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Sports

Ahhh, Spring Sports: Here's a Roundup of York Badminton, Baseball, Gymnastics, Lacrosse, Softball, Tennis, Volleyball, Water Polo

The York volleyball team wins Fremd Invite, and Tom Babyar gets softball coaching victory No. 600.

York Boys Volleyball

The York boys volleyball team captured its first tournament championship since 2003 by winning the Fremd Invitational May 14 with a 5-0 record.

The Dukes (16-17, 2-4 in West Suburban Conference Silver Division) defeated Fremd 25-16, 25-21, West Aurora 27-26, 25-19, Elk Grove 20-25, 25-18, 15-7, Rolling Meadows 25-13, 25-16 and South Elgin 25-23, 25-17.

York’s invitational leaders on offense were Jack Meehan (30 kills, 4 blocks, 6 aces), Jack Ribar (27 kills, 7 blocks), Kevin Hobbs (24 kills, 5 blocks, 3 aces), Trevor Jordan (18 kills, 10 blocks) and Chris Scudder (12 kills, 3 blocks, 4 aces) and Duffy Pitlock (3 aces). 

Setter Jacob Ruprecht had a great tournament with 213 good sets in 214 attempts in collecting 98 assists. He also had nine kills and 11 blocks.

Defensive leaders were Dan Lesniewski (22 digs), Kyle Knighton (6 digs) and Chris Schwass (5 digs).

It was the Dukes’ first tournament title since the 2003 Fremd Invite and extended the Dukes’ winning streak to six matches. On May 12, the Dukes rallied for a 15-25, 25-20, 25-18 victory at Morton by scoring the final nine points after trailing 18-16 in the third set. Ruprecht (24 assists), Jordan (9 kills, 4 blocks), Hobbs (7 kills, ace), Lesniewski (7 digs), Scudder (6 kills and ace), Meehan (5 kills), Ribar (4 kills, 3 blocks) and Kyle Knighton (3 digs) led the victory.

In its Silver finale May 17, the Dukes lost to Lyons Township 25-22, 25-20 in Elmhurst.

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York is the No. 15 seed in the Illinois Math and Science Academy Sectional and opens York Regional action at 6:30 p.m. May 23 in Elmhurst against No. 17 Oswego.  The winner plays top-seeded Wheaton Warrenville South (2nd in state last year) at 6:30 p.m. May 24, with the regional final at 7 p.m. May 25.

York Softball

The York softball team’s hopes of sharing its first West Suburban Conference Silver Division title since its 2003 Class AA state quarterfinal season were halted in the final round of league play Wednesday.

The Dukes lost to third-place Glenbard West 5-1 in Glen Ellyn while Downers Grove North clinched its second consecutive title outright with a 12-1 victory over Hinsdale Central.

York (18-15, 10-2 in Silver) and Downers North (29-3, 11-1), which already has set a single-season school record for victories, split their two meetings and had given Glenbard West (22-6, 9-3) its only Silver defeats. The Dukes beat Downers North and Glenbard West both in one-run games.

In Saturday’s doubleheader with Maine South, York coach Tom Babyar secured his 600th career victory in 33 seasons for the Dukes as York won the first game 19-8 in six innings. York lost the second game 8-7 on a run in the bottom of the seventh after tying the game with five runs in the top half of the inning.

Gracie Sullivan went 7 for 8 over the two games. Angela Scalzitti and Ellen Barry each were 5 for 8 and hit home runs.

In other Silver action, York defeated Lyons Township 7-3 May 17 as Danielle Morency hit a home run in the sixth, and Mary Carol Sullivan went 2 for 4 and had 3 runs batted in. Tessa Kroll was the winning pitcher.

On May 16, Nikki Mordini threw a three-hitter with nine strikeouts as York beat Proviso West 21-1 in five innings.

