. Barrington (9-5) Hands Libertyville its first loss
7. Naperville Central (8-2) Swept Neuqua Valley
8. Glenbard North (6-3) Dopart pitching well
9. Fremd (9-2) Molly Muhs: homer, double vs. Cary-Grove
10. Wauconda (12-1) Wedl whiffs 33 in back-to-back no-hitters
11. Lake Zurich (10-3) Bears edge Prairie Ridge in 10
12. St. Charles North (8-5) Not quite clicking on all cylinders
13. Bartlett (9-4) Fell to both St. Charles teams
14. Schaumburg (9-4) Paige Alt no-hits Prospect 10-0
15. Elk Grove (12-2) Pauscher big hitting game vs. Maine South
16. Conant (5-0) Offense produces 37 runs in last 2 games
17. West Aurora (10-4) Third at Fox Valley Invitational
18. Montini (7-4) A couple of light weeks
19. Glenbard South (5-3) Starting to come together
20. Burlington Central (8-5) Quality win over St. Charles N.
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4/21 ILLINOIS COACHES ASSOCIATION 4A Poll Week 2
1. Benet Academy 1
2. Downers Grove South 2
3. New Trier 5
4. Downers Grove North 4
5. Naperville Central 3
6. Edwardsville 8
7. St. Charles East 7
8. Normal West 6
9. Moline 9
10. Belleville East 10
11. Marist 11
12. Lockport 12
13. York 14
14. Minooka 16
15. Libertyville NR
16. Fremd NR
17. Elk Grove 13
18. Glenbard North 18
19. Andrew 19
20. Lincoln Way East 20

Others receiving consideration: O'Fallon, Sandburg, Jacobs, Barrington, Warren, DeKalb, Mother McAuley, Normal Community, Providence Catholic, St. Charles North, Oak Park, Bartlett, Conant, Plainfield Central, Waubonise Valley, Schaumburg, Lake Zurich, Prairie Ridge, Harlem
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4/14 Sun Times
With records through April 13, last week’s rankings
1. Downers Grove South 8-0 (5)
2. Manteno 17-0 (6)
3. Benet 9-1 (2)
4. Naperville Central 4-1 (1)
5. Lincoln-Way West 9-1 (3)
6. Marist 8-3 (7)
7. New Trier 5-1 (11)
8. Downers Grove North 7-1 (15)
9. Wauconda 9-0 (NR)
10. St. Charles East 9-2 (20)
Others: Bishop McNamara, Providence, Tinley Park, Andrew, Elk Grove, Peotone, Jacobs, Leyden, Barrington, Minooka.
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4/14 Daily Herald
1. Libertyville (12-0) Wildcats off to best start in 20 years
2. Downers Grove South (9-0) Primed for WSC Gold play
3. Benet (8-1) Some quality wins
4. Downers Grove North (7-1) Good to have Ryndak back
5. St. Charles East (9-2) Only losses to West Aurora
6. Naperville Central (5-1) Lost a classic to Benet
7. Barrington (7-3) Snow, cold postponed rematch with BG
8. St. Charles North (5-2) Ends up-and-down week with win
9. Glenbard North (5-3) Split with Oak Park
10. Bartlett (8-2) Scoring runs in bunches
11. Wauconda (9-0) Kayla Wedl has struck out 64, walked 1
12. Fremd (5-2) Jr. 3B Julie Josten ripping doubles
13. Elk Grove (9-1) Sr. SS Becca Maher hitting over .600
14. Lake Zurich (8-2) Malek pitches well in 2-1 loss to Fremd
15. Conant (3-0) Soph C Aaron has big game vs. Lake Park
16. Cary-Grove (4-2) Has some offensive firepower
17. Jacobs (8-2) Alyssa Lach can go deep
18. West Aurora (8-2) 4-0 week for surging Blackhawks
19. Montini (6-4) Can play long ball and small ball
20. Schaumburg (5-4) Pitcher Felde committed to Illinois State
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4/14 ILLINOIS COACHES ASSOCIATION 4A Poll Week 1
School Last Week
1. Benet Academy NR
2. Downers Grove South 5
3. Naperville Central 17
4. Downers Grove North 3
5. New Trier 8
6. Normal West 6
7. St. Charles East 2
8. Edwardsville 18
9. Moline 7
10. Belleville East 16
11. Marist 10
12. Lockport 11
