| Published: December 11, 2006
Quick Shots: Preps
Massey commits to Indiana Wesleyan University
After four years of being a one-person team at Rockford Christian Life, Lisa Massey is about to join her first program.
Massey committed Saturday to play tennis for Indiana Wesleyan University next year, an NAIA school located in Marion, Ind. Christian Life’s only player the past four years, Massey is a four-year IHSA state qualifier and the defending sectional champion.
Massey will play for 16-year coach Terry Porter, who has led the Wildcats to a 245-23 record in 15 years. Last year’s team won the Mid-Central Conference championship and finished the season ranked 14th nationally. |
| Muzzarelli sets record
Rockford Guilford junior diver Andrew Muzzarelli set a new pool record last week at Winnetka New Trier. His score of 312.75 (six dives) surpassed the old record of 305.90, which was also held by a Guilford diver. Tom Wright held the old record since 1991.
Muzzarelli’s record was impressive because New Trier’s Natatorium plays host to the IHSA state championships every other year, so the state’s top divers have all competed there.
Muzzarelli, led by coach Gene Cassioppi, is a two-time IHSA state qualifier who finished third in last year’s finals.
Locals ranked among state’s best baseball players
Three local players were named to this year’s Class of 2007 Player Rankings by Prep Baseball Report. Rockford Boylan’s Jake Smolinski (INF/OF/RHP) leads the group with a No. 3 ranking, Rock Falls’ Seth Blair (RHP) was fifth and Rockford Guilford’s Cody Scarpetta (RHP) was ninth. Maple Park Kaneland left-handed pitcher Casey Crosby was the top-ranked player.
Multiplier rule effective or not?
Dire predictions about the IHSA’s 1.65 attendance multiplier for private schools appear to have been unfounded. A record six private schools reached title games in the state football playoffs this year and former Class A power Normal University swept the Class AA boys and girls golf titles for the second year in a row.
“That demonstrates the multiplier has not put schools in a position where they cannot compete,” IHSA executive director Marty Hickman said. “That has played out in virtually every tournament we’ve had: volleyball, golf, football, girls basketball. Every tournament has had non-boundaried schools participating all the way through it.”
Hickman said a few schools that don’t “deserve to be multiplied” have been forced up a class and that the IHSA may add a waiver system for them. The IHSA dropped its original waiver system after private schools sued to challenge the multiplier. State schools then voted for a multiplier without waivers.
“The people who filed the lawsuit wanted a vote by our membership, and they got exactly what they wanted,” Hickman said. “Had we not had a lawsuit, we would have a waiver process.”
Staff reporter Matt Trowbridge contributed to this article.
Emily Tropp’s Quick Shots on prep sports runs Mondays. Contact her at 815-987-1385 or etropp@rrstar.com. |
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