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Post by Homer Hawks Site Administrator on Sept 19, 2007 14:56:38 GMT -5
Just got the great news that Sarah Shizas walked on and made the team at Depaul University! Congrats on meeting a great challenge and making your dream come true!
Also the verbals are starting to come in ....
Congrats to Lauren McNulty for her verbal committment to Butler University and to Cassie Redman for verballing to Texas A&M - Corpus Christi! Both girls join a long, long list of HAWK girls in college - living their dreams - and representing the Hawks with pride and class!
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Post by Dave B on Sept 28, 2007 21:09:16 GMT -5
Keep an eye on the rest of our '08 Hawks as the fall exposure season kicks into high gear next month ... things are looking bright flying high in purple!
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Post by Homer Hawks Site Administrator on Oct 19, 2007 13:07:26 GMT -5
Another Hawk flying off to college as Gabe Gavoni verballed this week to the University of Illinois! Gabe is excited to be playing for her dream school ... best of luck to another HAWK moving on and up with her future!
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Post by Gmac on Oct 19, 2007 17:39:39 GMT -5
Gabe-congrats on University of Illinois-awesome news!! McNulty clan...
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Post by Homer Hawks Site Administrator on Nov 9, 2007 21:46:28 GMT -5
Congratulations to long time Hawk players Jenny Festin and Brittany Bochenek along with new comer Megan O'Brien for all 3 accepting scholarship offers to attend ST Francis University next year. Coach Dick Smith is ecstatic to ink 3 quality student athletes to his '08 class. Ladies - you continue to make the Hawks so proud to have so many college athletes carry on the Hawk tradition as they further their academic and athletic futures! Congrats!!!
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Post by Homer Hawks Site Administrator on Nov 20, 2007 22:25:30 GMT -5
Another signing as Kylie Schalz just D1 National letter of intent to Oakland University in Michigan last night! Congrats Kylie a=on a great accomplishment for a terrific young lady!
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Post by Homer Hawks Site Administrator on Nov 27, 2007 22:39:56 GMT -5
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Post by Homer Hawks Site Administrator on Nov 29, 2007 9:17:32 GMT -5
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Post by Homer Hawks Site Administrator on Dec 3, 2007 14:19:00 GMT -5
From ray Makowski, Manager of Homer HAWKS 18
Congratulations to Lauren Gerdovich who recently committed to play for Kankakee Community College. Lauren is a standout, first team, all-conference, middle infielder for Ottawa Township High School. Lauren intends to major in Agriculture and currently raises livestock and horses. Her parents are Jayme and Kathy. Continued great success to Lauren and her family.
On behalf of the Hawk Familly - Lauren I would like to wish you the best of success in college, welcome to the Hawks and make us all proud with your accomplishments in the classroom on and off the field!
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Post by Homer Hawks Site Administrator on Dec 13, 2007 12:26:29 GMT -5
Stated before college
December 13, 2007
For Lincoln-Way Central seniors Gabe Gavoni, Cassie Redman and Courtney Dunker, those Friday Night Lights are more like chilly Saturday mornings and finally warmed-up weekday afternoons. But when asked about personal goals for the upcoming high school softball season, set in the spring of 2008, their answers echoed.
It's a different world.
» Click to enlarge image
Lincoln-Way Central seniors Gabe Gavoni, Cassie Redman and Courtney Dunker are looking forward to a another successful softball season.
(HERALD NEWS FILE PHOTO)
It's the same word.
"State," said Gavoni, who was immediately interrupted by Redman's reply of "state. Definitely state."
"We have a lot of potential," Redman nodded. "And we should have a good shot of making it downstate."
"Last year, we had so much potential, but we're not going to talk about that," Gavoni said of the Knights (32-5), who advanced to the Class AA sectional semifinals. "We've come close every year. We want it more than anything."
"State, definitely," confirmed Dunker, the slugging DH with the ever-present smile. "It's our senior year."
Senior year for Lincoln-Way Central's talented trio turned a tad less stressed recently when Gavoni, a second baseman, verbally committed to the University of Illinois. Redman (Texas A&M-Corpus Christi), a center fielder who will convert to the Knights’ shortstop this year, and Dunker (Northern Iowa) also committed to play Division I softball.
Those three also represent the top returnees for venerable coach Dick Mandella’s Lincoln-Way Central program, which has won four regional titles in the past six springs after only two regional titles in the pre-Mandella span dating from 1978-2000. To players like Gavoni, Redman and Dunker, a Tinley Park transfer, his message reverberates.
It’s a similar world.
It’s the different word: state.
