Chicago Public League Sports Blog

Domination Continues - Lane Tech Girls Win City Softball Championship 3-2 over Northside Prep

Sam Nikolich hit the game winning sacfrifice fly in the 3-2 victory over upstart Northside Prep in the City Championship. (Niksports photo)

This was the year, someone else besides Lane Tech was supposed to win the girls city softball  championship. Northside Prep came close but Lane Tech won the championship again after a close 3-2 victory.

Jazzy Camacho was solid for Lane as she pitched a pitched a complete game two hitter to earn the victory. Northside Prep was looking to win after they had beaten the Indians earlier in the regular season.

This victory is a testament to the tenacity of the Lane girls softball team. Many felt they were vulnerable this year after the graduation of Daniella Torres - (now playing Division One Softball at Miami of Ohio) - one of Lane's top all-time hitting leaders. But Lane gutted out a victory when it counted the most - at the city championship.

Lane Tech girls JV softball team advances to city finals

:he Lane Tech JV team lead by Coach Joe Ruckauf advanced to the Chicago Public League finals by defeating a stubborn and very talented Whitney Young team , 3-1. The Championship game will be held (5/22 noon) at the UIC softball complex in

Chicago

, on

Roosevelt Road

and Morgan streets. The defending champion (2008) Indians were lead by pitching ace Layla Anderson (10 strikeouts, 3 hits, CG) and her battery mate Valarie Perez. This dynamic due have successfully completed not only a undefeated conference year, but have excelled at the plate while both being newly arrived freshmen. The Lane attack was lead by Stefani Tatro, 2 hits 2 runs scored, and Stefanie Werner, 2-4 and hard hitting first basemen Jessica Albert. Small ball was the strategy and it produced all the runs the Indians needed as

Anderson

mowed down the Dolphins and Perez nailed all base runners trying to steal. Whitney Young employed a seasoned pitching veteran (soph) not previously used in conference play - but to no avail - the Indians have played and beaten stronger pitching from teams like Regina, Evanston, Elmwood Park and St Ignasuis to name a few. Team defense, aggressive base running & timely bunts were to much for the drowning Dolphins. "On to the 'SHIP!

Lane Tech Ranked #1 Again: CPS Girls Softball Rankings

Maria Joyce (sr-SS) leads the #1 ranked Lane Tech Indians in trying to win it's 7th city girls softball title in the last 8 years. (www.NikSports photo)

1. Lane Tech - Lane Tech graduated Daniela Torres (now at Miami at Ohio playing softball) and a host of other talent. But it's talented pitching core led by Jazzy Comacho, Samantha Nikolich, and Jackie Manrique return. Unless a CPS proves it can hit against Lane's pitching and defense, Lane will remain on top.

2. Northside Prep - Northside barely lost to Lane Tech twice during the regular season by scores of 2-1 and 6-5, so they have proven they can play with Lane. Northside may also have the city's top player in Allison Neubauer.

3. Washington - city runner up last year tries to rebound after graduating star pitcher Ruby Liptack (now playing softball at South Subruban College).

4. Taft

5. Whitney Young

6. Von Steuben

7. Kennedy

8. Payton

9. Clemente

10. Schurz

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.

Lane Tech's dream season in girls softball ends at the hands of Maine West

 

Lane was the only Public League team to win a state Regional Champsionship. (niksports photo)

Maine West 2

Lane Tech 0

This was supposed to be the year. We had the best player in the Public League in Daniella Torres. We had practically the entire team returning from last years state sectional finals team, we returned all of our pitchers, we brezzed through the Public League playoffs, we won our share against suburban opponents, and we were even state ranked. Despite having a great team with great players and great results, in girls softball it is so difficult to overcome a hot pitcher. Fortunately for Maine West their pitcher, Emily Ott, pitched a great game in a 2-0 shut out of Lane Tech in the Niles West Sectional Semi-Finals. Maine West also got two big rbi's from Michele Braun to end Lane's season.

Despite the loss, Lane can definitely hold their heads up high. Success to me is measured by heart, measured by comittment to excellence, and a work ethic second to none. The Lane tech girls, coaching, staff, and parents had all that and more this year.

Congratulations to the 2007-08 Lane Tech girls softball team on a wonderful season. This was a year!!

