The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

Warrior sweep of Antioch a lift By Mike Lamb Plaindealer sports editor If the first four games of the season is any indication, Ross Vehring can expect to bring his pitching glove to the ball park every game. The 6-foot-2 senior righthander has pitched in each of the McHenry Warriors baseball games since the season started last week. While hkTfcst two appearances weren't tpo successful, as the Warriors dropped their first two games of the season, life on the mound was a little sweeter last Saturday. Vehring appeared in both games of the doubleheader to help finish up enroute to a doubleheader sweep of Antioch 6-4, 9-1. The two non-conference victories evened the Warriors record at 2-2. "Ross Vehring did a nice job throwing strikes," said McHenry coach Brian ^Wilson. "I'm trying a lot of people (pitching). It's nice to have the experienced pitcher like Ross Vehring to pitch two innings." Wilson is looking towards Vehring on being the stopper coming in relief, although, he did start last week Thursday in a 7-3 loss to Elgin Larkin. The pitching, along with the offensive punch displayed by the Warriors, had Wilson smiling. "It's good to see some hits, especially with people on base. We cut down on the number of strikeouts and just ripped the ball," added the Warrior skipper. The Warriors slugged out seven hits the first game and 13 hits the second. John Bolger started the first game, allowing four runs, on five hits, three strikeouts and no walks. Vehring came in the sixth inning with the Warriors holding a 6-4 lead. Vehring completely shut the door, allowing no runs on two hits and two strikeouts. "It was a good pitching per­ formance. That's probably the key. They didn't get too many hits at all. I'm hoping we con­ tinue to {day well and pitch well. That's the key." Pat Dunne was the starting Warrior pitcher the second game, only giving up one run. Vehring came in the sixth inning to finish up. McHenry grabbed a quick 1-0 lead in the first inning. Lead-off hitter Tim Pankiewicz reached base on a walk and he stole second base. He scored on a double hit by Kris Teuber hit down the first base line. The 1-0 lead held until the fourth inning. Antioch tied the game in the top of the inning after a lead-off triple by Frank Mahar. He was knocked in on a sacrifice fly by Andy Lehn. McHenry came right back with four runs in the bottom half of the inning. Batting in the DH spot, Vehring walked. After Kevin Moore struckout, Mike Podpora slammed one over the left-fielder's head for a double. Podpora and Vehring scored on a double hit by Craig Hill. The inning continued as Dunne reached on error by Antioch's second baseman. The final touch was given by Pat Cameron, whp also slugged a double, scoring Hill and Dunne. Antioch came right back with three runs in the fifth inning off of Bolger. After Bolger struckout Mike Dido, the top two hitters of John Bissing and John Humphrets singled. John Mahar's double knocked in two runs, while a error by Hill on a ball hit by Craig Panther allowed the third run. Continued on pogo I* Johnsburg grand slam buried Harvard Roy only McHenry champ in tennis quad It's hard to understand a coach, no matter the sport, would have fun while losing. But McHenry tennis coach Gary Gray says he's having fun with this spring's squad, despite a 4-1 loss to Antioch and a Fourth place finish in a home quadrangular. "We've played some pretty good tennis. I think we are ahead of schedule," said Gray. Gray only has one returning letterwinner on the squad. "We figured it would take awhile in picking up the ex­ perience we need. It's fun. I figured it would be a fun year. I feel we will surprise some people as the year ends." Gray had one senior, four juniors, three sophomores and four freshmen playing in last Saturday's quadrangular at the West Campus courts. A fresh­ men, Matt Roy, was the only McHenry champion. Rockford Boylan won the meet with 24 points, while Leyden scored 23, West Rock- ford 18 and McHenry 14. "The tournament was com­ petitive. It was pretty tough," Gray said. His Warrior squad was tied for second place after the singles competition. Roy was his number four singles title by winning matches against Rock- ford Boyland 7-3 and Rockford West 10-0 and Leyden 6-4. HiclTeiiry's number one singles player, Brian Nellis, struggled while suffering from