Latest news with #Marmion
Chicago Tribune
13-05-2025
- Sport
- Chicago Tribune
Sophomore Luke Young, called up after six games, makes pitch for Marmion. Again and Again. ‘Started to settle in.'
Sophomore right-hander Luke Young was called up from junior varsity for Marmion's sixth game of the season, a nonconference showdown against defending Class 1A power Ottawa Marquette. Little did Young know, in the six weeks to follow, that he would use the opportunity to become one of Cadets' most important pitchers. 'I heard talks about maybe pitching on varsity, but I started on JV,' Young said. 'When I got the call, I was super excited. Now, I'm confident and excited to pitch more varsity games.' Young's latest test came against crosstown rival Aurora Central Catholic. Young worked five strong innings Monday, keeping Marmion in the game until a three-run rally in the seventh inning resulted in a 4-3 Catholic League White win. Young struck out five and gave up only one earned run on three hits and four walks for the Cadets (17-11-1, 8-1), who pulled out the win by scoring two runs with two outs in the top of the seventh after a pop-up by Charlie Schweiner with the bases-loaded fell. Schweiner and Michael Lio each contributed two hits for Marmion. Eddie Morvice earned the win in relief and Matt Murray came on for the save. The big seventh squandered a solid outing from Tyler Davis, who went 5 2/3 innings before hitting his pitch count for ACC (14-12, 5-6). He struck out seven, allowing a run on three hits and five walks. Raul Gomez Jr. and Andrew Nugent each added RBI singles for the Chargers. Young, meanwhile, has continued to impress at every opportunity for the Cadets. He built on last week's solid win over Montini with Monday's performance. 'Luke was great, especially being a sophomore up on varsity,' Marmion assistant coach Will Dorjath said. 'He's had a lot of opportunities to build up to this, and I think this was one of the best he's looked. 'The first couple outings he got his feet wet, and now I think you can see he's going to be a mainstay on this staff for years to come.' In the offseason, Marmion was impressed by Young's arsenal. With 16 seniors, however, varsity opportunities weren't plentiful. After six games, though, the Cadets made the call. And Young hasn't looked back. 'We saw early in the offseason he had a really nice fastball,' Dorjath said. 'When he really commits to that curveball, it's really good. And just the poise on the mound, he's a guy who wants the ball in pressure situations. 'Even as a sophomore, you can see that mental side to him that you can't really beat.' Young exited the game Monday down 2-1. Marmion then loaded the bases in the seventh with two outs on a fielder's choice, a hit and a walk. Down to his last strike, Schweiner produced the bloop that fell in between the second baseman and right fielder, and suddenly, Young was off the hook for the loss. Marmion also was in the lead. 'Put balls in play and you never know what will happen,' Dorjath said. 'That's baseball.' ACC went from what looked like a hard-fought win to a stunning loss. It gave Davis a no-decision. 'Tyler pitched outstanding,' ACC coach Rich Swann said. 'Every time he was in any kind of trouble he was able to work out of it. His off-speed stuff was dynamite, throwing it for strikes. 'He got his fastball over as well. When he pitches like that, he's tough to hit.' At the same time, Young felt a sense of relief when the ball dropped in during the seventh. Having passed yet another varsity test with the postseason looming, he's ready for more. 'I've started to settle in and it's become slower for me and I'm more comfortable,' Young said. 'I'm excited to contribute as much as I can and do whatever I can to win games.'
Chicago Tribune
28-04-2025
- Sport
- Chicago Tribune
West Aurora's Gracie Del Toro, who comes from soccer family, carves out niche. Like her mom. ‘We have a connection.'
