The New Trier News Sports Friday, april 10 4 Connelly’s leadership displayed on and off field him find his passion. to spend a lot of his time working team is really important, and helps a “Coach Kenyon pretty much with kids and adults who have lot during games.” got everyone wanting to play better,” special neeeds. Connelly’s teammates offer high explained Connelly. “He helped spark “Max lives at Misericordia, so praise for him. my interest, and I think anybody who I’ve spent a lot time with people who “Ben is a game changer, and just played for Kenilworth can have disabilities,” said Connelly. watching him play is an inspiration,” attribute any kind of competitive He also works with New Trier said senior and Quinnipiac commit nature they have to him.” Special Olympics, ELS club, and Jack Hill. Aside from Kenyon, Connelly other Misericordia programs outside “His head is always up, and he was surrounded by lacrosse at home. of high school. is always willing to share the ball,” His brother Jack played for New Trier New Trier head lacrosse coach, added Hill. “I feel as if he is not only all four years, and was then recruited Tom Herrala, raves about Connelly. a role model on the field, but a father to play at Providence College where “Ben is the best shooter on the figure to the team.” he has named to the Big East weekly team, if not in the country, and his Connelly’s role this season will Honor Roll before transferring to college coach said the same thing to be to help the Trevians repeat as State Johns Hopkins after his freshman me,” Herrala said. Champions. year. “Off the field, he’s just a The captain will attempt “My brother was playing a lot great kid. Super nice and awesome this feat along with co-captains while I was in middle school, so teammate,” he added. “People like David Hammes, Kevin Mulhern, Hammes and Connelly aim to bring another trophy to New Trier Connelly we’d spend hours playing around in Ben are hard to find; he gets along goalie Jonathan Anastos, and the York, and they play a lot [of lacrosse] the backyard. It helps because he’s a with everyone because he’s so easy aforementioned Hill. by Camille Bear up there, so I’ve been playing with goalie so I just get to whip the ball at to hang around with.” “Coach Herrala just wants us to Senior Ben Connelly is not just my dad and my brother for as long as him.” His dedication to lacrosse, focus on getting better every time we a star lacrosse player and captain. I can remember,” Connelly said. “My Connelly’s other brother, Max, and his team, is also evident. While have a stick in our hands,” concluded The Tufts commit is also an excellent dad taught me the game, but Jack has Downs Syndrome, but Ben does lacrosse is in off-season, Ben, and Connelly. “He coaches us well, and student, and a great contributor to the [Connelly’s older brother] kept me all he can to always include Max and the rest of the varsity team, spend has been awesome the last three years community. going with it.” expose him to lacrosse. hours in the weight room each week I’ve been with him. I think we’re all Following in his father and He realized in middle school “Jack and I like to get him to keep up strength and endurance. excited to get back out there next year brother’s footsteps, much of Ben’s that lacrosse was his true calling, playing with us sometimes, or at least “We’re a pretty tight-knit group and to try and win another for him. life has been devoted to lacrosse, crediting Coach Chip Kenyon, we try to,” he said. of guys,” said Connelly. “We’ll hang We have the best staff in and starting at the ripe age of six. who played at Middlebury from Although most of Connelly’s out with each other after lacrosse. we’d run through a wall for those “My dad is from Upstate New Kenilworth Lacrosse with helping life revolves around lacrosse, he likes Having that trust factor with your guys.” Cubs creating buzz in Chicago Maddon signed a five-year, $25 Waukegan departs from the CSL by Anna Ferguson million contract with Chicago last by Michael Pruchnicki It has been 106 years since November after using an opt-out to the Cubs won a World Series — escape the Rays. With him he brings made the longest title drought in North a loose and fun personality in the an announcement Mar. 4 stating American professional sports — clubhouse, which will certainly help their intentions to leave the Central and they haven’t appeared in a Fall the young Cubs roster acclimate to Suburban League in favor of joining Classic since 1945. the Major League. the North Suburban League. Which of course brings along Lester, who won the last game An application for admission the classic question, is this finally the of the 2007 World Series for the Red by Waukegan superintendent Dr. year? Sox and pitched a no-hitter in 2008 Donaldo Batiste was accepted Mar. 3, Answering that would require looked fantastic in a Spring Training and the Bulldogs will officially have predicting the unpredictable MLB tune-up start last Tuesday, throwing a new conference home for the 2016- playoff, but the 2015 Cubs could 54 pitches and topping out at 93 mph. 17 athletic season. very well be in the conversation Excitement about the upcoming “I think our community would when October rolls around. From the season has been widespread. like to be playing the schools that starting lineup to the starting rotation “There is lot hype this year as are in close proximity to us,” said to the much-talked-about farm opposed to past years. It is a different Waukegan athletic director Sam Waukegan’s presence in all sports will be missed by the CSL. The Bulldogs system, there’s talent everywhere in feeling, optimistic clubhouse and I Taylor to CSL Insider. “It creates will be moving to the more convenient North Suburban League Facebook this organization — an organization think Maddon is going to put the best natural rivalries and should be a little that has been built and rebuilt and team out on the field,” said pitcher more exciting, and it will be a little old Suburban League (founded in he speculates it was because of rebuilt again. Brian Schlitter, a member of the 2014 easier to get to games. 