THE JOURNAL & TOPICS NEWSPAPERS | FRIDAY, MAY 16, 2008
Warriors, Grens Early Playoff Favorites
By DWIGHT ESAU
Journal Sports
Softball's second season is upon us.
Two Journal area teams are conference champions and are looking for validation of outstanding seasons in the IHSA's state Class 4A tournament that starts next week. Two other teams almost, but not quite, reached the elite level this spring.
Eight other area teams, on the other hand, are anxiously waiting for the chance at redemption after disappointing regular campaigns.
The area's two best teams are Maine West (21-4 as of this writing), winners of the Central Suburban-North for the fourth time in five years with a perfect 10-0 mark, and Elk Grove, winners of the Mid Suburban-East for the seventh straight time and owners of an impressive 29-4 season record.
Not far behind these two powers are Prospect of the MSL-East, and Maine South of the Central Suburban-South.
Maine West concludes its season this weekend against Maine South at home today at 4:30 p.m., and at Schaumburg on Saturday. The Warriors are second-seeded in the Glenbrook South Class 4A sectional, and are favored to win the Glenbrook North regional, where their opening game May 20 is against ether Maine East or Chicago Von Steuben. If seedings hold, West will face top-seeded Loyola in the sectional final on May 31.
Elk Grove is third-seeded in the Schaumburg sectional. They meet regional host Willowbrook or Glenbard East on May 20. The other half of this regional has Glenbard West against Wheaton North.
Elk Grove's strongest opposition in this sectional will probably come from Lake Park, Bartlett, or St. Charles North.
Prospect meets Mid Suburban League rival Schaumburg in round one of the Rolling Meadows regional, where Lake Park looms in the next round.
Maine South, seeded sixth in the Glenbrook South sectional, meets CSL rival Niles West in game one, and the winner advances probably to play Lane Tech for the regional title.
Here is a complete schedule of all opening regional games next week:
At Loyola - Leyden vs. Resurrection, 5 p.m. May 21
At Niles West - Maine South vs. Niles West, 4:30 p.m. May 21
At Glenbrook North - Maine East at Chi. Von Steuben, 4:30 p.m. May 19 - Maine West against East-Von Steuben winner, 4:30 p.m. May 20
At Evanston - Glenbrook South vs. Evanston, 4:45 p.m. May 21
At Willowbrook - Elk Grove vs. either Willowbrook or Glenbard East, 4:30 p.m. May 20
At Rolling Meadows - Meadows vs. Addison Trail, 4:30 p.m. May 19 - Prospect vs. Schaumburg, 5 p.m, May 21
At Geneva - Conant vs. Geneva, 4:30 p.m. May 19
At Zion-Benton - Wheeling at Waukegan, 4:30 p.m. May 19
At Fremd - St. Viator at Hersey, 4:30 p.m. May 19