Chicago Public League Sports Blog

Kowalczyk,Steinmetz - Not To Be Overlooked

Anthony Kowalczyk(sr to be; 6-3, 230lbs, ILB/TE/P) will be a force on all phases of the game this year for Steinmetz.(BR photo).

With all the talk last year about Foreman and Taft last season, people almost forgot about Steinmetz as they had a great run to end the season to take 2nd in conference ahead of Taft and make the state playoffs. At state they drubbed Chicago Big Shoulders Conference champion Foreman 26-12 to win a rare state playoff game for Steinmetz

This year, most of the pre-season Big Shoulders talk seems to be revolving around Taft and new to the conference Whitney Young. People feel that those two teams will decide the conference champion. Much more on those two teams in future articles.

But what about Steinmetz? They were a bit overlooked last year during the pre-season and it seems to be heading that way again.

If Steinmetz is to make another run, they will have to do it with a bunch of new players at key positions as they graduated their their starting quarterback Michael Harris and their starting running back Dominic Masciopinto. Harris and Masciopinto was the offense for Steinmetz last year as they accounted for over 73% of their offensive yards.

Steinmetz does return  Anthony Kowalczyk(sr to be; 6-3, 230lbs, ILB/TE/P). Kowalczyk contributed heavily last season for Steinmetz. He is their top returning tackler, played tight end, and even punted the ball for Steinmetz. He will play a major role for Steinmetz again this year. At 6-3,230lbs and a good physical specimen, he is one of the top players in the conference.

Schedule

Steinmetz opens with Kelvyn Park in a game which they will be heavily favored. They also have a pre-conference game against Glenbrook North.

The key conference games for Steinmetz will be against Taft and Whitney Young.

 

 

St.Ignatius Boys Track Class 3A Sectional

Dominic Mascipinto(sr) of Steinmetz and a lot of other CPS schools are at the St.Ignatius Sectional. Boys track sectionals start tomorrow.

Meet Program

• Sophomore Demoria Harris(so) of Dunbar has the 2nd fastest seed in the 100 meter and the fastest seed time in the 200 meter.
• The CPS has the top 3 seed times in the 400 meter led by CPS 400 meter champion Josh Warren(sr).
• Jamison Dale(sr) of Jones will try the 1600 meter run.
• Oak Park is favored in the 4x100. After that any number of teams could qualify including Lane Tech, Dunbar, Whitney Young, De La Salle, and Proviso East.
• If Dunbar runs their A team for the first time this year in the 4x200, they could run faster than favored Oak Park.
• Lane Tech, Jones, Oak Park, Whitney Young, and St.Ignatius are expected to be the main players in the 4x800. The state qualifying mark is 8:00.04. Lane, St. Ignatius, and Jones have already run marks faster than that this year.  Whitney Young is not too far behind.
  
  

Steinmetz Streaking to Some Respectability

Kaylon Smith(jr-left) of Steinmetz and Juan Aguirre(jr) Payton duke it out in the prelims of the 100 in today's Luther North Invite.

I caught the start of the Luther North Invite today. I went into the meet to check out mainly Mather, Taft, and Payton. But after watching the field events and the finals of the 4x800 and 4x100, Steinmetz was the one team that left most of an impression on me. It's not that Mather and Payton are bad. In fact Mather dominated in winning the 4x800 (with an unofficial time in the 8:40's) and Mather has a couple of 38 feet plus shot putters. Payton's Juan Aguirre(jr) and Tyler Halloway(so) looked really strong in sprints and their 4x800 finished 2nd to Mather and looks like a solid contender to finish in the top 5 or 6 in the city if they want to in that event.

It's just that I wasn't really expecting much out of Steinmetz and they showed me some positive signs today.

I'll start with the triple jump. Dominic Mascipinto(sr) looked solid in the triple jump. While I don't know his exact mark, he did win the Group B city indoor champion and if he continues to develop he has a chance to make the finals in the CPS meet.

Then in the shot put, I got a chance to chance to see Group B shot put champion Anthony Kowalczyk(jr) throw for the first time. He had great technique and power in throwing over 43 feet. I see him as a top 3 threat to finish in the shot put at the CPS meet. He could even challenge whoever Lane puts up. Plus, he is only a junior. Their 2nd thrower Adrian Bautista(sr) was not bad either. Bautista has an outside chance to make the CPS finals in the shot put.

