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38 | December 6, 2018 | The Lockport Legend sports lockportlegend.com LTHS boys basketball defeats Warriors Girls Basketball Porters show fight in loss Team bumps record to 4-1 with 56-45 senior night victory Randy Whalen Freelance Reporter The Lockport Township boys basketball team celebrated senior night last weekend. Then, when things weren’t going their way in the second half, the Porters stepped up and played like seniors. Lockport regrouped in the fourth quarter and pulled away in a close game to defeat Lincoln-Way West 56- 45 in a SouthWest Suburban Conference crossover clash on Friday, Nov. 30, at Lockport’s East Campus. With the victory, the Porters (4-1) continued their early season resurgence. West (1-5) lost to Lockport by almost the exact same score (57-46) on Nov. 23 in the final pool play game at the 23rd annual WJOL Thanksgiving Classic at the University of St. Francis in Joliet. But last weekend’s game was a little closer in the second half than the previous one. That’s because the Warriors went on a huge burst and cut a 17-point deficit to a single point on four occasions in the second half. But they could never tie it or take the lead. Although his team was getting blitzed in that time, Hespell never called a timeout. “We’ve got a lot of seniors, and they’re supposed to know what to do in difficult times,” Hespell explained. “You can’t spoon feed life to them. They did what they needed to do. We’re learning how to win Jacob Karli drives to the basket for the Porters during his team’s 56-45 win over Lincoln-Way West on Friday, Nov. 30, at LTHS’s East Campus. Adam Jomant/22nd Century Media and knowing that it’s not just scoring. It’s defense.” Matt Hatzopoulos, a guard and one of the Porters nine seniors, showed that. He finished with a game-high 22 points, but 17 of them came in the first half. “It’s hard to play the same team twice in a week, but even after they got close, we pushed through,” Hatzopoulos said. “We are a different team this season. We’re playing for each other.” That showed when the Warriors cut it to a single point for the last time. That was at 42-41 on a pair of free throws by sophomore guard Jacob Vassalla with 6:04 to play in the game. West then had two possessions to take the lead but turned it over each time. In the meantime, Lockport scored nine-straight points in a three-minute span to go up 51-41 with 1:22 to play in the game. The Warriors finally ended a nearly five-minute scoring drought when junior guard Jackson Ferree (5 points) scored on a driving layup with 1:07 remaining. But it was too little, too late at that point. Senior forward Blake Sartin (11 points, 4 assists, 3 steals) scored eight points, including going 6-of-6 from the line, in the fourth quarter for the Porters. “When I step to the line, I have a feeling I’m going to make them; I clear my head and relax,” Sartin said. “I practice free throws all the time, and I will stay after practice just to work on them more. “This team has a bunch of seniors, and we have a different mindset this year. We want to prove people wrong and bring Lockport back to a winning program. We all have worked on our game since the season ended last year. Coach Hespell always talks about winning is hard, and we just need to keep our composure. We lost a little of that in the third quarter, and we would not have won this game last year. But this is a different team this year.” Seniors Tommy Halatek (10 points, 9 rebounds) at center, and guards Ioannis Vassilakis (6 points) and Jake Karli (7 assists, 3 steals, 2 points) also contributed for Lockport. The rest of the Porter seniors are Emmanuel Allen, Quinn Gardner, Aaron Grcevic and Eric Keta. The Porters led the whole game, jumping out to a 7-0 advantage and leading 10-5 after one quarter. Hatzopoulos, who was 6-of-10 on 3-pointers in the game, hit four of them in the second quarter as they extended to a 28-14 halftime lead. “It was just a team effort,” Hatzopoulos said. “We moved the ball well, and my teammates found me when I was open, and I hit the shots. I