Matt Le Cren

1 day ago | chicagotribune.com | Matt Le Cren

Naperville North junior right fielder Caden Vorwick knows that sometimes it’s not how far you hit the baseball, but where. Vorwick demonstrated that against Neuqua Valley on Monday when he laid down a safety squeeze bunt with the bases loaded in the top of the fourth inning, sending teammate Matt Sonnenschein home for the first run of the game. “It was huge,” Naperville North coach Jim Chiappetta said. “Loading the bases with nobody out, you want to make sure you put something on the board.

4 days ago | shawlocal.com | Matt Le Cren

DOWNERS GROVE – Downers Grove North forward Jordyn Sashin was a little apprehensive about being one of two freshmen to make the varsity team this season. “I will admit I was nervous at the start because I had never played with these girls before,” Sashin said. “But everyone on the team was encouraging me and they put my spirits up, and after that I felt so comfortable.”So comfortable that she played like an old pro during her first game against crosstown rival Downers Grove South.

5 days ago | chicagotribune.com | Matt Le Cren

Naperville Central sophomore Eleanor Kane has always been a defender. It’s not a glamorous position, and it’s not one that many people prefer to play. “Honestly, when I was little — like super, super little, Park District little — I was a little scared of the ball,” Kane said. “So my coach just put me in the back, and it just kind of went from there.”Years later, Kane is no longer little and no longer scared of the ball — or anything else on the soccer field.

5 days ago | chicagotribune.com | Matt Le Cren

When senior point guard Blake Fagbemi led Benet to the Class 4A state title at the State Farm Center in Champaign on March 15, he had no idea that arena would be his future home. At the time, Fagbemi was committed to Truman State, a Division II program. Then he heard from one of its coaches. “The assistant coach called me and told me the coach and the school parted ways, so after I heard that, I reopened my recruitment,” Fagbemi said.

6 days ago | chicagotribune.com | Matt Le Cren

Former Naperville Central quarterback Payton Thorne stopped by his alma mater one day last week to toss the football around with Jayden Reed, Cade McDonald and Reggie Fleurima. The practice session with the former Redhawks receivers took place during school hours at Memorial Stadium and within view of several classrooms. It’s not hard to imagine what a distraction that must have been for students.