Girls bowling
Three-year-old Bartlett High School had its first state champion when Jaime Calusinski claimed top honors with a 2,602 pinfall at the state tournament.
Calusinski, a junior, rallied from a 70-pin deficit in the final three games to edge Belleville East’s Brandee Hewlett by 39 pins.
The three-time state qualifier entered her name throughout the state record books during the two-day finals. Her four-round 2,602 was the fourth-best score in state history, and her 700 series tied for fourth highest. In the first round, she set a state series mark with a 775, including a 297 game–the second-best single game.
Machesney Park Harlem held off a late surge from Conant to nail down its first state team title. Harlem closed with a cumulative 11,527 pinfall to the Cougars’ 11,284.
Jack McCarthy.
Individual wrestling
Glenbard North sophomore Chad Isacson stunned almost 10,000 fans at Champaign’s Assembly Hall with a 6-3 victory over two-time state champion Paul Collum in the 63rd state championships.
Isacson, who had lost twice to Collum , was trailing 3-2 with less than 20 seconds left in the match when he scored a takedown with two nearfall points for the victory at 135 pounds in Class AA.
West Aurora’s Israel Martinez (145) and Machesney Park Harlem’s Cal Ferry (119) won their third straight titles and have a chance to join the elite group of four-time state champions. Providence’s Nick Passolano (160), Andrew’s Eric Novak (140) and Wheaton North’s Jason Vincens (189) won titles with undefeated records. Naperville North freshman Eric Tannenbaum won the 112-pound title with a 44-0 record.
In an unusual double, DeKalb brothers Andy and Sam Hiatt won titles. Andy, a sophomore, won at 125 pounds while Sam, a senior, won at 130.
Reid Hanley.
Dual-team wrestling
Providence became the first team to win four straight Class AA dual-team championships with a 42-9 victory over Conant at Augustana College. The Celtics finished with a 30-0 record and were ranked 11th nationally. Providence edged Mt. Carmel 25-24 in the quarterfinals and then defeated Moline, ranked 19th nationally, in the semis.
More Top Picks Dremel Digilab 3d20
Providence was led by seniors Nick Passolano, Brian Glynn and Paul Augle. Passolano, who signed with Iowa State, had the only pin in the finals.
Conant, with state champ Jim Kasner getting a fall at 215, beat Wheaton North 28-22 in the first round and Lane 31-18 in the semis. Moline defeated Lane 39-15 for third.
In the Class A final, Montini won its first wrestling title with an exciting 35-24 victory over Clinton. The Broncos were ahead 29-24 going into the final match, at 215 pounds. Montini’s Greg Strzempek needed only to stay off his back but pinned Clinton’s Brett Ries for the final margin.
Montini (29-1) had been to the quarterfinals before but had never been in the championship match. The Broncoswere trailing 17-12 in the semis before Joey Sipek (145 pounds), Scott Andriano (160), Joe Belgio (189) and Paul Murphy (215) scored pins. The Broncos defeated Reed-Custer 36-27 in the quarterfinals.
Harvard, 39-19 quarterfinals winner over Port Byron Riverdale, took third with a 34-32 victory over Stanford Olympia, thanks to victories by Nick Lehmam at 189 and by state champion Steve Nulle at 215.
Reid Hanley.
Girls gymnastics
For the first time since 1991, there was drama at the state meet. Three teams challenged for the championship until the final moments of the individual event finals.
Barrington (148.7) won its first title, ending Fremd’s six-year run. Fremd (148.45) finished second, overtaking Lyons Township (148.375).
Barrington senior Stacey Magiera helped the Fillies secure the title when she earned a 9.6 vault score, improving upon her 9.55 in preliminaries.
During the event finals, Fremd and Lyons were tied going to floor exercise, with Fremd senior Corinne Ptak scheduled to do the last routine. Needing to best a 9.475, she earned a 9.55, helping Fremd grab second.
Glenbrook South junior Alyson Cacciatore won the all-around with the third-best score (38.825) in state history. Magiera won uneven bars with a record score (9.9).
Fremd’s Ashley Henning and Jacobs senior Jamie Grabowski shared the vault title, Warren’s Ashley Alden won balance beam with a record 9.725 and Jacobs’ Laura Sommerville was first in floor exercise.
Ken O’Brien.