Soccer is big in her family, but for West Aurora sophomore Gracie Del Toro, it doesn't top the list. That doesn't make her an outlier, however. After trying both sports at a young age, Gracie simply became bullish on softball. 'I was a goalie,' Del Toro said. 'I liked making diving saves and was always rolling around, getting dirty. Then I tried softball and found out there was a lot of sliding and diving in the dirt, too.' That said, the 5-foot-2 Toro has settled in on the outfield grass for the Blackhawks. She plays left field in her second year on varsity and then center field for the Wasco Diamonds in travel. Del Toro and senior center fielder Keira Hayton provided speedy blanket coverage Saturday for host West Aurora but it wasn't enough in a 3-1 nonconference loss to Plainfield Central. Hayton ran down five fly balls and Del Toro three, but the Blackhawks (9-1) were checked on two hits — a single and a double by Hayton. Kaylynn Howe struck out nine for the Wildcats (8-9-1). Two walks, a fielder's choice and a sacrifice fly by sophomore first baseman Alyssa Falcone accounted for the only run by West Aurora (9-10). 'It definitely wasn't my day,' said Del Toro, held hitless in two at-bats with a sacrifice bunt. 'She wasn't coming with a lot of speed or a lot of spin. A high fastball was giving a lot of us trouble.' Gracie's dad, Ricky, and her uncle, Joel, got their kicks playing soccer at Marmion before going Division I in college. Ricky graduated in 2002, then played at IUPUI. Joel graduated in 2004, then played at Eastern Illinois. Olivia, Gracie's older sister, has followed in their father's footsteps. The James Madison-bound senior midfielder/forward is an outstanding soccer player for West Aurora (8-2-1). 'We have a connection with softball, too,' Gracie said. 'Our mom, Whitnie, is from Sacramento, California. She played softball at IUPUI — shortstop. That's where she met my dad.' Olivia, a team captain, missed the early part of the season but is still second in scoring for West Aurora with four goals and three assists in just three games. She led the Blackhawks last year with 15 goals and seven assists. Their dad, Ricky, teaches in the foreign languages department at West Aurora and also serves as an assistant coach for the Aurora University men's soccer team. He previously coached high school in Indianapolis and at Marmion. Like her mom, Gracie also hopes to play softball in college. West Aurora coach Randy Hayslett recently flipped Del Toro from batting second to third in the order, exchanging places with Hayton. 'She's fast and pretty quick,' Hayslett said of Del Toro. 'Gracie's getting stronger. She's small, but she packs a punch and she's stronger than people think. 'She's a captain of this team, and everybody thinks the world of her. She's one of our leaders.' Del Toro is hitting .380 with four doubles, a triple and 15 RBIs. She also has 10 stolen bases on 11 attempts. 'Individually, I'm doing better this season,' she said. 'Last year, I struggled some with the quicker pitching at the varsity level. This year, I've gotten used to it. 'As far as flipping me to third in the order, Keira does a lot more soft slapping and bunting for a hit. I'm more of a hard slapper, and it has helped my RBI total.' Del Toro also gave another sport a try this past fall, playing for West Aurora's inaugural girls flag football team, which won a regional title and advanced to the sectional final. 'I had several friends on the softball team who were going to try out,' she said. 'They convinced me to try it.' She was joined on the team by sophomore infielder Bella Marzullo and sophomore catcher Macie Spenny, who split time at quarterback for the surprising Blackhawks. 'I ended up playing wide receiver,' Del Toro said. 'It turned out to be a lot of fun, and I'll play again this fall. A lot of the drills involving footwork were similar to some things in softball. 'After our run last year, there seems to be even more interest. I've had a lot of people asking me about it, and I think in a few years, flag football is going to be pretty big.'
Chicago Tribune
03-03-2025
- Sport
- Chicago Tribune
Ashton Hobson stays in ready mode as Marmion wins Class 3A dual team state title. ‘Go out there and score points.'
BLOOMINGTON — Marmion's Ashton Hobson had very little time to worry about his usual spot in the wrestling rotation. With the coaching staff looking to optimize the lineup for Saturday's final match against Rockton Hononegah, the junior standout didn't flinch at moving up a weight class for the Cadets. 'I found out pretty much on the spot, but I was ready to go out there and score points,' Hobson said after the excitement of competing at 157 pounds. 'The whole team just rallied together.' Hobson put things together, delivering a pin in the first period of Max Aranki to ignite Marmion to a 42-31 victory in the Class 3A dual team state championship match at Grossinger Motors Arena. It was the first team state title in program history for the Cadets (21-2). The Class 3A championship match started at 150 pounds, Hobson's usual weight class. Junior Zach Stewart, who finished second in the state at 144, registered a win by technical fall. Junior Demetrios Carrera, a transfer from South Elgin, clinched the title at 132 with a 6-3 decision over state champ Rocco Cassioppi. Carrera lost 7-1 to Cassioppi in the individual quarterfinals. Hobson (34-6), meanwhile, completed a superb run after taking third last weekend in the individual state meet. He added wins by technical fall in preliminary wins over Schaumburg and Hersey. 'Last week was great by getting third, but I really wanted to focus on the team,' Hobson said. 'My favorite part is the family aspect, and that's what this was all about. I wanted to be part of that.' Two years ago as a freshman, Hobson dealt with a series of hand injuries and missed much of the season. He returned for the state dual, with Marmion losing 28-24 to St. Charles East in the final. 'Finishing first is so much better,' he said. 'I just felt great the whole season. It's long and intense, but even when I started to feel fatigued or worn by practice, I just stayed focused.' Last season as a sophomore, Hobson (39-11) finished sixth at 144. He was a cut above at 150 or 157, however, during the Cadets' journey to the state championship. 'You could just see with his sophomore year,' Stewart said of Hobson. 'He was just really starting to get into it and become what he is now. 'The energy we had at the start was just unmatched. Once one of us does something that exceeds expectations, it just snowballs from there.' Marmion coach Anthony Cirrincione said Hobson has excelled at fusing together the physical and mental demands of the sport. 'He's matured and become one of the leaders of the team,' Cirrincione said. 'He has taken on the role of wanting that pressure and those expectations on him. 'He made the transition with his mental approach, and he just believes now. Confidence is everything in wrestling.' Six of the 14 Marmion's wrestlers Saturday night are juniors, headed by two-time state champion Nicholas Garcia, who won by pin at 126. And Hobson is part of that elite company. Joey Favia, a junior 215-pounder, praised Hobson's contributions. And the Cadets' chemistry. 'We have a great brotherhood and we are rolling together in the room,' Favia said. 'Ashton's a real student of the game, and he works hard and puts in all the time.' Hobson, who lives in Aurora, took up the sport at age 5. It came at the encouragement of his father, who was a high school wrestler. And that carries over to his teammates. 'Our class has some real hammers,' Hobson said. 'I think the difference for me this year was I really pushed myself every day, with my reps and my training partners.' Outgoing and personable, Hobson sought not just to fit in but to lead the pack. 'I got my competitive side from my parents, who always pushed me to be great,' he said. 'What I love the most about the sport is how it has helped me grow as a person and be more complete.'
