As Warren, Lake Zurich and Libertyville tighten the North Suburban Conference race, Wauconda rebounds with an infusion of freshmen.
Warren bounces back
Warren senior pitcher Camryn Guldberg won’t forget how last season ended anytime soon.
Guldberg, a Wisconsin-Eau Claire commit, said the Blue Devils’ 6-2 loss to Loyola in a Class 4A regional championship game is a driving force for the returnees. The program had won regional titles in 11 straight seasons, a stretch that also included five sectional titles.
“Winning regionals is a standard for Warren,” Guldberg said. “Walking off that field after we lost, I knew there had to be a change in our focus and work ethic. That motivated us to work every day during the offseason, whether it was coming into school early or staying after school to lift and hit.
“This brought us together as a team and made us extremely competitive.”
Warren coach Jenna Charbonneau said a number of circumstances factored in the loss to Loyola. The Blue Devils entered the playoffs as the No. 2 seed in the sectional, while the 11th-seeded Ramblers endured a rough regular season with star pitcher Hunter Lewis, a Northwestern recruit, sidelined for a period of time.
“It was a tough pill to swallow,” Charbonneau said. “We ran into a powerhouse who had a pitcher going to Northwestern. It left a bad taste in our mouth. We expect to win a regional every year. It’s not something we hope for every year. The goal is to always make it through sectionals and go from there.”
The Blue Devils (10-5, 6-1) also haven’t won the North Suburban Conference title since 2023 but have climbed back to the top, along with Lake Zurich and Mundelein, with a strong mix of experienced returnees and five freshmen in vital roles.
Senior outfielder Annalise Stich is batting .395 with three home runs and eight RBIs, while sophomore shortstop Cassandra Gabbianelli is batting .371 with two home runs, a triple, four doubles and 15 RBIs. Freshman pitcher Adriana Burke is 6-0.
“The name of the game now is riding the wave,” Charbonneau said. “The girls are working hard, and everyone knows the expectations. This group is trying to get back there to where the young kids know the standard that we set for ourselves.”
Future is now for Lake Zurich
Lake Zurich, meanwhile, is a surprise team in the North Suburban Conference.
Coach Nicole Pieper said the Bears (9-6, 6-1) are just ahead of schedule. Third baseman Claire Kohlman is the only senior on the team.
“We had to do a lot of teaching fundamentals and the game,” Pieper said. “We had to get experience on the varsity level against some great competition. We weren’t sure what to expect, but the kids have done an outstanding job.
“They’ve impressed me and the coaches. They stay poised against tough competition, play solid defense and put the ball in play.”
The Bears’ roster includes three freshmen and three sophomores. Freshman pitcher/outfielder Riley DeVoss is leading the offense with a .500 batting average, and sophomore pitcher Juliana Kekstadt had a solid outing in the Bears’ 5-2 win over Stevenson, which won the conference title last season.
“I’m extremely excited about the rest of the season and the future because we’re going against some of the best teams in the area, competing well in the games and only going to get better over the next few years,” Kekstadt said.
DeVoss said good defense is one reason for the Bears’ success.
“We’ve been keeping hitters off-balance by mixing spin, changing speeds and working the zone,” DeVoss said. “It helps to have a strong defense behind me.”
Freshmen boost Wauconda
The future also looks bright for Wauconda, which is relying on freshmen in key roles to get back to its winning ways.
Freshman shortstop Ainsleigh Buse is batting .453 with a home run, a triple, 10 doubles, 23 RBIs and 18 stolen bases, and freshman outfielder Giuliana Bacon is batting .353 with a homer, five doubles, 15 RBIs and 33 runs scored.
Two other freshmen and four sophomores also are playing for the Bulldogs (12-11, 3-3), who went 10-25 last season but battled Class 3A power Antioch (16-2, 6-0) to the final out before losing 5-4 in a Northern Lake County Conference game on Monday.
“Going into the season, I knew we had a great class of freshmen coming into the program that could be big contributors on the varsity and junior varsity,” Wauconda coach Tim Orisek said. “We knew there would be ups and downs with a young group, but we are starting to believe in ourselves more every game.
“Giuliana and Ainsleigh have brought such an energy to the top of our lineup and have played at such a high level. They are super aggressive on the bases and are grinding out at-bats and drawing valuable walks.”
Wauconda junior catcher Maddie May, who is batting .535 with a home run, four triples, 11 doubles and 32 RBIs, said her role this season involves more than her typically impressive production.
“With so many talented freshmen, I’ve taken on more of a leadership and mentoring role,” May said. “I try to help set the tone at practice and games by staying consistent, working hard and being someone the younger players can look to for support and guidance.”
Libertyville heats up
Senior pitcher Taylor Higham’s importance to Libertyville has been made crystal clear.
The Wildcats (9-8, 4-4) became one of the hottest teams around as Higham returned from an injury and are making a difference in the North Suburban Conference race. The Georgetown recruit struck out 14 in the Wildcats’ 4-1 win over Warren on Monday.
“Taylor looks like the old Taylor now,” Libertyville coach Dar Townsend said. “She missed the early part of the year. She pitched really good against Warren.”
10 breakout players
Hannah Baker, Stevenson, sophomore, catcher: Batting .476 with a 1.150 OPS, seven RBIs, 21 runs scored and seven stolen bases.
Adriana Burke, Warren, freshman, pitcher: Has a 6-0 record with a 2.03 ERA and 37 strikeouts in 38 innings and is also batting .359 with three doubles.
Ainsleigh Buse, Wauconda, freshman, shortstop: Batting .453 with a 1.243 OPS, 10 doubles, 23 RBIs and 18 stolen bases.
Reese Comerford, Grayslake Central, junior, shortstop: Batting .405 with three home runs, 16 RBIs and 13 runs scored.
Riley DeVoss, Lake Zurich, freshman, pitcher/outfielder: Batting .500 with a 1.265 OPS, three doubles and seven RBIs.
Aubrey Fetingis, Wauconda, junior, outfielder/pitcher: Batting .419 with three home runs, seven doubles and 22 RBIs.
Sofia Trigsted, Carmel, freshman, pitcher: Has a 2-2 record with 18 strikeouts in 26 2/3 innings.
Mckenna Weaver, Libertyville, sophomore, pitcher: Has a 3-4 record with 89 strikeouts in 51 innings and is also batting .367.
Pearl Wenzel, Antioch, freshman, pitcher: Has a 6-0 record with a 1.05 ERA and 79 strikeouts in 46 2/3 innings while holding batters to a .176 average.
Brooke White, Antioch, freshman, outfielder: Batting .524 with five doubles, 14 RBIs, 26 runs scored and 11 stolen bases.
Bobby Narang is a freelance reporter.
