By Michael Wojtychiw
PARK RIDGE – Maine South did something in the first week of the season against Maine East that it did only three times last season: score four or more goals in a single game.
Unlike the 2019 season when it took the Hawks to their 10th game to accomplish the feat, they were able to do it in their second game, when they took down their crosstown rivals 4-1 at home March 11.
Continue readingAsk most people what makes being a member of the Loyola Academy community a great one and the majority will have a similar answer: family.
Whether it be with returning alumni, family, friends or the athletes following the school’s motto of being “Men and Women for Others,” there’s something that stands out about the school.
That was none more evident this spring when the Loyola girls lacrosse team embraced the presence of Ryan O’Connor, 3-year-old son of Loyola alumna, and a lacrosse All-American, Elizabeth O’Connor and her husband Ben.
Loyola’s Mia McGrath came into the 2019 girls volleyball season knowing she was going to have some big shoes to fill in her first year on varsity.
Continue readingComing off its best finish at the state meet since 2015, the New Trier boys cross country team was ready to show that last season’s 10th-place showing wasn’t a fluke.
The coronavirus pandemic prompted the Illinois High School Association to cancel all of the state’s spring sports. For much of the summer, it looked like the IHSA was going to do the same with fall sports.
And then, uncertainty hit.
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The last name Mangan is one that is well known to the Loyola Academy community. With four brothers having walked through the Wilmette school’s halls, all having played multiple sports, it’d be fair to say they’ve left a mark on the school.
The fourth — and final — Mangan, Matthew, will leave Loyola as a two-sport athlete, having played both football and basketball his last two years at the school. His play on the football field helped him gain some collegiate looks, especially as his senior season went on.
On Thursday, Jan. 30, Mangan made his official decision on where he’ll be playing football for the next four years of his life: the University of Dayton. Continue reading
Kick-It, an Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation (ALSF) program, is a national volunteer-driven effort focused solely on raising money for childhood cancer research. For many athletes around the country, it’s a chance to help be part of a good cause, one that could help others of all ages.
Loyola Academy football junior kicker Nate Van Zelst decided to be one of those helped. He became a member of the The Kick-It Champion for Kids Program — a part of Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation — a National Organization registered 501(c)3 charity whose mission is to “change the lives of children with cancer through funding impactful research, raising awareness, supporting families and empowering everyone to cure childhood cancer.” Continue reading
Every baseball player’s dream is to be part of a big game that goes down to the last strike, the last out, in the bottom of the last inning with his team up by one. In a perfect world, said player comes through in the clutch and the team celebrates its victory.
There would be no celebrating June 6 as New Trier lost a 4-3 heartbreaker in its supersectional matchup with St. Charles North at Schaumburg Boomers Stadium in Schaumburg.
“We weren’t even supposed to be here, right?,” New Trier coach Mike Napoleon said. “We were never ranked. These guys were ranked, Oak Park was ranked. We got here with solid pitching and solid defense.”
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New Trier works off of momentum.
“Once we get it going we’re unstoppable, but if we lose the momentum it works the opposite way too,” New Trier pitcher Ben Brecht said.
Brecht rode his own wave of momentum Thursday, June 2. After pitching six innings of two-hit, 10-strikeout ball in a regional title game win over Niles North May 28, the senior took the mound in the second semifinal game of the Loyola Sectional.
All Brecht did was pitch a complete game, in which he allowed only four hits and one earned run, and struck out 11 as New Trier defeated Notre Dame 2-1.
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New Trier has been a model of consistency in the high school baseball world. Coming into the May 28 regional final against Niles North, the Trevians had won 11 regionals since the turn of the century. Continue reading
Beating a team once in a year can be difficult. But beating that same team five times in a span of over a month and a half is extremely impressive and almost seemingly impossible. Continue reading
Michael Wojtychiw 