Local Sports Notebook

Thanks to Huizinga, L-W East Having a Grand Time

Griffins' Brandon Bollman throws a three-hitter to shut down Astros in regional baseball.

The Lincoln-Way East baseball team blanked Shepard 7-0 on Wednesday as Dan Huizinga cleared the bases with a grand slam. The Griffins will face Reavis on Saturday in the Shepard Regional championship. Brandon Bollman tossed a three-hit shutout for East. Alex Eaton blasted a two-run homer in the first inning of Lincoln-Way North's 12-2 baseball victory over Shepard on Friday. A.J. Neufeld went 3-for-3 as the Phoenix (29-3) advanced to the title game in the Class 4A Homewood-Flossmoor Regional. Lincoln-Way East dropped a three-set thriller to Marist on Friday night. The RedHawks rallied after losing the first game to take the sectional semifinal match 21-25, 25-21, 25-17. The Griffins earlier defeated Brother Rice 25-22, 27-25 in the Lincoln…

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Hail the Champs: Lincoln-Way Gymnasts Show off Hardware

The Lincoln-Way co-op boys gymnastics team was cheered during a parade and ceremony on Sunday afternoon that started in Manhattan and ended with a trophy presentation at Lincoln-Way East.

There was a moment on Sunday when Skip Adamson had a bit of difficulty remembering Jake Gratkowski’s name. Adamson, the Lincoln-Way co-op boys gymnastics coach, was discussing the nine gymnasts who contributed to Friday’s IHSA state championship, the first for the school since 2006, and blamed his forgetfulness on a four-day sleepless bender. Sleep can come later. Adamson was at Lincoln-Way East on Sunday for a trophy presentation ceremony. He also got a little bit of a roast. Lincoln-Way East athletic director Dave Brost made light of Adamson’s modesty and called him a bus driver. “When you talk to Skip (Adamson) and you reporters know this, this is what he says, ‘All I do is drive the bus. The kids do all the work,’ ” Brost said. “If …

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Lincoln-Way Adds Three Individual State Gymnastics Titles to Team Championship

Ryan Reif and Ajani Cargle earn first-place finishes Saturday, adding to the accomplishments of the team that won the state title on Friday.

The Lincoln-Way Co-op boys gymnastics team now has three more reasons to celebrate during today's parade. One night after Lincoln-Way won the team state championship, three team members won individual state titles. Senior Ryan Reif won on still rings (9.6), junior Ajani Cargle won the horizontal bar title (9.4) and Cargle shared the crown in floor exercise (9.65) with Libertyville's Craig Breckenridge during Saturday's IHSA state boys gymnastics individual championships at Lincoln-Way East. "I had ideas of winning but didn't set a goal for it until my teammates and coach said I could do it," Reif said. "I honestly didn't think I could and it didn't cross my mind, and then they said you're going to get first and I was like, 'What?' and I …

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Ajani Leads Lincoln-Way to Gymnastics Sectional Crown

The Lincoln-Way co-op boys gymnastics team won Thursday's Lincoln-Way East sectional convincingly with a 160.8, as Ajani Cargle claimed the all-around title.

Even a so-so day for Lincoln-Way co-op's Ajani Cargle pushed him well ahead of the rest of the pack of high school gymnasts on Thursday. Cargle was far from ecstatic about his performance during the Lincoln-Way East Sectional, but the standout junior still won pommel horse, parallel bars and high bar, and placed second on floor and vault. He also cruised to the all-around title with a 55.6, well ahead of the 51.7 posted by runner-up Billy Suta of Naperville North. "I didn't like my performance," Cargle said. "I didn't get a 10 everywhere, so I can always do better. I didn't hit everything. Still rings didn't go too well. I could've done better on vault, but the other events besides high bar were OK." Lincoln-Way won the sectional with a …

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Sports Photo Gallery: Young Guns Show off Their Moves

Lincoln-Way co-op coach Skip Adamson elected to field a team of youngsters and he had reason to be pleased with their efforts in a recent boys gymnastics victory over Homewood-Flossmoor.

Call it a training day. "We have all young guys here at this meet, like sophomore Chad Hosman and Brent Schneider; it was his first time (up on the varsity)," Lincoln-Way co-op boys gymnastics coach Skip Adamson said. "Tyler Yost did fine on the floor with a 9.1." Yep. Lincoln-Way's young guys flashed many fine moves in a 125-to-95.5 victory over Homewood-Flossmor. Check out the action from the April 12 meet at Homewood-Flossmoor.

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Gymnastics: Lincoln-Way Sets Top Score in State

Behind Ajani Cargle's 9.8 on pommel horse, Lincoln-Way sets a new state-best score for 2011 with a 159.9 and cruises past Andrew/District 230.

The Lincoln-Way co-op boys gymnastics team produced the top score in the state this season during a 159.9 to 100.9 victory against Andrew/District 230 co-op on Tuesday in Frankfort. The winners scored a 9.0 or better on 50 percent (9-of-18) of their scores that were counted. Lincoln-Way gymnasts who achieved such a feat tossed handfuls of candy into the stands to celebrate their efforts. Tyler Yost’s right arm was probably looser than that of a starting baseball pitcher as he heaved three handfuls. Yost had a 9.0 on floor and a 9.3 on vault, and he then concluded his evening with a personal-best 9.3 on high bar. “My highest score (on high bar) had been an 8.4, so a 9.3 is quite a jump. Really impressive,” Yost said. “The difference was …

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L-Way Co-Op Gymnasts Hope to Party Like it's 2006

Adamson has his team pointing toward state title run.

The Lincoln-Way co-op boys gymnastics team is aiming for a state championship this season. Taking second place and looking up at Stevenson, Glenbard North and York the past three years simply has the program hungry for another state title, the last of which it took home in 2006. This year also will mark the third straight year that Lincoln-Way East will host the state finals as the event has shifted from Barrington. The boys will have time to show what they're capable of over the next two weeks. L-Way was to travel  to Hinsdale Central on Friday for the Neil Krupicka Invite. Then, on March 26, L-Way will head to Rolling Meadows for the Vic Avigliano Invite. L-Way took care of business on March 10 at the Homewood-Floosmoor Invite. At H-F, …

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