State Berths, Silver Success for York Sports Teams

For the sixth year in a row, the entire sectional lineup of the York badminton team is going to the state meet.

The Dukes rolled to their sixth consecutive sectional team championship by winning the five-team York Sectional 16.5 to 13 points over second-place Wheaton North May 5.

Advancing to state with top-four sectional finishes are junior Torrie Graham and sophomore Georgia Schneider in singles and the doubles teams of junior Kristen Borel and sophomore Julia Carlson and senior Kerry Robbins and sophomore Karen Altergott.

The state meet is Friday and Saturday at Eastern Illinois University in Charleston.

Graham is the only player in the group with previous state experience, going 1-2 in doubles in 2010 with her second loss to graduated teammate Lisa Momkus. Graham also is a three-time state qualifier in tennis.

Graham captured the sectional singles title with a 21-16, 21-14 victory over Schneider in the championship match.

Borel and Carlson won the doubles championship by beating Wheaton North seniors Brittany Shirley and Lindsay Thill 21-8, 21-6. Robbins and Altergott were fourth, losing to Wheaton North seniors Melissa Bogin and Nattarom Akramunkongvanic 22-20, 21-14 in the third-place match.

The Dukes were third at the West Suburban Conference Silver Division Meet April 30. Conference champions were Schneider (No. 2 singles) and Altergott (No. 10 singles).

York’s junior varsity team won the Silver title. The freshman team finished second at its Silver Meet May 3 at York.

York Gymnastics

York freshman Bryce Simpson qualified for the individual state meet on pommel horse thanks to his performance at the Downers Grove North Sectional Friday.

The individual state meet preliminaries are at 11:30 a.m. Saturday at Lincoln-Way East with those among the top 10 scores advancing to the event finals at 6:30 p.m.

Simpson, who tied for sixth with a 7.65, missed automatically qualifying for state with a top-five sectional finish but advanced by being among the top 25 remaining scores from among the five sectionals. The state cut for horse was 7.0.

The Dukes finished seventh with 105.85 points. Simpson was sixth in all-around (40.70), 10^th on horizontal bar (6.45) and tied for 15^th on parallel bars (7.3) but missed the respective state cuts of 47.60, 7.25 and 7.85.

Also part of the sectional lineup were junior all-arounder Clayton Curtice (32.20, 8^th), senior Santiago Ortega, sophomores Alex Cavanaugh, Brendan Conroy Matt Flynn and Gonzalo Olvera and freshman Vince Genthe.

York was fifth at the West Suburban Conference Silver Division Meet April 30 at Hinsdale Central (105.00 points) and fifth in the final overall standings. An incorrectly recorded score resulted in a York’s lone league dual victory turning into a 107.50 to 107.30 loss to Lyons Township April 12.

Simpson was seventh on horizontal bar (6.05) and tied for seventh on horse (7.2). Simpson (38.45) and Curtice (32.55) were eighth and 10^th in all-around.

York Soccer

The York girls soccer team won the West Suburban Conference Silver Division title for the second year in a row and third time in the past four years by beating area-rated Lyons Township 3-2 in double overtime Tuesday in a winner-take-allshowdown in Elmhurst.

Senior Angela Bianchi scored the for the Dukes (16-4-1, 6-0 in Silver) off a pass by senior Mary Kate Cicinelli. 

York also won last year’s Silver title with a 3-2 double-overtime victory over LT in the final round. The Dukes’ 2008 crown was their first in program history.

York has won six in a row and is 14-1-1 over its last 16 games. Other previous Silver victories included shutouts of Proviso West (8-0 May 5) and Hinsdale Central (3-0 May 3) and Downers Grove North (5-0 April 23) and one-goal victories over Glenbard West (2-1 April 19) and Oak Park-River Forest (4-3 April 12).

The Dukes beat Saint Ignatius 2-0 May 7 and Rolling Meadows 2-1 May 6.

York is the No. 3 seed in the Class 3A York Sectional. The Dukes begin Argo Regional action at 4 p.m. Tuesday in Summit against No. 14 Kennedy or No. 19 Noble Street Charter/Muchin. The winner plays for the regional title at 1 p.m. May 21 against No. 6 Hinsdale South or No. 10 Argo.

