Chicago Public League Sports Blog

Highlights of 2008 - Lane Tech's 100th Anniversary - Part 5 (Girls Track, Modi and Velazquesz in chess)

Top 10 Lane Tech Highlights 2008 - #5, #4

#10 - Girls Bowling Upends Morgan Park
#9 - Boys Track wins 3rd straight city championship
#8 - Wrestling Team Wins City Championship - 1st for Lane Tech in 2008
#7 - Boys Swimming Wins City - 6th time in last 7 years
#6 -  Boys Soccer Team Knocks Out Kelly to Win City Championship
#5 - Football Team Surprise: City Championship
#4 - Girls Softball Wins City Championship....Again

#3 - Girls Track Team Wins 5th straight city championship

 

2008 Girls Track City Championship Team

For most of the 1990's and early 2000's only one team ruled the Public League in girls track, that team was Morgan Park. But 5 years ago, Lane Tech took the reigns from Morgan Park and has won very city championship since then. The biggest name and point scorer for Lane Tech's girls track team has been Morgan Monore. She ended up as one of Lane Tech's and the Public League's best all time hurdlers and finished with the all-time city record in the 300 meter hurdles and finished 3rd in the state in the 300 meter hurdles.

In 2008, the Lane Tech girls track team took it's 5th straight girls track team with 159 points, far ahead of the 111 points from runner up Whitney Young.

Lane was 2nd in the 4x800, 800 meter run (Morgan Monroe), and 400 meter dash (Idia Omiagate). Also, Lane won it's share of events as well. Lane won at least the following events: 100 meter high hurdles (Morgan Monroe), 100 meter dash (Idia Omiagate), and 300 meter hurdles (Morgan Monroe).

But it was the depth and overall team effort from Lane that contributed greatly to it' success. The difference came from a bit lessor known but equally important contributions from athletes that proved the difference. Athletes such as Brenda Gamboa (discus, shot put), Claudia Naykene (4x100 meter relay), Isabelle Carr (3200 meter run), Desiree Murray (sophmore hurdler), Shaheen Kazmi (1600 meter run), etc.

#2 Parras Modi and Kevin Velazquez All-State in chess with top 10 finishes

 

Paaras Modi - 2nd in the state for Lane in chess

 

Kevin Velazquez - 9th in the state (board 1) for Lane in chess

The top 10 highlights for Lane in 2008, have all been about team accomplishments. But the top individual accomplishments came from the chess team, when Kevin Velazquez and Paaras Modi both finished with all-state honors for Lane. Paaras Modi finished 2nd in the state in board 2 and Kevin Velazquez finished 9th in the state in Board 1.It is not too often that a team has the 1-2 punch of two such quality chess players. Modi and Velazquez terrorized opponents all year long and both were almost perfect at the state tournament. Velazquez only loss in the state tournament came to Frankie Swindell of Carmel - who finished first individually. Modi meanwhile dod not lose a single game at the state tournament and only blemish was a draw to 13th place state finisher Yize Leng of Illinois Math and Science Academy.

Modi's and Velazquez finish as #2 on this list because there is no question, no other team or activity at Lane than those two accomplished in one season. Two all state finishes for one team is an incredible accomplishment that Modi and Velazquez were able to do in 2008.

coming up the #1 highlight for Lane Tech in 2008...

Highlights of 2008 - Lane Tech's 100th Anniversary - Part 4 (football, girls softball)

Top 10 Lane Tech Highlights 2008 - #5, #4

#10 - Girls Bowling Upends Morgan Park
#9 - Boys Track wins 3rd straight city championship
#8 - Wrestling Team Wins City Championship - 1st for Lane Tech in 2008
#7 - Boys Swimming Wins City - 6th time in last 7 years
#6-  Boys Soccer Team Knocks Out Kelly to Win City Championship

#5 Football Team Surprise: City Championship

 

Lane Tech has won city in many sports this year, but the football city championship team in 2008 has to rate as one of the sweetest and more victories of them all. I say sweet because almost nobody - except for the players and coaches from Lane expected this team to go this far. Lane Tech defeated Morgan Park 14-6 in the semi-finals and Hubbard 24-7 in the finals to win it's first city championship in football since 2004. Hubbard and Morgan Park came into the season much higher rated and had much more newspaper coverage than Lane. Meanwhile, Lane came into the 2008 with a lot of doubters from the outside after two rough seasons in which they made quick exits in both the city and state playoffs and finished an uncharacteristic third in conference last year.

But 2008 was different as it finished the season with a 9-3 record. It won conference and its three losses cam only against Fenwick, New Trier, and Loyola. All of those games were competitive and the other teams left the game with greater respect for Lane Tech. Lane had chances to win in all of its losses.

The future looks bright for Lane as it will return a couple of it's top players including lineman Laken Tomlinson and team defensive MVP Louis Pasat-Trinca next year, as both are juniors.