13. Elk Grove NR
14. York 13
15. Sandburg 4
16. Minooka 1
17. O'Fallon 20
18. Glenbard North 19
19. Andrew NR
20. Lincoln Way East NR
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4/7 Sun Times
With records through April 6, last week’s rankings
1. Naperville Central 0-0 (1)
2. Benet 5-0 (3)
3. Lincoln-Way West 6-0 (4)
4. St. Charles North 3-0 (6)
5. Downers South 4-0 (14)
6. Manteno 8-0 (18)
7. Marist 5-3 (2)
8. Fremd 2-0 (24)
9. Glenbard South 0-0 (9)
10. South Elgin 3-0 (NR)
Others: New Trier, Leyden, Tinley Park, Bishop McNamara, Downers North, Peotone, Barrington, Minooka, York, St. Charles East
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3/31 Sun-Times top 25 softball teams
Naperville Central and Marist head the field, but many talented teams have what it takes to compete this season. Find a complete list of Bill Harrison's rankings here.
1. Naperville Central: Eight starters are back from a team that opened last year 29-0 and spent a majority of the season at No. 1 until losing in the regional final to Downers South. Northern Illinois recruit P Keegan Hayes (22-3, 1.53 ERA) and Syracuse-bound OF Maddie Doane (.492, 3 HR, 64 H) are the key returners. Keep an eye on sophomore’s Lisa Tassi and Lindsey Gonzalez.
2. Marist: Loyola-bound senior SS Brooke Wyderski (.587, 12 HR, 64 RBI) and five other starters return, and that’s not good for opposing pitchers. Sophomore 2B Madison Naujoukas (.394, 2 HR) returns her big bat and solid defense. Sophomore P Lizzie Annerino and junior P Zariya Gonzalez will take over in the circle. Keep an eye on freshman 3B Alexis Rogers.
3. Benet: The Redwings will again have one of the best offenses in the state. Seven starters return, including Illinois-bound C Stephanie Abello (.505, 12 HR, 51 RBI). Georgie Southern recruit Rowan McGuire is now eligible after transferring from Downers North last year, and pitcher Molly Moran, who was injured last season, will be key.
4. Lincoln-Way West: Leading the way is senior P Morghan Dieringer (22-3, 1.89 ERA, 205 K) and sophomore SS Dani Morgan (.463, 6 HR, 36 RBI). Sophomore IF/OF/P Amanda Ruskowsky is expected to contribute. Six starters return.
5. Peotone: Junior slugger Emily Carstens had a monster sophomore year, cranking out 19 home runs while hitting .510. The Olivet recruit was also effective in the circle, leading the Reapers to a 31-4 record, including a loss to Manteno in a Class 3A sectional. Five other starters return, including Lewis recruit Carley Maupin. Catcher Ellie Hagemaster is ready to shine.
6. St. Charles North: All nine starters return from a 25-6 team that lost in the first round of the playoffs. Northwestern-bound senior P Sabrina Rabin (.536; 18-4, 1.49 ERA), 1B Abby Howlett (NIU), and senior SS Mick Goetz (Olivet) return. Junior 2B/OF Kaitlyn Waslawski is a third-year starter and getting Division I interest.
7. Providence: A regional final loss left a sour taste. Seven starters return, including DePaul recruits Morgan Greewood (.460, 4 HR, 23 RBI) and Jessica Cothern (.429, 9 HR, 40 RBI). Minnesota-bound sophomore P Kendal Judge (8-3, 2.80 ERA) has high expectations. Freshman Allyssa Demma is expected to contribute immediately.
8. Barrington: Three starters are back from a record-setting 36-win team that finished third in Class 4A. Among those is Loyola-bound P Keenan Dolezal, who went 29-2 last year with a 0.87 ERA and 239 strikeouts. There will be a handful of new faces in coach Perry Peterson’s lineup, but expectations are high.