The Dukes are the No. 14 seed in the Class 4A Schaumburg Sectional. They open Conant Regional action May 23 against No. 19 Addison Trail in Hoffman Estates with the winner facing No. 3 Conant Tuesday in Hoffman Estates. The regional final is at 11 a.m. May 28 in Hoffman Estates against No. 6 Leyden or No. 11 Wheaton North. Last season, York won its first regional title since the 2003 state quarterfinalists by upsetting Wheaton North 4-0.

York Badminton

York junior singles player Torrie Graham finished among the top 24 in singles at the state badminton tournament May 13 and 14 at Eastern Illinois University in Charleston. 

Sophomore Georgia Schneider, who finished among the top 32 in singles, and Graham both had 2-2 records in the double-elimination format.

Graham won her first two matches before losing twice, starting with a 21-7, 21-10 defeat to New Trier senior Mari Georgiadis, who went on to win the state title to complete a 52-0 season. Schneider lost in the second round to Hinsdale South’s Andrea McNally, a top-12 state finisher.

In doubles, York junior Kristen Borel and sophomore Julia Carlson were 1-2 and senior Kerry Robbins and sophomore Karen Altergott were 0-2. 

This was the sixth year in a row that York qualified its entire sectional lineup for the state meet.

York Girls Soccer

The York girls soccer team defeated Kennedy 8-0 May 17 in the opening round of Class 3A Argo Regional. 

The Dukes (18-4-1), the No. 3 seed in the Class 3A York Sectional, will play for the regional title at 1 p.m. May 21 against No. 6 Hinsdale South or No. 10 Argo. 
The York Sectional semifinal is at 6:30 p.m. May 24, most likely against No. 2 Oak Park-River Forest, which York defeated 4-3 April 12. The sectional final is at 4:30 p.m. May 27 in Elmhurst, most likely against No. 1 Lyons Township, which York defeated 3-2 in double overtime May 10 to win its second straight West Suburban Conference Silver Division title.

York earned a 4-1 Senior Night victory over Downers Grove South May 12. 

York Baseball

The York baseball team completed West Suburban Conference Silver Division action May 17 by beating Proviso West 14-2 in five innings in Hillside.

The Dukes (19-12-1, 11-7 in Silver) got a home run from Jake Leoni and doubles by River Pitlock and Mike Trumbull. Joe Paparone was the winning pitcher.

On May 14, the Dukes swept Proviso West 10-0 in five innings and 8-5 in Elmhurst. 

York’s Mitch Baker threw a four-hit shutout in the first game with eight strikeouts. The Dukes had a six-run fourth inning and received a combined six hits and four runs batted in by Joey Grollo and Trumbull.

Winning pitcher Greg Castello fanned 10 in the second game. Paparone had three hits and Kyle Burr, Phil Ganser, Alex Schumacher, Jake Rzeszutko, Chris Jennings and Grollo also had hits.  

On May 13, the Dukes dominated 11-1 at Wheaton North in five innings by scoring all of their runs in the first three innings. Winning pitcher Ryan Hinchley threw strikes on 53 of his 95 pitches and struck out nine with three walks. Castello added 2/3 of an inning of scoreless ball. 

The early scoring received a boost from Ganser’s RBI single in the first and Paparone stealing home in the second.  Matt Williams had two hits and Joe Boozell, Grollo, Ganser, Pitlock and Rzeszutko also had hits.

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York lost to Morton 14-6 May 5 in Berwyn. Ganser, Trumbull and Boozell combined for six hits and nine RBI. The Dukes scored six runs in the fifth on an error, an RBI single by Ganser and RBI doubles from Boozell and Trumbull. Leoni pitched two scoreless and hitless innings of relief with one strikeout and no walks. 

York lost to Glenbard West 8-2 in Silver play May 3. Paparone homered in the first inning and singled in the fifth.

