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r IWMCJ io - r LAimul^ALbK - f KIUA V, MARCH 2. 1984 -- -- -- •• -- -- -- F 1 1 • • let's' talk m Sports FVC second place skirmish perfect script McHenry Regional Monday Crystal Lake South (9-14) vs. Crystal Lake Central (10-13) 7:30 p.m. Tuesday McHenry (8-13) vs. Johnsburg (10-12) 7:30 p.m. i Wednesday Woodstock (19-5) vs. South-Central winner 7 p.m. Cary-Grove (9-13) vs. McHenry-Johnsburg winner 8:45 p.m. Friday Regional firal 7:30 p.m. (winner advances to Rockford-Jefferson sectional March 13, 14, 16) Johnsburg not looking beyond Grant As far as the Northwest Suburban Conference goes, the Johnsburg Skyhawks can only finish in the spot they now hold - sixth place. Even with a win over Grant tonight, the Skyhawks can't move up or down. Grant holds the fifth place spot in the NWSC with a 7-6 record. Johnsburg is at 5-8, while Wauconda is below the Skyhawks .at 3-10. The Skyhawks, according to coach Ben Beck, are not looking Dast th#» 7'3/1 n m Grant despite being unable to move up. A big game with McHenry on Tuesday in the McHenry regional awaits the Johnsburg squad. Beck, however, says his squads eyes are set on Grant for the time being. Beck would like to see his scfuad finish with a 6-8 record and 11-12 overall. But there is another incentive. "This is a big game for us. We beat every team in the con­ ference except Marengo and Grant. We now have the chance at Grant," Beck said. The first time the Bulldogs and Skyhawks met this season, Grant came home a 46-39 winner in a close ballgame. Johnsburg held a 21-19 halftime lead. Beck remembers that game well. "They are a very similiar type of ballclub. They look to get balance," said Beck. "They have the big kid, Mark Cole, in the middle. "I'm anticipating the same kind of game as the last time. The key for us is which team will show up for us. We have to pick up the tempo with pressure and Keep them off the free throw line. We have to limit them to one shot." Grant is coming off a victory over Marengo, which forced the Indians into a tie with Marian Central for the NWSC title. "They beat Marengo. It will be their seniors night and their last home game. They'll be ready. Lake Zurich tops Lady Skyhawks The Lake Zurich Bears jumped out to a 18-10 first quarter lead and went on to defeat the Johnsburg Skyhawks 63-42 in Northwest Suburban Conference girls basketball Tuesday. Lake Zurich continued to build up its lead to 36-23 at halftime and 54-37 after three quarters. The loss, which left Johnsburg with a split against the Bears, gave the Skyhawks a 5-8 Nor­ thwest Suburban record and 11-9 overall. Theresa nauck led Jonnsburg scoring with 14 points, while Lori Oeffling scored 10 and Michelle Swartzloff eight. Hie battle for second place in the Fox Valley Conference is on the line tonight when the Warriors travel to Jacobs. Both teams are 6-5 with one game to go, and the perfect script - they play one another. Who would have thought back in November these two teams would be battling for second place in the Fox Valley. Woodstock, the winner of the FVC this season, was the pre-season pick by almost everyone. Crystal Lake Central and Dundee-Crown were given an outside chance for the upset possibility to win the crown. However, coach Gordon Tebo has kept a handle on his Blue Streak squad, and only Jacobs' 53-52 victory has marred the Blue Streaks from an undefeated conference season. But when bouquets are passed out after the season, TTen Ludwig of the Warriors should be first in line to receive one. He has done a most remarkable job this season with the Warriors. Just the thought the Warriors are this far up in the standings at this stage of the season, to me is a miracle. Warrior fans are very happy. Dundee- Crown fans are sad, and we know with both Crystal Lake teams in the cellar, both Gator and Tiger fans are not too happy. Well, such is life. On the Sideling Dick Rabbitt two teams will meet, each with a 9-2 record. Earlier, these two teams met and the Tigers of Linda Brady won 55-48. Hie game was played at Crown, and as everybody knows the Tigers are hard to beat in the fieldhousO, whether it be boys or girls. The girls basketball season in the Fox Valley is more thrilling than the boys. The championship should be on the line on March 8 when Dundee-Crown visits Crystal Lake Central. If everything goes along as it should in the next week, these The Warriors made a great comeback last Friday night against the Chargers of Dundee-Crown. Trailing by 22 points midway in the third period, the Warriors caught