Steinmetz's 4x800 team also looked good. They finished 3rd to Mather and Payton. But they came from behind to beat a good Taft team to finish in an unofficial 8:59.9.  Anchor leg Alexis Sarabia(so) was a monster in the anchor. When he got the baton he was a good 20 yards behind Taft's Matt Tomaszewski(sr)- the Group C 800 meter indoor champion. I thought Sarabia had no chance to catch Tomaszewski. But he slowly caught up to him and finally got him with about 70 yards to go. While I do not have his official split, I estimate Sarabia ran about a 2:07.

After the 4x800, I left with the impression that Steinmetz and Sarabia are definitely worth watching out for. I really want to see more of Sarabia. I do know he ran a 4:52 indoor 1600 meter run. That was the 2nd fastest frosh-soph time in the 1600 indoors from CPS team not named Jones or Lane.

Steinmetz has scored a combined 2 points at the last 3 CPS meets at the varsity level. This year's team has the potential to easily surpass that. Watch out for the streaks!

complete Luther North Invite results....coming soon

Brooks Holds off Steinmetz to Take Group B

Dominic Masciopinto(sr) and Steinmetz took Brooks down to the final event- the 4x400 before falling short by only 7 points.

Full Group B Results

Steinmetz and Calumet at Bloom Track Madness

Results

• Alexis Sarabia(jr) of Steinmetz- a 17:06 3 miler in cross country- runs a 4:55.76 in the 1600 meter run.
• Anthony Kowalczyk(jr) of Steinmetz throws a 42-4 in the shot put.

Chicago Big Shoulders Conference - Wide Open for the Taking

Dominic Mascipinto(5-5-150lbs, sr, LB/RB) returns for a veteran Steinmetz team in a wide open Chicago Big Shoulders conference.

Neilski's Chicago Big Shoulders Conference Prediction
1. Foreman
2. Steinmetz
3. Taft
4. Mather
5. Lincoln Park
6. Schurz
7. Amundsen
8. Prosser

Note: Conference not eligible for CPS playoffs. Top two teams are eligible for state playoffs.

This is a completely wide open year for the Chicago Big Shoulders Conference. When I mean wide open I mean that every single team has a realistic pre-season chance (including my last place picks Amundsen and Prosse) to contend for conference.

Taft is the defending conference champion. But they lost practically all of their starters due to graduation. Even last year with a loaded team Taft eaked out one score conference wins versus Foreman, Steinmetz, and Mather.

Foreman has the conference's most college recruited player in Johnny Daniels(6-4, 256lb, sr, DL/OL), but like Taft graduated almost all of their playmakers. Although, I do like the potential of likely QB starter Karon Linton(6-0, 195lbs, sr) - an athletic basketball player.

Some may be surprised for me to be picking Steinmetz 2nd in conference.  Steinmetz returns most of their playmakers from last year. They lack a super star but have solid veteran players like returning starting QB Michael Harris(5-10, 160lbs, sr, QB), their top two returning rushers in Breon Bland(5-8, 155lbs, DB/RB) and Dominic Mascipinto(5-5-150lbs, sr, LB/RB), and captain Adrian Bautista(6-1, 240lbs, ILB/OL, sr). Do not overlook the Streaks. This is a former Illini conference team that beat Lane Tech (when they were really good) in 2003 the year before Lane won the city championship. So, Steinmetz is a team capable of producing a seriously good team from time to time.

Mather, Lincoln Park, and Schurz are no slouches either. Mather was 3rd in conference last year. Schurz was 4th last year with a 3-4 record including being the only conference team to defeat Taft last year. I like Schurz's defense. Lincoln Park lost some key players from graduation but I hear they are motivated.

New comer Amundsen goes back to the Chicago conference after a short stint in the Illini. They join this conference consisting of all northside schools.

Prosser started out conference last year strong with a 2-2 conference record and falling to Foreman by a close 25-18 score.

Key Games
Week 3 Steinmetz @ Taft
Week 8 Mather @ Foreman
Week 9 Foreman @ Taft

Pictures Now- Mather Invite 1 & 2

Photo Album

Araceli Gutierez(jr) of Mather finished 2nd in the girls race with a time of 13:06.

