OPRF junior offensive tackle standout Adam Lemke-Bell committed to Northwestern on Saturday.
“Honored to have committed to play football at Northwestern University!” Lemke-Bell posted on his Facebook. “A big thank you to my family, friends, coaches and teammates who have believed in me. Proud to say I am a Wildcat.”
Before joining the Wildcats in 2015, however, the 6-foot-5-inch, 275-pound offensive tackle returns next season for OPRF, which finished 9-2 under coach John Hoerster last season. Along with Lemke-Bell, the Huskies will be led offensively in 2014 by returning starting quarterback Lloyd Yates, running backs Antonio Cannon and Dawon Browley Lacey, wide receiver Ke Juan Ratcliff and fellow offensive lineman Phil Berton
Lemke-Bell also wrestled in the 285-pound class for the OPRF wrestling team which won a state championship during the winter.
OPRF boys track and field
The 400-meter relay team of senior Jamal Baggett, junior Desmond Bird-Murphy, senior Kahrion Martin and senior Lionel Towns recorded a time of 43.37 seconds to finish ninth in the state at Saturday’s state finals at O’Brien Stadium on the Eastern Illinois University campus in Charleston. Last year, Baggett, Towns, Bird-Murphy and Tariq Taylor finished as the state runner-up in the 800 relay with a time of 1:28.78.
In the high jump final on Saturday, OPRF senior Chris Wright-Madison cleared 6 feet, 5 inches for 11th place, while junior teammate Kenny Brown cleared 6-2, good for 15th in the state.
Fenwick boys track and field
Fenwick junior Sal Flight, of Riverside, placed fourth in the state in the 1,600 with a time of 4 minutes, 22.88 seconds at the Class 2A state finals over the weekend. Senior Brixton Rill (10:.09.58) came in 24th in the 3200 run. Flight garnered all six points for the Friars, who finished 40th in the team standings along with six other schools.
Last fall, Flight placed 139th with a time of 15 minutes, 16.9 seconds in the Class 3A cross country state final at Detweiller Park in Peoria. Flight earned that first-ever state meet appearance by finishing ninth (15:10) at the Lake Park Sectional.
During the summer offseason, Flight estimates that he runs between 70 and 80 miles per week.
OPRF softball
The Huskies’ ace Emma Baldwin turned in another clutch performance to lead OPRF to its own regional championship. Baldwin (11-6) threw a complete game three-hitter and struck out 14 as OPRF nipped Niles North 2-0 on Saturday. Taylor Arends went 1-for-3 with an RBI while teammates Elaine Warner and Annelise Ryan each contributed a hit and run scored for OPRF (25-9).
The Huskies take on crosstown rival Fenwick in the semifinals of the Trinity Sectional Wednesday, June 4 at 4:30 p.m.
Trinity softball
The Blazers blew by Whitney Young 11-1 in five innings to claim Saturday’s Niles West Sectional championship game. In the sectional semifinals, Trinity (22-12-1) also cruised to victory via a 10-0 decision over Maine East. Allison Borawski belted a three-run homer and starting pitcher Cortlyn Kelly earned the win against the Blue Demons.
OPRF boys volleyball
Head coach Don August has praised the impact of 6-foot-5-inch outside hitter David Hancock all season. The savvy senior came up big again with 18 kills in the Huskies’ 25-17, 21-25, 25-13 win over Mount Carmel in the sectional semifinals at Morton. Owen Sorenson (five kills, six blocks) and Brian Rains (23 assists) also played key roles in the impressive win against the Caravan.
The Huskies square off against host Morton for the sectional title this week.
OPRF girls lacrosse
The Huskies’ magical run under first-year head coach Alana Breen came to a close on Saturday. Supersectional host Glenbrook South beat OPRF 10-5 to advance to the state semifinals this week.
OPRF boys tennis
The Huskies earned a share of 10th place with Deerfield at the state finals over the weekend. OPRF tallied six points in singles and 10 points in doubles for a team total of 16 points, while fellow West Suburban Conference Silver Division member Hinsdale Central won the state championship with 56 points.
The doubles team of Jonah Philion and Miles Blim won five of seven matches and earned half (eight) of the Huskies’ overall points. Singles players Kyle Hahn and Joe Charbel won three and two matches, respectively, at the state finals, while the other doubles team for OPRF of Christian Angelos and Jake Richards split four matches.
Fenwick boys tennis
Colin Fitzpatrick, the Friars’ lone state qualifier, went 1-2 at the state finals over the weekend. Fitzpatrick earned a 6-2, 7-6 (5) victory against Quincy’s Andrew Fauble in the singles consolation bracket.
