Latest news with #Kaneland
Chicago Tribune
3 days ago
- Sport
- Chicago Tribune
At age 36, Kaneland alum Casey Crosby makes pitching comeback for Kane County Cougars. ‘Somebody said he threw 98.'
Last summer, Casey Crosby did what many dads do. The Kaneland graduate and former MLB pitcher took his wife, Haley, and their four kids to see a Kane County Cougars game. 'My kids were rolling down the hill,' Crosby said. 'My wife and I had some drinks. It's just a fun time to be out here. It was a different perspective when I came back here for a couple of games.' Four years removed from the end of his professional baseball career, Crosby had earned his master's degree in accounting at Northern Illinois and completed his CPA. 'I was done, mentally and physically,' Crosby said. 'It was time to start the next chapter.' Noticing former Chicago Dogs teammate Harrison Smith, however, get ready before the game tugged at Crosby. 'I was sitting there watching him warm up and I was like, 'I think I could do this with how life is right now,'' Crosby said. 'That's when the idea came into my head. 'I put that in the back of my head and started throwing a little bit. I felt good.' Fast forward to Thursday, and you can officially change his Wikipedia page from former professional baseball player to current professional baseball player. With blessings from his family and his bosses at a St. Charles commercial real estate firm, Crosby officially signed with the Cougars and pitched three scoreless innings in two outings at age 36. It was his first professional action since the 2020 season with the Chicago Dogs. 'Basically, there were no obstacles in my way to do it, just myself, my own mentality of going for it,' Crosby said. 'If I can still do it and there's nothing stopping me, why wouldn't I?' Crosby enlisted the help of Kaneland catcher Nate Campbell to work his bullpen sessions at Elburn Field House. Crosby was drafted in by the Detroit Tigers right around the time the Coe recruit was born but Campbell was glad to help out. 'He's in his mid-30s, but he's a great guy and he treats me like a brother,' Campbell said of Crosby. 'I was impressed. He just recently picked it back up. Right away, he was throwing heat. 'I was like, holy cow, especially from the left side.' Crosby asked Smith, ex-teammate, to help him get in touch with Cougars manager George Tsamis. In his time managing independent baseball teams, Tsmasis has fielded similar calls. 'Sometimes, you get these with guys who haven't played in years and then you never hear from them again,' Tsamis said. 'In this case, he really wanted the opportunity.' Crosby's start to the season was delayed due to biceps soreness. When Crosby was finally ready to go, Tsamis signed him and immediately put him into a pressure situation. 'That one inning the other night was pretty nice,' Tsamis said. 'Somebody said he threw 98. That's amazing to me. It's nice and easy. It's very impressive.' Crosby said he did a lot of work on his mental health in his time away from baseball. The unburdening of the pressure from being a fifth-round draft pick and relying on the sport as his livelihood has freed him up this time around. 'I dealt with my fair share of trials and tribulations throughout baseball,' Crosby said. 'It just helped me get a new perspective on what I'm doing and what this is.' This time around, Crosby has a new outlook. 'It's a new goal — just to have fun and enjoy the game.' he said. 'I felt like I wasn't able to enjoy the game with that kind of stuff weighing on me.' With that burden off his shoulders, Crosby is giving it one more shot. 'When you strip everything down, the crowd, the money that's in baseball, it's a fun game,' Crosby said. 'For me to do this professionally for a third stint, I just count my blessings all the time.'
Chicago Tribune
5 days ago
- Sport
- Chicago Tribune
A sacrifice fly? Think again, Quinn Rooney. ‘It just kept going.' He makes sure Benet keeps going too.