1913) which was one of the most a geography issue. The closest Unlike seasons past, there Cubs. Taylor is excited to learn about powerful conferences in high school school to Waukegan in the CSL is seems to be some actual foundation As far as prospects go, the his school’s role in the North Suburan athletics in the Chicago area. The old Highland Park, which is still a 40 for Cubs fans’ hopes. Cubs are well-stocked and hold the League. conference had the likes of Proviso minute drive, and when they come The Cubs’ president of best farm system in the MLB, per “I look forward to that part East and West (in Maywood and down to play New Trier, Evanston, operations, Theo Epstein, ended . Polished third- of learning new ropes and having Hillside respectively), Oak Park- any of the Maine Township schools, the 83 year World Series drought in baseman Kris Bryant was ranked the new challenges we aren’t used to. River Forrest, Lyons Township (La (East, South, and West), any of the Boston, and has amassed a pool of number one prospect in the MLB and Coaches will have to learn some new Grange) and of course Evanston and Niles Township schools (West and young, cost-controlled players who should be up in the majors for good ways because we knew the CSL very New Trier. North), bus rides can exceed over appear capable of stringing together around mid-April. well. So that part is exciting as well.” So when the Suburban League an hour, which is very far to go for an extended run of success. His Five other Cubs prospects made New Trier athletic director folded in 1975, it was only natural a conference game in high school experience in winning two World Baseball America’s 2015 Top 100 Randy Oberembt found the move for Waukegan to join its natural athletics. On top of that, Waukegan Series with the Red Sox has Cubs — shortstop (No. 3 more surprising than exciting. geographic rivals (New Trier and will have natural rivals with Warren fans hoping that he could reverse overall), outfielder Jorge Soler (No. “A few years ago Waukegan Evanston) in the Central Suburban and Zion-Beton being right in their another curse, this time on the North 12), catcher (No. had informed the schools of the League. neighborhood. Side. 19), pitcher C.J. Edwards (No. 38), that they Even though New Trier and Once Waukegan left the CSL, Epstein himself has been and outfielder Billy McKinney (No. were petitioning the North Suburban Waukegan had been competing president and Glenbrook North attempting to play down the hype 83). Schwarber and McKinney aren’t League for admittance into their against each other since the 1910s, the Athletic Director John Catalano told surrounding the 2015 season while expected to contribute at the major conference, but they were denied. Bulldogs still had the urge to switch the Chicago Tribune that he expects staying optimistic. league level this season, but the So we (the schools of the CSL) conferences. They will be making the to replace Waukegan with another “I said the other day, the hard others should. knew that Waukegan had thoughts of switch for the 2017 football season, school. Oberembt says that he the part is just beginning now. We’ve They will join an already potent joining the NSL in the back of their thr same season the North Suburban CSL is accepting bids from other put ourselves in position to be roster, anchored by the talented mind, but whenever a team leaves League will be undergoing some schools and it does not expect to have competitive and win, and that’s what shortstop Starlin Castro, first- a conference it always comes as a major changes as well. an announcement on which school I’m thinking about,” he said in an baseman , and pitcher shock,” said Oberembt. North Chicago, Antioch, Lakes, will be replacing the Bulldogs until interview with Chicago Tribune. Jake Arrieta. Waukegan has a long history Round Lake, Grant, Wauconda, the end of the school year. Epstein has done a complete These factors, along with Cubs of competition with teams from the Grayslake North and Grayslake New Trier athletes will certainly rebuild of the Cubs organization, owner Tom Ricketts’ willingness CSL. The school originally joined Central will all be forming their own miss the competition that Waukegan drafting, trading and signing young to spend whatever it takes to get the CSL in 1975 (the inaugural year conference that year. All of these provided. Football and prospects with plenty of upside, the Cubs to the top, as seen through of the CSL was 1965) as two schools, schools were once part of the 14 player Andrew Hauser offered an along with acquiring established and the new video board in left-center, Waukegan East and Waukegan school North Suburban Conference, interesting perspective on the move. talented players like former Boston have come together to create a more West. The two schools merged into which in 2017, will consist of “I’m going to miss their pep- ace . modern culture on the North Side. Waukegan High School in 1989. Zion-Benton, Warren, Libertyville, band, it’s awesome,” he said. “By far He even picked up manager Joe It’s a rebuilding process, and 1975 was the first year of there being Stevenson, Lake Forest, Lake Zurich, the best band in the confeence, their Maddon, who worked miracles with although this year shows promise, two schools in Waukegan School Mundelein, Vernon Hills, and now mix of new and old songs combined young, low-budget teams in Tampa success is no guarantee. But this District 60. Waukegan. with an energetic conductor makes Bay and seems like the perfect shouldn’t be a problem. Cubs fans But prior to the split of the Oberembt does not want to for a band that is second to none in manager to usher the Cubs into are well-schooled in the virtue of original Waukegan High School (in comment on the reasons why he the CSL. I’m devastated to see them this new era of success. patience. 1975) the school competed in the thinks Waukegan left the CSL, but leave.”