Chicago Public League Sports Blog

Taft Upsets Payton for 16-inch softball championship

16-INCH SOFTBALL

PUBLIC LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP

Taft 12, Payton 2, 5 inn.

Taft (18-6): Nick Vidas 3-for-3, 3 RBI; D.J. Doyle 2-for-3, 3 RBI

Jones Slugs Out Harlan

Armando Rodriguez (fr), just one member of Jones's talented freshman class finished 5th overall with a time of 11:46. Jones had 4 freshman finish in the top 10 in a race that featured all grades. Simeon and King also participated.

Harlan Dual #4

Top 10 Individual Boys Results

1. Trevor Gills (sr) 11:15.3 Harlan
2. Luke O'Connor (fr) 11:27.7 Jones
3. Charlie Obermeyer (sr)11:38.4 Jones
4. Jamison Dale 11:45.0 (fr) Jones
5. Armando Rodriguez (fr) 11:46.3 Jones
6. Vincent Perkins (sr)12:07.5 Harlan
7. Aaron Ingrahm (sr) 12:12.1 Harlan
8. Luke Helliker (so) 12:22.2 Jones
9. Joe Olver (so) 12:23 Jones
10. Kirby Lawson (fr) 12:24Jones

With the victory, Jones has proclaimed itself with on-field results the top class AA team in the CPS. 

A great showing by Jones and Harlan. Last year the two schools were not even in the picture of CPS cross country. Now they are in the headlines.

16 inch softball in deep trouble of getting cut in the CPS

After a 10 year run in the CPS 16 inch softball - otherwise known as boys softball is in deep danger of getting cut. Rising costs of reserving and maintaining field space is one of the concerns. There also seems to be greater interest in suburban schools.  Participation is certainly not an issue. 16 inch softball, a fall sport, is very popular throughout the CPS. Schools like Taft, Corliss, Von Steuben, Kelly, and many more all have schools.

An anonymous source told me: "they are dropping the sport because Lane Tech always wins the title." Lane has won 7 of the last 9 city 16 inch softball titles including a 22-0 drubbing of Kelly to win last year's city championship. I'm sure that is not the reason why they are seriously considering dropping the sport.

Lane Tech's 16-inch softball team wins city title 7 out of last 9 years

Lane Tech crushed upstart Kelly 22-0 to win the CPS city softball title in 2008. Kelly did Lane a big favor by upsetting highly regarded Payton in the quarterfinals. Payton, along with Lane was a pre-season favorite to make it back to the city finals in which Lane barely held them off last yea

PUBLIC LEAGUE PLAYOFFS

Lane 22, Kelly 0, title

Lane 15, Taft 1, semifinal

Kelly 9, Corliss 6, 8 inn., semifinal

16-inch Softball Wins City!!!

A Lane Tech player hits the ball during a recent practice at Horner Park.

In a rematch from last year's city championship, Lane Tech barely got by as they defeated Payton 12-11 in 8 innings. Tim Nard hit a home run and Junior Munoz had the game-winning RBI. Hiram DeJesus was the winning pitcher.

Since 1999, Lane Tech has been the dominant power in boys softball and now have won the city championship 6 of the last 8 years. Last year they beat Payton 15-5 for the city championship.

This victory marks Lane Tech's first city championship on the varsity level in the fall of 2007. Some of our other teams have come close (girls volleyball 3rd, boys cross country 3rd, girls cross country 3rd, golf 2nd) but the 16-inch softball team pulled through by the slimmest of margins to win the city title for Lane.

BOYS SOFTBALL
City Championship
Lane Tech 12, Payton 11, 8 innings

16-inch softball 2007 Preview and Schedule

(click for larger picture); Lane Tech at bat during the city championhsip in 2006

16-inch softball is one of the more lesser known sports in Chicago. For one, it's still a relatively new sport. Boys softball has been played by the Chicago Public League in the early 1900's, then it died in 1914. But in 1999, the Chicago Public Leagude decided to resurrect 16-inch softball where it is still played to this day as a boys sport in the fall.

Since 1999, Lane Tech has been the dominant power in boys softball and have won 5 of the 8 years. Last year they beat Payton 15-5 for the city championship. Lane Tech will be one of the favorites again this year. Other teams to look out for are Payton, Mather, Von Steuben, and more.

Below is the tentative regular season 16-inch boys softball schedule for 2007:

9/11/07 vs. Northside Prep @ Winnemac Park 4:00pm

9/18/07 vs Schurz @ Winnemac Park 4:00pm

9/25/07 vs Von Stueben @ Winnemac Park 4:00pm

10/02/07 vs Steinemetz  @ Winnemac Park 4:00pm

10/9/07 vs Mather @ Winnemac Park 4:00pm