#4 Girls Softball Team Wins City.... Again

 

Over the past 25+ years there has been no school as dominant in the city as Lane Tech has been in girls softball. Every single year, you can count that Lane will be a serious competitor for the city championship in girls softball. This year was no different as Lane won city championship in 2008 after it defeated Washington 9-2.

The success of the girls softball team can be attributed to a lot of factors. One factor is Lane's coaching staff who is committed to identifying talent at an early age and getting them involved. Head coach George Stavrakas comes from a great coaching lineage. His father is Dean Stavrakas, head coach at Lakeview in baseball, who beat Lane twice last twice last year and was the city runner up in 2008.

Although Lane will go into the 2009 season without the services of graduated star Daniella Torres (scholarship to Miami of Ohio), look for Lane to challenge in 2009 once again.Torres graduated from Lane with one of the highest batting averages (.404) in school history.

Highlights of 2008 - Lane Tech's 100th Anniversary - Part 3 (boys swimming, boys soccer)

Top 10 Lane Tech Highlights 2008 - #7, #6

#10 - Girls Bowling Upends Morgan Park
#9 - Boys Track wins 3rd straight city championship
#8 - Wrestling Team Wins City Championship - 1st for Lane Tech in 2008

#7 - Boys Swimming Wins City - 6th time in last 7 years

 

1943 Lane Tech Boys Swimming State Championship team

Lane Tech has as many state championships in boys swimming (8) then all the other sports teams combined. That is a fact that not too many people know. So Boys Swimming IS Lane Tech's most successful sport in it's history as far as winning state championships. While the boys swimming team no longer dominates against state competition as it once did, there is no question that it rules the city. In 2008, Lane Tech captured its 6th city championship in 7 years when it won with 384 points to Whitney Young's 355 points.

#6 Boys Soccer Team Knocks Out Kelly to Win City Championship

 

Greg Gaczol (left) and Humberto Pina display the city championship plaque

There can be a strong argument that after basketball boys soccer is the most competitive Public League sport. That is why Lane Tech's city championship in boys soccer in 2008 deserves to be high on the list. Lane Tech defeated soccer power Kelly in penalty kicks for the victory.

There are strong signs that Lane Tech is becoming a serious city soccer program versus the soccer rich Public League. Lane Tech has appeared in three of the last 4 city championships, after appearing in only one city championship the past 27 years prior to 2005. Furthermore, Lane has won the frosh-soph city championship the past two years.

See the video below for a clip of the winning penalty kicks in the city championship:

Highlights of 2008 - Lane Tech's 100th Anniversary - Part 2 (boys track, wrestling)

Top 10 Lane Tech Highlights 2008 - #9, #8

#10 - Girls Bowling Upends Morgan Park

#9 - Boys Track wins 3rd straight city championship

 

(left to right) Michael Henry, Chris Kyles, and Demetrius Jacobs hold the 2008 championship trophy. They have their 3 fingers denoting Lane's third straight city championship in boys track.

Lane Tech's last team sport state championship was the 1974 boys state track team. So there is definitely a strong history of championship success from Lane Tech boys track. The 2008 Lane Tech boys track team continued the history of success as Lane won it's third straight city championship.

Lane out dueled Mather and Morgan Park. Mather was higher ranked and Morgan Park actually had more individual city championships (4) then Lane (3); but at the end it was Lane's depth and complete team effort that won the 124 to 109 victory over Mather and 124 to 107.5 point victory over 3rd place Morgan Park.

2008 may have also been the year where a change of expectations is starting to develop at Lane. For the first time since the 1994 and 1995 did Lane Tech score at the state meet for two years in a row when last year's team scored in the 4x100 and 4x200 relay and the 2008 team scored state points when sprinter Chris Kyles finished 5th in the state in the 100 meter dash.

#8 - Wrestling Team Wins City Championship - 1st for Lane Tech in 2008

 

2008 Lane Tech wrestling team

The last Lane Tech sports team to bring home a state trophy was the 2000 Lane Tech wrestling team who finished 4th in the state. That team finished a blistering 30-2 team record and marked the last year of coaching wrestling at Lane by Lane Tech Alumni Rudy Salinas.

The 2008 team won the city championship and thus owned the distinction of winning Lane's first city championship in the calendar year 2008 - Lane's 100th Anniversary.

Lane's 2008 wrestling team also took it's 3d straight regional crown and qualified 3 individuals to the state individual meet. The 3 indiviual qualifiers to state was the most individual state qualifiers for Lane since the elimination of the automatic state qualifier to the Public League champions in 2003.

coming next #7 and #6...

Highlights of 2008 - Lane Tech's 100th Anniversary - Part 1

2008 was a year of celebrating the 100th Anniversary of Lane Tech. These senior girls are privileged to be part of the senior class of 2008. This picture was taken before the 2008 Homecoming football game.


The last days of 2008 are approaching. 2008 was a special year for Lane Tech as 2008 was the 100th Anniversary of this great Chicago Institution. In this series of posts, Lane Tech Fan takes looks back at 2008 and reflects on just some of the highlights that continues to make Lane Tech the school of champions.