fire and brought the game within one in the last 30 seconds. But not having patience as Coach Ludwig has preached all season, proved the Warriors down­ fall. A poor shot that went astray gave the Chargers the win 71-68. Buckner Gym should be humming next week. The state couldn't have done better than any of us in the regional pairings. On Monday the inter-city rivals of Crystal Lake South and Crystal Lake Central, with the winner to play Woodstock on Wednesday. Then on Tuesday night the long awaited Warrior Skyhawk game. If this game doesn't open the upper deck and put some people in it, let's forget about basketball in this area and (day indoor soccer or tag. Hie winner of this game will play Cary-Grove on Wednesday, with the finals on Friday night. The Marengo regional for class A teams is going to be an interesting event. Both the Indians of Marengo and the Hurricanes of Marian Central tied for the Northwest Suburban Conference title. The Hurricanes had some of the state football champs rub off on them and made a comeback to tie the Indians for the title. Like Woodstock's third place in class AA in wrestling, the Woodstock team is made up of winners. Harvard is the sleeper in the tourney. Marian opened up Wednesday night against Hebron, coached by Sonny Katzenberg (boss man at Hunter Country Club). The genial coach of the Green Giants won nine games this season, more than the Hebron crew has won in the past two years together. While Marengo is 16-8, Marian Central 15-8, Harvard is 14-10 playing class AA schools with an underclass lineup of 6- foot-5, 6-foot-5 and a 6-foot-3 guard, and may be a year away from the regional title. Down memory lane to the 1978-79 season when the Warriors beat Jacobs, their opponents tonight, 63-53. Len Jensen, now of Carrol College, was the leading scorer with 16 points, and Tony Sroka came up with 15. Continued on page 15 McHenry, Jacobs rise above When the pre-season polls were out before the start of the basketball season, McHenrv and Jacobs were two clubs that were given little or no chance at all in the Fox Valley Conference race. Well, here it is the last weekend of FVC action, and guess which teams are battling it out for second place? Well, its not Crystal Lake Central and Dundee-Crown, which were picked to challenge Woodstock for the FVC crown. Rather, its McHenry and Jacobs. The two ballclubs will battle it out at 7:30 p.m. tonight in Algonquin. . "Both of us were picked to finish way down in the stan­ dings. To finish second would be a feather in both clubs' hats," said Jacobs coach Mark Slimko. Ludwig feels the same. "We're not even mentioned. Woodstock, Crystal Lake Central and Dundee-Crown were supposed to be the^feeams to beat. To that standpoint, the kids feel good about second place." Both clubs have identical 6-5 FVC records. While the rest of the FVC sank to the lower depths, McHenry Jacobs stayed around the second-third spots for the majority of the season. McHenry escaped with a 38-29 win over Jacobs in Buckner Gym the last time the two teams met. It was described by both coaches as a poor performance by both teams, with Jacobs shooting 34 percent and McHenry 38 percent. "That last game set basket­ ball back," said Slimko. "I hope not," he responded after asked if the same kind of game could occur tcnight. "If it does, they should give all the people their money back. That type of game is not fun to watch or coach." Ludwig doesn't exoect as low scoring affair this time around but he said it could be still lo* scoring. "That's their kind of game. Their secret is to play slow to run the ball a little more. They are strictly a zone type of team. With their big lineup, once they get the defense going they don't play too bad. We have to take advantage of the fast break." -- »«si break." "Both of us are coming off disappointing losses," Slimko said. "Hopefully we can get our kids up and I'm sure Ken will get his kids up." With the importance of second place, Ludwig has stressed to his players not to look beyond the game into the regionals. "The one thing I told the kids is to get Johnsburg out of the back of thier minds. Don't worry about Johnsburg until after Friday night." Adjustments fail to slow down Dunne STAFF PHOTO-WAYNE GAYLOKD AAc Henry coach Ken Ludwig will be looking for help from his bench during the battle with Jacobs for second place. William Schmitt, taking the jump shot, will be one of those Ludwig might turn to. For three particular players on the McHenrv Warrior boys' „ basketball team, it's been a year of adjustment and progress. Pat