THE JOURNAL & TOPICS NEWSPAPERS | WEDNESDAY, MAY 7, 2008
Prospect Gets Second Chance In Sectional
By DWIGHT ESAU
Journal Sports
A second chance.
That's what both Prospect water polo teams will receive this week after their "first" chances at conference championships escaped them last week.
The Knight boys and girls teams had their outstanding seasons interrupted with conference championship losses to Conant and Fremd, respectively.
Perhaps fortunately, neither Prospect team will have to face their MSL title game rivals in IHSA sectionals that begin today (Wednesday) and tomorrow at various area sites.
More on the sectionals later.
Back to the conference games.
Conant's boys were too much for Prospect in the Cougar pool last week, winning 14-6 behind a relentless offense led by Mike Varga, John Hansen, and Blaine Grzegorek. And a defense that smothered most Knight attempts to get the ball in close to its main scorers.
Varga scored 6 goals for the Cougars, Hansen 4, and Grzegorek 3 as Conant improved to 25-4-1. Cougar coach Erik Hauser said the win was the result of "good preparation, extensive scouting of Prospect, and the knowledge gained from their 14-4 win over the Knights earlier in the season.
"They are a good, much improved team, but we were confident we would win with our experience and talent," he said.
Tim O'Grady and Sean Hanson scored twice each for the Knights and Charlie Mau and Matt Reiner once each.
On the girls side, Fremd also mounted a strong attack in the conference match and sliced through the Knight defense for as 12-4 win. Meg Dix scored 2 of the Knight goals.
The Fremd attack often got past Knight defenders and came in on Knight all-conference goalie Givannina Penze alone.
Now, it's on to the state sectionals, and another shot at glory for all of these teams, plus about 50 others.
For the boys, Journal-area teams are in sectionals starting tonight (Wednesday) at Glenbrook North, York, and Hoffman Estates pools.
At the Glenbrook complex, St. Viator was at Hersey Monday for a play-in game, with the winner facing top-seeded Glenbrook South at 4:30 p.m. today. Prospect faces New Trier at 5:45, Loyola plays Wheeling at 7, and Evanston plays the host Glenbrook North Spartans at 8:15 p.m.
At York, Maine East faces Chicago Northside at 5:45 p.m., and Elk Grove faces St. Patrick at 7 p.m .
At Hoffman Estates, top-seeded Conant is in a second Mid Suburban League tournament, since all of the teams are from the MSL. The Cougars face Palatine at 4:30 p.m. today, Fremd opposes Hoffman Estates at 5:45, Schaumburg plays Rolling Meadows at 7, and Barrington plays Buffalo Grove at 8:15.
Conant won a sectional last year and was an elite eight state qualifier. The Cougars lost in the first round to Loyola. Most members of that 2007 Cougar team are on hand again this spring.
Sectional semifinals are on Friday at the same sites, and finals are on Saturday. Eight sectional champions will square off in the state elite-eight finals at Stevenson High School on May 15 and 17.
On the girls side, area teams are in three sectionals at the same three sites starting tomorrow (Thursday).
At Hoffman Estates, MSL champ Fremd is top seeded and opens up against Rolling Meadows at 4:30 p.m. Schaumburg faces Hoffman at 5:45, Barrington opposes Elk Grove at 7, and Conant plays Palatine at 8:15.
At York Thursday, Maine East faces the host Dukes at 5:45 p.m., and Evanston is the top-seeded team.
At Glenbrook North, Loyola plays Glenbrook South at 4:30, Hersey plays Wheeling at 5:45, New Trier swims against St. Viator at 7, and Prospect opposes Glenbrook North at 8:15.
The girls state finals are May 16-17, also at Stevenson.
Defending boys state champion is Fenwick. Defending girls state titlist is Mother McAuley.