Latest news with #Benet
Chicago Tribune
7 hours ago
- Sport
- Chicago Tribune
All is well with Molly Welge. As Marquette recruit becomes a starter for Benet, ‘we expect her to be a star.'
Benet middle hitter Molly Welge may be the best player you've never seen. The 6-foot-3 senior recorded 34 kills and eight blocks in limited playing time last season, when she was a backup to starters Lynney Tarnow and Gabby Stasys. Stasys is a freshman at Yale, so Welge has moved into the starting lineup. 'I think people are in for an awakening because she played a lot last year, just not in the role that we expect her to play this year,' Benet coach Brad Baker said. 'We expect her to be a star. We expect her to be one of our go-to players, and we're excited for her.' Senior setter Ellie Stiernagle is excited to work with Welge, a Marquette commit who will form a fearsome duo in the middle with the 6-5 Tarnow, a Wisconsin commit. 'She's grown so much,' Stiernagle said of Welge. 'She's an absolute dog on the court right now. I can literally set her from anywhere and she'll just slam the ball down.' Welge intends to do that with regularity. 'As a middle, I really don't get set a lot,' she said. 'So every time I do get set, I'm just trying to put the ball down and get a kill and batter the ball every time I touch it.' That's something Welge did mostly in practice last season. She watched from the bench as the Redwings (40-2) reached the Class 4A state championship match for the third straight year. 'I'm really excited to step into a new role and do the best that I can,' Welge said. 'I've got a good connection with Ellie already. We can make that even better and continue to do our thing.' Welge gives the Northwestern-bound Stiernagle plenty of options. 'She's super versatile,' Stiernagle said. 'She will literally hit any set I give her, even if it's a little iffy. 'She's very athletic. She goes really fast on both pins, especially blocking. We get a lot of blocks from her, so she's a really great middle right now.' Welge wasn't bad at all a year ago. She was just part of a stacked roster that included 12 Division I commits, so she had to wait her turn. 'I honestly think it made me better and more competitive,' she said. 'Practices were really competitive. Lynney and Gabby made me compete harder. 'No matter what my role is on the team, I'm trying to do that 100%. I'm excited to keep competing.' Stiernagle has witnessed the result of Welge's competitive fire. 'Even last year, she gave both middles a run for their money,' Stiernagle said. 'Every day she was super competitive, like never backing down. 'She got so much better during this last club season, and you can see it right now.' Baker has liked what he has seen so far. Opponents, however, might not. 'Her blocking game, she's always been quick, and now her blocking has really improved,' Baker said. 'We think offensively she could be better than Gabby. 'I don't know who is going to stop her. She's been pretty unstoppable in practice, and we don't expect that to change.' It's a frightening prospect for opponents considering Tarnow has been unstoppable for a couple of seasons. Most teams are happy to have one great middle, and Benet has two. 'She's going to be a very key part of our offense this year,' Stiernagle said of Welge. Welge would have started long ago on just about any other team, but she wouldn't trade her experience at Benet for more playing time. 'It's such a competitive environment,' she said. 'Everyone is here for a reason. Everyone wants to get better. We're all pushing each other every day. It's just a really great competitive environment, and I'm really grateful to be a part of it.' The Redwings aren't favored to win the state title this season, although they're considered to be a contender. That's just fine with Welge. 'I think we're going to be competing even harder this year now that we lost some girls,' she said. 'But I think the mindset doesn't change, no matter who is on the court. 'I think we're going to be a team to look out for. We always finish strong.'
Chicago Tribune
5 days ago
- Sport
- Chicago Tribune
Benet senior Emma Briggs doesn't drive yet. Committing to Furman, though, she knows where she wants to go.