had been struggling a little with 3-pointers, but when I hit that first one to open the game, I felt really good.” A 3-pointer by Vassilakis just over a minute into the third quarter gave Lockport a 31-14 lead. The Warriors, however, embarked on a 19-3 blitz over the next 3:34 to close within 34-33 on a 3-pointer by junior guard Micah Schnyders (team-high 14 points) with 2:49 to play in the third quarter. Lockport led 38-35 after three. Junior forward Andrew Pyles (12 points) and senior guard Nate Clendenning (9 points) also contributed for West. Eric Lantero, one of the West varsity assistants, is a 2010 Lockport graduate and played point guard for the Porters. A previous assistant coach at Plainfield South, it was his first trip back to Lockport as a coach for a varsity game. Lockport was to host Plainfield North on Tuesday, Dec. 4, in a nonconference clash. Then, the Porters are off for a week before traveling to Yorkville for a 7 p.m. game on Tuesday, Dec. 11. That is followed by a special Alumni Night game against Joliet Catholic Academy at 7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 15, at the old “pit” at Lockport’s Central Campus. Knebel leads Porters with 17 points, 11 rebounds in defeat Randy Whalen Freelance Reporter After having a game with a bad first quarter earlier in the week, the Lockport Township girls basketball team wanted to make sure it came out with a better start in its second game later in the week. The Porters did that, but it was a poor second quarter that proved to be the difference as they lost to Minooka 52-41 in a nonconference matchup on Saturday, Dec. 1, at Lockport’s East Campus. Elena Knebel scored a game-high 17 points and had 11 rebounds for the Porters (4-4), but it wasn’t enough as they fell back to the .500 mark on the season. Minooka (6-1) was led by senior guard Cierra Bachmann (16 points, 10 rebounds). The 17 points from Knebel, a sophomore guard/ forward, were the highest amount by a Lockport player so far this season. “For me, it was the best game of the year, but everyone can contribute,” Knebel said. “I feel we play better when we hype each other up, encourage each other.” That showed to start, as the Porters never trailed in jumping out to early leads of 2-0, 5-2 and 10-4 on an old-fashioned 3-point play by senior guard Payton Grcevic (7 points) with 2:25 left in the first quarter. Lockport, however, had committed eight fouls at that point, and it soon caught up, as the Indians were in the bonus, and Bachmann scored sixstraight points to end the quarter with a 10-10 tie. Knebel scored on a layup to start the second quarter. Then it was all Indians, as they went on an 18-2 blitz en route to a 31-17 halftime lead. A Bachmann basket made it 40-20 midway with 5:08 left in the third quarter. But there was no quit in the Porters, as they clawed back within 44-32 after three. That continued into the fourth quarter, and Lockport got as close as 49-41 on a free throw by junior guard Sawyer Hollatz with 1:57 to play in the game. But about 30 seconds later, a 3-pointer that would have cut it to five rolled off the rim, and the Indians hit three of four free throws in the final 1:11 to polish it off. Senior forwards Jackie Maka (6 points) and Kaeli Ford (5 points), along with freshman guard freshman guard Elizabeth Sochacki (5 points), also contributed for the Porters. Minooka, which has a new head coach this season in Jeff Easthon, received nine points apiece from both junior guard Allison Bugajski and senior center Kailey Kinzler. Junior post player Sophie Darden (8 points, 9 rebounds) was also big for the Indians. On Nov. 28, the Porters hosted Downers Grove North in another nonconference game and were doubled up by the score of 46-23. Lockport had trouble scoring all night as the Trojans (5-2) jumped out to a 20-5 lead after one quarter and led 25-7 at halftime. This week, Lockport was to host Lincoln-Way West on Tuesday, Dec. 4, in a South- West Suburban Conference crossover. On Saturday, Dec. 8, they are scheduled to open play in the Oak Lawn Spartan Holiday Tournament that continues next week.