Benet sophomore first baseman Quinn Rooney put his head down and ran hard after hitting the towering fly ball to right field. It wasn't until he got to second base that he realized what he had done. Kaneland junior right fielder Carter Grabowski drifted back and got ready to catch what everyone figured would be a sacrifice fly. Then he signaled that he couldn't find the ball. That's because it was gone for a tie-breaking three-run home run. 'I actually didn't think it was a home run,' Rooney said. 'I thought it was like a sac fly to the right fielder. But as I was rounding second, I saw the home plate umpire point like that, and I just got really excited.' So did Rooney's teammates, who mobbed him after he crossed home plate with what turned out to be the decisive run in Benet's 5-4 victory in the Class 3A Kaneland Regional championship game. Rooney's first home run of the season, coming in the fifth inning, capped a five-run rally by the second-seeded Redwings (23-12), who advance to the Kaneland Sectional semifinals to play top-seeded Burlington Central at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday. Third-seeded Kaneland (25-11) led 2-0 when junior second baseman Nathan Cerocke and senior third baseman Merrick Sullivan led off the inning with singles for Benet. Senior right fielder Luke Wildes walked to load the bases for senior center fielder Josh Gugora, who hit a slow tapper to third. An errant throw home allowed two runs to score. Rooney followed with his decisive swing. 'Off the bat, I was excited because, all right, at least that's one, you know, if it was a sac fly,' Benet co-coach Jorge Acosta said. 'He caught enough to backspin it, and it just kept going and got out of here. It was awesome, a good moment for him.' Rooney has had many good moments this season. The Redwings originally planned to use him as a pitcher, but he impressed so much at first base during the preseason that he earned the starting spot there. 'He's been one of our biggest clutch hitters all year long,' Acosta said. 'I think this is his fourth or fifth game-winning hit. 'He had a couple walk-off hits back-to-back days against Naperville North and Carmel. He's very calm in big spots and keeps things simple. He just finds a barrel, and good things happen.' Not much good was happening in this game for the Redwings, who had mustered only two singles off Kaneland junior pitcher Hayden Foster through the first four innings. But Foster's day was done after Rooney's homer. 'I just had to stay relaxed just like any other at-bat,' Rooney said. 'You can't tense up in those tough moments but just got to show up for your team.' The Redwings know they can rely on Rooney to do so. 'He's been huge all year coming through in big spots,' Benet senior pitcher Gino Zagorac said. 'As a sophomore especially, it's tough. 'There's a lot of pressure on you, but he's thrived through all the pressure, and he's came up in big spots for us a lot throughout the year. You've got to give a lot of credit to him for staying composed.' Zagorac (3-2), a Wichita State recruit, stayed composed despite some struggles with command. He walked four and hit a batter but allowed only two hits and struck out six, leaving after issuing a leadoff walk in the sixth. 'It was tough in the beginning trying to find my all my pitches, and then as the game went on, I was able to throw three pitches in the zone for strikes,' Zagorac said. 'That helped me keep them off balance and battle through even though I didn't have my best stuff.' Benet junior Lucas Kohlmeyer pitched two innings to get the save. Rooney helped him by making a diving catch for the first out of the seventh inning and then grabbed a grounder and tossed the ball to Kohlmeyer for the second out. Northwestern-bound senior Jake Rifenburg is scheduled to pitch for Benet on Wednesday. Zagorac said 'the entire school' has confidence in Rifenburg, while Rooney said the Redwings have confidence in themselves. 'We've been battling all year, but we just got to keep going,' Rooney said. 'We're just going to keep winning games, eventually getting to state. That's the goal.'
Yahoo
02-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Arnold downs Kaneland in Beach Bash opener
PANAMA CITY BEACH, Fla. (WMBB) – The Arnold baseball team opened the 2025 Beach Bash Tournament with an 8-2 victory over Kaneland (IL) on Tuesday afternoon. The Marlins earned a second win of the tournament on Tuesday night, improving to 16-6 on the season. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Chicago Tribune
20-03-2025
- Sport
- Chicago Tribune
Column: Olympics could be next after Kaneland alum Matt Richtman wins Los Angeles Marathon. ‘This is the future.'
Welcome to the bigs, Matt Richtman. Garnering attention in the Fox Valley for his running feats is nothing new to the Kaneland graduate from Elburn, but Richtman's surprising win last weekend in the Los Angeles Marathon is definitely next-level stuff. Deena Kastor, a three-time American Olympian who took the bronze medal in 2004, summed it up this way during the local broadcast of Sunday's race: 'This is the future of American distance running we saw on display here in LA,' she said. 'For Matt to run 2:07.56, that's some serious running for someone so young in their marathon career.' Richtman accomplished it in only his second marathon, the first American in three decades to win in the 40th running of the LA race. He ran his first marathon, the Twin Cities in Minnesota last October, taking fourth in 2:10.47. 'My time there got people to see what I was capable of doing,' Richtman said of the notice he received. It led to him signing with running agents Josh and Carrie Cox of San Diego and a shoe deal with Asics. Richtman's LA time tied for the seventh-fastest marathon run by an American. 'So much can happen in a marathon,' Richtman said. 'I wanted to stay in the pack the first hour and make a move if I was feeling good.' He did just that, joined by three Kenyan runners, but pulled away over the next 5K. He earned $10,000 for the win and a $10,000 bonus for winning the gender battle. Elite women runners started 16:05 before the elite men and the first finisher took the extra cash. 'I was pretty pumped crossing the line,' Richtman said. 'It's hard to know where you're at in training, especially never having run this race this much at that point. 