Chris Hynes of Mundelein explained why he faced no competition for his position when, at age 10, he began his career as a catcher.
“Everyone else was scared to catch,” he said. “But I’ve always liked the physical aspect of catching. Blocking the plate, blocking pitches in the dirt, getting beat up a little bit.”
Hynes faced plenty of competition in 2002. It came from several tough and talented guys who didn’t mind the knocks and bruises. Catcher was the strongest position in Illinois high school baseball this spring, but Hynes distinguished himself above all others and was selected first-team catcher on the Tribune All-State Baseball Team.
Many other catchers are bigger. Some have equal arm strength or block low pitches as well. A few hit with more power.
Hynes has the whole package.
It’s doubtful any catcher in the state is tougher than the 5-foot-11-inch, 180-pound senior who will enroll this fall at Indiana University. He played last weekend with a broken bone in his foot as he led the Mustangs to the Schaumburg supersectional.
Hynes has a quick release, a strong arm and slick footwork. He batted over .500, hit 12 home runs and threw out of eight of 10 would-be base-stealers. He didn’t commit an error until he made an overthrow in Mundelein’s sectional championship win over McHenry.
He needed statistics like these to edge out catchers such as Chris Sepanski of Geneva, Jon Franzese of Barrington and Adam Parsill of Niles West. Others who strengthened the catching ranks included Sean Walker of Carmel, Chris Thompson of Lane Tech, Pat Tumilty of Naperville Central and Kevin Brandush from Lyons Township.
Sepanski, who batted over .500, made the second team. A fine handler of pitchers, he has the 6-3, 210-pound body pro scouts seek. He has signed to play at Tulane.
Franzese, 6-2 and 215, played for a weak team, so opponents pitched around him and walked him 31 times. Yet he hit 18 home runs in 90 at-bats.
The left-handed-hitting Parsill, who stands 6-4 and weighs 230, threw out 18 of the 23 runners trying to steal on him. He intends to catch and play tight end at Eastern Illinois.
Picking All-State pitchers is always difficult, even when picking two. Collin Walker of Minooka and Mark Ori of Maine South made the first team. Lefty John Hummel of Schaumburg and Teddy Ogilvie of Stevenson made the second.
Ori, also an excellent outfielder and an All-State defensive back in football, had an unbeaten record and an earned-run average of 0.00 until Glenbrook South nicked him in relief in the regional final for two runs and his only loss. This nudged his final ERA all the way up to 0.34.
Walker, a slender 6-6, 180-pounder, presented the rare combination of a teenage power pitcher with excellent control. He had a 10-3 record, and Minooka was shut out 1-0, 2-0 and 5-0 in his three losses. His ERA was 1.20 and, in 97 innings, his strikeout-to-walk ratio was a remarkable 149-11.
Mixing 90 m.p.h. fastballs and knee-buckling curves, Walker averaged 10.78 strikeouts per seven innings. Thus, more than one-half the outs he registered came on strikeouts.
Ori has signed with Northwestern, Walker with Bradley and Hummel with Valparaiso. Ogilvie is a junior whose brother Peter helped pitch Notre Dame to the Big East title and into the NCAA playoffs.
The All-State infield is loaded with power. First baseman Erik Lis from Richards made the first team for the second straight year, posting a .496 average with 12 homers and 16 doubles. Of his 56 hits, 30 were for extra bases.
A sophomore on an All-State team is a rarity. But then again, so is a power-hitting second baseman. Nick Abernathy of Ridgewood is both. His batting average was .613, his slugging percentage 1.171. Twenty-nine of his 46 hits went for extra bases.
Third baseman Justin Wykle of Rock Island Alleman had six homers, 43 RBIs and a .521 average. Second-team third baseman Clay Kovac, junior teammate of Hynes at Mundelein, hit 12 homers, batted .500 and was 12-1 as a pitcher.
The first-team shortstop Geoff Orr of Sandburg has been a load for SICA West pitchers for three years, and this year he has led his team to the Class AA quarterfinals.
Outfielders provide power on most teams, and this one is no exception. Still, this season’s All-State outfielders do more than hit.
Pitcher-outfielder Brian Bogusevic of De La Salle and Ryan Kopp of Homewood-Flossmoor featured extraordinary throwing arms. Walther Lutheran’s Bo Flowers, selected by Detroit in the fifth round of this week’s amateur draft, combined tape-measure power and sprinter speed. His .562 average included a near-500-foot home run off Schaumburg’s Hummel.
Ted Rosinski of New Trier made the first team along with Bogusevic and Flowers. John McGowan of Schaumburg and Tony Panozzo of Providence join Kopp on the second team,
Rosinski, a standout on the Trevians’ state finalist basketball team, is a lefty hitter with a picture-perfect swing. He will enroll at Illinois-Chicago, Bogusevic at Tulane and Flowers–if he doesn’t turn pro–at Arizona State.