Chicago Tribune
21-02-2025
- General
- Chicago Tribune
Marmion Academy in Aurora to host event for parents
Marmion Academy in Aurora will host a special pop-up event for public school parents from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, March 12, at the school at 1000 Butterfield Road. The event is designed to help families of eighth-grade boys who attend public schools learn more about the Catholic college-preparatory high school, officials said. It will address the religious component at Marmion and how previous public school attendees have transitioned to Catholic education. Parents will learn about the academic, athletic and extracurricular programs as well as scholarships and financial aid offerings at Marmion, according to a press release from the school. The evening will consist of dinner (pizza and appetizers) and transition to a panel discussion where participants will hear from current students, parents and administration members, officials said. At the conclusion of the panel, families will have an opportunity to tour the campus. To register for the event, go to Batavia Lions Club looking for old eyeglasses The Batavia Lions Club is reminding Batavia residents that they can donate old eyeglasses and hearing aids to the club to be used to help those in need. The Batavia Lions Club recently held an eyeglass sorting event on Feb. 15, club officials said in a press release. During the event, it processed 1,066 pairs of eyeglasses as well as 22 sets of hearing aids, according to officials. Used eyeglasses and hearing aids can be recycled and refurbished to help those in need see and hear better, the release stated. Donations can be made at multiple locations in and around Batavia, including a bright yellow and blue drop box in front of the Batavia Chamber of Commerce building at 106 W. Wilson St. Other locations include the Batavia Public Library, 10 S. Batavia Ave.; Batavia Walmart Eyecare Center, 801 N. Randall Road; Batavia Moose Lodge, 1535 S. Batavia Ave.; Batavia Park District, Eastside Community Center and Shannon Hall, 14 N. Van Buren St.; Covenant Living at The Holmstad, 700 W. Fabyan Parkway; Foltos Tonsorial Parlor, 7 E. Wilson St.; Dr. Rand Toney, 34 N. Island Ave., Suite G; Bethany Lutheran Church, 8 S. Lincoln St.; Moss Funeral Home, 209 S. Batavia Ave.; and Kane County Electronics Recycling Center, 517 E. Fabyan Parkway. Naper Settlement seeking interns, camp counselors Naper Settlement in Naperville is accepting applications for summer interns and camp counselors. Its internship program, which runs from June 4 to July 23, is open to students interested in pursuing museum-related careers. Opportunities are available with marketing, artifact curation, special events, museum education and horticulture/facilities, officials said. Interns must be a high school graduate, completed their first year of college or more by the end of the 2025 spring semester and be currently enrolled in college or recently graduated. Camp counselor applicants must be 18 years old or older for jobs that involve conducting educational programs and interacting with summer day campers. The jobs run from May 28 to Aug. 14. To apply for either position, go to Naper Settlement also is holding a Zoom meeting for anyone interested in becoming a volunteer. It's scheduled for 6 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 25. Participants should email nsteenadult@ for a link, which will be sent out the week of the meeting. ESO, bandura ensemble to perform Sunday Elgin Symphony Orchestra's 'Melodies of Resilience: A Concert Honoring Ukraine and Its Culture,' featuring The Chicago Bandura Ensemble, will be held at 3 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 23, at Journey of Hope United Methodist Church in Elgin. The bandura is a traditional Ukrainian stringed instrument that blends elements of the zither and the lute, according to the ESO website. All ensemble members sing and play the bandura. The concert is in support of Ukraine and its ongoing war with Russia. The church is located at 37W040 W. Highland Ave.
