Wildkits Baseball

Agonizing Loss to New Trier

By Zach Brennan

James Ferguson-Mahan has had a great season, despite Monday's loss to New Trier. Photo by Zach Brennan

Losing to your rival can be tough, but losing to your rival by the ten-run slaughter rule can be agonizing. And the Evanston Wildkits boys varsity baseball team now understand that excruciating feeling after falling on May 15 to New Trier by the slaughter rule, 15-3, in only five innings.

The Wildkits were down 4-2 after the first inning and the match-up looked like it was going to be an offensive battle, but after New Trier scored six runs in the top of the second inning, ETHS felt the pain of an eight-run hole.

Starting pitcher James Ferguson-Mahan had two strikeouts in his two innings, but it was hard for him to keep his confidence because of at least three fielding errors, each of which either advanced New Trier runners into scoring position or scored runners. But left fielder David Baskin made a nice diving catch to close out the second inning, and New Trier's lead was halted at 10-2. The Wildkits left two runners stranded in the bottom of the second inning and couldn't recover.

In the top of the third inning, sophomore reliever Noah Lieberman threw two strikeouts and there was a brief revival of Evanston's defense. But again, the Wildkit offense failed to produce runs in the bottom of the inning.

The top of the fourth inning was all shortstop Michael Locher. He threw out three consecutive groundballs, and again the New Trier offense was stalled. But in the bottom of the inning, the Wildkits could only muster one run off of a Locher double up the middle, which scored third baseman Rob Fiffer. Locher's stand-up double was only feet from being a two-run homer.

Lieberman threw a strikeout to start the top of the fifth inning, but then the flood gates opened back up and New Trier loaded the bases and scored two of their last five runs off of walks.

But the Wildkits should not be too disappointed by their loss, because they have a shot at redemption on May 17.

Two ETHS Alums Fund Athletic Scholarships

Dan Newman, right, and Don Pollard, left, presented scholarship awards to Jonkea Stewart-Butler (not pictured), Tom Berry (center), Emily Roth, and Tim Silkaitis. Photo by David Farrar

Dan Newman and Don Pollard returned last week to their alma mater to announce a college scholarship program for students who are good athletes, good scholars and good citizens.

The two, 1980 graduates of Evanston Township High School, initiated the "ETHS Student-Athlete Leadership Award," an annual scholarship award of $8,000 each for one senior boy athlete
and one senior girl athlete active in community service, show strength
of character, model good citizenship,
are involved in extra-curricular activities and have a minimum grade-point average of 2.5.

The inaugural winners were Emily
Roth and Tom Berry. Emily plays varsity basketball and soccer. She is a soccer team captain and an all-conference player. She and her band gave a concert on May 15 to raise money for the Appalachia Service Project. Emily spent three weeks this summer working in Venezuela and has been involved with Habitat for Humanity. Emily will go to Earlham College this fall.

Tom is an all-conference football player and was team captain this year. Carrying a 4.0 GPA, he balanced his athletics with a challenging academic schedule. Football head coach Tony Johnson said Tom "has drawn praise from his teachers because of his intellectual curiosity, his academic achievement and his character and integrity." Tom will attend Bates College in Maine, where he will play football.

Mssrs. Newman and Pollard gave two runner-up awards of $1,000 each. Honored were senior Tim Silkaitis, and Jonkea Stewart-Butler. Tim is a four-year All-American swimmer and All-State water polo player – and team captain for both. He will swim at Southern University. Jonkea is all-conference and team captain in girls basketball and member of the State champion girls track team. She will attend Montreat College in Asheville, N.C., where she will play basketball and run track.

RoundTable Astros Season Begins

The Evanston RoundTable Astros played their season opener May 3 at James Park. The Astros, part of the Evanston Baseball and Softball League's Ponytail Division, have a 2-0 record to start the year. They defeated the Evanston Rockets twice: in the first game they won 11-10, then they poured it on in the second meeting, winning 20-10. Photo and caption by Todd Thomas