Prep sports

Jay Schwab and Kevin Druley wrap up the prep football season that was in the final episode of the year of Chronicle Football Insider.

In Lauren Wicinski’s last two years of volleyball and basketball at Geneva, her teams are a combined 119-20.

Jeanne Czipri was eager to demonstrate progress in Aurora Central Catholic’s girls volleyball program in her first season on the job, even if that meant one more win than the 11 the Chargers notched the year before.

SCHAUMBURG – Possession-for-possession basketball games beg for takeovers whether teams combine to flash down the floor or flounder around it.

SOMONAUK – Jacqui Cardona connected from long range and took the ball inside when she had to Thursday night.

Geneva senior Kevin Sparks discovered a rare brand of achievement last cross country season, something called “upsetting success.”

AURORA – There are any number of ways for Rosary swimmers to motivate themselves for this weekend’s state finals, but when it comes down it, it’s pretty simple.

Geneva junior Kelly Whitley dropped back to the pack this fall and found it wasn’t so bad.

AURORA – The Rosary girls basketball team continues to make it look easy in the season’s early going.

AURORA – Take away some natural, first-game jitters and Batavia girls basketball coach Tim DeBruycker liked just about everything he saw during the Bulldogs’ season-opening, 66-12 romp against Earlville in the IMSA-Aurora Christian Hoops Happening Tournament on Tuesday.

AURORA – The Rosary girls basketball team emptied its bench and received offensive contributions from 14 of 15 players Monday in a season-opening 68-26 romp at Illinois Math and Science Academy.

ST. CHARLES – Standing in the shadows of local swimming giants Rosary, St. Charles North and St. Charles East at this week’s IHSA Girls Swimming and Diving State meet will be two Geneva Vikings.

GLEN ELLYN – St. Charles North’s football program needed a game like this.

NAPERVILLE – The Rosary girls swimming team dominated the Neuqua Valley Sectional field on Saturday, winning the sectional championship and qualifying numerous swimmers for next weekend's state meet.

ST. CHARLES – St. Charles East girls swimming coach Joe Cabel is only partially pleased.

GLEN ELLYN – The beginning of the game wasn’t quite grisly enough for St. Charles North football coach Mark Gould to leave the sidelines in favor of a walk around the scenic lake adjacent to Glenbard West’s stadium.

The timing just figures. With St. Charles North boys basketball coach Tom Poulin already up to his eyeballs between preparing his hoops squad for the coming season and finishing up his commitment as a North assistant football coach – the North Stars are at Glenbard West in the Class 7A quarterfinals today – Poulin’s classwork at Aurora University to become certified to teach special education also is coming to a head. Then again, Poulin – also an assistant softball coach at North – is used to keeping a crammed year-round schedule. In this week’s Weekend Chit-chat with sports editor Jay Schwab, Poulin touches on his wild week, today’s showdown with Glenbard West and the start of basketball practice for the North Stars. The following is an ed

Pat Greco realizes it might be a while before he cracks the Northwestern wrestling program’s rotation.

IHSA CLASS 7A QUARTERFINAL

ST. CHARLES – First round and down.

ST. CHARLES – The recruitment of St. Charles North senior right tackle Ryan Brown took a sudden hiatus around midseason.

ST. CHARLES – St. Charles North girls swimming coach Rob Rooney compares the 200 medley relay to the kickoff of a football game.

This week on Chronicle Football Insider, Jay Schwab and Kevin Druley take a quick look back at Geneva and Marmion's second-round losses and then get into the upcoming playoff match between St. Charles North and Glenbard West.

Versatile Marmion senior Anderson earns Boys Soccer Player of the Year honors

FIRST TEAM

ST. CHARLES – St. Charles North wide receiver Jeff Stolzenburg channeled the Cris Carter characterization during last week's playoff victory against Elk Grove Village.

Rosary senior Reuland powers way to Chronicle Girls Tennis Player of the Year honor

Singles

Kiley Hackbarth lacked the foresight to consider anything other than an orange sphere with black seams in her first aspirations to play NCAA Division I college basketball.

ST. CHARLES – The large traveling contingent of St. Charles North football players and coaches hadn't even plopped down in their seats Saturday before Glenbard West made an early mark on the scouting report.