Latest news with #Oswego
Chicago Tribune
3 days ago
- Sport
- Chicago Tribune
The future's so bright for Iowa recruit Kiyah Chavez. And Oswego's catcher keeps the sunglasses on. ‘A superstar.'
Senior catcher Kiyah Chavez definitely has her eyes on the prize for Oswego. She just doesn't want opponents — especially base runners — getting too good of a look. It's why the Iowa recruit keeps her sunglasses on come rain or shine, even if it's overcast from the haze of Canadian wildfires like it was Friday afternoon. Besides, those orange shades look good, matching perfectly with the orange lettering on her Panthers' jersey. 'Honestly, I do have a pair of Oakleys and I do like them,' Chavez said. 'But the glasses I'm wearing belong to (senior outfielder) Rhiana Martinez. I just like them. They look cooler. 'I'm pretty big about wearing my glasses because, as I'm sure you've seen, one of my favorite things to do is pick off runners. If they can see where I'm looking, it's kind of a problem.' Chavez, the area's reigning player of the year, looked and played the part Friday for Oswego in a 6-0 win over Neuqua Valley in the Class 4A Oswego East Regional championship game. Jaelynn Anthony ended up taking a no-hitter for Oswego (33-2) into the sixth inning against Neuqua (17-15), and Chavez provided a huge part of the backing with two singles and two RBIs. On top of that, Chavez threw out one runner trying to steal second base and came within an eyelash of picking off another at first. But her work in the batter's box continues to impress. 'That's what I've got in my head when I go up there to bat,' said Chavez, who raised her batting average to .555 (60-for-108) with 59 RBIs, both team highs. 'I'm thinking, 'Do your job.'' Anthony did her job with 11 strikeouts in pitching a two-hitter for the Panthers, who play at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday against the host Foxes (24-12) in a Yorkville Sectional semifinal. Oswego took third in the state last season. Yorkville beat Plainfield 1-0 Friday in a regional final. 'This year, Jaelynn knows what it's about now,' Oswego co-coach Annie Scaramuzzi said. 'Every win last year was a surprise. This year, we've been there, we've done that. 'We know what to expect and our players do, too. We're led by 10 seniors and 12 returners from last year's state run. We know what to expect and what it's going to take.' As for that pick-off throw to senior first baseman Rikka Ludvigson? 'Rikka and I have kind of a really subtle sign for when we're gonna do something,' Chavez said. 'I use it with our third basemen, too. I'll take any advantage I can get.' As for the call? 'Oh, she was out,' Chavez said. ' She was so out, totally out.' Scaramuzzi said the coaching staff felt it would be a challenge facing Neuqua and standout senior pitcher Ava Drehs, a Creighton recruit. 'We knew we'd need our small ball and we'd need clutch hits,' Scaramuzzi said. 'One through 10, we did an excellent job of executing, making the defense work by putting the ball in play.' Junior shortstop Kennedy Gengler, batting eighth, led an eight-hit attack with three singles. The Panthers, who have 50 homers and a .411 team batting average, didn't produce an extra-base hit. Five Neuqua errors, though, helped the cause as Drehs allowed just one earned run. All of that started with Chavez. 'She's a difference-maker on both sides of the ball,' Scaramuzzi said. 'Jaelynn trusts her and they're a great pair, so together they are unstoppable in my opinion.' Anthony also had four assists fielding her position. She started a double play with a force to Gengler, who then threw to Ludvigson. 'Those are key plays on defense that really shift momentum for us,' Scaramuzzi said. 'Kiyah and Rikka work well together for those picks and Kiyah, obviously, is a superstar at the plate. 'She's gonna get the job done whenever the opportunity presents itself.'
Chicago Tribune
6 days ago
- Sport
- Chicago Tribune
All business as Purdue recruit Jaelynn Anthony opens playoffs with 17 strikeouts for Oswego. ‘I'm here to compete.'
