THE JOURNAL & TOPICS NEWSPAPERS | FRIDAY, JANUARY 13, 2006

Junior Warriors Set For Jan. 21 Opener

By DWIGHT ESAU

Journal Reporter

The rosters are set, the teams have practiced, and coaches have delivered their motivational speeches.

All is ready for another youth basketball season with the Des Plaines Junior Warriors 6th, 7th, and 8th grade teams. There will be a parents meeting this Sunday, Jan. 15, at Prairie Lakes Center at 2 p.m. Two more practices for all teams will be held next week at Maine West and Iroquois Community School, and competition with area teams begins on Saturday, Jan. 21.

Coaches for the 2006 season are Gary Wolf for the 8th graders; Tom Dore, Bill Besenhofer, and Roy Vana for the 7th grade team; and Mike Ritti and Mike Taffe for the sixth graders, which this season includes two fifth grade players.

Team moms are Phyllis Pavlatos for the 8th grade, Linda Solka for the 7th graders, and Anne Walton for the 6th graders.

* Sixth grade players are Jonathan Augustine and Spencer Walton, who played last year; plus Kevin Garcia, Conor Hart, Will Hepburn, Tait Jensen, Robby McCabe, Justin Mustari, Dylan Reinke, Mitchell Riportella, Ryan Ross, Collin Schiavone, Nathan Schiavone, Matt Solis, and Tony Volk.

* Seven grade players are Andrew Cisco, Tom Dawid, Tommy Dore, Matt Jordan, Patrick Livingston, Josh Lundgren, Matthew Madonia, Michael Mikunda, Anthony Randazzo, Andre Smith, Kyle Smith, Paul Solka, Emmett Turner-Jackson, and Alec Urias.

* Eighth grade players are Camilio Asturrizaga, Sebastian Asturrizaga, Wes Bengtsson, Elvis Hoxha, Ryan Johnson, Zack Pavlatos, Mark Rubel, Alex Samuelson,. Chris Schiltz, Jeremy Stepanovich, Will Wenk, and Brett Wolf.

The JW season continues through Mar. 27, includes parents vs. sons games at Maine West on Apr. 18, and a final awards banquet at the Des Plaines Elks Club on Apr. 23.