A beast in the weight room, Sandburg shortstop AJ Macak also lifts his teammates' spirits. ‘Phenomenal leader.'

Chicago Tribune

05-04-2025

When Sandburg's AJ Macak was in eighth grade, his older brother, Danny, gave him some advice.
Hit the weight room.
'He told me if I wanted to elevate my game, I would have to start lifting soon,' AJ said.
So, Macak hit the weight room, and his first attempt was a struggle.
'I went to bench (press), and to be honest, I couldn't even bench the bar,' he said, referring to the 45-pound bar that connects the weights.
That has changed. The senior shortstop can now boast a personal-best 365 bench lift to go with a 650-pound deadlift and 550-pound squat.
'He takes his lifting seriously,' Sandburg coach Jim Morsovillo said in an understatement.
Macak also takes his baseball seriously. The Augustana commit delivered a double during a seven-run fifth Friday to help the Eagles beat Tinley Park 10-2 in a six-inning nonconference game that was called on account of darkness in Orland Park.
Dominic Diamond added two hits for Sandburg (5-1), while Dominic Palumbo scored two runs and pinch-hitter Lucas Matykiewicz came through with a triple.
Junior pitcher Peter Jurcenko worked five strong innings, striking out six and allowing two runs on three hits.
Macak helped keep the seven-run rally going in the fifth with a double to right field. He motored to third base on an error when the ball was thrown into the infield.
'We had a runner in scoring position and I needed to put a bat to the ball,' Macak said. 'I saw the ball well and drove it the opposite way.
'I was actually looking at coach Morsovillo at third. I looked up and saw that the ball was in the middle of the field, and I didn't see anyone within a 30-foot vicinity. I took advantage of it.'
Leadoff hitter Nolan Maciejewski scored both runs for Tinley Park (3-5). Danny Weed and Josh Aggen added RBIs for the Titans, who averaged 16 runs in their first three wins.
On Friday, Tinley Park trailed Sandburg just 3-2 heading into the bottom of the fifth. That's when Macak came through. And while powerlifters aren't known for their speed, Macak is an exception.
'He has the ability to get on base and steal some bases once he gets going,' Morsovillo said. 'Going to third was a hustle play. While the ball was in play, he paid attention.
'When that thing got away, he got to third base. He's a heads-up kind of player.'
Macak owns three Illinois High School Powerlifting Association records in the 165-pound division, including a three-lift total of 1,460 pounds.
He knows bulking up can hurt his speed, so he made some adjustments for 2025.
'One of the biggest things I was working on last year was my speed,' Macak said. 'I know that last year was a little lackluster.
'I gained some strength and improved the wheels. I did a lot of the speed workouts with coach (Justin) Joy, and I really appreciated the help.'
Jurcenko, who walked three in the first two innings before abandoning his windup and pitching in the stretch the rest of the way, appreciates his powerlifting teammate.
'He's a phenomenal leader,' Jurcenko said of Macak. 'He can get the guys going and keep the team motivated. I think that's what we really need to be a successful team.'
Macak made his decision to attend Augustana shortly before the season began. Through Thursday, the Vikings were 9-9, including an astounding 30-3 win over Baruch in Florida.
'I was introduced to them by coach Joy, and I think the coaches and facilities are great,' Macak said. 'The team has a gritty and hard-working personality, and that's what I want to strive for.'