NL_071218

newlenoxpatriot.com SPORTS
the New Lenox Patriot | July 12, 2018 | 47
fastbreak
Going Places
Charles readies for St. Francis stint
22nd Century Media File Photo
1st-and-3
Central surging
upward
1. John Nowak
Nowak transferred
over to Lincoln-Way
Central from Providence
and will bolster
the Knights’ interior
line. Nowak will also
be a key addition to
the wrestling team.
2. Evan Panfil
The Central alumnus
is a new addition to
the coaching staff.
Panfil had a short
stint with the Tampa
Bay Buccaneers in
2017 after a stellar
career at Purdue
where he amassed
76 tackles, 20.5
tackles for loss, 9
sacks and one forced
fumble in 43 games.
3. Bryce Hayes
Hayes is expected to
be the new starting
QB for the Knights,
which is the fourth in
as many seasons Jeremy
Cordell has been
the coach (2015,
Austin Strilko; 2016,
Hunter Campbell;
2017, Sam Pipiras).
Tim Cronin, Freelance Reporter
Neither E.J. Charles’ parents
nor siblings played golf
when he was growing up.
The first time he played,
he had to borrow a set of
clubs.
He borrowed his grandmother’s
set, and off he and
buddy Ken Pyle went to
White Mountain, the par-3
course in Tinley Park.
“I wasn’t very good,”
Charles said. “I don’t know
how I remember this, but
I hit a pretty good shot to
three feet – and I think I
missed the birdie putt.”
Welcome to golf.
“Ever since then, I’ve
loved it,” Charles said.
“I’ve been practicing and
working hard.”
The combination of ardor
and diligence has paid
off. Charles has parlayed
excellent work in the classroom
and on the course at
Lincoln-Way Central had
earned him partial academic
and athletic scholarships,
for a virtually full ride at the
University of St. Francis in
Joliet beginning in the fall.
“Coach [Paul] Downey
pulled me aside after a tournament
in my junior year,”
Charles said. “Ever since
then, I’ve been in contact
with him.”
St. Francis has a small indoor
hitting area and an artificial
turf practice green, but
with the indoor golf domes
in the area that Charles already
uses, he’ll have no
LISTEN UP
“I’m always smiling on the ice. It’s my happy place.”
Michelle Kaczmarek – Lincoln-Way Central alumna, on her passion for hockey
Lincoln-Way Central grad E.J. Charles’ stellar varsity golf career for the Knights earned him a scholarship to play at St.
Francis in Joliet this upcoming fall. 22nd Century Media File Photo
trouble keeping his game in
form.
He’ll be joining the Fighting
Saints squad on a high.
He managed his best career
round, a 4-under-par 68, at
Wedgewood Golf Course in
Joliet in the first round of
the Joliet Amateur, and under
dire circumstances.
“It was right after a case
of food poisoning. I lost 17
pounds in 24 hours the day
before. My friends were
joking around, calling it the
‘flu game,’” Charles said in
Tune In
reference to Michael Jordan’s
‘flu game’ in Game
5 of the 1997 NBA Finals
against the Utah Jazz where
he scored 38 points in the
win.
Understandably, Charles
faded in the second round,
but is back to 100 percent
now.
Charles was part of the
Lincoln-Way Central team
that finished 10th in the IH-
SA’s Class 3A final last fall.
He scored 84-86, finishing
tied for 93rd at 26-over 170.
Baseball
July 16-19
• If Providence or Lincoln-Way West make it past
regionals, it will play in the IHSBCA Lawler Summer
State Finals held at North Central College and
Benedictine University.
“It’s going to be a good
fit,” Charles said. “It’s
close to home, so I’ll be
able to practice with Kevin
Weeks, my swing coach at
Cog Hill.
“My golf has highs and
lows. My short game is
pretty good, and I’m hoping
to groove in a solid
swing that I can control for
the season. If I give myself
good looks and keep out of
trouble around the course, I
can put up a good score. My
short game will save me.”
Index
43 – Athlete of the Week
40 – Sports Briefs
St. Francis finished fifth
in the 2018 CCAC Championship.
Last winter, Charles
played on Central’s basketball
team, his first action
on the court since he was
a freshman at Lincoln-Way
East. He considered it but
doesn’t see that as likely at
St. Francis, since the golf
season is both in the fall and
the spring. Adding the grind
of college basketball would
have him in action for the
entire academic year.
FASTBREAK is compiled by Editor James Sanchez,
james@newlenoxpatriot.com.