As Benet's Emma Briggs begins her senior year, she still requires a ride to school every day. But she knows exactly where she's going. 'I was giving her grief about not having her driver's license yet,' Benet coach Joe Kilbride said. 'She's young for her class, but she's always been very mature. She's very well-spoken and emotionally mature.' Briggs won't turn 17 until December, but the versatile 6-footer already has her life plan mapped out. 'I think that being a basketball player, we are always very prone to injuries,' she said. 'We are always aware of that, so I want to be an orthopedic surgeon. I want to be a part of other athletes' recovery from basketball injuries.' So Briggs considered academics in her search for a Division I program, and she committed to Furman this week. 'That was one of the things that attracted her to it is that academically it's very good,' Kilbride said. 'She had a number of schools interested in her, including several Ivy League, but Furman kind of fit what she was looking for. 'They seemed to really value what she brings as a player, so I think it's going to be a great fit from that perspective.' Briggs was playing with her AAU team in a tournament in Rock Hill, South Carolina, which is less than 100 miles from Furman's campus in Greenville. Furman's coaches were in attendance. 'I was injured for most of those games, but I went on a visit right after, and they offered me on the visit,' Briggs said. 'I had a great time on my visit, so that was definitely one of the deciding factors. 'It's also near where my parents are going to move when I graduate, so anywhere close to that was helpful.' The Briggs family will be relocating to Charlotte. 'It's like two hours away,' she said. 'So it's close enough that they can come to home games.' Briggs is the second member of Benet's senior class to commit to a Division I program, joining Richmond-bound guard Bridget Rifenburg. Both are four-year varsity players and have similar skills. 'I think Bridget and Emma are both wings in college, but in high school they are so versatile,' Kilbride said. 'Both of them are like the definition of this positionless basketball you keep hearing people talk about. 'They can guard multiple positions. Offensively, they can play multiple positions.' That will be a key for the Redwings (29-3), who don't have a lot of size. Briggs and Rifenburg will probably be post defenders but could play anywhere on offense. 'We're planning to run some stuff where both of them would be initiating it, almost like the Nuggets do with (Nikola) Jokic,' Kilbride said. 'Because both of them are really good ball handlers, they're great going downhill. They're good passers.' Briggs, who averaged 10.0 points, 7.0 rebounds and 2.5 assists last season, is coming off a third straight summer of competing for Great Britain in the FIBA EuroBasket tournament. This year, she helped Great Britain finish sixth in the B Division of the women's U18 tournament in Lithuania. 'Playing for Great Britain, I think she's gotten a lot of exposure playing against different players,' Rifenburg said. 'She's gotten so good at playmaking, and she's a really good passer. 'That helps so much because being a defender, it's hard to know what she's going to do. It kind of keeps us on our toes, and I think that makes her really dangerous.' Rifenburg isn't surprised that Briggs aspires to be a surgeon. 'She's extremely smart,' Rifenburg said. 'She's a critical thinker, and I think she definitely looks at basketball that way too. 'She's very unselfish on the court and even in the classroom. If I'm ever struggling at math or need help at anything, she's always there to help me. She's a great person on and off the court.' Briggs said she's excited for her final season with the Redwings, who are aiming to return to the state semifinals after losing to Waubonsie Valley in a Class 4A sectional championship game in each of the past two seasons. 'Especially now that me and Bridget are seniors, we're going to put everything out,' Briggs said. 'Coach Kilbride said that good teams are made of unselfish players and great teammates make great leaders. 'So I think me and Bridget have to be those leaders who are unselfish and are looking out for the team in general. We're not the type of people to be selfish on the court. I think we'll do great this year.'
Chicago Tribune
15-06-2025
- Sport
- Chicago Tribune
Luke Wildes returns less than 6 months after ACL surgery. For Benet, which is ‘more than just a team' to him.