THE FIRST TEAM
PITCHER
Collin Walker, Minooka, sr.
A 6-foot-6-inch power pitcher with control. Fanned 149 and walked only 11 in 97 innings. Had ERA of 1.20. Headed to Bradley.
Mark Ori, Maine South, sr.
All-Stater in football last fall and as an outfielder in 2001. Had 0.34 ERA. Great competitor. Future Northwestern Wildcat.
CATCHER
Chris Hynes, Mundelein, sr.
Gets nod at state’s strongest position. Hit over .500. Committed only one error. Headed to Indiana.
FIRST BASE
Erik Lis, Richards, sr.
Repeat All-Stater hit .496 with .603 on-base percentage and .991 slugging average. Twelve homers in 2002, 32 in his career.
SECOND BASE
Nick Abernathy. Ridgewood, so.
Batted .613 and slugged 1.171 for 25-win team. Had 15 doubles, seven triples and seven home runs. Great-looking future.
THIRD BASE
Justin Wykle, Rock Isl. Alleman, sr.
A top player from western Illinois. Batted .521 and impressed scouts with good glove, strong arm. Also played catcher.
SHORTSTOP
Geoff Orr, Sandburg, sr.
Three-year varsity player hit with power in the high .400s. His hitting, fielding led team’s playoff run. Signed with Miami of Ohio.
OUTFIELD
Brian Bogusevic, De La Salle, sr.
Doubly valuable as Meteors’ No. 1 pitcher and two-year All-State outfielder. Batted over .500. Signed with Tulane.
Ted Rosinski, New Trier, sr.
Sweet-swinging lefty hit in mid .400s with eight homers. Also starred in basketball. Headed to Illinois-Chicago.
Bo Flowers, Walther Lutheran, sr.
Extraordinary strength and speed. Batted .562 and walked 27 times in 100 plate appearances. Signed with Arizona State.
–Bill Jauss
SECOND TEAM
First base
Danny Jackson, Edwardsville, sr.
Second base
Brian Dinkelman, Centralia, sr.
Third base
Clay Kovac, Mundelein, jr.
Shortstop
Jacob Heilicsor, H.-Flossmoor, sr.
Outfield
Tony Panozzo, Providence, sr.
Ryan Kopp, H.-Flossmoor, sr.
John McGowan, Schaumburg, sr.
Catcher
Chris Sepanski, Geneva, sr.
Pitcher
John Hummel, Schaumburg, sr.
Teddy Ogilvie, Stevenson, jr.
SPECIAL MENTION
Pitchers
Mark Badgley, sr. McHenry
Jordan Baughman, so., Lyons Township
Cesar Carrillo, sr., Mt. Carmel
Nathan Culp, jr., Edwardsville
John Dwan, sr., Libertyville
Jason Friedman, sr., Young
Lance Marcum, sr., Centralia
P.J. Mitchell, sr., Hinsdale Central
Tod Moore, sr., St. Charles East
Craig Murray, sr., Maine South
Bill Petrick, sr., Morris
Josh Rudolfi, sr., Glenbrook South
Mark Satkowski, sr., Reavis
Sam Shorts, sr., Glenbard East
Jake Toohey, sr., Loyola.
Catchers
Kevin Brandush, sr., Lyons Township
Jon Franzese, sr., Barrington
Adam Parsill, sr. Niles West
Bob Spodarek, sr. Plainfield
Chris Thompson, sr., Lane Tech
Pat Tumilty, jr., Naperville Central
Sean Walker, jr., Carmel
Infielders
Jim Adduci, jr., Evergreen Park
Ryan Anetsberger, so., Glenbard West
Anthony Anichini, sr., Maine South
Maurice Binns, sr., Young
Jerome Burns, sr., Harlan
Stephano Foggi, sr., Evanston
Bill Gomolka, sr., Reavis
Dan Haley, sr., Bradley-Bourbonnais
Pete Johnson, sr., Oak Forest
Cory Lapinski, sr., Maine East
Jack Nelson, sr., Wheaton W. South
Jason Newburger, sr., Vernon Hills
Tom Omiecinski, sr., Brother Rice
Octavis Payne, sr., Crane
Chris Savich, sr., Beecher
Sam Simon, sr., Marian Catholic
Mike Victor, sr., Lincoln-Way Central
Anthony West, sr., Herscher
Outfielders
Clint Buchen, sr. Cuba
John DeCeault, sr., Andrew
LaFringe Hayes, sr., Walther Lutheran
Trevor Huisinga, sr., Bartlett
Mike Irvine, jr., Hinsdale South
Carlos Jackson, sr., St. Rita
Dennis Payone, sr. Marist
Pete Slowik, jr., Lane Tech
Ryan Spellman, sr., New Trier
Daniel Webb, jr., Anna-Jonesboro
