Quick read: Fox Valley Ice Arena alive in lofty competition

The Blackhawks understandably have other things on their minds this week, but as far as Fox Valley Ice Arena employees and patrons are concerned, the NHL is one step closer to coming to Geneva.

Finalist voting opened Tuesday as the Kraft Hockeyville USA competition nears its conclusion. Fox Valley Ice Arena finished in the top 10 in preliminary balloting and is among the venues eligible to receive $150,000 in rink upgrades and host an NHL preseason game before the 2016-17 season. The top four vote-getters advance to the second round.

"We're super excited," FVIA general manager Craig Welker said. "It's a great facility, but I think the nomination really says it all. Really, it's the people – from the employees to the users to the clubs that play in the facility that really make it great."

Interested fans were eligible to nominate respective arenas nationwide during the winter, then share a few sentences on anything pertaining to the rink or the community's passion for hockey.

Already ripe with tenants, including developmental and youth hockey clubs and international figure skaters, the arena recently welcomed the Chicago Steel of the United States Hockey League, who relocated from Bensenville in August 2015.

Voting for this round closes at 11:59 p.m. Thursday and can be done here.

"There's really been a strong buzz all over social media and around the rink, as well," Welker said. "Everybody's really excited. It's a huge honor to make it that far."

Options open: St. Charles North softball coach Tom Poulin branded the North Stars' recent home loss to Schaumburg "a good lesson for us early," after late-inning gaffes helped the Saxons prevail.

Although the North Stars are set at numerous positions, Poulin isn't leery about using the team's initial games to give other players innings. Sophomore pitcher Jillian Waslawski remains the team's top option in the circle, for instance, but the North Stars realize they can't simply allow Allison Hausl, Natalie Walters and Maddie Webb to get rusty if they can help it.

"We're trying to find some things out with our kids. … Put some kids in positions and situations and see how we respond," Poulin said.

Moving on up: Speaking from his office during Kane County Cougars media day last week, manager Mike Benjamin wondered how long he'd be seeing left-hander Alex Young around the clubhouse.

"If he does what he's capable and there's an opportunity, he could very well be one of the first guys out," Benjamin said.

Instead, outfielder Grant Heyman gained that distinction among the 2016 Cougars, earning a promotion Monday from Class-A to the parent Arizona Diamondbacks' Advanced-A affiliate in Visalia, California.

Heyman, an eighth-round selection of the D'backs in 2014, is climbing the organizational rungs a little later than his ideal pace. He opened the 2015 season with the Cougars, batting .273 with two home runs and 18 RBIs in 37 games before landing on the disabled list with a hand injury.

After nearly three months of recover and rehab, he closed the season with Short-A Hillsboro (Oregon), hitting .280 with eight RBIs in 19 games to help the Hops to a second successive Northwest League title. Heyman played winter ball in Australia to accommodate for missed time in 2015.

Turns out he didn't spend much time in Kane County upon his return. Heyman tripled and singled in 12 at-bats over three games while driving in a run. Outfielder Luis Veras joined the Cougars from extended sprint training in a corresponding move.

''It's still has to work out," Benjamin said. "You've got to have somebody in Visalia that's kind of scuffling. Maybe somebody gets hurt, you know. They still need that break."

• Kevin Druley is sports editor of the Kane County Chronicle. He can be reached at 630-845-5347 or kdruley@shawmedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @KevinDruley.