The Dukes very well could again meet LT (16-4-1, 5-1), the sectional’s No. 1 seed, or No. 2 Oak Park-River Forest for the York Sectional title May 27 and a Benedictine University Super-sectional trip for the state’s final eight teams.

York Softball

The York softball team remained tied for first in the West Suburban Conference Silver Division race with Downers Grove North after splitting their two meetings.

The Dukes (15-13, 8-1 in Silver) won 2-1 in 11 innings May 4 in Downers Grove, but the Trojans (23-2, 7-1) prevailed the next day 9-3 in Elmhurst.

In their Silver finales, York still must play Lyons Township, Proviso West and Glenbard West and Downers North faces Proviso West twice and Hinsdale Central and Lyons Township.

At Downers North, Ellen Barry (2 for 4) doubled to lead off the 11^th and scored the winning run after Sophia Kelly’s single off the top of the fence in the first accounted for the first run. Winning pitcher Tessa Kroll struck out 14 with five walks, four of them intentional.

York continued its winning ways Wednesday by beating Oak Park-River Forest
8-2 behind a six-run second inning. Kroll pitched a three-hitter while Barry and Nicolette Salerno (3 for 4) and Gracie Sullivan (2 for 3) led the offense.

On Tuesday, York beat LT 5-4 in Elmhurst as Mary Carol Sullivan singled home Kroll with two outs in the bottom of the seventh after the Lions tied the game with two runs in the top half of the inning.

Alyssa Johnson and Kroll both homered in Saturday’s 8-6 home victory over Elmwood Park. Winning pitcher Salerno was 2 for 3.
 
Kroll and Nikki Mordini combined on a shutout in a 14-0 five-inning victory over Hinsdale Central Friday Barry had three hits, and Johnson and Kelly added two each.

York beat Northside Prep 5-1 May 3 as Johnson went 3 for 4 with a two-run triple and scored. Winning pitcher Salerno allowed just two hits in five innings and fanned six. 

On May 2, York rallied for a 3-2 victory at Glenbard West by scoring twice in the sixth and once in the seventh. Johnson, Kelly and Gracie Sullivan each had two hits, and winning pitcher Kroll threw a three-hitter with 14 strikeouts.

York was swept by Lemont 9-0 and 4-2 April 30. Kelly, who had a two-run homer, and Salerno had two hits apiece in the second game. 

York beat Proviso West 22-0 April 29 as Salerno and Mordini combined on a five-inning shutout.

Down 4-0 after three innings, York responded with a seven-run fourth and won 8-6 at Oak Park April 25. Kayla Madigan was 3 for 4, and Danielle Morency, Kelly and Salerno had two hits.

On April 23, York had just three hits total in being swept at Naperville Central 1-0 and 4-1. The Kroll pitched a two-hitter in the first game.

The Dukes are the No. 14 seed in the Class 4A Schaumburg Sectional. They open Conant Regional action May 23 against No. 19 Addison Trail in Hoffman Estates with the winner facing No. 3 Conant May 24 in Hoffman Estates. The regional final is at 11 a.m. May 28 in Hoffman Estates against No. 6 Leyden or No. 11 Wheaton North. Last season, York won its first regional title since the 2003 state quarterfinalists by upsetting Wheaton North 4-0.

York Tennis

The York boys tennis team enters this weekend’s West Suburban Conference Silver Division Meet in fourth place with 19 points after a 3-3 record in league duals. The final overall Silver standings are determined by points earned in duals and the Silver Meet.

Entries with double-digit victories this season are Karl Grant and Will Barnds (24-8 at No. 2 doubles), Kyle O’Neil (20-12 at No. 1 singles), Jeremy Loescher and Kyle Kopinski (17-16 at No. 1 doubles), Brad Kveton and Leland Tellefson (16-8 at No. 3 doubles), Lucas Rebers (16-12 at No. 2 singles) and Sam Bender (15-9) and Brad Johnson (14-8) among three combinations at No. 4 doubles.

York finished the regular season with a 16-10-1 dual record after losing to Hinsdale South 4-3 Tuesday. The Dukes, who were without Barnds, split four three-set matches.

In Silver action, York defeated Proviso West 7-0 May 3, Glenbard West 5-2 April 28 and Downers Grove North 6-1 April 14 -- its first dual victory over the Trojans in six years – while losing to Hinsdale Central 7-0 May 5, Oak Park-River Forest 7-0 April 21 and Lyons Township 6-1 April 12.

