Eastern Mass. girls' lacrosse: Globe Players of the Week, April 20-27
Julia Kipperman
, Nauset
— The Warriors defeated Mansfield, 15-14, on Tuesday, and Bishop Stang, 12-7, behind a combined 14 goals from the Merrimack-bound junior — including the late winner against the Hornets.
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Gia Papa
, Dighton-Rehoboth
— The senior attack had eight goals and nine assists for 17 points on the week, including two goals and five assists in a victory over Taunton on Monday, and six goals and three assists in a win at Seekonk on Friday.
Isa Robinson
, North Andover
— In a 3-0 week for the No. 18 Scarlet Knights, the Furman-bound senior provided 19 goals and eclipsed 200 for her career, highlighted by a seven-goal showing in a 10-8 win over Burlington on Saturday.
Trevor Hass can be reached at
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Chicago Tribune
3 hours ago
- Chicago Tribune
Naperville North's Lucy Fitzgerald wears No. 11, like her sisters did. She nearly wins it all, which Nora did.
Naperville North's Lucy Fitzgerald had to wait a long time to get regular playing time. Fitzgerald didn't make the varsity team until her junior year and only earned a starting spot about two months ago. But the senior defender never came off the field during her final game — the Class 3A state championship game, which went to double overtime Saturday night. 'It really meant so much to me because at the beginning of the year I didn't start,' she said. 'Throughout the year, I've just been working my hardest, and to be able to play all 100 minutes on the field feels really good.' There were tears in Fitzgerald's eyes, of course, because O'Fallon halted Naperville North's stirring playoff run. The Huskies' 1-0 loss at North Central College in Naperville also ended an era. Fitzgerald is the last of three sisters to play for the Huskies (17-6-3), whose underdog run to the final was reminiscent of the 2019 state championship team that included her oldest sister, Nora. Both wore No. 11. Their sister Maggie Fitzgerald, who graduated from Naperville North in 2023 and flew into town to attend the game, wore No. 11 and No. 19 during her time. 'To have Maggie come back and surprise her sister at the state championship game, that's just what makes this program special,' Naperville North coach Steve Goletz said. 'Families like the Fitzgeralds, the DeCooks, the Polaviejas, the Bueschers, there's a reason these girls were where they were. 'Nobody thought that this team would be in the state championship tonight outside of our group.' The Huskies had no Division I recruits except Tennessee-bound junior forward Claire DeCook, who played her last game because she will graduate early, and Minnesota-bound senior defender Emily Buescher. But Lucy Fitzgerald was respected for her grit and perseverance. 'Something that's incredibly special about Lucy is just her willingness to work all the time, and she never lets that negative feeling overcome her,' Buescher said. 'Every time she's given a chance, she proves that she deserves it. 'We do an awards banquet before the year ends, and her thing was most improved player because there were days when she would stay 40 to 50 minutes after practice. She would ask for me to stay or for other people to stay to help her with certain things.' Buescher, whose sister Katelynn captained the Huskies to third place in 2018 before playing at Illinois and Illinois State, added that Fitzgerald's work rate pushes teammates too. 'It makes it so easy to work hard when you're next to Lucy because you know how hard she's working,' Buescher said. 'Our last game, she absolutely saved us, so it's so easy to cheer her on because she's such a special person and a special player.' Goletz said Fitzgerald showed that Saturday, helping the Huskies hold the Panthers (23-1-1) scoreless for almost 90 minutes until Allie Tredway scored on a 22-yard rocket with 5.7 seconds left in the first overtime. 'Lucy's an incredible kid, a kid that ran the process of being in this program,' Goletz said. 'The reason you play state championship games is because you have kids who care more about the program than they do themselves. 'Lucy was such a rock back there. She was a great target on restarts, and tonight she's put on an island at times 1v1, moves her feet well.' Like most of her teammates, Fitzgerald will not play in college. But she cemented her family's legacy and set a great example. 'It's a tough thing for a high school kid to check your own ego at the door and continue to fight for your teammates,' Goletz said. 'Lucy did that day in and day out for four years, and for her to step in at the moment she had the opportunity this year and seize that spot in the back made us better.' Although her sisters' varsity careers were longer than hers, the 6-foot Fitzgerald is the tallest and strongest. But like them, she walked off the field in a Naperville North uniform for the final time having given her all and leaving behind no regrets before she heads to Tennessee, where she can cheer on DeCook. 'I feel like it was a good ending, a happy ending,' Fitzgerald said. 'Even though it's sad that it's over, I'm really happy I got to do it with this team with every single one of the girls.'
Chicago Tribune
5 hours ago
- Chicago Tribune
The best ever? Ohio State recruit Christian Teresi and Marist make case with state championship. ‘It's awesome.'
