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Page 19- PLAINDEALER-HERALD. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 20. ]W Sports JHS boys back on track after weekend split Skyha wks tripped by Slimko, Jacobs... but snap losing string against LZ By Chris Juzwik PlalndMter-tierald aport* «dltor JOHNSBURG -- It was Parents' Night at Johnsburg High School's final boys' home basketball game of the season Saturday night against Jacobs. A sizeable throng was on hand, the Skyhawks having broken a six- game losing streak the night before. The hosts were entertain­ ing a Fox Valley Conference team, the first such unit to battle Johnsburg this season. Everybody involved with Johnsburg athletics was in an 'up' mood. But then, wouldn't you know it, someone had to come along to spoil it. It couldn't have been somebody offering a poor rendition of the Na­ tional Anthem, or the referee making a poor toss on the opening tip. No, nothing that trivial. What ruined this night for the Johnsburg faithful came in a lanky, 6-foot-6 package, wearing a brown and gold uniform, with the number 55 emblazoned on it. JOHNSBURG wasn't the first team to be rudely strewn in his path, and undoubtedly, the Skyhawks won't be the last. This interloper merely scored 25 points, leading his team to a 57-52 win, and sending the hosts to their 16th defeat of the season. Mark Slimko is the lad in ques­ tion. The senior center-forward- guard-floor leader is averaging 23.5 points per game in FVC play, and he didn't let double- and triple-teaming affect his play, as Slimko poured in 16 first-half points on unofficial 8-of-9 shooting from the field. The Skyhawks' senior con­ tingent led the way in the first half, as forward Bernard Wharton had eight and guard Jeff Nichols seven. Forward Mark DuRei toss­ ed in four, but Slimko and the Golden Eagles held a 31-23 halftimeedge. "We didn't do anything to stop him (Slimko) in the first half, but in the second half, we contained him. He only had three buckets," said Johnsburg coach Ben Beck. "WE DID A tremendous job on the boards in the first half, especially in the second quarter," Beck noted. "Especially Wharton. He played a nice game tonight." . The JHS defense stiffened in the third quarter, as the visiting Eagles could manage just five points. Meanwhile, on the other end of the court, Nichols began to take charge, tallying on a lean-in jumper, swishing a shot from the . Plaindealer-Herald photo by Chris Juzwik Jacobs' 6-6 center Mark Slimko follows through on his jump shot as Frank Husak of Johnsburg looks on. Nark DuRei left baseline, nailing an 18-footer from the top of the key, and finally scoring on a mid-lane jumper over Slimko with seven seconds left in the quarter to bring the Skyhawks to within 36-35. Nichols was aided in the third quarter surge by junior center Tim Shine. The 6-4 Shine had four points and controlled the boards on both ends. "We played real well in the third quarter," Beck said. "We had chances to take over, and we just didn'texecute again." Sophomore guard Frank Husak hit a jumper from the key to open the fourth quarter scoring and give Johnsburg its first lead since the Skyhawks led 2-0, at 37-36. BUT JACOBS fought back, a basket by Slimko pushing the Eagles ahead 43-37. A driving layup by Todd Suma made it 48-41, Jacobs, with just under four minutes to play. Nichols traded a pair of free throws with Slimko to make it 50- 43 with three miutes to go, and after Wharton hit two charity tosses, Slimko fed Steve Kuznik for an easy lay-up off the passing game, and Jacobs was ahead 52- 45. The visitors missed seven free throws -- four of them the front end of bonus opportunities -- in the last 1:44 of the game, but Johnsburg couldn't find the basket on its end. Shine hit two free throws with : 15 to go to bring Johnsburg within 55-52, but charity tosses by ancHHimko accounted for fial score. 'WE MISSED how many, seven one-and-ones in the last three minutes?" queried Jacobs coach Ken Slimko. "We sure didn't play smart in the last quarter. We let them back in the game by fouling them, and missing free throws. "I'm happy to get out of here with a win," Slimko sai<J. "We'll take it. Johnsburg played well. Give their kids credit. They came back, and battled us real well. I'm just glad we won," he reiterated. "This is why I don't have any hair left," the Jacobs coach joked, "and what there is up there is gray." BECK CREDITED the play of his seniors, especially Wharton, Nichols and DuRei. "They just played their hearts out tonight. This being their last home game, they really wanted to go out winners. That's what makes this loss so disappointing. DuRei did some things, leadership things, that we've been looking for from him "I think we've turned the cor­ ner. We're heading in the right direction now," Beck said. After Slimko's 25, sophomore Rich Rogala, in his first start, tossed in nine for Jacobs. Nichols had 20 for Johnsburg, while Shine chipped in 14 and Wharton 10. J o h n s b u r g w i l l p l a y a t Grayslake Friday night, and will wrap up the regular season at Round Lake