lockportlegend.com sports the Lockport Legend | December 6, 2018 | 39 fastbreak Boys Swimming and Diving LTHS varsity roster filled to the brim with newcomers Adam Jomant/22nd Century Media 1st and 3 Porters boys basketball beats Warriors to keep up winning ways 1. Getting the victory The Lockport boys basketball team defeated Lincoln- Way West by a final of 56-45 in a game played Friday, Nov. 30, at LTHS’s East Campus. 2. Holding on The Warriors were able to cut a 17-point deficit to get within one point four different times in the second half, but the Porters held them off each time. 3. Clutch finish LTHS senior forward Blake Sartin had eight points, including making all six of his free-throw attempts, in the fourth quarter. Fields leads Porters team for diving this season Randy Whalen, Freelance Reporter There are a bunch of fresh faces on the Lockport Township boys swimming and diving team this season. The Porters graduated seven seniors from last year’s squad. Couple that with the fact that top returner, senior Jack O’Connor, decided not to swim for the school this season. O’Connor, a sectional champion last season in the 100-yard backstroke and the 200-yard individual medley, will continue his academic and athletic career next year at Yale University. So he decided to concentrate on school this season instead of swimming. That leaves Lockport only a few familiar names as they embark on another season. “We have a few people back with experience, but everyone else is gone,” Lockport coach Jason Ozbolt. “My varsity roster this season is very sophomore heavy (9 sophomores). So there’s going to be a lot of growth. We’re going to do some different training this season. We can only go up from here.” Two of the returners are sophomore Caesar Plaszewski and junior Augusto Ureta. Both of them will be in the 500-yard freestyle, as well as other freestyle events. Also look for seniors Michael Bates and Simon Harmata to move up to bigger roles this season. “Simon and Michael will both be in the 50-yard freestyle,” said Ozbolt, a 2000 Lockport graduate, who is now in his sixth season as head boys coach at the school. “Both did well at the [SouthWest Suburban Blue Division] Conference meet last season and hope to keep the momentum going. We’re high on the promise of the future.” Part of that future is Plaszewski, LTHS student athletes commit to play in college Staff Report Ten Lockport Township High School student athletes made their college commitments official Nov. 14 during the fall signing day at the school. The following students represent five different collegiate sports: • Matt Ramos, wrestling, University of Minnesota • Baylor Fernandes, wrestling, University of Minnesota • Anthony Molton, wrestling, Old Dominion • Ron Tucker, wrestling, University of Northern Colorado • Hannah Pacheco, volleyball, University of St. Francis • John Weis, Golf, University of St. Francis • Nolan Weis, Golf, University of St. Francis • Erin Kleffman, softball, University of Evansville • Emily Johnson, swimming, University of South Dakota • Jake Whyte, volleyball, Erskine College who made a splash as a freshman on the varsity. “I definitely think a lot of us have to work hard,” Plaszewski said of this season’s team being successful. “We lost a lot of good swimmers to graduation. But I’d like to see some of us still get to state this season. That would be good.” Another new face for the Porters this season is Spencer Krivanek, who is the freshman coach. Angie Arnold, a 2001 Lockport graduate, returns as diving coach. Another familiar face is back as the assistant coach. That’s Grant Ferkaluk, who was previously the head coach and is currently the girls swimming coach at Lockport. Diving is where the Porters could excel. They bring back one of the state’s best in senior Wrigley Fields. A state qualifier the past two seasons, Fields plans to make the trifecta of state appearances and has a goal for this season. “This year, my goal is to get to the final day,” Fields said. “My first year at state, I was 28th overall, and last season, I was 14th, so I cut that in half. My goal is to cut that in half again this season and place seventh. I’m realistic, but any given day, you can be the best. “I’m looking forward to my swimming teammates doing well, too. Hopefully, they can come and join me at state.” The Porters opened the season this past Friday, Nov. 30, by participating in the Lincoln-Way West Warrior Pentathalon. Their schedule got going this week as they hosted Lincoln-Way Central in a SouthWest Suburban Conference matchup on Tuesday, Dec. 4, and then host Andrew and the Plainfield Co-op team on Thursday, Dec. 6, starting at 5 p.m. in a triangular. This Saturday, Dec. 8, Lockport is at two different 10 a.m. invites. The divers are at the Argo Diving Invite, while the swimmers are at the West Chicago Wildcat Relays. A group of 10 student athletes at LTHS commit to play their respective sport in college on Nov. 14. Photo submitted LISTEN UP “This team has a bunch of seniors, and we have a different mindset this year. We want to prove people wrong and bring Lockport back to a winning program.” Blake Sartin — LTHS boys basketball senior forward, after his team’s win versus Lincoln-Way West Tune In Boys Basketball Back in action — 7 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 11, at Yorkville • The Porters hit the road following having a week off between games. Index 35 - Athlete of the Month 35 - Athlete of the Week FASTBREAK is compiled by Contributing Editor Thomas Czaja, tom@homerhorizon.com.
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