Former Fenwick girls basketball star Erin Lawless is now a member of the WNBA Indiana Fever training camp roster.
The 6-foot-2-inch Lawless, who helped lead the Friars to a state championship in 2001, third place in 2000, and second place in 2003, averaged 10.1 points and 5.7 rebounds during her fours years at Purdue University. Lawless, who was not picked in the WNBA draft, is one of six rookies who joined the Fever camp. Training camp continues through May 18. Indiana will play a preseason game in Chicago on May 15.
Local wrestlers compete at nationals
Nine area high school wrestlers from OPRF and Fenwick High Schools competed in the FILA Cadet Nationals in Akron, Ohio. The competition was held in freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling, which are the styles used in international competition such as the Olympics. Four of the local wrestlers placed high enough to attain All-American status. The two Coleman brothers, Ellis (second place) and Lillashawn (fifth place), Gary Milton (sixth place), for OPRF, and Fenwick’s Bobby Barnhisel (sixth place), were national place winners. Barnhisel and both of the Coleman brothers were IHSA All-State winners this past high school wrestling season.
Masters swim to fifth at state
The Oak Park Masters swim team finished an impressive fifth place out of 38 teams at the Illinois Masters Swim Association’s State Meet held at UIC last month. Teams from across Illinois compete in the yearly event and this year marks the highest placing of the Oak Park Masters. The men’s squad earned 4th place honors overall, and the women’s squad 7th.
Top point getters for the team were Lynn Higgins, who scored sixth place overall for women, and George Schoenbeck, who earned high point honors in the men’s 18-24 age group. Other team members earning 50 or more individual points were Lee Stanard and Judy DeMichele for women, and Greg Sorg and Dave Smith for men.
Other swimmers who contributed to the team’s success included Kevin Bartlett, Jason Bonick, Edgar Diaz, Joy Hochstettler, Ben Kowalski, Brian Levake, Joanna Marshall, Matt Petrizzo, Ted Ramos, Josh Rogers, Stacy Sorg, Dan Tyler, Sam Wehrs, Molly Winkelman, Gregg Wright, Rich Yatvin, and Ben Zee.
For information about the swim program call 708-763-8798.
Press releases contributed to this report.