Boys swimming
After two consecutive runner-up finishes at state, Marmion finally cleared its final hurdle to win the school’s first state championship in any sport. The Cadets–led by Andrew Schnell, Tom Lowenthal and junior twins Nicholas and Jonathan Burgess–won the meet’s first event, the medley relay, and never looked back, outpacing defending champ St. Charles by 49 points.
Schnell finished second in both the 100 and 200 freestyle, while Jonathan Burgess took second in the butterfly.
Naperville Central’s Aaron McCracken became the second swimmer to win three consecutive titles in the breaststroke by posting a time of 55.90 seconds.
Pat Rooney.
Girls basketball
Piper Mead couldn’t stop crying. Kendra Ryl couldn’t stop smiling. Allison Guth couldn’t stop celebrating.
That’s how the 1999-2000 season came to an improbable finish March 4 at Redbird Arena in Normal. Without a first- or second-team All-Stater, Buffalo Grove willed its way to the Class AA title by knocking off Washington 60-51 in overtime.
It seemed every Bison player had a hand in coach Tom Dineen’s 470th career victory, which avenged a 66-33 regular-season loss to the Minutewomen. Lindsey Hamma, an All-State softball player, led the team (34-4) with 15 points and tied the game at 51-51with 2:33 left in regulation. Her basket stopped a 15-0 run by Washington (33-5). Ryl blocked Dejeanette Flournoy’s shot with 57 seconds left. Mead had 14 points and three steals. After missing a shot that would’ve won the game as the fourth quarter ended, Guth dominated the overtime.
Fenwick and Marshall had dominated the regular season. But the young Friars were held to a season-low 34 points by Buffalo Grove in the semifinals, and the defending champion Commandos fell to Washington in the city title game. Still, each wound up with a player named to the Tribune All-State team–Cappie Pondexter (Marshall) and Katie O’Grady (Fenwick). Also named were 6-5 Jackie Shook of West Aurora (who led the Blackhawks to an Elite Eight berth), Sandburg’s Sarah Kustok and Machesney Park Harlem’s Aminata Yanni.
Only a junior, Pondexter averaged 21.6 points a game and was named Ms. Basketball by the state’s coaches and media. With her in the lineup, Marshall has a 90-4 record over three seasons.
Ms. Basketball runner-up Jamie Schrader had 19 points and 10 rebounds to lift Okawville (33-1) to a 73-49 victory over Lewistown for the Class A title. Timothy Christian reached the semifinals but lost to the eventual champs 46-29. Still, the Trojans (27-6) found a glimmer of hope for the future. Sophomore Barbie Heerdt led them with 10 points and 10 rebounds in the loss to Okawville and 17 points in the third-place loss to Alton Marquette.
Alan Sutton.
Boys basketball
Almost everyone expected Public League champion Westinghouse to walk off with the Class AA title, because the Warriors had been ranked No. 1 in the nation and intimidated opponents with their withering press and exceptional quickness. But an unheralded West Aurora team put together a tremendous postseason run that culminated in a 60-57 upset of Westinghouse (31-2) for the state championship.
More Top Picks Razer Nari Ultimate
The heroes for West Aurora (32-1) were Austin Real, Derik Hollyfield, Louis Smith and Jamaal Thompson, none big-name players–although Smith will be playing at Loyola next season. But coach Gordon Kerkman’s leadership and a blend of teamwork and clutch performances enabled West Aurora to overcome a Westinghouse lineup featuring Division I recruits Cedrick Banks (UIC), Martell Bailey (UIC) and Dennis Trammell (New Mexico State).
In Class A, Chicago-area representative Bishop McNamara fell 66-47 to eventual champion Pleasant Plains, which went on to defeat Teutopolis for the title.
East St. Louis’s 6-9 Darius Miles was the overwhelming choice for Mr. Basketball. After starring in three postseason all-star games, Miles declared himself eligible for the NBA draft.
The Tribune’s All-State team featured Miles and two others who could wind up in the NBA soon. Scouts already are touting 6-11, 275-pound Thornwood junior Eddy Curry, and there is speculation he could be a top pick in the 2001 draft. The other is DePaul-bound Andre Brown, Leo’s 6-9 center. Westinghouse’s Banks and Marquette-bound Dwyane Wade of Richards rounded out the All-State squad.
Bob Sakamoto.