Summer Baseball Featuring College-age Players Starts in Lisle as Hounds Begin Inaugural Season

June 3 is Patch Day for the new DuPage County Hounds baseball team. Does your young fan want to be a bat boy or girl at a home game at Benedictine University in Lisle? Add a photo to our gallery.

Hey, baseball fans: There's a new wood-bat team in DuPage County, featuring college-age players. The DuPage County Hounds kick off their first season in the Midwest Collegiate League this June. They will play their home games at the Village of Lisle-Benedictine University Sports Complex at Benedictine University in Lisle. The 28-man roster includes local players from Patch towns such as Darien, Downers Grove, Lemont, Lisle and Western Springs. Patch is proud to sponsor Patch Day on Sunday, June 3. Patch readers are invited to redeem four free tickets to the 5 p.m. game against the Rockford Foresters. You'll have a chance to meet local editors from Patch's DuPage County sites, and more importantly, catch the new team in action! Simply …

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Hinsdale Doctor Warns of Overuse Injuries in Little League

Dr. Chuck Bush-Joseph, team physician for the Chicago White Sox, sees a growing number of teens and adults having rotator cuff surgery, Tommy John surgery and even shoulder replacement as a result of early injuries.

Boys Tennis: 'Title or Bust' for 2012 Red Devils

Hinsdale Central finished fifth at state in 2011; a crop of young players this year has the team's coach confident.

It’s not often that you find a state-title-contending tennis team that features five freshmen. But that’s exactly what Hinsdale Central head coach John Naisbitt says he has. “It’s title or bust around here; this is title town,” Naisbitt said. “You haven’t had a good year unless you’ve won state.” Two years removed from a state title three-peat spanning from 2007 to 2009, the Red Devils finished fifth at state as a team in 2011. Sam Bloom and Rafe Mosetick both made the singles quarterfinals (Bloom finished fifth overall) and the team of Alex Hagermoser and Peter Heneghan made the quarterfinals in doubles. Hagermoser and Heneghan, now juniors, were among the winners at the Red Devils first match of 2012 Tuesday. Hinsdale Central beat …

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Boys Baseball: Laid Back Red Devils Off to Strong Start

Second-year head coach Justin Cronin's team recently returned from an unbeaten trip to Florida over spring break.

The Hinsdale Central baseball team has a different feel in 2012 than it did in 2011. “Last year it felt like it was the seniors and the juniors,” infielder Sam Lucente said. “This year it feels more like a team.” Lucente, a senior who was the hero of the Red Devils' playoff win over Plainfield East last spring, is one of only two regular starters returning from last season’s 15-21 team, second-year head coach Justin Cronin said. The other returning regular is junior pitcher Adam Dressler. Cronin said he trotted out seven to eight senior starters every game last year. This year, the coach said, “We’ve got a healthy mix of juniors and seniors who are still competing for spots.” The Red Devils returned this week from a three-win, no loss …

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Hope College Signs Hinsdale South Basketball Star

Brock Benson has accepted a presidential scholarship to attend Hope College in Holland, Michigan.

The following was submitted by Hinsdale South basketball coach Vince Doran: Brock Benson has accepted a presidential scholarship to attend Hope College in Holland, Michigan.  The 6’8 Hinsdale South Senior averaged 17 points and 11 rebounds per game for the Hornets.  He will major in Engineering and continue his basketball career for the Flying Dutchmen.  Hope is a perennial division three power in men’s basketball.  For more on Benson, read Patch's profile of the Hinsdale South senior.

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Boys Track: Red Devils Head Outdoors with High Hopes

Hinsdale Central is seeking a top-three finish in the West Suburban Silver and a sectional title in 2012, according to two of the team's seniors.

After an indoor conference meet that didn’t go quite as well as planned, Hinsdale Central boys track and field team members present at a spring break practice were looking forward to getting the outdoor season underway. “I don’t think that our indoor conference was the best representation of how well we can do,” Red Devils senior Connor Furlong said. “Regardless, I think we’re in the best spot going into the outdoor season that we’ve been in during the four years that I’ve been here.” Hinsdale Central finished fifth out of seven in the team standings at the West Suburban Silver Indoor Conference meet on March 16 at York High School. Oak Park River Forest finished first, York finished second, and Downers North took third. Furlong, who …

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Hinsdale South Varsity Danceline Wins 2 State Championships

The team competed March 17 at the Illinois Drill Team Association (IDTA) finals held at University of Illinois, Champaign.

The following was submitted by Nancy Ardovitch:  The 2011-12 Varsity Danceline at Hinsdale South won two state championships on March 17, 2012 at the Illinois Drill Team Association (IDTA) finals held at University of Illinois, Champaign. They competed in 3A Kick and 3A Pom. The team is coached by Coartney Gillette and assisted by Heather Riggs. The team began practicing in July 2011, performs at football and basketball games and entered 4 competitions to qualify for both Team Dance Illinois(TDI) State and IDTA State finals. The team also qualified and competed at TDI State finals which were held in Peoria on March 4th; Hinsdale South placed 3rd in the 3A Pom division.

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Burr Ridge and Hinsdale Teens Win Ribbons at National Equestrian Competition

The Lyons Township senior and Hinsdale Central junior competed against the top amateur and professional riders in the country.

Two teens from Burr Ridge and Hinsdale just got back from Florida after competing against some of the top equestrians in the country.  Lauren Litt, a Burr Ridge resident and senior at Lyons Township, along with Devon MacNeil, a Hinsdale resident and junior at Central, took part in horse shows that were part of the Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, Florida.  Both Litt and MacNeil won top ribbons in February and March at the Winter Equestrian Festival. This event is considered by many to be the most competitive horse show circuit in the United States, drawing top amateur and professional riders from all over the country for the winter show season. Several events at the festival serve as selection trials for riders seeking to …

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Retiring Jackson Reflects on 33-Year Coaching Run at Hinsdale South

Hinsdale South's Dave Jackson is coming to the end of his coaching and teaching career after being the boys cross country head coach and an assistant boys track coach for 33 seasons and a physical education and aquatics teacher at the high school.

In 2008, Max Rodrigues climaxed his senior year by competing with his Hinsdale South boys cross country teammates for the first time at the Class 3A state meet at Peoria’s Detweiller Park. Rodrigues was in contention for individual all-state honors with a top-25 honors as he entered the long final homestretch of the 3.0-mile race. With enthusiastic fans crowding and screaming along both sides, Hinsdale South boys cross country coach Dave Jackson suddenly emerged. “I remember Coach Jackson in my face yelling, ‘Kick it in,’ with 400 meters to go,” said Rodrigues, who now competes for DePaul University. “That image stays in my head today. It was kind of funny, actually, that he got so close to me with all of those people there.” Through his …

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