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Chicago Tribune
7 days ago
- Sport
- Chicago Tribune
Toledo recruit Liam Arsich sparks Lincoln-Way Central with three triples and three runs. ‘Never done that before.'
You could understand if Lincoln-Way Central's Liam Arsich was a bit tired Wednesday night. The Toledo-bound senior outfielder did a lot of sprinting around the bases, after all. Three triples worth, to be exact. 'That's the most running I've probably ever done in a game, to be honest with you,' Arsich said. 'I've never done that before. I was seeing the ball well, and I just tried to stick with my approach and drive it the other way. 'I wasn't going for three triples, but it just happened.' Arsich scored after all three triples, too. He also drove in a run, sparking the Knights to a 5-0 win over T.F. South in a Class 4A Andrew Regional semifinal in Tinley Park. Conor McCabe had a double, two RBIs and a run and Cade Andrews added an RBI double for fourth-seeded Lincoln-Way Central (20-10), which will play at 11 a.m. Saturday in the regional final against the winner of Thursday's semifinal between Andrew (24-11) and Shepard (13-16-2). Alex Panos struck out 10 in five shutout innings to earn the win, allowing four hits and two walks. 'I was trying to feel my stuff out early, attack guys and stay ahead in counts,' Panos said. 'I wanted to let them hit it and just rely on my teammates.' Blake Sims singled and drew a walk for 13th-seeded T.F. South (13-21-2). Juan Lozano, Abraham Serna and Kyle Smith each contributed a single. Arsich, meanwhile, tripled in each of his first three at-bats, starting in the first inning when he scored on an error to give the Knights a quick lead. He was ready to set the tone to begin his final postseason as a Knight. 'It's sad knowing I'm coming down to my last games of high school,' Arsich said. 'But I think we're locked in as a team and we can make a deep run in the playoffs.' Panos had a blast watching Arsich run around the bases. And he certainly appreciated the support. 'It was great,' Panos said. 'It's insane. I've never seen anything like that. When you're pitching and your hitters help you out, it's the best feeling. It relieved a lot of the pressure off me.' Arsich is hitting .358 with 33 runs, 12 stolen bases and 10 RBIs. He's also played a big role as a pitcher, compiling three saves and a 2.04 ERA in 24 innings. Lincoln-Way Central coach Ryan Kutt knows he can count on Arsich. 'Liam's been awesome for us all year, both at the plate and on the mound,' Kutt said. 'He's a guy who we've leaned on in certain situations like (Wednesday) where we're looking for an at-bat to break it open. 'He did that for us. He gave us some breathing room. He's a senior trying to lead by example with his actions and with the way he carries himself on the field.' The Knights led 2-0, with Arsich scoring both runs, before pulling away with three runs in the fifth inning. Arsich's third triple highlighted the outburst. Arsich has been committed to Toledo since before the start of his junior season, fulfilling a goal to play Division I baseball that he said he's had his whole life. 'The pressure's been off me,' Arsich said. 'I don't have to think about college. I can just go out there and play, have fun with my friends and try to make a big run with these guys my last time around.' Whatever the results are, Arsich is going to be sure to savor his final moments with the Knights. 'I've got some of my best friends out here and playing with them makes my life,' he said. 'We're a big family and I love this sport.'
Chicago Tribune
30-01-2025
- Sport
- Chicago Tribune
After winning conference title, Charvelle McLain wants to make state history for Oak Lawn. ‘She's like a sponge.'
After toying with the idea of becoming a wrestler her freshman and sophomore years, Oak Lawn's Charvelle McLain decided as a junior last season to become a manager for the boys team instead. That didn't last long. McLain quickly chose to get off the bench and start competing. 'Not even a week into the season, I came back home with a singlet,' McLain said. 'I would do weightlifting with them and they'd tell me, 'You'd be good at this.' By the third match, they were like, 'You sure you don't want to join?' 'I was like 'You know what? I guess I will.'' It's all worked out quite well. After qualifying for state last season as a first-year wrestler, McLain — now a senior — won the 155-pound title at Saturday's South Suburban Conference Tournament in Palos Heights. Oak Forest (153 1/2 points) earned the team championship ahead of the Shepard (109 1/2). The Bengals got titles from Marjorie Rodriguez (115), Iyobosa Odiase (145) and Isabel Peralta (190), while Sofia Perez (105), Mila Rocush (130) and Kassandra Lee (179) took titles for Shepard. Other champions were T.F. South's Dakodia Kelly (110), Abibatu Mogaji (120) and Quincy Onyiaorah (135), Lemont's Molly O'Connor (125) and Rowyn Page (235), Oak Lawn's Felix Morales (100) and Hillcrest's Christiara Finley (140). McLain won both her matches with pins in the first period, finishing off Oak Forest's Adri Bille in 1:11 in the finals. Although she's new to competing in the sport, McLain said she brought in a bit of a background in wrestling before high school. 'I grew up with a lot of boy cousins who wrestled their whole lives,' she said. 'We always wrestled around without the rules. I got into it last year and the only thing I had to learn was the rules, but they're pretty simple and I'm a fast learner.' Oak Lawn coach Matt Arthur can certainly attest to that. 'She's like a sponge,' Arthur said of McLain. 'She always wants to be the practice dummy when I show moves. She's basically become a coach. She's like our team mom. 'She's always been a leader by example. She's a phenomenal student. She's an even better friend and an even better athlete. I'm lucky to have coached her.' Last season, McLain was one of a group of five who became the Spartans' first girls wrestlers. The team started this winter with 18 girls. 'Last year, no one else wanted to join with us,' she said. 'This year, we got a few soccer players, a couple gymnasts and a couple kids who just needed to find a home and a place to stay out of trouble. 'We've got a mixture of everyone and we all get along.' McLain also is on the softball team at Oak Lawn and feels like she played the right position to be prepared for wrestling. 'I'm a catcher so I build a lot of leg strength, and even though softball is not supposed to be physical, when you're a catcher, it gets physical,' she said. 'When you're standing behind home plate and a girl runs into you and knocks you back three feet, you might as well just wrestle.' McLain went 1-2 at state last season. She hopes to make the podium this year — and make more Oak Lawn history in the process. 'We have all the record boards up in our gym for all-conference, regional champs, state qualifiers, and I'm the only girl name on all of them,' she said. 'It's nice because when a girl who might want to join sees it, she thinks, 'Oh, this can't be that hard.' 'I hope to be the first girl state placer for Oak Lawn. Nobody could ever take that away from me.'