#1 Steinmetz runner Josh Torres(jr) get's some pre-race instructions. Torres finished 13th with a time of 11:07.

CPS Relays

Marcus Smith (5-11, 195lbs, sr) - the big and fast starting running back at Steinmetz - and Steinmetz are an improved team finishing in third place at the 23 school CPS Relays. Steinmetz beat traditional CPS track powers Morgan Park, Robeson, and Dunbar.

CPS Relays Results (race was run on April 9, 2011 after being rescheduled from March 26, 2011)

Top 10 teams
1. Simeon - 71
2. Orr - 61
3. Steinmetz - 56
4. Morgan Park - 46
5. Payton - 45
6. Robeson - 40
7. Marshall - 37
8. Harlan - 24
9. Dunbar - 23
10. Corliss - 16

Highlights
* Simeon continues to look very strong with wins in the long jump, triple jump, high jump, and sprint medley relay

* Dunbar ran the meet's most impressive mark with a 1:31.54 to win the 4x200 relay. They also won the 4x100 in 43.68. Dunbar's relays are much improved now that they have football and basketball star Darvell Harris(jr) running track.

 

Steinmetz, Schurz promoted to Red-North Next Year

Steinmetz and Schurz finished first and second in the Blue-North basketball conference. Thus, they will both move up to the tougher Red-North conference. Steinmetz was the conference champion with a undefeated conference record of 9-0. Schurz finished 8-1 with their only conference loss was a 54-49 loss to Steinmetz last week.

Steinmetz should be able to compete somewhat in the Red-North next year as they will return captain Frank Bland (5-6, 130lbs, jr). Don't be deceived by Bland's size. He can play. He averaged 10.6 points and 2.4 steals a game for Steinmetz. That means he can score and play some defense. 2.4 steals/game is impressive. Steinmerz also returns versatile Derek Rice  (guard/forward, 6-1, 170lbs).

Moving down to the Blue North will be Payton who finished last in the Red-North with an 0-9 conference record. I'm not sure who the other team will be that will go down to the Blue. Senn, Von Steuben, Uplift, and Lane all finished tied 2nd to last with conference records of 3-6 and I'm not sure what the tie breakers are.

Can someone tell me what the tie breakers are and who will be sent down?

 

Spotlight: Andres Mahmud of Steinmetz

Andres Mahmud (jr) of Steinmetz

When you goto a school like Steinmetz, you are often overlooked. But at the Niles West Invitational I got a chance to speak with Andres Mahmud of Steinmetz. Mahmud, a junior has been Steinmetz number one distance runner since he debuted as a freshman for Steinmetz two years ago. Freshman year, Mahmud finished 9th in the freshman city championship with a time 12:15 for two miles. He has progressed since then. Last year as a sophomore, Mahmud finished 22nd at the varsity boys level with a good time of 16:44 for two miles.

Mahmud has not run too many large invitationals this year due to Steinmetz's schedule but he did run the Niles West Invitational last Saturday. I asked Mahmud how he felt during the race: "I felt good running the race said Mahmud... I wasn't sure about my time but it was in the 17:00's, " said Mahmud. Mahmud ran a time of 17:15 for 3 miles - finishing first for Steinmetz and 57th overall. 17:15 may not sound fast but he did beat Northside's 5th man and he beat out Mather's 3rd man and below. It was also a bit of a water soaked course so times were a bit slow overall.

Steinmetz did manage to run a team of 6 individuals.

I then asked Steinmetz how his teammate Jose Padilla has been running: "Great, but in addition to Padilla we have two other guys running in the 18's....", said Mahmud "....but we don't have a 5th man."

You'll see more of Mahmud in the varisty level of the city championship October 17th where he hopes to improve on his 22nd place finish from a year ago.

Steinmetz team results at Niles West:

1613	Andres Mahmud	jr	57	17:15.41
1610	Pedro Gutierrez	so	158	18:28.80
1615	Jose Padilla	sr	264	18:40.01
1616	Rolando Ramirez	so	382	19:21.92
1608	Daniel Colon	sr	515	23:00.16
1612	Braulio Lagunas	so	649	23:53.16

Steinmetz also ran a large number of girls in every level. Above is the frosh-soph girls team.