Oswego's Jaelynn Anthony timed her varsity breakout last season just about perfectly. Anthony helped the Panthers make an historic run to taking third place in the state. But now, with the postseason beginning anew, the Purdue-bound junior pitcher is an established commodity. It's a big difference. 'Everybody knows I'm a good pitcher, so they're here to beat me and it's not going to happen,' Anthony said. 'I do what I need to do. I'm here to compete and they know I'm here to compete.' As far as competition goes, Anthony delivered a dominant performance Tuesday as top-seeded Oswego cruised to an 8-0 win over Metea Valley in a Class 4A Oswego East Regional semifinal. Anthony was brilliant, striking out 17 and walking one in a three-hit gem for Oswego (32-2). She also hit a two-run homer, tying her with Aubriella Garza for the team lead with 13. Adalynn Fugitt added two hits and two steals and scored twice for the Panthers, who extended their program record for wins and will play for a second straight regional title at 4:30 p.m. Friday. Garza and Sabrina Zamora each tallied two hits and drove in a run for the Panthers, while Zamora scored twice. Sydney Eakin, Maielle Ernser and Elena Gonzalez had hits for Metea (8-21). Iowa recruit Kiyah Chavez, Anthony's catcher and one of her best friends, has seen the subtle ways that Anthony has improved and taken steps forward this season. And they're not all related to her electric stuff. 'I think she just feels more confident, more comfortable,' Chavez said. 'There are so many things I could say about Jaelynn. She's obviously a fantastic pitcher and we're very lucky to have her. 'The strongest part of her development is definitely getting more comfortable with who she is and what role she plays. I think before she was a solid pitcher but she wasn't sure where she fit in with leadership roles, that kind of stuff.' Oswego co-coach Annie Scaramuzzi echoed those sentiments, acknowledging that Anthony has made the jump from breakout pitcher last spring to savvy veteran this season. 'She just has the confidence this year to attack those hitters, which I think has been the difference-maker with her this year,' Scaramuzzi said. Anthony puts fear into opponents with her bat, too. The Panthers were up only 1-0 after a sluggish start when Anthony came to the plate in the bottom of the third with one out and Garza on second. 'I was expecting a change-up,' Anthony said. 'All of our good hitters got first pitch change-ups. I'm not going to swing at a first pitch change-up. 'I saw an inside pitch and it was the best pitch I was going to get, so I took advantage of it and hit it hard.' Anthony took care of the rest in the circle, striking out the side in the seventh to put the finishing touches on her win. A year ago, Scaramuzzi would have been happy with advancing. After finishing third in the state and returning a ton of talent, though, the mindset has shifted. 'Last year, every win after we had our first win in the postseason was a surprise,' Scaramuzzi said. 'We didn't really have any expectations. This year, we said from the beginning the biggest challenge is managing expectations because we know we're that good.' Anthony, meanwhile, has been embracing that challenge. 'We just know we're capable of getting there and we're not playing down to any team,' Anthony said. 'We're here to win and to make a state run again. We're excited. It makes it way better. 'They're trying to beat us and we're like, no, that's not going to happen.'
Chicago Tribune
23-05-2025
- Sport
- Chicago Tribune
Wanting to avoid penalty kicks, Oswego's Jordyn Washington gets open for a shot. And scores. ‘You never know.'
The last thing Oswego's Jordyn Washington wanted was for the game to go to penalty kicks. Some might call what happened next serendipity. The junior forward ended up with the ball at her feet just outside of the Waubonsie Valley box — and she saw her chance to slam the door. 'The game was very physical up to that point,' Washington said. 'I looked and looked and knew the ball was coming to me. I grabbed it underneath my foot and then kicked it as fast as I could. 'You never know. You just have to get it there.' Washington definitely got it there Thursday night, scoring a goal in the 92nd minute to lead the host Panthers to a 3-2 victory in double overtime of a Class 3A Oswego Regional semifinal. Freshman forward Mane Brolley also scored off an assist by Washington for fifth-seeded Oswego (20-4-1), which plays at noon Saturday against fourth-seeded Naperville North (12-5-3) for the regional title. Senior forward Katie Chapman scored two goals in the second half on assists off free kicks by junior defender McKinley Ladd to lead Waubonsie Valley (3-10-5). Washington now has 28 goals and 16 assists this spring. Her ability to facilitate for others is the most significant improvement from last season, when had 23 goals and three assists. 'I think I'm always aware of where I am and I always try to go as far as I can with the ball,' she said. 'I'm always thinking about who's around me and if I can pass it off. 'That is just great to see if somebody has a better shot than me.' Brolley pointed out that having a game-changing player like Washington allows the team to stay calm even in the most demanding situations. 'I just know if I play Jordyn the ball, she's going to get it and score,' Brolley said. 