HH_031518

homerhorizon.com SPORTS
the Homer Horizon | March 15, 2018 | 47
fastbreak
Softball
Eight returners from 31-5 squad lead Porters into season
1st and 3
Adam Jomant/
22nd Century MediA
Lockport boys track
and field shows
great potential at
indoor event
1. Tons of talent
The Lockport boys
track and field
team competed
Saturday, March 10,
at a home triangular
versus Andrew and
Joliet Central. Team
standout John Meyer
had a throw of 67
feet, 8 inches in
the shot put at the
meet, easily the top
performer in the
event.
2. Jump around
Lockport’s Conor
McCarthy is ranked
in the Top 10 in
both long and triple
jump and easily won
both events at last
Saturday’s meet.
3. Going the distance
LTHS’s Cade Musich
captured the
1,600-meter run with
a time of 4:45.67,
winning by nearly
14 seconds. He also
won the 3,200-meter
run with a time of
10:07.64 by nearly
22 seconds.
Seniors know talent
is there on paper to
get to next level
Randy Whalen
Freelance Reporter
Coming off its best season
in over a decade, and with
eight starters returning, what
can the Lockport Township
softball team do for an encore?
The Porters hope to take it
another couple of steps further.
Everyone on the team
pointed to that experience as
a key factor as Lockport prepares
for its 46th season as
a program. The Porters have
never had a losing record and
have won 21 or more games
36 times in the past 38 years,
including 10 years in a row.
While there aren’t many
things that are certain in life,
with this year’s talent, it’s almost
for sure that will make
that 11-straight seasons of at
least 21 victories.
After all, the team finished
31-5 last year, losing to eventual
Class 4A state runner-up
Lincoln-Way East in the sectional
final. The 31 wins were
the most since they had 35
and won the Class AA state
title in 2004.
“That was the furthest
we had got in seven years,”
Lockport coach Marissa
Chovanec said of reaching
the sectional title game for
the first time since 2010. “So,
just that experience of being
there. We’ll be more prepared
defensively and in the circle.”
After losing in the regional
the previous two seasons,
the Porters won the regional
championship with a 14-2
win over host Andrew last
season. That broke that regional
title barrier back, and
they hope to break through
the sectional one this year.
“Not a lot of teams can
say they have eight seniors
back,” said catcher Gracie
Voulgaris, who will continue
her softball career at the University
of Maryland. “We all
know what to expect and can
all help encourage each other.
Plus, it’s good for the new
players to see that grit and
determination to do what we
do and how we want to win.”
Not only is Voulgaris one
of the eight seniors that is
back, she’s one of a trio of
four-year varsity players. The
other two are first baseman
Tara McElligott, who has
committed to the University
of Illinois at Chicago, and
shortstop Courtney Schoolcraft,
who has committed to
the University of Southern
Indiana.
“The experience will benefit
us a lot,” Schoolcraft said.
“We have played with each
other, and we all know how
we play. I’m so excited. We
have the best shot to make it
further [than sectional] this
year. We all just have to stay
focused and use that experience
to pass onto the new
girls that are on the team.”
Seniors Lindsey Bangert
[designated hitter, outfield]
and Taylor Herschbach [third
base] are not only both back,
they will both continue to
play softball at Wabash Valley
College next season. Elly Hagen
returns as the Porters top
pitcher in the circle and will
join Schoolcraft at the University
of Southern Indiana.
Fresh off helping the girls
basketball team to its first
regional title in 11 years,
Taylor Shingler returns in
center field. She will attend
Maryville University in St.
Louis to play softball this
fall. Nikki Visvardis, who
Chovanec said “has really
come in as a leader this year,”
rounds out the eight returning
seniors, as she is back at
second base. She hasn’t announced
a college commitment
yet.
Also returning as pitchers
are junior Erin Kleffman,
who will attend the University
of Evansville in the fall
of 2019, and sophomore Gianna
Bauer, who is uncommitted.
A versatile newcomer
is junior Lauren Johnson,
who was brought up for the
postseason last spring. She
has committed to DePauw
University and can play second,
short, catch or be an outfielder.
The talent is all there on
paper. But the Porters, who
scored in double digits runs
an amazing 21 times last season,
know it has to all work
out on the field.
“The biggest thing is we
have to play clean defense
and hit the way we have,”
McElligot said. “If we can,
then [a trip to] state is right
there. We just have to get
a win against Lincoln-Way
East. We have to put the ball
in play against them. Most of
our starters have another year
under their belts, and this is
our best shot.”
Lockport will face tough
competition in its conference,
the SouthWest Suburban
Blue. Last year, it lost to only
three teams — conference
foe Bolingbrook, former conference
opponent Joliet West
and three times to SWSC
Blue champion Lincoln-Way
East.
In fact, a stat that Chovanec,
who has a career record
of 408-140-2 since she
started as head coach in 2003,
doesn’t want to be reminded
of is that the Porters have lost
nine-straight games to East,
dating back to an 11-5 loss in
the 2014 Andrew Sectional
semifinals. Included in that
is a regional title game loss
in 2016 and a 5-0 setback in
the sectional title game last
year. It’s not going to get any
easier this season, as the Griffins
also return a lot of talent,
including ace pitcher Alex
Storako.
“All our girls offer a good
bond with each other,” Chovanec
said of what can get
her team over that hump.
“They all get along out there,
and that will help them push
through. It’s just a matter of
putting it together and handling
that pressure when it
counts.
In addition to the tough
SWSC Conference games,
the Porters will play in numerous
triangular Saturday
games. Included in that is
their annual Strikeout Cancer
triangular on April 14.
A week later, they will host
Joliet Catholic Academy and
Herscher. That will be a special
one for Chovanec, whose
oldest daughter, Noelle, is a
junior pitcher for JCA. Additionally,
on May 5, Lockport
will take a trip down to Rantoul,
Chovanec’s hometown,
to play a triangular with the
host school and Bloomington
Central Catholic.
It should all add up to another
exciting and very successful
season for the Porters.
“Returning players, their
experience and team focus,”
Chovanec reiterated of what
can get them to the next level.
“The team toolbox is full of
tools, and they are ready to
create a fire with the flame
they created last season.
“There’s lots of history and
tradition that continues to run
through [our] veins. I’m super
excited to see what 2018
holds in store for the Porters.”
Lockport is scheduled to
open the season this Saturday,
March, 17, at the Batavia
Invite, with games scheduled
against Huntley and the host
Bulldogs starting at 10 a.m.
The home opener is slated for
4:30 p.m. March 23 against
Plainfield North.
The following Monday, on
March 26, brings a regional
final rematch, as the Porters
host Andrew at 4:30 p.m. in a
SWSC crossover game.
LISTEN UP
“I know we’re going to have a good team.
Me and some of the other sprint guys were
working out and training by joining the cross
country team last fall and have got better.”
Conor McCarthy — Lockport track and field member, on the
quality of the team
Tune In
Boys Track and Field
Ending indoors — Friday, March 16, at Olivet Nazarene
University
• The Lockport squad wraps up the indoor season with
this SouthWest Suburban Blue meet.
Index
41 - This Week In
41 - Athlete of the Week
FASTBREAK is compiled by Editor Thomas Czaja,
tom@homerhorizon.com.