At this rate, Maine East coach Don Olson may not survive the season. Olson`s Blue Demons, who won their first nine games before dropping a 13-5 decision to Proviso West in the second game of a double-header Saturday, have rallied from late-inning deficits in eight of their nine victories. ”Sure, I`d be more comfortable if they were winning easily, but at least they are winning and it shows that they`re in the games all the way,” said Olson.
”It`s made for a great start when our goal this season was just to be competitive.” A big factor in Maine East`s fast start has been Mike Fritze, who had 13 hits in 18 at-bats with two home runs, four doubles and eight runs batted in during a six-game stretch last week. At one point, Fritze reached base 15 consecutive times on 10 hits and five walks. . . . Update on New Trier`s Chris Beacom, who set a school record with 51 RBIs last season. The 5- foot-11-inch, 175-pound shortstop has 6 home runs and 20 RBIs and a booming .580 batting average. ”He`s showing a lot more patience at the plate this season,” said New Trier coach Ron Klein of his senior star, who made the switch from second base to shortstop without a hitch this season. ”He`s laying off the close pitches and he`s getting a lot of walks.”
TENNIS
The first two rounds of this year`s state tournament (May 23-25 at Hersey) will feature a new twist–no ad points. Tournament officials thought this would be one way of speeding up the event. Hersey coach and tournament head Tom Pitchford wants to be able to conduct two feed-in matches on the first day. ”Hopefully, then we won`t run into the problem of the feed-in matches being continued long after the finals,” Pitchford said. The only drawback, Pitchford said, is that a quarterfinal loser will have to come back and play a fourth match Friday. . . . New Trier tennis coach John Schneiter says he has the best 35th player in the state. That`s probably because Schneiter has 35 players out for the varsity, more than any other team in the state. The Trevians looked impressive Saturday, winning a quadrangular meet with defending state champion Deerfield, Naperville Central, and Wisconsin power Nicolet. . . . Homewood-Flossmoor looked impressive Saturday in running away with the team title at the Loves Park Harlem Invitational. The Vikings outscored second-place Rockford Guilford 40-28. H-F`s Jamie Booras took the singles title with a 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 victory over Rockford Guilford`s Jim Fecrest. The Vikings will be tested Saturday at their invitational, which includes New Trier, Barrington, Deerfield, Lyons Township and Oak Park.
TRACK
Schaumburg won the girls` Saxon Invitational Saturday, nipping York 60 1/ 2 points to 56 thanks, in part, to Janeth Salazar`s victories in the 1,600 and 3,200. She was timed in 5:10.5 and 11:08.1. York`s Debbie Kreibich won the 100 meters (12.2), the 200 (26.5) and ran on the winning 800 relay team. . . . Romeoville`s girls` team looked sharp in taking the Glenbrook South Invitational Saturday, finishing with 136 points, 50 more than second-place Maine West. Romeoville`s Theresa Lyles, a freshman, set a meet record of 12.3 in winning the 100 meters. She also won the 200 (26.4) and anchored the record-setting 400 relay (50.9) and the victorious 800 relay (1:48.8). Those efforts took some of the gloss off Maine West`s Tricia Kiraly. She took the 1,600 in 5:26.1, the 3,200 in 11:48.3 and ran the last leg of the winning 3,200 relay (10:24.5). . . . Stevenson`s Mark Deady was vitually the entire show in the Stevenson Relays Saturday, taking part in three record-setting performances. He won the 1,600 in 4:26.7 and ran anchor legs on the winning 1,600 (3:27.6) and 3,200 (8:09.5) relays. Deady was second in the 1,600 in last year`s Class AA state meet. Stevenson had no trouble winning the meet with 86 points.
SOFTBALL
Riverside-Brookfield pitcher Michelle Gordey had quite a week. She won four games, tossing a no-hitter, two 1-hitters and a 3-hitter in R-B`s tournament. The 3-hitter was in R-B`s 4-2 victory over York in the
championship game Saturday. Gordey had 57 strikeouts in the four games. . . . Speaking of pitchers, watch out for Hersey sophomore Jill Popovich. She tossed a no-hitter Friday against Fremd. Hersey won 12-1. Hersey coach Nancy Holmgren said Popovich has been the ”biggest surprise, just fantastic.”
. . . New Trier sophomore Kristin Kepler can do more than play the outfield. Last fall, she teamed with Kristin Mill to win the doubles championship at the state tennis tournament. . . . Zion-Benton has a new player this year, sophomore catcher Kathy Godan. A transfer from Round Lake, Godan was the starting catcher there as a freshman. Maybe Godan can help Zion-Benton take the North Suburban Conference title from defending champion Mundelein.