a number of injuries. He lost 10-0, 9-1 and 10-0. Scott Smith at number three singles managed to win a match, and he also tied in one. Gary Strom at number two singles lost all three matches. The only Warrior doubles team with a match win was Tom Wynveen and Mike Bellich at number two. Steve Smith and Rich Threkeld tied in two matches at number four. Doubles pair Randy Wiedemann and Tom Wrona were the only Warrior winners last Thursday against Antioch. The number one doubles team defeated Lennie Grote and Chris Harp 6-4, 3-6 and 7-6, 10-8. "We played well against a veteran team," Gray added. Gary Strom was the only other Warrior to go three sets. He lost to Pat Bruks at number two singles, 4-6, 6-3 and 6-0. Brian Nellis at number one singles, lost to Don Korjenek 6-0, 6-1. PAGE 20 - PLAINDEALER-WEDNESDAY, APRIL 11, l»8« Jayko lost his shut-out bid with two outs in the fifth inning when Larry Lenz tripled to right and Tom King followed with a double to center to send Lenz home. Jayko got in a minor jam in the sixth when he walked the lead-off batter and gave up a hit. However, Matt MacDonald flied out to Joe Majercik who made the quick relay to second to double up the Hornets and kill the rally. Joe Majercik tripled home Pecucci in the seventh, and Majercik scored on a wild pitch to up the Johnsburg lead to 12-1. Harvard, which dropped a doubleheader to Hononegah Saturday, is 0-4 on the season. * Johnsburg is 2-0. Karpavicius placed on All-Skyway 2nd team let' (Plaindealer photo by Mike Lamb) The suicide squeeze is on as McHenry's.Ross Vehring heads for the plate uncontested. Craig Hill layed down the bunt, enabling Vehring to score with the bases loaded in the fifth inning. Plaiqjlealer news service HARVARD - Jeff Preston delivered a grand slam in Johnsburg's eight-run third inning to pace the Skyhawks to an easy 12-3 rout of Harvard Thursday. And pitcher Jeff Jayko, in his first start of the season, scat­ tered seven hits, struck out four and walked four for his first win of the season. * The Johnsburg bats were quieted in the iirst two innings by Hornet Jim Hoey, who allowed an inconsequential double in the first and retired the side on three fly balls in the second. But Hoey lost his control in the third inning, walking Dale Zalke, Jim Olekszy and Bill PecuCci to load the bases to open the stanza. Jim Bentz, who doubled in the first frame, drilled a sharp double through third and short to drive in Zalke and Olekszy. Joe Majercik followed by reaching second on a two-base error to drive in Pecucci and Bentz. Hoey walked the bases loaded before being pulled by Harvard coach John Lagerhausen for Jay Stiles. Preston gave Stiles a cold reception by clearing the bases with a long home run to deep left-centerfield for an 8-0 lead. Stiles walked Zalke, but he retired the next three batters to get out of the inning in which Johnsburg sent 12 men to the plate. "Jeff Jayko did a good job for his first game," said Johnsburg skipper Jim Meyers. "He pit­ ched very well. I'm very pleased with the win. "I'm pleased the way we hit the ball. Defensively we played well. We played a well all- around game." The Skyhawks added two more runs in the fourth inning for a 10-0 lead when pinch hitters Jim Howe and Doug Sobias scored on a passed ball and wild pitch. McHenry third in indoor track workout CRYSTAL LAKE - McHenry High School graduate Karen Karpavicius topped her collegiate debut by being named to the All-Skyway Conference women's basketball team. Karpavicius, a freshmen, was named to the league's second team. The Scots placed all five starting players on the squad. Karpavicius experienced her best success on the free throw line. She made 40-of-54 for 74 percent. The Scots just shot 60 percent from the line as a team. Karpavicius had to switch from her familiar center position with the Warriors to off- guard with the Scots. She averaged eight points a game, including a high of 29 against the Chicago Amateur Athletic Union team. She shot 64 percent from the field twice, against AAU and Highland. She also finished third in assists and steals. The Scots finished 12-10 on the year, their best record ever. MCC also finished 6-4 in Skyway Karen Karpavicius play for second place and own its first sectional championship. Other Scots to make the All- Skyway team included co-most valuable player Cheri Bacon, Deb Minogue and Diane Pilgard. Kecia