GIRLS SOCCER
Neuqua Valley’s Kendra Collins didn’t take long in the second half to get her team back into the game against Hinsdale Central on Saturday at the Downers Grove South Invitational.
Collins scored 10 seconds after intermission to pull the No. 5 Wildcats even at 1-1. Eleven minutes later, teammate Shannon Pimmel converted a cross from fellow freshman Megan Oyster to give Neuqua Valley a 2-1 victory at Doerhoefer Park.
“Oh, my gosh, that was phenomenal,” said Neuqua Valley keeper Rachel Suther, who got a long-distance glimpse at Collins’ goal. “It was the boost that we needed. She was just on the ball. When that went in, I could just tell the adrenaline (increased) for everyone on our team”
Suther couldn’t be blamed for the goal that gave the Red Devils (1-2) the lead six minutes into the game. A teammate inadvertently knocked it in after a Red Devil corner.
But Suther could be credited for helping Neuqua Valley (3-0) hold on. She finished with six saves, one a spectacular diving stop of a header from Toni Kokenis.
“Sometimes you have to step up and make those saves,” Suther said. “After I got it I could tell everyone on the team was feeding off it. We just kept picking it up after that.”
Michelle Wick’s second-half goal gave Lincoln-Way Central (3-1-1) a 3-2 victory over the host team. Allison Doyle had the first two goals for the Knights. Hayley Rumph and Katie Baschen gave the Mustangs (2-2) a 2-0 lead.
— Alan Sutton
BASEBALL
Br. Rice 4, Richards 2
Kevin Koziol (1-0) struck out five for the No. 4 Crusaders (6-0).
Naperville Central 5, No. 7 Neuqua Valley 4
Mark Mantucca (1-0) had an RBI double for Central (2-2).
St. Rita 8, St. Laurence 1
Mark Payton (1-1) struck out six and allowed three hits without an earned run for the No. 6 Mustangs (6-2). Diego Martinez contributed three hits and two RBIs. Tony Zych had two hits and two RBIs.
Indoor track and field
Conant senior Toni Graham was girls athlete of the meet at the Illinois Prep Top Times Indoor Classic in Bloomington. She won the 55-meter dash (:07.0) and the 200-meter dash (:24.94) and brought the Cougars from sixth to first with a :24.4 anchor leg of the 800-meter relay (1:45.80).
Palatine’s Mat Smoody was boys co-athlete of the meet. The senior ran the 800 meters in 1:53.94, the fastest time on a flat track in the country this year. Bartonville Limestone’s Nick Holmes shared the award after a 4:13.72 1,600-meter run that broke Evan Jager’s 2006 record. Marian Catholic’s Mitchell Erickson flew 16-8 in the pole vault.