March 1. BEEF VILLA'S FEBRUARY LUNCH SPECIAL 2 PIECES BEEF VILLA'S DELICIOUS BROASTED CHICKEN PLUS BROASTED POTATOES OR FRIES, COLE "SLAW & ROLL ALL FOR ONLY $ J 25 FROM 11 AM TO 2 PM (NOW THRU FEB. 28, 1985) WHAT IS BROASTID? We start with fresh chicken marinated to give it fla vor right down to the bone. Then we lightly bread it. Next it's broasted to seal in the flavor and seal out almost 100% of the cooking oil. VILLA •McHenry (815)344-1103 •Woodstock (815)338-3433 ByBarbAnsell PUtadMter-Herald qxtrtawrlter JOHNSBURG - Just when It looked as if neither the Johnsburg Skyhawks nor the Lake Zurich Bears could muster enough poiiits to win their boys' basketball match-up Friday night, the host Skyhawks suddenly made things happen, and allowed assistant coach Bill Hurckes' pre-game prediction of a win to come true. . The Skyhawks' six-game losing streak was broken with a 38-37 Northwest Suburban Conference victory over LZ, and Johnsburg did it without benefit of a basket in the fourth quarter. All eight JHS points in the final stanza came from the foul line. It was the first of the final two games the Johnsburg seniors would play on their home court, and with plenty of cheering fans behind them, the 'Hawks came from behind to post a morale- boosting win. As the fourth quarter began, Lake Zurich led as it had all game. After more than 2M> minutes of play, the score remained 31-30. Johnsburg took five shots and misfired on all of them, while the Bears could manage just two at­ tempts at the hoop, missing both. FINALLY, LZ's Tom Jessee broke the stalemate with a bucket, giving the visitors a 33-30 lead. Johnsburg senior guard Jeff Nichols went to the free throw line and nailed both tosses, bringing JHS to within one, and Bill Dust followed his teammate to the charity stripe, hitting one of two to tie the game at 33, with just over three minutes to play. A rebound basket by Dean Murin made it 35-33, Lake Zurich. But another Bear foul sent senior Bernard Wharton to the foul line, where he hit both tosses to match Lake Zurich at 35. After a Rich Tauras bucket helped Lake Zurich maintain its lead, another LZ foul changed the story for the Skyhawks. NICHOLS, THE Skyhawks' leading scorer, hit both free throws, tying the game at 37, and after a change of possessions, senior guard Tom Walsh found himself at the free throw line with 34 seconds left. ̂ Walsh made the front end of his bonus situation, but missed the se­ cond. Dust, however, claimed the rebound on his teammate's miss, but Lake Zurich's Tauras got possession of the ball, and was fouled with just three seconds left in the game. He missed the front end of his one-and-one attempt, and as Lake Zurich scrambled for the loose ball, time ran out, and the Skyhawks held on for a 38-37 win. "It feels really good to win," said smiling Johnsburg head coach Ben Beck. "We had good, hard practices all week. The guys knew they'd be playing (a con­ ference game) at home for the last time and they wanted to go out well. "I'm very proud," Beck con­ tinued. "We lost six games in a row late in the season and we worked hard to come back and win tonight. That says a lot about our people." THERE WAS a lot to say about many of the Skyhawk players. Wharton, who made his first start of the season, became a catalyst on several JHS offensive surges. In the first quarter, the senior forward battled his way into the lane to grab an offensive rebound and score. His two free throws late in the game were also critical. "Bernard did a really nice job in his first start," Beck said of Whar­ ton, who had six points. Bernard Wharton Dust also stood out. The 6-0 junior collected key offensive re­ bounds in the final quarter to keep Johnsburg scoring chances alive. "Bill did a super job late in the ballgame for us," said Beck. "It was the best I'd seen him play in a long time." . JOHNSBURG sophomore Frank Husak was the game's only player in double figures, with 10 points. Nichols followed with eight. Husak, a guard, also led his team in rebounding with seven, while junior center Tim Shine grabbed five caroms. "We told the guys we need a total team effort and that's what we got," explained Beck. "We had 100 percent from all five players at all times. They were really in­ volved in going for those loose balls and fighting for those re­ bounds. It was the little things that made a big difference." - Beck agreed that a key to the win was the support of the Johnsburg fans. "The fans make a difference in how you play. When they become a part of the game, they have fun, and that helps the team. The fans were very supportive tonight." WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO LIMIT QUANTITIES ON SALE ITEMS DELIII0U0RS 8 MERCHANTS Im OF FINE WINES AND LIQUORS 4610 W Pftiita 190 MrM SALE BUR NOTICED MS All WINTER HOURS: MONMY THRU THURSMV Mbf* FRIDAY ft SATURDAY « HH10PM SUNDAYS 9AM-SPM 4610 W. Route 120, McHenry THIS AD APPLIES TO OOR McNENRY STORE ONLY Of 4* 385-3200 I SMI DATES; WED.. FIB. 20 THRU TBES.. FEB. 261 Stroh's Beer Or Stroh Light 24 12 OZ. 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