In other recent duals, York beat Rolling Meadows 5-2 Monday, Glenbard South 5-2 Friday and Fenwick 4-3 April 20.

On Saturday, York won the eight-team Fenton Invitational. O’Neil (No. 1 singles) and Grant and Barnds (No. 2 doubles) were flight champions, Loescher and Kopinski (No. 1 doubles) finished second and Justin Loescher (No. 2 singles), who usually plays No. 1 singles on the frosh-soph level, was third.  

At the Lincoln-Way East Invite April 30, York place fifth of 30 teams. Rebers (No. 2 singles) was fifth with a 3-1 record and O’Neil (No. 1 singles) and Loescher and Kopinski (No. 1 doubles) both were sixth.

On April 23, York won the consolation championship at the Prospect Power-8 Dual Invite. The Dukes defeated Evanston 4-3 for fifth place after losing their opening match to Lake Forest 6-1 and then beating the host Knights 5-2. Against Evanston, York won two of the four matches decided by third-set super-tiebreakers, including O’Neil after losing his first set 6-1.

York Volleyball

The York volleyball team is the No. 15 seed in the Illinois Math and Science Academy Sectional and opens York Regional action at 6:30 p.m. Monday in Elmhurst against No. 17 Oswego.  The winner plays top-seeded Wheaton Warrenville South (2^nd in state last year) at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday with the regional final at 7 p.m. Wednesday.

Statistical leaders for the Dukes (10-16) this season are Kevin Hobbs (145 kills), Eric Lund (24 aces and 282 assists), Dan Lesniewski (219 digs and 383 service receptions) and Jack Ribar (31 total blocks).

The Dukes dropped to 2-3 in West Suburban Conference Silver Division play with a 25-18, 25-12 loss to Glenbard West Tuesday.York also lost its Silver match with Oak Park-River Forest 25-15, 25-16 April 26.

York was 2-3 at the Glenbrook North Invitational Friday and Saturday, defeating Evanston 23-25, 25-10, 25-21 and Rockwood Summit (Fenton, Mo.) 25-19, 13-25, 25-20.

Jack Meehan had 11 kills in 22 attacks against Evanston while other big contributors were Jacob Ruprecht (15 assists, 2 aces), Lesniewski (8 digs), Duffy Pitlock (4 aces), Trevor Jordan (3 blocks) and Chris Schwass (2 aces).

Against Rockwood Summit, Jordan had a season-best eight kills and four blocks, and Lund had a spectacular serving match with seven aces while running the offense with 14 assists. Scudder (7 kills), Meehan (6 kills), Hobbs (5 kills, 2 blocks), Miles Kalchik and Ribar (3 kills each), Ruprecht (12 assists, ace), Lesniewski (5 digs) and Schwass (3 digs) also contributed.

For its special event, Volley-BALD For a Cure May 4, York outlasted Wheaton North 25-19, 22-25, 26-24.

York players shaved their heads for the match.The offense was run efficiently by Lund (39-for-39 setting, 20 assists) and Ruprecht (29-for-30 setting, 11 assists).  Hobbs (11 kills, block), Ribar (9 kills, 2 blocks), Scudder (9 kills), Meehan (7 kills, block), Jordan (4 kills, 3 blocks) and Kalchik (3 kills) sparked the offense. Lesniewski had 12 digs.

York topped Willowbrook 25-20, 28-26 April 29 after trailing 24-20 in the second set. Scudder (6 kills), Ruprecht (48-for-49 setting, 18 assists) and Lesniewski (16 serve receptions) paced the Dukes.

York Girls Track

The York girls track team competes at the Class 3A Glenbard North Sectional tonight in Carol Stream. Top-two sectional finishers automatically advance to the state meet May 20-21 at Eastern Illinois University in Charleston as well as entries that achieve qualifying standards at the meet.

On Saturday, the Dukes finished fifth at the West Suburban Conference Silver Division Meet Saturday with 69 points.

Junior Michelle Frigo won the 800-meter title in a season-best 2 minutes, 16.76 seconds fully-automatic time. Frigo finished third in the 800 at the 2010 Class 3A state meet in 2:13.53.