'I wasn't worried even when they tied it and it went to overtime. She's really fast and can get by anybody.' Senior midfielder Grace Braun confirmed the other players also have complete faith in Washington's ability to deliver. 'She's really clutch in tough games,' Braun said. 'We can always rely on her to come through for us under pressure. Any time she gets the ball in the box like that, it's very hard on the other team. 'She wants it so badly and everything is personal.' The 5-foot-11 Washington, an Alabama A&M recruit, missed her freshman season recovering from a torn ACL. She combines elite size, speed and a physical presence on the ball. 'I think because of my size, my speed sometimes catches people off guard,' Washington said. 'I always try to be aggressive and play more at my feet with my speed.' She has a scorer's instinct as well, with a feel for the action around her. Two or three defenders are usually trying to dislodge the ball from her. And that's not all. 'I've always been able to look up and just know exactly how many steps I need to take to shoot the ball,' she said. 'I know what feels comfortable and what doesn't.' Her father, Verrell, played college football at Tennessee State. Jordyn, who did multiple sports growing up, played basketball for Oswego through her sophomore year before focusing exclusively on soccer. She recently took up the electric guitar, underscoring her creative nature and competitive intensity. She showed off considerable promise in her sophomore debut but was hungry for more. 'I had a great sophomore season, and it showed where I wanted to be and how good I could be,' she said. 'I remember thinking maybe I'm not going to be good anymore. 'Some players come off an injury and they don't play as well. I improved a lot.'
Chicago Tribune
23-05-2025
- Sport
- Chicago Tribune
With MLB scouts taking notice, Jacsen Tucker turns on power to spark Oswego East past Oswego. ‘Everybody knows.'
Even though he's only a sophomore, shortstop Jacsen Tucker has developed a reputation that precedes him for Oswego East. Being ranked the No. 3 player in his class in Illinois and the No. 30 at shortstop in the nation by Prep Baseball Report will definitely grab some attention. It's also led to teams attacking Tucker with off-speed pitches, rarely giving him a fastball to hit. 'Everybody knows who he is,' Wolves coach Brian Schaeffer said. 'They're pitching to his weaknesses. He's done a really good job of adjusting. He's still hitting around .330 — he just doesn't have the numbers he had last season. 'When he sees a mistake, he's going to do what he does.' Tucker saw one of those mistakes in the first inning of Thursday's Southwest Prairie Conference game at crosstown rival Oswego. He promptly deposited that pitch well over the left-field fence, giving Oswego East a three-run lead. The Wolves wound up pulling away for a 10-4 win as Tucker finished with three hits, three runs, three RBIs and a stolen base. Devin Wheaton added four RBIs, a double, a run and a stolen base for Oswego East (16-18, 7-8). Carter Rapp scored twice, while Wilson Terrutty chipped in with an RBI double. Dylan King hit a solo homer for Oswego (20-14, 4-11). Jacob Fehrmann had two hits and an RBI and Quinn Stanley notched two hits. Four pitches into the game, Tucker showed why college recruiters and MLB scouts are hot on his trail. He tattooed a pitch to left for his fourth homer of the season, stunning the crowd. 'He got down 3-1, so I knew I had a pitch coming,' said Tucker, who gave the Wolves a 3-0 lead before an out had been recorded. 'I settled into the box, relaxed, took a deep breath. 'When I saw that pitch, I just killed it. I kind of shocked myself. I didn't think I hit it that hard until it got up to its max.' Oswego coach Joe Giarrante has seen a lot of home runs hit at his home park. Tucker's shot was one of the more impressive. 'That got out of here in a hurry,' Giarrante said. 'Just give him credit. He made a mistake and you can't do that to a good hitter. He's really matured a lot over the years. 'That was a good way for them to start the game.' Tucker's second hit, a one-out single in the fifth, showed off his new-found approach. Tucker battled the count to 3-2, then connected to the opposite field for a single. He was along for the ride on Wheaton's three-RBI double that broke open a one-run game and made it 8-4. 'He's a very patient hitter,' Schaeffer said of Tucker. 'When he sees what he wants, he goes after it, but if it's not exactly what he wants, he's patient. He gets deep into counts quite a bit.' This isn't the first time Schaeffer has had a prospect the caliber of Tucker on his hands. It was only four years ago when Noah Schultz was a first-round pick of the Chicago White Sox and teammate Ashton Izzi was a fourth-round pick of the Seattle Mariners. 'It's almost like a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, now twice in four years,' Schaeffer said. 'Just enjoying baseball and enjoying high school is important.' Tucker is grateful to have a resource in Schaeffer who has gone through this process. 'It does help on my side,' Tucker said. 'If I need to talk to him about certain things, he's been through that. I lean on him a lot.' College offers are stacking up for Schaeffer, who has even heard from some pro scouts. The advice of just having fun is first and foremost for Tucker, though. 'That's just the key to it,' he said. 'You're not in high school long, so I'm taking in the moments.'
