The weather indeed played havoc with the Public League baseball schedule this spring. With the long, hard winter continuing into April and even a big part of this month, several games had to be postponed or were canceled altogether.
One of those games that fell victim to the elements was last week’s Jackie Robinson Conference South showdown between Simeon and Whitney Young high schools, which was canceled because of the wet grounds at Simeon. “We were really hoping to have a chance play that game,” said Simeon head coach Leroy Franklin, whose Wolverines dropped a 3-1 decision to the Dolphins in their first meeting. “But we still have another shot at them.”
That second chance for Simeon against Whitney Young now will have to come in the Public League playoffs which got underway Tuesday with first round games. Second round action will take place Thursday with the third round being played this weekend.
The semifinals will be played at UIC’s Les Miller Field; the championship game will take place May 27 at U.S. Cellular Field. “Hopefully Mother Nature will be a lot nicer to us now that the playoffs have arrived,” said Public League baseball coordinator Eddie Curry. Defending city champion Whitney Young is the top seed in the playoffs. However, one team that will definitely bear watching in the playoffs is upstart Lake View.
The Wildcats, who are celebrating the North Side school’s 125th year of baseball this season, have been the hottest team in the league lately. Led by a solid starting pitching rotation, the Wildcats continued to roll with a big win over Northside Prep last week. Lane also could be a big playoff threat.
The Indians, who will be looking to regain the city title from Young, are unbeaten in the Jackie Robinson North at 1 1-0 and are 21-6 overall. This past week, Lane Tech swept a doubleheader from Von Steuben behind the pitching of Jamie Manrique and Jazzy Camacho. Another team that could pull a surprise in the playoffs is Marshall. The Commandos finished a 14-5 season with a 4-3 extra inning win over Juarez as Ervin Thomas delivered a game winning RBI in the eighth inning and winning pitcher Kevin Rhone struck out 15.
Whitney Young remains No. 1 in the weekly Public League baseball poll. Lake View moved up the second followed by Lane Tech in third, Simeon fourth and Jones College Prep fifth. Von Steuben, Taft, Kenwood, Clemente and Hyde Park round out the top ten. The Class 3-A Illinois High School Association state playoffs get underway next week.
Simeon, Harlan, Jones College Prep and Gwendolyn Brooks will be hosting regional action beginning Tuesday. Brooks will also be hosting a sectional. In the Class 4-A tournament, Clemente will be hosting a regional.
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