42 | August 22, 2019 | the new lenox patriot sports newlenoxpatriot.com Athlete of the Week 10 Questions with Michael Cascino Michael Cascino is a Providence graduate entering his junior season on the golf team at Butler University. How did this season go at Butler? It went well. I started off pretty good in the fall. In the spring, it was difficult for me. My putting was very poor. I lost my ball striking toward the end of the spring. Everything was kind of going the wrong way at the end, but before that I played really well. What type of coach is coach [Bill] Mattingly? Coach Mattingly is an old school coach. He lets us play and make our own decisions. He preaches the short game like any other coach. He doesn’t control us in our decisions, but he does help us out in practice. What is your favorite memory from this past season? Playing at Inverness Club in Toledo, Ohio. That course was probably the best course I’ve played in college. We all played pretty well and we had a blast. How have summer tournaments been going? The summer has been up and down. I played well in some stretches, and then played poorly in others. I think that my game is coming around. I played pretty well in the Illinois Open [tying for 27th]. It’s all rounding into form. Are you working on anything specific over the summer? Right now, I’m just working on training. I’m just trying to work out more and become more physically strong. I’m also trying to improve my putting. What has been your favorite collegiate memory so far? Qualifying and practicing, getting a late nine. Just being around my friends and the team has been great. I get to play golf with my friends every day. I enjoy the team atmosphere. How did playing golf at Providence help you get ready for college? Providence helped prepare me because I got the opportunity to play against some of the best golfers in the state. The whole team aspect and playing your number. Having a coach tell you what has and what hasn’t been working for your teammates and translating that to your game. How does a background in hockey Butler University help with your golf game? It actually helps a lot. The movements in hockey are very similar to the movement you want in a golf swing. It helped in high school because it gave me a break from golf in the winter. It kind of helped to reenergize for the spring. Both of those aspects were huge. What are your goals for golf in the future? I hope that I have a future in golf, but I’m pretty realistic about it. Whether I do or not, the big thing that I’ll look back on is all of the experiences I’ve had during my career. I’m going to give it all that I have, anything after that is out of my control. What’s up with the lettuce [long flowing hair]? At the end of last year, I had a mullet. I cut it this summer; I can still put it in a bun though. I think that I’m going to grow it back out again. Interview conducted by Editorial Intern Joe Bielanski Mokena pool team has strong showing at world championship STEVE MILLAR, Sports Editor When the Slop Shots, a pool team based out of The Alley in Mokena, arrived in Las Vegas earlier this month for the American Poolplayers Association’s 8-Ball World Championship, seven of the eight team members were making their first appearance at the massive event. Thus, expectations were not super high. The Slop Shots, though, surprised themselves with a deep run in the event. They tied for 33rd out of 720 teams and were the highest-finishing team from Illinois. “We didn’t expect this,” said New Lenox resident Daniela Valencia. “We never thought we’d finish this high.” Daniela Valencia’s husband, David, was the only player on the team with past experience at the world championship, having played there once before in 1997. Other team members included New Lenox’s Randy Fencl and Ken Kazaitis, Frankfort’s Jason Brown, Tinley Park’s Rick Meter and Jeff Pazdan, and Orland Park’s Scott Coppens. The tournament’s early rounds feature a double elimination format, but Slop Shots never needed to take advantage of that as they went 4-0 and advanced to the single elimination portion on Aug. 11. Tournament matches have a time limit and Slop Shots’ fifth match reached that mark with the teams tied, forcing a one game, winner-take-all sudden death tiebreaker, which The Mokena-based Slop Shots tied for 33rd out of 720 teams at the APA World Championship in Las Vegas. Team members include (from left) Scott Coppens, Randy Fencl, Rick Meter, Ken Kazaitis, David Valencia, Daniela Valencia, Jason Brown and Jeff Pazdan. Steve Millar/22nd Century Media Slop Shots lost to end their run. “We all shot great,” Brown said. “We were unlucky to lose in sudden death. It was a great experience. I can’t wait to try it again next year.” Daniela Valencia said the team’s success made her realize how tough the qualifying events were and how those competitions had prepared her team for the big stage. The Slop Shots were just one win away from making it to Las Vegas last year. “I think it showed that the teams in our area are really tough,” she said. With over 5,000 top amateur pool players from around the world competing on dozens of tables inside the Westgate Las Vegas Resort and Casino, it was quite the atmosphere. Of course, Las Vegas was not a bad place to hang out between matches, either. The Slop Shots were sure to soak it all in. “It was absolutely amazing to see all the different teams from different states and see all the skill levels,” Daniela Valencia said. “We had so much fun the whole time out there.” While the tournament ended in heartbreaking fashion with the suddendeath loss, Daniela Valencia said all the team members were proud of how they performed. “It was amazing just to get out there,” she said. “We all stuck together. We won as a team and we lost as a team and we had a blast.” The Slop Shots already have their sights set on a return trip next summer. “Everybody said that now we know what to expect next time,” Daniela Valencia said. “Hopefully, next time will be next year. We’re going to go for it, give it our all and take our best shot at making it back to Las Vegas next year.”
newlenoxpatriot.com new lenox the new lenox patriot | August 22, 2019 | 43 Daily reading... Stay informed on your schools and your sports teams every day with unmatched coverage at NewLenoxPatriot.com ...With extra credit Access to 7 local-news sites, Breaking News alerts, Best-of emails and more Support your favorite hometown news for just $3.25/month Starting at $3 25 a month! Subscribe today at NewLenoxPatriot.com/Plus or scan the QR for a direct link
Change language