'I knew a little bit about the field, but not a whole lot. Winning certainly was the goal coming in, but it's really more race-day motivation.' Richtman high school highlights included winning the Class 2A state title in cross country among seven all-state finishes. He spent two years in college at Bradley before finishing up at Montana State, where he was an All-American his final two years. His two sisters — Rebecca, a year older, and Rachel, two years younger — have run in college as well. Rebecca, a four-time NAIA All-American for Montana Tech, now coaches distance runners at Purdue. Rachel, Kaneland's only four-time all-state cross country runner, is a fifth-year senior at Colorado in Colorado Springs. All three trained at much greater altitude in college — Matt at 4,817 feet, Rebecca at 5,538 and Rachel at 6,035 — than home at Elburn's 840 feet. 'Bozeman was a good opportunity to explore a little bit while still in school, and (the altitude) definitely did impact my training,' Matt said. He finished second in his first competitive race longer than 6.2 miles, running a half-marathon for fun last June in Missoula, Montana, with former teammates after completing his mechanical engineering degree. 'I've always liked longer distances,' said Richtman, who then set his sights on the marathon. Richtman came home and lived with his parents, Tom and Karen. He planned and designed his own marathon training and also volunteered at Kaneland, helping his former cross country coach Chad Clarey with the team. 'I'd run with them every day, saw how high school kids respond to every little thing, and it helped my running,' Richtman said. Richtman returned to Bozeman to continue his training, which was preceded March 2 by the USATF Half-Marathon Championships in Atlanta, where he finished sixth in 1:01.14 It prompted his agent Josh, a two-time U.S. 50K record holder and three-time U.S. national team member, to post on X, 'He won't sneak up on anyone now. Dude is a contender. Matt is special.' Last Sunday, Richtman proved it. Clarey still remembers his young runner who would finish a race, usually first, then turn around at the line and proceed to shake hands or high-five fellow competitors as they crossed the line. 'He's just a pure soul, so humble, and a kid who cares for everyone, but also competitive and someone who appreciates others who push him,' Clarey said. 'Because of his young age and not many miles on his body, the Olympic marathon is a real possibility for him.' Richtman isn't sure where his next marathon will be — likely Berlin in September, Chicago in October or New York in November — but it should include a nice appearance fee, given the exposure he has gained. As for the 2028 Olympics, which will be in Los Angeles? 'It's definitely a dream,' Richtman said. 'I'm trying to stay a little bit reserved. It's three, four years away. I'm really focusing on each race as it comes. 'Last week definitely gives me confidence moving forward.'
Chicago Tribune
11-03-2025
- Sport
- Chicago Tribune
Marshawn Cocroft always rises to the occasion for Kaneland. It's what he does best. ‘Just got the same confidence.'
Before junior point guard Marshawn Cocroft arrived on the scene, Kaneland already had all the makings of a very successful boys basketball team. The puzzle was indeed there. The Aurora Christian transfer, though, became the missing piece as the Knights made history. 'It's probably my favorite season ever playing high school basketball,' Cocroft said. 'We had a great season, 32 wins, getting to a supersectional. We hadn't done that in over 40 years. 'Even though we didn't get the goal we wanted, we still had a great season. We have to keep our heads up and get ready for next year.' Next year begins right away as Kaneland's magical run came to an end Monday night with a 68-28 loss to DePaul Prep in the Class 3A Hoffman Estates Supersectional at NOW Arena. Senior forward Freddy Hassan paced the Knights (32-2), who had their 31-game winning streak snapped, with 12 points. Cocroft and sophomore forward Jeffrey Hassan added six points apiece. Rykan Woo led all scorers with 14 points for DePaul Prep (31-4). AJ Chambers and Makai Kvamme each had 10. Hassan grew up with Cocroft, so he knew the player the Knights were getting — and that Cocroft was just what the doctor ordered. 'Coming into the season, we knew we needed a point guard that can step up and lead us, not only on the court but off the court,' Hassan said. 'He brings our confidence up when we're losing.' Kaneland coach Ernie Colombe had observed how much of an impact player Cocroft was at Aurora Christian. As Cocroft's first season in the program went on, Colombe gained an even better appreciation. 'He's done a great job,' Colombe said of Cocroft. 'He came in, and one of the things he's really helped us with, whether we're up 10 or down 10, he looks the same. He's just got the same confidence. I think he helps the other kids build that confidence. 'You look out there when he's on the court, you feel like you have a shot to come back and win. I think he's really helped guys to understand to play a little more even-keeled.' DePaul Prep jumped on Kaneland in the early going Monday, however, and the Knights were unable to recover. The Rams roared to a 26-3 lead in the second quarter and never looked back. 'We've been working hard all year, and sometimes you run into a team that's really, really good and you tip your hat,' Colombe said. 'They hit shot after shot. They didn't miss much. We haven't had a team shoot like that. 'I think it was a combination. We were pressing a little bit. We took some tough shots early. A lot of that is their defense is really, really good. Then they were on fire, so it kind of snowballed early.' DePaul Prep coach Tom Kleinschmidt confirmed that his team's defensive attention centered on limiting Cocroft and Freddy Hassan. 'They're excellent players,' Kleinschmidt said. 'We wanted to make sure we focused on them. We know we're a good defensive team, but if you play those two one-on-one, they cause problems.' Cocroft explained what made it so difficult to find open shots against the Rams. 'They're always in help,' Cocroft said. 'When we had the ball, there was always a defender on the help side keying in on our best players. They were more physical than us. I just feel like they were really ready for us. They had physicality. 'We just didn't match up to it.' The accomplishments Kaneland achieved this season can't be minimized regardless of the final outcome, though. The program's first sectional title since 1982, a program-record 32 wins, plus the 31-game win streak, should be the springboard to future success. 'We're really proud of these guys and the season they've had and how hard they've worked,' Colombe said. 'That's not going to go away because of (Monday).'