Chicago Tribune
16-05-2025
- Sport
- Chicago Tribune
Natalie Muellner explains rubber toy chickens hanging from Oswego's dugout. It's a win-win. ‘They keep multiplying.'
The question had to be asked, and senior outfielder Natalie Muellner provided the answer. What's up with the rubber toy chickens hanging from the chain-link fence protecting Oswego's dugout each game, home or away? Their number seems to be growing. 'The first one has a Dave & Buster's shirt on it that's orange and blue,' Muellner said. 'I said, 'Oh my gosh, it's perfect. It's our school colors.' We found it on our (spring break trip) to Gulf Shores, Alabama, and I thought it would be kind of funny to put it up there. 'We kept on getting more of them and I was like, 'We should get one for every win we get.' And they keep multiplying.' So, it's not mystery chicken, it's victory chicken. That number hit a milestone Thursday with Oswego's 5-1 Southwest Prairie Conference win at home over Yorkville. The Panthers (29-1, 13-1) tied the program record for wins in a season set last spring when they finished third in the state in Class 4A. 'It's a big one,' Oswego co-coach Annie Scaramuzzi said. 'Hopefully, there's a lot more to go.' With two regular-season games remaining — Monday at Minooka and Wednesday vs. Oswego East at home — the Panthers hold a one-game lead over Minooka (21-9 12-2) in conference. Winning pitcher Jaelynn Anthony (13-0) threw a two-hitter Thursday in hot, blustery conditions, with the wind blowing in from right field. 'That was tough,' Scaramuzzi said. 'We had at least two balls that normally would have gone out on any other day stay in. That changes the ball game because we're a long ball team. 'We had to produce at the plate in different ways.' It was an adventure for Anthony, a junior right-hander who struck out 10 but walked seven and hit two batters. Singles by senior shortstop Bella Phillips and junior third baseman Brooke Ekwinski were the only hits for the Foxes (17-10, 8-6). 'We needed that one clutch hit that would have scored a couple runs and swung momentum,' Yorkville coach Jory Regnier said. Anthony aided her cause with three singles and senior first baseman Rikka Ludvigson added a two-run single. 'I never worry when she's out there,' Scaramuzzi said of Anthony, who walked in Yorkville's lone run in the first inning without giving up a hit. 'I know she's gonna figure it out, settle in, and she did just that.' Iowa-bound senior catcher Kiyah Chavez did have an amazing streak end for Oswego, taking a called third strike from freshman reliever Isabella Rosauer in the bottom of the sixth. It's the first strikeout in nearly two full years for Chavez, the 2024 Beacon-News/Courier-News Softball Player of the Year who didn't strike out last season and had none this spring entering the game. 'Kiyah's the best hitter in the state and I'm confident in that statement,' Scaramuzzi said. But back to Muellner. The Wisconsin-Whitewater commit does much more than organize fowl play. She cracked the starting lineup midway through last season and finished hitting .327 with three home runs. The last of those provided the highlight of her career in a 2-1 state semifinal loss to St. Charles North. This spring, she's hitting .344 with three homers, four doubles and 21 RBIs. Scaramuzzi gets a kick out of the chicken collection. 'This is a silly team,' she said. 'They like to have a lot of fun, and that's kind of what just happened. This team plays its best when they're having fun.' The practice may be a little weird, Chavez agreed, but she noted there is precedence. Yorkville players took Wilbur the rally pig all the way to Peoria, earning a state runner-up finish in 2023 and still have it with them in the dugout every game. 'Oswego East had some kind of horse once, too,' Chavez said. 'It adds character to the team.'