Marist's Christian Teresi wasn't going to argue with his coach. Jordan Vidovic proclaimed that the RedHawks are the best team in Illinois to ever play the sport. After they won their second straight state title, the Ohio State-bound Teresi quickly agreed. 'Of course I want to stay humble,' Teresi said. 'But I'm going to agree with him 100% on that. We went to California and beat the No. 1 team in the nation (Mira Costa). 'I feel like that was a big accomplishment for an Illinois high school. And now we won the state championship again. It's awesome.' Teresi continued his role as an awesome do-it-all player Saturday. The senior setter/right-side hitter produced 14 kills on a .619 hitting percentage to lead Marist to a 25-20, 25-20 victory over Glenbard West in the boys volleyball state championship match at Hoffman Estates. While Teresi added 15 assist and seven digs for the RedHawks (40-2), MIT recruit Nathen Toth tallied 11 kills, Jacob Finley notched 18 assists and Rorey Donnelly delivered 11 digs. Charlie Clifford led the Hilltoppers (36-6) with eight kills in a match that featured 21 ties and four lead changes. But the several times Marist needed a big play, Teresi usually provided it. 'I was telling Jacob, our setter, to keep setting me because they were not stopping me at all,' Teresi said. 'I was just going on a roll and I wanted to keep getting set. 'These are the games where I really want to stand out. There are a lot of people watching. I know we played Glenbard twice during the season, but we knew coming into this game, this was going to be a brand-new team.' It's the second straight state title in boys volleyball, third overall for the boys and third straight for Vidovic, who won in 2024 with the boys in the spring and then the girls team in the fall. Earlier in the day, Marist beat Lane Tech 25-15, 25-19 in the semifinals. Toth totaled six kills and five aces to lead the RedHawks, while Teresi chipped in with four kills and eight assists. Finley recorded eight assists and Donnelly had seven digs against Lane (35-7). Marist then put an exclamation point on a season in which the RedHawks went 30-0 against Illinois teams and dropped just one set — Friday against Lake Park in the state quarterfinals. That had Vidovic excited about placing this team at the top of the state's history list. 'There is no doubt in my mind because we went out and did it,' he said. 'Everybody else is hypothetical and we went out and played the best of the best. We went toe-to-toe with the most stacked high school volleyball teams … probably ever. 'I've been around some great Illinois teams as a player, as a spectator, as a sibling, as a coach, and I've seen some phenomenal teams, but the way the game is played right now, the speed and the way the ball is travelling, there was nothing like that back then.' Teresi closed a four-year varsity career with one more big match under his belt as a goodbye. 'I've never seen a player as compete as Christian — not at all,' Toth said. 'He can do everything. He's super athletic. He's got a wicked arm swing. I really don't know what this kid can't do. 'I don't know how you can go up there on the block and stop him.' About the only thing Saturday night that could almost stop Teresi was a question about if this year's title felt better than a year ago. It was almost like asking a parent who the favorite child is. 'I don't know … I think this year was more exciting for our team,' Teresi said. 'Well, actually I think last year was more exciting because it was our first one. 'But this was better because of us winning last year.'
Chicago Tribune
6 hours ago
- Chicago Tribune
Sophomore Shane Torres takes control behind plate for Waubonsie Valley. But he can hit, too. ‘Irreplaceable for us.'
Shane Torres, who caught 25 games on the varsity as a freshman last spring, has been an anchor defensively for Waubonsie Valley throughout its surprising playoff run. And that's not a shock. Pitching has been key for the Warriors, but what happens behind the plate is just as important. 'He's one of the best there is,' Waubonsie coach Bryan Acevedo said of Torres. 'I truly believe that. He's able to handle all of our different pitchers and block everything in the dirt. 'We can have confidence we can throw anything in any count. Even with a guy on third base, we know it's not getting by him. And this year, he's added the offense. He's irreplaceable for us.' High praise, especially for a sophomore like Torres. And he was at it again Saturday. Torres handled a gem thrown by senior right-hander Nick Lambert as the 10th-seeded Warriors upset Downers Grove North 5-0 in the Class 4A Lockport Sectional final at Ed Flink Field. The 5-foot-10, 190-pound Torres, who bats left-handed, also led the offense for surging Waubonsie (23-12) with two singles, a walk and two RBIs. 'He does an amazing job,' said Lambert, who did likewise in pitching a five-hitter with three strikeouts and no walks on just 75 pitches. 'He's a good framer, good blocker. 'He keeps the run game down, which really helps.' The Warriors also had just five hits, but took advantage of seven walks issued by three pitchers for the top-seeded Trojans (30-8), who didn't help their cause with three errors. Waubonsie didn't make an error behind Lambert, who followed up the first-rate effort in the semifinals by ace Owen Roberts. 'Nick has been unbelievable for us on the mound this year,' Acevedo said. 'He's gotten better every single time out. He threw some last year, and we talked in the offseason. He asked what he had to do to be in the rotation. 'I said, 'You're stuff has to be a little sharper,' and, jeez, did he do that. Owen gets a lot of notoriety, but Nick has been equally good. We play good defense behind him and find ways to score runs. It's special.' Last season, Waubonsie lost 3-2 to Downers Grove North in the sectional final on a walk-off homer in the seventh. Lambert, who last week pitched the Warriors to the regional title, didn't pitch that game in 2024 but still remembered. 'It gave me a little confidence,' Lambert said of winning the regional. 'But I did come in here pretty nervous. I try to work quick, throw strikes, let them put the ball in play and trust my defense.' Lambert finished it in style for the Warriors — who play Monday at 6 p.m. in the Illinois Wesleyan Supersectional against Normal Community (35-4), a 10-8 winner over O'Fallon — by fielding a comeback grounder and running it to first base himself. That clinched the program's first sectional title since Michael Bowden, who went on to play for the Chicago Cubs, led Waubonsie to the Class AA quarterfinals in 2005. 'We came in understanding we're playing with a little house money,' Acevedo said. 'We're not supposed to be here and that's helped us play loose. Having been here last year helped, too.' Senior right fielder Josh Hung also drove in two runs with a sacrifice fly and single. Roberts, playing second base, scored twice after reaching base three times. Torres, an academic all-conference pick who uses a wide stance at the plate that he developed on his own, said Waubonsie's approach was to be patient and not chase. And it worked out well. 'For me, it's a case of more simple, less movement,' Torres said. 'There's less head movement which helps me see the ball better.' Torres had a narrow stance with a huge leg kick in eighth grade. 'It didn't really work well, so I simplified it and came by it myself,' he said. 'With two strikes, I'd widen up a little bit and I'd hit better, so I thought, 'Why don't I just stay there?'' Little wonder his coach said of Torres, 'He's special.'