Cassie Redman’s varsity debut stunned even Mandella. The younger sister of Jamie Redman, an all-region senior-to-be infielder for the University of St. Francis, Cassie batted .428 with 4 doubles, 2 triples, 2 homers, 11 stolen bases and 21 RBIs from the second spot. She had 2 hits in the regional final.
An all-conference choice of the SouthWest Suburban Red, an all-tournament pick by the Elgin Slugfest and a Herald News first team all-area selection, the left-handed Redman provided the speed and versatility atop the order.
“I think she made an unbelievable amount of improvement last year, from her sophomore year to her junior year, and a lot of it had to do with strength,” Mandella said. “And I don’t think there’s a weakness in her game. From an offensive standpoint, she can slap, she can bunt, she hits with power, and with the position change by playing short, we’re also looking for her to bat leadoff for us.”
Repeating as a second team all-area selection a year ago, Gavoni batted .410 with 10 doubles, 5 homers and 31 RBIs. As a sophomore, she batted .390 with 6 doubles. The two-time all-conference choice of the SouthWest Suburban Red also went 7-0 as a secondary starting pitcher in her third varsity season.
“Gabe’s a four-year starter, and in a program like ours, that’s really saying something,” Mandella pointed out. “It’s an unbelievable accomplishment, and she’s going to battle it out for the No. 1 pitching spot, probably bat third or fourth in our lineup. She had a solid year, too, and continued to show a lot of improvement with her power totals.”
As eye-opening as Redman’s debut and as powerful as Gavoni, Dunker delivered at .341 with 13 doubles, a triple, 5 homers and 27 RBIs in her first year with the Knights. She was an all-conference choice of the SouthWest Suburban Red and selected third team all-area.
“Her first half of the season was phenomenal,” Mandella said. “She kind of put us on her back and had some real big hits in some real big games, getting the hit against Sara Olson when we beat Sandburg and hitting two homers against Downers Grove South. We’re hoping she can do what she did in the first half and spread it out for the whole year.”
That year, the year Redman, Gavoni and Dunker have been working toward even during the winter, will be here soon.
And it is theirs.
“Your seniors,” Mandella said, “are the kids who have to be your leaders.”
Teammates are together for an intense stretch of time. The recruiting road, however, is a solitary trip taken on weekends away from school. And it is one of the few moments where “me” factors into the decision as much as “we” because of the future impact.\
How will I fit in here?
“I loved the environment and the people down there,” Redman said of Corpus Christi. “It’s totally different from (New Lenox), being the middle of the beach and everything, and I like the warm weather — getting away from the snow and from the ice.”
“I loved the school spirit and it’s amazing that everybody gets into it, even the town,” Gavoni said of Champaign. “I loved the coaches and everything about the school, and my family is big Illinois fans, too. I just love it.”
“It was mostly the campus feeling for me,” Dunker acknowledged. “I connected with the girls, the coach, and I just like the feeling of the campus and everything. And I’m excited to get into a new environment and be on my own.”
Although everything they own will be in a new state by next fall, what they major in remains fluid. Redman wants to be a doctor or dentist. Gavoni is undecided, noting “it changes every week,” and Dunker leans toward teaching or physical therapy as interests.
How will it affect their season?
“It’s a lot of pressure off you,” Gavoni said. “But we’re still going to work as hard as we can because we want to finish strong. We want to go out with a bang.”
“It’s going to be easier,” Redman agreed. “And we’re going to be able to have more fun. You play better, at least I do, when you’re not stressed out about things. It’s like you know good things are coming up and the hard work pays off.”
“Coming in as a transfer last year, I had to work hard to earn my spot,” Dunker said. “It takes a lot of pressure off of you, knowing where you are going, but it’s still going to be hard because of the feeling that you have to prove yourself.”
Most likely, the proof will not play out on Hollywood’s silver screen, but what the Lincoln-Way Central seniors are seeking has everything to do with gold.
How will that be accomplished?
“Don’t hold back,” Gavoni said. “And give it everything that you’ve got.”
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Post by Dave Betcher on Feb 15, 2008 11:50:16 GMT -5
Another Hawk and FPF athlete - Courtney Kutsulis is flying off to college with the signing recently with the UNIVERSITY OF DAYTON! Courtney is another longtime Hawk and superb student athlete, and makes us all proud to represent both the Hawks and her family as she embarks on even greater heights!
Congrats again to all the girls who continue to live their dreams through all their hard work and efforts! I am so proud of all of them and of the efforts of so many in the program to make things happen for our student athletes!
Special thanks as always to Coach Ali Vander Tuck our Gold coach and Bryce Bly of fastpitch Formula for all your countless hours working with so many athletes to help them with their college choices. It truly takes a special team to continue to make so many positive dreams come true for our young ladies. My hats off to everyone who works so hard for so many supr student athletes!
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