Now that the Lane won the city softball title are there bigger things in store?

 

 

 

 

Members of the 2008 city championship girls softball team pose with the championship trophy. (niksports photo)

Lane won the city championship over Washington 9-2 last week, but now comes a whole another season. The state playoffs. Lane started with a 5-0 drubbing of Taft yesterday. Their next game will be this Saturday versus the winner of Maine South and Niles West at Niles West. Lane is higher seeded than both of those teams and beat Maine South earlier in the season, so Lane should be the favorite. Furthermore, Lane junior pitcher Jazzy Comacho seems to be pitching her best pitching of the year right now. But this will definitely not be an easy game. Maine South will be their most likely opponent and from what I heard Maine South is a solid team. They do not feel they are an underdog.

Good luck to the girls softball team in their game Saturday for the Regional Championship!

Pictures Now: Lane Tech vs New Trier in girls softball

The New Trier pitcher held Lane for most of the game until the last inning when she was kicked out of the game for an illegal pitch. She is wearing a protective mask that is becoming more popular in girl softball.

On April 27, 2008 Lane Tech played (and beat) New Trier 5-4 in a girls softball game. Below are the pictures.

click here for girls softball pictures:

http://neilski.typepad.com/photos/girls_softball/

Daniella Torres on first base.

Brdigette Mazurkiewicz (sr) starts for Lane in right field and is also a speedy pinch runner.

Lane to play Washington for City Championship This Saturday in Girls Softball

PUBLIC LEAGUE PLAYOFFS
Semifinals
Lane 6, Taft 1
Jazzy Camacho (13-1) threw a complete game with nine strikeouts and four hits for Lane 25-6. Maria Joyce had three hits, including a homer,and four RBIs.
Washington 4, Agricultural Science 3 (10)
Ruby Liptack (10-1) was the winning pitcher. Centrese McGee hit an inside-the-park home run in the bottom of the tenth to win the game for the Minutewomen (17-3-1). Washington will face Lane in the championship at UIC Saturday.

Girls Softball Team Seeded 3rd in state playoffs: 3rd seed ties highest a Public League team has been seeded

This may be one of Lane Tech's best girls softball teams ever. photo courtesy  niksports

No matter what happens the rest of the season, the 2008 Lane Tech girls softball team has already made history. Lane Tech has been awarded the 3rd seed at the Glenbrook South Sectional. The 3rd seed ties for the highest seed a Chicago Public League team has ever been seeded in the state playoffs (Lane Tech 2005, Curie - 2006, and Whitney Young 2007). Lane Tech was seeded 5th in 2006 but fell 1-0 to New Trier in the playoffs. Last year Lane was seeded 6th, upset # 2 seed in the sectional semi-finals before falling to number one seed Resurrection in a very close game in the sectional finals. The sectional final appearance was the furthest a Public League team has gone in the state playoffs. How far will Lane Tech go this year. That is still to be determined. I do know that this is a better team than the last two years and the last two years - Lane was good. We will see what happens.

Glenview (Glenbrook South) Sectional

1. Wilmette (Loyola Academy)
2. Des Plaines (Maine West)
3. Chicago (Lane)
4. Winnetka (New Trier)
5. Glenview (Glenbrook South)
6. Park Ridge (Maine South)
7. Chicago (Resurrection)
8. Northbrook (Glenbrook North)
9. Franklin Park-Northlake (Leyden)
10. Skokie (Niles West)
11. Skokie (Niles North)
12. Evanston (Twp.)
13. Chicago (Northside)
14. Chicago (Taft)
15. Chicago (Von Steuben)
16. Chicago (Mather)
17. Chicago (Steinmetz)
18. Park Ridge (Maine East)
19. Chicago (Schurz)

Skokie (Niles West) Regional

All games at regional site unless otherwise indicated.
Mon., May 19
Game 1 at 4:30 pm: (19) Chicago (Schurz) at (14) Chicago (Taft)
Tue., May 20
Game 2 at 4:30 pm: (3) Chicago (Lane) vs. Winner Game 1
Wed., May 21
Game 3 at 4:30 pm: (6) Park Ridge (Maine South) vs. (10) Skokie (Niles West)
Sat., May 24
Game 4 at 10:00 am: Winner Game 2 vs. Winner Game 3