The 3,200 relay of Frigo, senior Mel Dunne, junior Kayla Spencer and senior Stephanie Huster (9:22.09) finished second to Downers Grove North, which ran 9:13.27 to break the 9:18.55 Silver Meet record set by York in 2009.

Sophomore Emma Fisher was second in the 3,200 (11:00.60) to Hinsdale Central sophomore Jill Hardies (10:57.22), who took second at the Class 3A state cross country meet in November, and later was fifth in the 1,600 (5:21.32). Juniors Alex Harrell and Amanda Huster also had two top-six finishes in individual events.

First-time indoor Silver champion Glenbard West won the meet with 139.66 points, followed by Lyons Township (106 points), defending Class 3A state champion Hinsdale Central (105) and Downers Grove North (74).

York Boys Track

The York boys track team will try to win its ninth consecutive West Suburban Conference Silver Division Meet Saturday at Glenbard West.

On Friday, the Dukes played host to the DuPage County Meet and finished fourth (76 points), 10 points behind third-place and defending Class 3A state champion Lake Park. Wheaton Warrenville South won with 116 points.

York won no events but the second-place 400 and 800-meter relays ran into the York record books. The 800 relay of seniors David Byerly, Kris Romanczyk, Kevin Adamik and Mo Watkins (1:28.62 fully-automatic time) posted the No. 7 time in York history while the 400 relay of Byerly, Romanczyk, senior Will Sullivan and Watkins (42.91) ties for No. 13 all-time. Wheaton Warrenville South (1:28.57) and Glenbard South (42.82) won the races, respectively.

In pole vault, York junior Nick Sgarbossa (13 feet-9 inches) and sophomore Shawn John finished second and third (13-3) to Lake Park senior Zach Ziemek (16-3), the defending state champion. In the 1,600, senior twins Ron Hedman (3^rd, 4:22.01) and Tom Hedman (9^th, 4:24.90) ran lifetime bests.

Senior standout Jack Driggs did not compete because of a strained hamstring. He was coming off an impressive 9:07.32 FAT that won a talent-filled 3,200 at Prospect’s Wanner Invitational April 29.

York initially believed it had won the meet 115-113.5 over Prospect, but the Knights hadn’t received first-place points in shot put and instead prevailed 123-115.

Other York champions were Sullivan (22-3 in long jump), the 400 relay (Byerley, Romanczyk, Matt Winans, Watkins in 43.14), 800 relay (Romanczyk, Sullivan, Watkins, Winans in 1:29.56),  frosh-soph 1,600 sprint relay (Mike Christensen, Ben Gornick, Andrew Iwaszkiewicz, Matt Parks in 3:43.33) and Byerley in the Big Boy 100 (11.4) for athletes who weigh at least 200 pounds.

York Baseball

The York baseball team recorded its first doubleheader sweep in West Suburban Conference Silver Division play Saturday by beating Glenbard West 15-4 and 11-0 both in six innings Friday in Glen Ellyn.

The Dukes (14-12-1, 8-7 in Silver) lost the third game of the series 8-2 Tuesday in Elmhurst. York’s final three-game Silver series will be against last-place Proviso West.

A seven-run sixth inning put away Friday’s first game by virtue of the 10-run rule. Matt Williams (3 hits, home run, 6 runs batted in), Phil Ganser (3 hits, 2 RBI) and Joe Paparone (home run) led a 14-hit attack. Winning pitcher Ryan Hinchley struck out 13.

Sophomore River Pitlock earned his first varsity victory in the second game, allowing two hits with six strikeouts, and homered. Joey Grollo (3 hits, home run, 4 RBI) and Joe Boozell (2 hits, 3 RBI) led the offense.

York lost to Elk Grove 2-1 Saturday despite a strong pitching performance from Greg Castello (6 hits, 2 runs allowed).

In previous Silver action, the Dukes handed area-ranked Lyons Township only its second loss of the season 14-3 May 3 in Western Springs after being swept 3-2 in eight innings and 12-1 in six innings April 30.

Ganser (3 hits, 3 RBI), Joey Grollo (2 hits, 4 RBI) and Pete Doughty (2 hits, 3 RBI) paced the big victory. Winning pitcher Paparone (4-0) fanned six and allowed eight hits.

