Baseball: Fox Valley Conference sends 7 of 10 teams to sectionals

The Fox Valley Conference has long prided itself for its baseball prowess, and with good reason.

On Saturday, the FVC flexed its muscles in a way never before seen as seven of the league’s 10 teams won regional championships. The best seasons previous to this had five FVC teams with regional titles – 2023, 2019 and 2014.

It worked out that teams were split in Classes 3A and 4A and spread out just right so there was not crossovers in regional play. With five each in 3A and 4A, there were no regional matchups between FVC teams.

In Class 3A, Burlington Central, Cary-Grove, Crystal Lake Central and Crystal Lake South won regional titles. Hampshire, Huntley and McHenry won championships in Class 4A. Burlington Central, South and Huntley repeated as regional champs, with Huntley running its streak to eight consecutive years.

Since the IHSA went to four classes in the 2006-07 school year, the FVC has sent at least one team to state in all but four seasons (2023, 2016, 2012 and 2011). Three times (2022, 2014 and 2008) the FVC sent a 3A and 4A team to their respective Final Fours.

At the Class 4A Hampshire Sectional, McHenry (28-7) faces Hampshire (24-10) in Wednesday’s 2 p.m. semifinal, with Huntley (28-7-1) meeting Barrington (22-13-1) in the second game at 4:30 p.m.

The winners meet at 2 p.m. Saturday for the sectional title and a trip to the Kane County Cougars Supersectional at 6 p.m. Monday against the winner of the St. Charles North Sectional.

Huntley (2018), Hampshire (2019) and McHenry (2022) have all made fairly recent trips to the Class 4A Final Four at Duly Health and Care Field in Joliet.

In the Class 3A Grayslake Central Sectional, Crystal Lake South (21-13) and Deerfield (11-23) meet at 2 p.m. in the first semifinal, with Cary-Grove (22-14) facing Crystal Lake Central (22-14) at 4:30 p.m.

The winner advances to the Schaumbug Supersectional at 5 p.m. Monday at Winstrust Field against the Chicago Clemente Sectional champion.

In the Class 3A Sycamore Sectional, Sycamore (23-7) and Wheaton Academy (31-5) play at 4 p.m. with Benet Academy (21-9-2) facing Burlington Central (24-9) at 6:30 p.m.

The winner advances to the Geneseo Supersectional at 6 p.m. Monday against the champion of the Washington Sectional.

Long time coming: All the FVC teams moving on to sectionals this week have won a regional since 2019 except for Crystal Lake Central.

The last time the Tigers were in a sectional was 2008, the last season Jeff Aldridge was coach. Central took fourth in the Class 3A State Tournament that year [Prairie Ridge won the Class 4A title].

Cal Aldridge, Jeff’s son, now is the coach and Jeff Aldridge, who retired as Central’s athletic director in December, is a volunteer assistant.

“The guys are playing really, really well,” said Cal Aldridge, who is in his first season. “A lot of this was set up by [former coach] Andy Deain and [assistant] Austin Padjen. It’s a pretty cool experience, I couldn’t do it without the guys playing as hard as they can.”

Central knocked off Grayslake Central, last year’s Class 3A runner-up, 5-2 Saturday for the Grayslake Central Regional title.

Aldridge saw his team’s turning point come early this month when the Tigers swept Jacobs and Hampshire. Central is 10-2 over that stretch.

“We were fortunate enough to sweep Jacobs and then Hampshire,” he said. “We walked off against Prairie Ridge [in between those series], that gave us some confidence.

“This [seven FVC teams remaining] is a testament to our conference. That’s pretty special. Every team has ups and downs and teams that respond best come out successful. There’s no quit in our guys, it’s so much fun to watch them work every single day.”