Last week in this space we wrote on girls flag football, the 32nd Illinois High School Association (IHSA) sport with a State tournament series. The tackle football will begin with games Friday, Aug. 23. The flag football gained momentum and became reality when several girls signed up for tackle football several years ago and caused a ripple, or, waves of consternation for several reasons. Thus, we will see how the girls flag football games go in the Fall with a focus on the State finals, October 18-19, at Willowbrook High School in Villa Park.
Meanwhile, the IHSA Springs sports came to a conclusion last weekend with baseball in four classes. In this space we will list some of the high school champions starting with the most recent, baseball.
•The class for schools with the largest enrollments, 4A: Providence of New Lenox won the baseball championship with a 4-1 victory against Conant of Hoffman Estates. Edwardsville beat York, 6-1, for third place. In 3A, Crystal Lake Central beat Lemont, 7-2, in the championship game, and Morris defeated Highland, 1-0, for third place. In 2A, Effingham St. Anthony defeated Maroa-Forsyth, 8-5, in the championship game, and Wilmington defeated Sterling Newman Central Catholic, 4-1, for third place. In 1A, Ottawa Marquette defeated Altamont, 6-2, in the championship game.
•Girls softball: In 4A, St. Charles North defeated Marist, 7-2, in the championship game. Oswego, making its first State tournament in the sport, defeated Mundelein, 12-7, for third place. See Bobby Narang’s report n last week’s June 13 edition. St. Charles North defeated Oswego, 2-1, in a semifinal game. Pontiac defeated Antioch, 6-0, in the 3A championship game and Fenwick defeated Waterloo, 4-2, for third place. In 2A, Carterville defeated North Boone, 1-0, in the championship game and Rockridge defeated Auburn, 4-0, for third place. In 1A, Woodhull defeated Illini Bluffs, 3-1, in the championship game, and, Tripp defeated Villa Grove, 3-2, for third place.
In other sports:
•Girls badminton: In the May 10-11 State tournament the order of finish for three of the four top teams, included Fremd first, 18.5 points; Neuqua Valley, third, 17.0 points; York, fourth, 12.0 points.
•Girls lacrosse: Loyola Academy, first; Benet Academy, second.
•Boys lacrosse: Lake Forest, first; Glenbard West, second.
•Boys track and field: tie for first place, 3A Edwardsvile, 49; Oak Park-River Forest 49; Downers Grove North, sixth, 33 points; Neuqua Valley, 13th with 17 points; West Aurora, 17th with 14 points.
•Girls soccer: 1A champion, Belleville; 2A champion, Crystal Lake Central; 3A, New Trier defeated St. Charles North, 4-3, on penalty kicks.
•Boys tennis: Hinsdale Central champion in 2A; eighth place tie, Metea Valley and Barrington. 1A Chicago U-High in first place and Marmion Academy in seventh place.
More schools with greater commitments to excellence than in previous years and greater commitments to participation is the key to make high school sports both challenging and exciting.
Fall sports training, then practice will begin sooner than we know.
•With both Major League Baseball teams in Chicago involved in struggles, the inclination is to point to the Chicago Bears. Will they be better than a .500 team?