Naperville North: April 2009 Archives

Here's the latest Will Johnson sighting.

Johnson's from Woodridge and attended Naperville North. Per a Chicago Fire press release, he's featured in cosmogirl.com's "Eye Candy" section.

Johnson currently plays for Real Salt Lake of MLS. In four games this year, he has one assist.

Four area teams had baseball games washed away on Tuesday. Here are the updates:

--Naperville Central and Naperville North will each have home games on Friday at 4:30 p.m. The Redhawks will face Glenbard North, while the Huskies take on Wheaton North, which is ranked second in the latest Chicago Sun-Times poll.

--Waubonsie Valley will host a doubleheader against Streamwood on Saturday beginning at 10 a.m.

--Neuqua Valley will travel to St. Charles North on May 13 to make up Tuesday's Upstate Eight Conference game.

Waubonsie Valley hasn't picked up where it left off. The Warriors advanced to the semifinals of the state summer tournament, but they've opened this season 0-4.

After Wednesday's 9-4 loss at Naperville North, Waubonsie coach Dan Fezzuoglio was a little curt, but at the same time emphatic that good things will happen.

"We have hit the ball pretty well," Fezzuoglio said. "We hit the ball well today against one of the better kids in the area (Jake Naumann) and that's encouraging."

Waubonsie can also begin to start over in a sense with Thursday's Upstate Eight Conference opener against St. Charles East. At least it doesn't play in the DuPage Valley Conference. Waubonsie's losses thus far have come against North, Naperville Central, Wheaton North and West Chicago.

"I'd rather be working the kinks out (now) instead (of) the end of the year," Fezzuoglio said. "We could see Central again or North again. We know we're a quality team and we're gonna be there."

--Neuqua Valley continues to care of things on the field, but it still dropped out of the Chicago Sun-Times baseball rankings. The Wildcats (3-1) are on the fringe of the top 10, listed under others to watch.

--St. Rita, which is ranked No. 7 by Sean Duncan, had such a fast start that SouthtownStar columnist Pat Disabato was wondering about an unbeaten season. Only two other Illinois baseball teams have done so, but it won't be the Mustangs this season - the other day Whitney Young upset the top-ranked preseason team. In what should be a good dress rehearsal for the postseason, Benet is scheduled to travel to St. Rita on May 25.

--Duncan previously released his top-100 players list, and it included the following area players: John Boyle, Benet senior pitcher; Pat Kaminska, Naperville Central senior pitcher; Mike McKinley, Neuqua senior pitcher; Jake Naumann, Naperville North senior pitcher; and Alex Staehely, Benet senior shortstop.

If you're expecting to learn The Naperville Sun's Athlete of the Month for March here, you'll be disappointed. But if you'd like to submit a name or two for consideration, you're in luck.

The voting's still open...

Stumped on who to suggest? How 'bout Waubonsie Valley's Shakeia Pinnick (track and field) or Neuqua Valley's John Mikuzis (water polo) or Naperville Central's Drew Crawford (basketball)? Somebody else?

Cast your votes here or at napersun.com/sports.

--In searching for Mark Lindo's replacement, Naperville North has finished interviewing internal candidates and is in the process of reviewing external resumes for the varsity head coaching job. According to an ad posted on the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association's Web site, the school anticipates teaching openings in driver's and physical education.

--Forgot to mention this earlier, but Waubonsie Valley assistant Matt Walpole will be joining Bob Vozza's staff at Metea Valley.

--Wes Koral, a Joliet Catholic sophomore from Naperville, was named all-area honorable mention by The Herald News after averaging 10.1 points in 15 varsity games.