Baseball note: Almost 1,000 wins were on the field when Huntley’s Andy Jakubowski and Prairie Ridge’s Glen Pecoraro’s teams played

Prairie Ridge coach Glen Pecoraro walked over in front of Huntley’s dugout on Wednesday to chat with Red Raiders coach Andy Jakubowski, leaning on a fungo bat about ready to administer some pregame infield practice for his players.

Only former Cary-Grove coach Don Sutherland has more years (31) and victories (553) than those two in Fox Valley Conference history.

Pecoraro and Jakubowski were inducted into the Illinois High School Baseball Coaches Hall of Fame together in 2020. They both will pass 500 career victories this season. Huntley’s 15-3 victory gave Jakubowski 400 wins at Huntley, his other 95 victories came at Boylan and Jacobs.

“It’s awesome,” said Jakubowski, in his 22nd season as a head coach. “I respect everything about coach Pecoraro and his program. We’ve had a lot of great battles over the years. The two old-timers in the Fox Valley. It shows the quality of both of our programs and players buying in. Coaching staffs doing everything. It’s a nice accomplishment for sure.”

Huntley (10-1, 3-1 FVC) has six NCAA Division I signees or commits, with another likely coming in sophomore third baseman AJ Putty. Prairie Ridge (5-9, 2-3) has a younger group, with a couple of holdovers from the 2021 Class 3A state runners-up, and was overmatched on Wednesday.

Pecoraro appreciates how their relationship has evolved through the years.

“We’ve had a lot of battles over the years with Huntley and when (Jakubowski) was at Jacobs,” Pecoraro said. “The thing about our league, you’re a young coach, a lot of ego, trying to build a program, trying to prove yourself. That’s all gone now.

“We have the utmost for each other when we compete. It’s not like it used to be when there was some bad blood and our dugouts were ridiculously crazy. It’s not like that anymore. We’re older and we have so much respect for each other.”

Pecoraro, in his 23rd season, is actually at 496 career wins. A Northwest Herald report, going off what is listed on ihsa.org on Prairie Ridge’s page, had Monday’s win over Burlington Central as No. 500, which was inaccurate. In the IHSA 2021 State Tournament program, Pecoraro’s correct win total was 477. The Wolves won a semifinal game in 2021, were 13-19 last season and five wins this season puts him at 496.

Bogda gets 300: Crystal Lake South coach Brian Bogda picked up his 300th career win on Saturday with a 9-2 win at Cary-Grove. Bogda is in his 16th season with the Gators, who won the 2017 Class 4A state championship.

“It’s fun to be around a lot of different players and I’m very fortunate to coach a lot of different players who have been very talented,” Bogda said. “To do it in the conference we play in night in and night out, the great teams that we get to compete against is a special moment.

“I certainly won’t forget it. The game is about the kids and about what they accomplished today and over the course of their careers.”

Gators catcher Kyle Kuffel feels like Bogda’s attention to details sets him apart.

“It feels good (to get him 300),” Kuffel said. “I’ve been on this team since sophomore year. He’s always been a great coach and we’ve always had a good team. We’re looking to do something big this year too.

“I feel like he coaches things that other coaches don’t see. He coaches the little things very well.”

Pecoraro was thrilled for Bogda to reach that mark.

“When he was a young coach we talked all the time,” Pecoraro said. “He asked my advice and I said, ‘Here’s what I did.’ He’s built a heck of a program over there. I’m real proud of what he’s done over there.”

Warriors on top: McHenry graduated most of its starting lineup from last year’s team that was fourth in the Class 4A State Tournament, yet the Warriors (9-4-1, 4-1 FVC) lead the conference by a half game over Huntley and Crystal Lake South.

The Warriors’ returning starters were pitcher-designated hitter Lleyton Grubich and catcher-pitcher Cooper Cohn. Shortstop Ryan Nagel saw some action last season when Kyle Kaempf was pitching. Other than that, most of the lineup is new.

McHenry beat Jacobs 12-9 on Wednesday to stay on top of the FVC standings.

“We have been hitting very well and getting some big contributions from some guys,” Warriors coach Brian Rockweiler said. “Ryan Nagel has been a key player for us in the infield and taking on the role of closer for us. He’s a gritty kid that plays hard and the right way.

“Owen Micklinghoff also has been a key piece for us in the middle of the order. Our seniors like Lleyton and Cooper, and some of the others that didn’t get a ton of playing time, have been doing a great job of just being leaders and keeping everyone in the right mindset.”

Rockweiler said third baseman Justin Karcz is hitting better than .300 and Payton Sensabaugh, a junior transfer from Marian, also has been a strong addition. Grubich threw a big game on Saturday to beat Huntley.

“Our pitching hasn’t been great outside of Lleyton,” Rockweiler said. “I think once some of our younger guys get some innings under their belt they will continue to improve.”

On the road back: Huntley junior pitcher Malachi Paplanus, who suffered a right (throwing) elbow sprain on March 28, was scheduled to start throwing again on Thursday.

Paplanus felt a pain in his elbow in a game against Maine South and immediately was taken out. He had an MRI, which revealed no tear, but a sprain. Paplanus, a Wright State commit, hopes to throw an inning against Jacobs on April 21 or 24.