Top 10 2008 Lane Tech Sports Highlights:

#10 - Lane Tech Girls Bowling Team Stops Morgan Park

Stephanie Huber, shown here in her girls softball uniform was part of the 2008 Lane Tech girls bowling team that stopped the Morgan Park Girls Bowling juggernaut.

When it same to girls bowling in the Public League, there was no bigger name than Morgan Park. After all Morgan Park girls bowling team had won every single city championship since 2002. But Lane Tech girls team in 2008 stopped their streaked when Lane finally stopped the Morgan Park streak. Lane tech was led by individual city champion Gemise Jackson (sr). Lane's girls bowling success did not stop at city as Lane Tech qualified for state and finished 22nd in the state.

For most of Lane's history, Lane Tech was an all boys school, before girls were admitted in the 1970's. Since then Lane's girls has performed just as well as the boys teams.

Lane Tech ranked in top 50 high schools in Illinois for 2008

Lane Tech maintained it's status as the school of Champions by being ranked in the top 50 high schools in Illinois according to the Chicago Sun-Times.

http://www.suntimes.com/images/cds/pdf/top50high-2008.pdf

New Trier 12 - Lane Tech 2

New Trier Post #1 and #2


#3 and  #4, #5

New Trier 12 - Lane Tech 2. That is not a football, soccer, or any other sports score. Instead that is the number of field goal posts that New Trier has on its campus compared to the 2 field goal posts that Lane Tech has access to at Lane stadium.

Lane Tech and New Trier have a lot of similarities. Both are ancient schools - Lane Tech is 100 years old and New Trier is about 106 years old. Both have high academic standards - Lane Tech and New Trier regularly are top 20 ranked public academic schools in the state of Illinois. Both schools have large enrollments - Lane Tech and New Trier have enrollments of around 4,000 students.

But that is where the similarities stop. New Trier, funded primarily by the property taxes of the posh North Shore communities of Winnetka, Kenilworth, Wilmete, Northfield, and Glencoe - put a primary focus on education and facilities for the kids communities.  Meanwhile, Lane Tech is funded by the highly beurecratic Chicago Public Schools (CPS).  The CPS has a gigantic challenge of running a large school system through a centralized CPS system.

I'm not really sure what happened over the past 100 years of the school's history, but somehow over the years the Chicago area has come up with a large gulf in the differences between schools like New Trier and Lane Tech. We have now come up with situations where some schools like New Trier has all the advantages - like the 12 field goal posts compared to the 2 field goal; New Trier has at least 8 soccer fields compared to zero for Lane Tech; New Trier has at least 16 tennis courts compared to zero for Lane Tech; New Trier has 2 tracks compared to one for Lane Tech; New Trier even has two field hockey fields to you guessed it zero for Lane Tech

The sources of the problem are many - and are beyond the scope of this article. But the challenge of fixing it are monumental. You see, the currrent CPS administration - no matter how good they are have the unenviable task of fixing a system (the CPS) - that was in deep trouble to begin with.

Lane Tech and New Trier play each other this Friday in an IHSA first round football game. At the end of the game you'll probably see a score of something like New Trier 44- Lane Tech 7. Some will say, New Trier whooped Lane Tech on that day. But I say, New Trier did not win because of the play on the field - a big part of the win came way before that. New Trier won when someone in the New Trier leadership decided a long time ago that it was better for the community to create 12 field goal posts.

New Trier field goal post #6


#7


#9


#10


#11


#12....Why the heck does New Trier have or even need 12 football field goal post? The bigger question is Why does a similar size school like Lane Tech only have 2?

Go Lane Go

The Boys Varsity Soccer Team sing the school song after their 1-0 victory over Taft in the CPS soccer semi-finals earlier this week.

08 Lane Video

Today is the first day of school for Lane Tech and the rest of the CPS. As we start a new day, we take a look back at a video from someone from the class of 2008:

Old Lane Stadium featured in new film "The Express"

From the IHSLA:

The Lane Tech stadium will take centerstage in the upcoming football movie, "The Express". Many of the stadium scenes in the movie were filmed on location at Lane Tech this spring (2007). "The Express" is the life story of Ernie Davis, a Syracuse University football player who led the Orange to the school's only national championship in 1959. He became the first African American to win the Heisman Trophy, in 1961. Despite being the first player taken in the 1962 NFL draft, Davis never played a single game of professional football. He died of leukemia in 1963, at the age of 23. "The Express", starring Rob Brown as Ernie Davis and Dennis Quaid as coach Rob Schwartzwalder, will be released in theaters nationally on Oct. 10, 2008.

Picture of the field at Lane Stadium before the new field turf was put on in 2007. But right before the new field turf was put on there, they were able to film Lane stadium - which you will see in the upcoming movie The Express. You'll see even bigger changes at Lane stadium the upcoming years.