9. Glenbard South: The two-time defending state champ returns six starters and 12 of 16 players, including outfielders Ashton Cattenhead (.446) and Aimee Gerhardt (.433). Sophomore Ashley Cohen, who started in the infield as a freshman, will take over the pitching duties. Coach Julie Fonda always finds a way.
10. York: Eight starters return for a program that has been a bracket-buster in the playoffs the past few seasons. DePaul-bound senior CF Angela Scalzitti (.508, 37 SB), junior Sarah Milkowski (.373), and sophomore Abby Solem (.402, 5 HR, 37 RBI) will lead the Dukes, who finished fourth in Class 4A last season.
11. Downers North: Arizona State-bound pitcher Dale Ryndak is back from a season-ending injury and will make life easier for new coach Eric Landshoot. Five starters are back from a 26-win team that lost a sectional final. Keep an eye on sophomore Jaclyn Pasakarnis, and freshmen Katie Polaski and Zoe Varsbergs.
12. Minooka: The defending Class 4A state champions return five starters from a 23-8 team that won the state title game by slaughter rule. Jordan Larsen, Marissa Burns, and P Meghan Quirk are expected to make an immediate impact. The Indians have won 23 or more games the last four seasons.
13. St. Charles East: Getting trounced in the Class 4A title game by Minooka left the seven returning starters with a sour taste. But finishing second in state, winning 33 games, and having the nucleus of the team back is a recipe for success. Senior OF Tess Hupe (.356, 20 SB), junior IF/P Alex Latoria (.362, 10 HR), and sophomore OF Katie Kolb return.
14. Downers South: Seven starters return from a sectional championship team, including P Caroline Hedgcock. Belmont recruit Jessica Andree is the top returning position player. While manning the SS position she hit .449 with six home runs and 35 RBI while striking out just five times. Illinois State-bound Caitlyn Daly is the other key returner.
15. Tinley Park: A breakthrough season has the Titans with even higher expectations after finishing third in Class 3A while going 26-8. Star player Alyssa Gunther graduated, but slugging 3B Samantha Alberto (10 HR), and versatile 2B Lexxi Lux are back. Taking over the pitching duties is fearless sophomore Annalisse Scott, who went 12-1 last season.
16. Bishop McNamara: The loss of Player of the Year Jaelen Hull (Bradley) and shortstop Alee Rashenskas (West Point) is a big blow after going 35-0 and winning the Class 2A state title. Five starters return and with coach Laura Harms still calling the shots, and Jaelen’s younger sister Baylee Hull taking over in the circle, this team shouldn’t miss a beat.
17. New Trier: With senior Pitcher Allison Quigley (21-1, 0.56 ERA, 187 K; .365, 3 HR) back along with five other starters the expectations are high. Quigley led her team to a sectional title appearance (loss to Barrington) and 29 wins. Also back are senior SS Meg Neuhaus, junior 2B Lily Novak (.429), senior 1B Alexa Carus and senior RF Abbey Boyd (.507, 4 HR).
18. Manteno: A loss to Peotone in the regional championship will be plenty of motivation. Seven starters are back from a 23-6 team, including Western Illinois-bound pitcher Brooke Stulga (14-5, 1.57 ERA, 160 K; .366, 2 HR). IUPUI recruit Sammy Beckwith (.489) will spark what should be a high-scoring offense. Keep an eye on junior slugger Selena Schulties.
19. Glenbard North: Five starters are back from a 26-win, regional champion team that finished second in conference. Louisville-bound senior SS Sydney Benz (.459, 3 HR, 29 RBI) will lead the offense, along with Illinois State-bound senior 2B Alex Caliva (.366, 9 2B, HR), Bradley-bound junior 3B Stephanie Campos (.314, 3 HR), and Albany-bound junior CF Sarah Petzold (.337).