Knudsen was named to the honorable mention squad. With sunshine beating upon the Crystal Lake Central fieldhouse Saturday morning, the annual Fox Valley Indoor Conference meet wasn't as important to boys' track coaches as in other years. In years past, the meet was held one or two weeks earlier, but because of vacations, the meet was scheduled a week later. Consequently, coaches like Dan Boland used it more or less as a tune-up for his whole squad. Only four FVC squads participated in the meet, which Central won with 84 points. Crystal Lake South finished second with 63, while McHenry was third with 38 and Woodstock scored 24. "Next year it should be a week earlier. One of the reasons we go is its a nice break before we run out­ side," said McHenry coach Dan Boland. "For what we went down there to do, we did pretty good. The kids are not used to the fieldhouse. It was a good workout for the kids after Thursday's meet." Last Thursday, McHenry defeated Johnsburg and Alden-Hebron in a triangular. "Three teams weren't there," Boland said. "Woodstock took the same approach as we did. He (Woodstock coach) ran all his kids. Central ran most of the regulars. Their kids are more used to running in­ side." McHenry failed to take any firsts, but Dave Beste, Marty Koleno and the 880- yard relay team managed to earn seconds. Koleno finished second to Crystal Lake Central's Pat McDaniels in the 880-yard run. McDaniels was timed at 2:03.3, while Koleno crossed the finish line at 2:07.8. The Warrior 880-yard relay squad of Jim Shaver, Jeff Szamlewski, Mike Maksymiak and Kurt Justen finished behind the Wood­ stock squad. The Blue Streaks were timed at 1:45.9 and McHenry 1:46.5. Johnsburg, Hebron no match for Warriors JOHNSBURG - ThaK first track meet of the season can be confusing. Just ask McHenry's head track coach Dan Boland and Johnsburg's coach Ben Beck. Both coaches were run­ ning from one end to the other of Johnsburg's foot­ ball stadium, where the track meets are held. Both coaches said Thursday's meet was a run-through for their respective track teams. It was McHenry that got the most out of the run through as the Warriors defeated Johnsburg 92%- 43 Mz, while the Skyhawks blasted Hebron 90-47. "The first one, you're always nervous," said Boland. "We just wanted to see how the kids would do in a meet." One of the more exciting events of the afternoon was the 3,200 meter run. A battle between McHenry's Chris Creutz and Terry Harth and Johnsburg's Mike Lawrence wasn't decided until the last Continued on pogo 19 Beste was a pleasant surprise for Boland. He finished second in the 50- yard high hurdles in a time of 7.2. Scott Pryzybyla of Crystal Lake South, who was second in the year, won in 5.9. Boland was also happy with his sophomore sprinters. Besides being on the 880-yard relay, Justen also took a third in the 50- yard dash at 5.9. Boland was also pleased with Shaver's performance. "For a couple of sophomores, Justen and Shaver ran well. They will be our varsity sprinters and on the relay team. They ran well." The strength of the team, according to Boland, lies in the distance events. A crew of cross country and track veterans are expected to be the leaders of the squad, >said Boland. Besides Koleno's effort in the 880 yard run, Chris Creutz took a third in the two-mile run and Brian Wright was third in the mile run. Creutz was timed at 10:17 and Wright 4:42.8. The three distance kids ran their best times. They have been going to that meet for* four years. That's the best they have done in the fieldhouse. They have had excellent times in earlier years," said Boland. "The distance kids will be our strength and our leaders this year." Other place finishers included Todd Hughes' third and Mike Lopinsky's fourth in the shot put. The two mile relay team of Maksymiak, Pat Donhue, Tom Grant and Jim Waultelet took a third in 9:46.1. The Warrior four-lap relay squad of Matt Adams, Szamlewski, Sandy Lively and Shaver also took a third, timed at 1:23. Dave Suchomski was third and Greg Gard fourth in the 440-yard dash. The mile relay team of Koleno, Suchomski, Gard and Brian Smith took a third with a time of 4:09.8. (Plaindealer photo by Mike Lamb) McHenry's Terry Harth (right) and Chris Creutz battle John­ sburg's Mike Lawrence for the 3,200 meter title. Creutz jumped out in front for the last lap and won, while Lawrence finished second.