York is the No. 6 seed in the Class 4A St. Charles North Sectional. The Dukes open Willowbrook Regional play at 4:30 p.m. May 26 in Villa Park against No. 11 Willowbrook or No. 22 East Aurora. The regional final is at 10 a.m. May 28 in Villa Park, most likely against No. 3 St. Charles North. 

The Dukes, seeking their first regional title since 1996, lost to St. Charles North 8-5 in last year’s regional final.

York Boys Tennis

The York boys tennis team finished fourth in the final overall West Suburban Conference Silver Division standings after taking fourth at the WSC Siler Tournament May 14. 

The Dukes (16-10-1, 3-3 in WSC Silver) collected 38 points from dual victories and the WSC Silver Tournament. Hinsdale Central and Oak Park-River Forest tied for first with 75 points. 

York senior Jeremy Loescher and sophomore Kyle Kopinski (18-18 at No. 1 doubles), senior Lucas Rebers (17-14 at No. 2 singles), seniors Karl Grant and Will Barnds (25-10 at No. 2 doubles), seniors Brad Kveton and Leland Tellefsen (17-10 at No. 3 doubles) and seniors Sam Bender and Brad Johnson (No. 4 doubles) placed fourth and senior Kyle O’Neil (21-13 at No. 1 singles) and junior Michael Pettineo (13-10 at No. 3 singles) finished fifth. With different partners at No. 3 doubles, Bender finished 16-11 and Johnson was 15-10.

York competes this weekend at the York Sectional at Berens Park in Elmhurst. The top four finishers in singles and doubles advance to the state tournament May 26-28, based at Hersey High School in Arlington Heights.

The Dukes’ sectional entries will be O’Neil and Rebers in singles and Loescher/Kopinski and Grant/Barnds in doubles.

York’s frosh-soph team had a 17-5-1 dual record and finished fourth in the WSC Silver. 

York Boys Gymnastics

York gymnast Bryce Simpson capped a great freshman season by finishing 39th on pommel horse (7.4) at the individual state meet preliminaries May 14 at Lincoln-Way East High School in Frankfort. 

Simpson, who qualified with a 7.65 at the Downers Grove North Sectional May 6, needed at least a 9.1 to advance to the event finals. 

York Girls Water Polo

The York girls water polo team lost to top-seeded Fenwick 21-2 in the May 13 semifinals of the Fenwick Sectional.

The Dukes (8-21), the No. 4 seed in the sectional, had defeated Curie 11-3 in the sectional quarterfinals. 

Fenwick (23-8) went on to win the sectional and is going for its third state title in the last four years after losing in the 2010 quarterfinals.

York senior Jaime Redmond was named first-team all-sectional. Senior Cheryl Skukas was named second-team all-sectional and junior Katie Nelson received honorable mention.

York Boys Water Polo

The York boys water polo team lost to No. 1-seeded Fenwick 21-1 in the May 13 semifinals of the Fenwick Sectional.

The Dukes, the No. 4 seed in the sectional, edged No. 5 Morton 8-7 in Thursday opening round after losing to the Mustangs 15-14 in the quarterfinals of the West Suburban Conference Tournament May 5.

Undefeated Fenwick (33-0) went on to win the sectional and is going after its eighth consecutive state championship.

York Girls Lacrosse

The York girls lacrosse team opened the Illinois High School Women’s Lacrosse Association State Tournament May 17 with an emotional 10-8 victory over Fenwick in the opening round of the Oak Park-River Forest Sectional.

The Dukes (3-12), the No. 5 seed in the sectional, visited top-seeded Lyons Township (13-6) at 5 p.m. Thursday at Oak Park. The sectional final is at 5:30 p.m. May 23 at Oak Park. 

York Boys Lacrosse

The York boys lacrosse team (7-9-1) defeated Sandburg/Chiefs Lacrosse 11-6 May 10 and lost to Deerfield 10-7 May 12 and Hinsdale Central 11-1 May 17.
Sectional pairings will be determined May 23. York will play in the B-class tournament for the Lacrosse Cup.

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