20. Sandburg: The Eagles advanced to supersectionals and return five starters from a 23-15 team. Senior P Sarah Herold (13-10, 2.53 ERA, 166 K) and junior OF/1B Katie Krzus (.358, 9 HR, 41 RBI) will be the key for this team’s success. Senior C Karli McLaughlin is a three-year starter and is expected to have a breakout season.
21. Joliet West: Eight starters back from a 21-win team that lost to state-champ Minooka in regionals. The season will rely on freshman P Kylie Robb, who appears to be up to the task. Murray State recruit Julie Luceaga (22 RBI), Illinois Central recruit Joy Treasure (.402, 28 RBI), Jennifer Ames (.402, 7 HR), and Alyssa Rodriquez (.377, 3 HR) will key the offensive.
22. Plainfield Central: A loss to Class 4A-champ Minooka in the sectional final has the six returners back from a 28-6 team hungry for more. Senior CF Timi Tooley and junior SS Michaela Schlattman will lead the offense. Taking over the pitching duties will be freshman Brooklyn Daly, who has already made a solid name for herself in the travel circuit.
23. McHenry: Evansville-bound junior P Kristin Koepke is one of the best in the area in the circle and at the plate. She finished 18-9 with a 1.92 ERA and hit .350 with 35 RBI. She leads a team that returns five starters, won 24 games, and captured a regional title. Kentucky-bound sophomore SS Alex Martens (.421) should be even better.
24. Fremd: The Vikings, who won 24 games a regional title last season, return five starters. Illinois-bound shortstop Leigh Farina (.495, 8 HR), 2B Tracy Welninski (.403, 4 HR), and 3B Julie Josten (.327, 4 HR) are the top returners. Keep an eye on CF Alyssa Garcia, who is expected to make a contribution offensively and defensively.
25. Lane: New coach Devin Miller will try to continue the winning tradition, and she has a lot to work with, starting with sophomore slugger Kayla Garcia (.541, 8 HR). All nine starters are back from a 27-win team that won the city title over Young and a regional championship. The Dolphins, as always, will be Lane's biggest challenger in the Public League.
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3/20 - Daily Herald preseason
1. Barrington (36-2) Dolezal (29-2) returns to the circle
2. St. Charles North (25-6) 9 starters return for UEC River champs
3. St. Charles East (33-6) 7 starters back from Class 4A runner-up
4. Warren (28-7) Wagner, Vasen return for sectional champs
5. Fremd (24-8) Four starters back, 3 in infield
6. Benet (22-8) Redwings look loaded
7. Glenbard North (26-5) College recruiters like what they see
8. Naperville Central (32-4) Eight starters return
9. Glenbard South (31-5) Two-time defending Class 3A champs will rebuild
10. Conant (16-13) Cougars have pitching depth
11. Downers Grove North (26-9) Happy to get Ryndak back
12. Kaneland (24-5) Morrow joins talented core
13. Schaumburg (20-10) Lots back from 20-win season
14. Waubonsie Valley (23-6) Looking for 3rd straight UEC Valley title
15. Bartlett (25-10) Should make a run at UEC Valley crown
16. Downers Grove South (22-11-1) Hoping to stay healthy
17. Neuqua Valley (18-12) Good pitching, good defense, good hitting
18. Burlington Central (27-4) Talented, experienced seniors will lead way
19. Buffalo Grove (15-9) Defending MSL East champs
20. Wauconda (22-13) Sectional champs return soph ace Wedl
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1/25 Illinois Coaches Association (Preseason) Rankings
Rank/Team/Final Ranking in 2013 in Parentheses
Preseason Class 4A Rankings
1) Orland Park Sandburg
2) Elk Grove
3) Moline
4) New Trier
5) Barrington
6) Marist
7) St. Charles North
8) Lockport
9) Cary-Grove
10) Lake Zurich
11) Oak Park
12) Barrington
13) Fremd
14) Tinley Park Andrew
15) West Chicago
16) Edwardsville
17) Naperville Central
18) O'Fallon
19) New Lenox Providence
20) Reavis
Others receiving votes: Conant, Riverside-Brookfield, Downers Grove North, Lake Park, Normal Community, Normal West, Stagg.