Dunne, Scott Freund and Craig Hill are three juniors who went from sophomore ball to varsity starting spots. Their progress as players became important this season, as well as next year. Of the three, Dunne had to take on a double adjustment. Not only did Dunne have to make the adjustment of varsity ball, but he also had to learn a new position. He played forward as a sophomore, but coach Keh Ludwig moved him to the guard spot. His progress in that situation came to a peak last Friday, scoring 19 points in a 71-68 loss to Dundee-Crown. "He has become a lot more consistent. He has a lot more confidence in himself now," said Ludwig. "All three (Hill, Freund and Dunne) have matured quite a bit. Next year it will be an easier process for them." As far as Dunne is concerned, Ludwig says, "He has done a pretty darn good job." Pat is the son of John and Elaine Dunne. Dunne's progress has come along so jvell, he leads the team in scoring in Fox Valley Con­ ference play. He has averaged 12 points which puts him in eighth place in conference scoring. A good scoring per- Continuod on pag* 15 Pat Dunne ATHLETE of the week Fagan joins Havlicek, Jones, Gardner in hall of fame By Greg Ives Shaw-Free Press Service Cliff Fagan spent a lifetime writing the reasons behind basketball officials' whistles. It was only a matter of time before the CLIFF FAGAN sport gave the Crystal Lake resident a few backslaps in return. Fagan, 73, retired in 1977 after serving on a host of national and international rules interpretation com­ mittees and as executive director for 20 years of the National Federation of State High School Associations, based in Elgin. Among his credentials was a six-year stint as president of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Mass. - an organization which will induct Fagan, along with five others, on April 30. Joining Fagan in basketball's version of baseball's Cooperstown, N.Y., and the NFL's Canton, Ohio, are several names familiar to basketball followers - former Boston Celtic greats John Havlicek and Sam Jones. Also to be inducted are former coach Jack Gardner of Kansas State and Utah, and Ed­ wards S. Steitz, longtime athletic director at Springfield College. A bulk of the Basketball Hall of Fame members are past members or past basketball greats. Fagan, who spent more time at meeting tables than on basketball courts, was surprised by his induction. "I hope I'm not immodest to say I was pleased as well as surprised to be elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame," Fagan said. "In our business, it's something like receiving an Oscar." The Honor is another in a series of awards Fagan has garnered since retiring. In December, he was one of 17 inducted into the National High School Sports Hall of Fame and is a member of the Wisconsin High School Football Coaches Hall of Fame. "I had no idea my name was before the committee and when the telegram came, I W1fff surprised,'5 ragan added. "I suppose the most heavily weighted things were the work with the (National) Basketball Rules Com­ mittee for so long, my in­ volvement with the Pan American Games gover­ norship and International FEBA (Federation of Basketball Associations)." Fagan spent 18 years as secretary of the National Basketball Rules Com­ mittee and was also treasurer of the Pan American Basketball Federation. A resident of Crystal Lake since 1957, Fagan was also on the board of directors of the U.S. Olympic Com­ mittee and president of ABA-USA for two years. As Director of the National Federation of State High School Associations, Fagan was responsible for many national prep ex­ tracurricular programs now in existence The National Federation has more than watts**?** Prior to his work with basketball officiating and rules interpretation, Fagan spent 10 years as an ad­ ministrator with the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association. He also coached football and basketball at three high schools in the state. Fagan is a graduate of LaCrosse State Teachers College (now University of Wisconsin- LaCrosse). Fagan will be wearing two hats at the induction ceremonies. Although retired, he still serves on the Basketball Hall of Fame board of trustees and is scheduled to attend an April 28 meeting in Springfield. "I'll be having double duty this year," he added. Fagan served as president of the Basketball Hall of Fame from 1962 to 1968. Havlicek and Jones were teammates on six National Basketball Association championship teams in the 1960's, Havlicek, who fkired in 1978, held the NBA continued on peg* 15 f