Everyone would have understood if Benet senior Luke Wildes had decided to skip this baseball season. The second-leading receiver on the football team, Wildes suffered a torn ACL in the regular-season finale and had surgery on Nov. 12, meaning it was highly unlikely he could recover in time. But there was a catch, as there often is with Wildes. He wasn't ready to say goodbye. 'That's all I wanted to do, focus on my knee and nothing else,' he said. 'That became my life, just trying to get back on the field and help this team out.' But why rush back instead of taking some time to prepare for his baseball career at St. Johns River State College in Florida? 'It was more than just a team,' Wildes said of the Redwings. 'It was a family, and I wanted to put them in the best spot possible by getting myself as healthy as I can before the season started.' Wildes missed the first 13 games this season before making his debut as a pinch hitter in the seventh inning of a game against Marist on April 21, less than 5 ½ months after his surgery. His return stunned teammates like sophomore first baseman Quinn Rooney. 'It's just amazing he was able to come back,' Rooney said. 'We didn't even think he was going to play, but he just kept going and actually got a starting spot and probably was one of the biggest contributors we have.' Indeed, Wildes batted .338 with a home run, 16 RBIs and 17 runs scored in 25 games. He also pitched in four games, recording a 1.75 ERA with nine strikeouts over four innings. Wildes capped his high school career by going 2-for-3 with a double, a walk and a run scored during Benet's 8-5 loss to St. Laurence in the Class 3A state championship game in Joliet on Saturday. He also made three excellent catches in right field, including a sliding effort in foul territory, during a four-batter span bridging the fifth and sixth innings. 'The fact that he was out here is a miracle and just kind of shows his dedication, his work ethic, his love for his teammates, our coaches and our program,' Benet co-coach Jorge Acosta said. 'He had no business being out here this season and just worked his tail off all winter long and got back.' Wildes was limited at first. He wasn't allowed to run the bases, wear cleats or play when the grass was wet. By the end of the season, Wildes was doing all those things. Then he tweaked his shoulder while throwing a runner out at the plate during Benet's 6-3 victory over Washington in the Geneseo Supersectional. 'He hasn't really been able to throw since,' Acosta said. 'So we just kind of told him, 'Hey, man, take it easy and don't throw unless you actually need to.' 'Then he uncorked a couple of really good throws today, and it was massive. He battled for us.' The Redwings (27-13) battled the favored Vikings (37-5) by rallying from deficits of 2-0 and 5-2. Rooney's home run highlighted a two-run fourth inning, and senior center fielder Josh Gugora's RBI double scored senior third baseman Merrick Sullivan to tie it at 5-5 in the bottom of the fifth. But after Wildes made a basket catch to record the first out of the sixth, St. Laurence took the lead on an RBI double by Daniel Coyle, who pitched the final three innings to get the victory, and then added two more runs in the seventh. Wildes singled sharply to right with two out and nobody on base in the seventh to keep the Redwings alive. 'Next man up,' he said. 'That's what was going through my head.' Coyle retired Gugora on a grounder to short to clinch St. Laurence's first state title. But the Redwings walked away with their first state trophy. 'It's a dream come true,' Wildes said. 'Every little kid from the moment they start playing baseball, they want to go to the state championship and win a trophy. That's what we did today.' What will Wildes do next? After watching his inspiring return from injury, Acosta won't put limits on him. 'He's got a huge future ahead of him,' Acosta said. 'Luke is just a physical specimen and … it's going to be really, really fun to watch him wherever he ends up in terms of after junior college.' Wildes has big dreams. 'I want to play in the show,' he said. 'It's always been a goal for me.'
Chicago Tribune
13-06-2025
- Sport
- Chicago Tribune
For Benet's Nathan Cerocke, neither precipitation nor Cary-Grove can rain on hit parade in state semifinals
Junior second baseman Nathan Cerocke went 3-for-5 with an RBI and two runs scored as Benet defeated Cary-Grove in the Class 3A state semifinals on Friday. Rain fell early in the game at Duly Health and Care Field in Joliet, but that didn't slow down Cerocke. As the leadoff hitter, he kick-started the Redwings, who scored a run in the first inning, four runs in the third, one run in the sixth and five runs in the decisive seventh. He was involved in the scoring in three of those four frames. Cerocke also turned a double play that got Benet out of trouble in the sixth after Cary-Grove tied the game at 6-6. Junior pitcher Lucas Kohlmeyer got the win in relief for the Redwings (27-12), who will play St. Laurence (36-5) in the state championship game at 1 p.m. Saturday.