York edged Downers Grove North 5-4 April 23 after being swept 14-4 in five innings and 10-2 April 23. Paparone (8 strikeouts in 6 innings) again earned a pitching victory April 23 with Castello working the seventh for the save. Ganser and Paparone each had two hits.

Castello also saved a victory for Mitch Baker in York’s 8-6 victory over St. Charles North 8-6 April 25 while Pitlock had two hits. The Dukes lost close non-conference games to Leyden (6-4 May 5) and Neuqua Valley (6-5 May 4) after leading late in both games.

York is the No. 6 seed in the Class 4A St. Charles North Sectional. The Dukes open Willowbrook Regional play at 4:30 p.m. Thursday, May 26 in Villa Park against No. 11 Willowbrook or No. 22 East Aurora. The regional final is at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 28 in Villa Park, most likely against No. 3 St. Charles North.

The Dukes, seeking their first regional title since 1996, lost to St. Charles North 8-5 in last year’s regional final.

York Girls Water Polo

The York girls water polo team began Fenwick Sectional action Wednesday by beating Curie 11-3.

The Dukes (8-20), the No. 4 seed in the sectional, play No. 1 Fenwick at 4:30 p.m. Friday in Oak Park with the winner playing for the sectional title and a state quarterfinal trip at noon Saturday in Oak Park.

At the West Suburban Conference Tournament Saturday, the Dukes lost to eventual champion Lyons Township 16-1 in the semifinals after beating Hinsdale Central for the second time in five days 12-8.

Against LT, the Dukes lost two starters, Katie Nelson and Cheryl Skukas, to injuries in the first and second quarter, respectively.

Carly Redmond had four goals against Hinsdale Central, followed by Jaime Redmond, Skukas and Nelson (2 goals each) and Alexa Saco and Jen Woloszyk (goal each). Goalies Mary Kate McHugh and Becca Heisler had 12 and four saves, respectively.

On Senior Night May 3, York rallied to defeat Hinsdale Central 14-12 after trailing 10-5 entering the fourth quarter. Jaime Redmond had six goals, while Carly Redmond (3 goals), Grace Haggard (2 goals) and Lauralee Johnson, Saco and Skukas (goal each) also tallied. McHugh had seven saves and Heisler five.

York defeated Morton 14-6 April 21 as Carly Redmond had four goals, Jaime Redmond had three, Woloszyk two and Maggie Latz, Jessica Sacksteder, Johnson, Skukas and Haggard one apiece. Starting goalie Heisler made six saves in the first half and McHugh stopped four shots in the second half.

Jaime Redmond had four goals in York’s 10-6 loss at Hersey April 28.

York Boys Water Polo

The York boys water polo team , the No. 4 seed in the Fenwick Sectional, begins playoff action against No. 5 Morton at 5:45 p.m. tonight in Oak Park. The Dukes lost to Morton 15-14 in the quarterfinals of the West Suburban Conference Tournament May 5.

The winner plays No. 1-seed and defending state champion Fenwick at 7 p.m. Friday in Oak Park. The sectional championship game for a state quarterfinal berth is at 1:30 p.m. Saturday in Oak Park.

York Boys Lacrosse

The York boys lacrosse team extended its unbeaten streak to three games and a 4-1-1 record over its last six games by beating Chiefs Lacrosse 11-6 Tuesday at Andrew High School in Tinley Park.

In two home matches, the Dukes (7-7-1) edged Minooka 9-7 May 3 and tied Geneva 10-10 May 5.

Their most dramatic victory was 9-8 at West Chicago in triple overtime April 21. After starting the season 0-4, York also has beaten Lane Tech (11-6 April 28), Lemont (12-2 April 26), Homewood-Flossmoor (3-2 April 14) and Northside Prep (11-5 April 7).

Sectional pairings will be determined May 23. York will play in the B-class tournament for the Lacrosse Cup.

York Girls Lacrosse

The York girls lacrosse team will participate in next week’s Oak Park-River Forest Sectional with Lyons Township, Oak Park, Nazareth Academy and Fenwick. The seeds will be determined tonight.

The Dukes (2-10) won their season opener over Metea Valley co-op 6-4 March 22 and defeated Fremd 6-4 April 12. Three losses have been by two goals – 9-7 to Mother McAuley April 14 and Schaumburg April 30 and 11-9 to Palatine April 26.

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