Chicago Tribune
12-06-2025
- Sport
- Chicago Tribune
Forget pitch clocks. Jonny Rossi works fast for state-bound Benet. ‘I do kind of mess with people.' And win.
Benet senior Jonny Rossi pitches like a guy who has somewhere to go. In the process, he has helped take the Redwings to a place they've never been. 'I work a little bit different than everyone else,' Rossi said. 'I work fast, so I do kind of mess with people. I like to do that. It's kind of my thing. 'It wasn't always that, but I kind of embraced it and use it to my effectiveness.' Rossi doesn't let any moss grow when he's on the mound. The Webster commit wastes no time between pitches, much to the delight of his teammates and fans. 'I've always liked when Jonny pitches just because he's always working quick,' Benet senior infielder Merrick Sullivan said. 'When he's on his game, it's 1-2-3, and we're right back in the dugout. 'I'm a big fan of him working quick. Most of the time it works for him, so I love it.' There has been a lot to love about Rossi's performance for the Redwings (26-12), who have advanced to the state semifinals for the first time and will play Cary-Grove (25-12) in Class 3A at the Joliet Slammers' Duly Health and Care Field at 1 p.m. Friday. An All-East Suburban Catholic Conference pick, Rossi is 6-0 with one save and has a 2.20 ERA and 38 strikeouts in 47 1/3 innings. 'We talk with a lot of our pitchers about getting into a rhythm, a nice pace, which Jonny does,' Benet co-coach Jorge Acosta said. 'He sometimes goes a little too fast, so he's probably the one where sometimes we have to tell him to slow down a little bit, like. 'Hey, man, let's breathe through two pitches.' 'But when he gets in a good rhythm, he works fast, infielders stay in it, our dugout stays in it. I think it's to his advantage because he's able to throw multiple pitches and keep you off balance.' On Monday, Rossi did exactly that. He allowed only one run over 5 1/3 innings in Benet's 6-3 victory over Washington in the Geneseo Supersectional. 'It was super fun,' Rossi said. 'I really enjoy playing in big games with a lot of people there. 'Obviously, we had never won that game before, so it was a cool chance to make history, and we came through.' Rossi pitched at his customary pace against Washington, although he was oblivious at times to the effect. 'One of the pitches I threw was a flyout to right,' he said. 'Our first baseman, Quinn, was like, 'I was turned around.' 'Most of the time I don't even realize that. I'm so go-go-go, sometimes the fielders are a little off balance. But it's fun. I think they sort of embrace it too.' Slow pitchers can cause fielders to lose focus, but that's rarely the case when Rossi pitches. 'When I'm in the field, I feel confident when he's on the mound,' Sullivan said. 'I'm always ready for a ball, but I'm confident that he's going to get a lot of weak contact and a lot of bloops in the air. 'He's been a great leader all throughout the year. He's been tough as nails, so I'm loving it.' Rossi, in turn, is grateful for his defense. He can throw three pitches for strikes, including the change-up, which is his favorite. 'I don't throw 90 to 95 (mph),' he said. 'I'm not going to strike out 15 a game or something crazy. So I just rely on my fielders, and they do an awesome job. Merrick made some awesome plays at third.' Rossi has been Benet's No. 3 starter this season but would be a No. 1 or No. 2 on many teams, according to Acosta. The Redwings have two Division I recruits: senior left-hander Jake Rifenburg, a Northwestern commit slated to start Friday, and senior right-hander Gino Zagorac, a Wichita State commit. 'It's been a good setup for us,' Acosta said. 'He has accepted his role, which helps. A lot of times it's hard for kids to kind of buy into that, but these guys are all really good friends. 'He's a kid that we have ultimate confidence in regardless if it's a bullpen or a start.' The Redwings are two wins away from the ultimate prize, their first state title. 'It would be awesome,' Rossi said. 'We sort of knew coming into this year that we had a chance. 'We had our rough patches. We kept working, and we're making a run.'
