 There were many reasons why high school lacrosse teams from all over North America ventured into Tampa the weekend of (January 4th-6th, 2008) to compete in the Dick’s Sporting Goods Tournament of Champions. Some wanted greater exposure,others wanted to give their boys a reward for working hard in the summer, but what was consistent amongst them all was that each team earned the right to be there and compete for a National Trophy and Title by finishing in the top three of at least one of the qualifying tournaments held throughout the country this past summer and fall. Amongst the contestants were two Illinois teams that gained the right to go and embraced the rigor needed to get therewith the help of Lacrosse America,the Team Illinois North Varsity and Team Illinois West JV sponsor. TI North won the Notre Dame Challenge early in the summer,an Elite U19 qualifying event while TI-West took the Chicago Challenge as well as placed third in the Notre Dame Challenge, both qualifying them to compete at the U17 level of the Championship Tournament in Tampa. Lacrosse America has been sponsoring the TI teams for many years now, running tryouts in the summer to assemble talented players from all over the state to compete in summer tournaments that attract college coaches. But this was the first year that two distinct teams were assembled; Team Illinois West and North at both the Varsity –U19 and JV-U17 levels, as well as the first year they went on toplay in the Tournament of Champions in Tampa. Ironically, the TI-West teams’ journey started this same weekend a year ago, where following The 3 on 3 vs. The Machine Exhibition Event in support of Peace Lacrosse the World held at the Finish Strong Sportsplex on January 6th, the Dupage Conferences participated in a new initiative called the Advancement Program where about 70 of the area’s best players at both levels from all the conference schools were identified and selected to try out for a 25 man list at each level and the be the prototype class through the program. The players were tested and evaluated by the area coaches and then selected to practice together for 5 weeks indoors, congealing especially the JV unit into what would become the core of TI-West JV team. Other players who made the Advancement Program went on to tryout and play for the Midwest Lacrosse Club Team that traveled and competed well in the Vail shootout last summer with area Coaches Andy Thompson (St. Charles), Paul Stolzer (Benet) and Dave Bassett (Naperville Central/Waubonsie Valley).
At the Tournament of Champions in Tampa the TI-West JV concluded their 3 tournament 18 game quest with a crushing 11-2 defeat of the Tampa Tribe in the Championship Final, placing an exclamation point on a 17-1 run of games through the summer and concluding at the Dicks Tournament of Champions, making a statement of the rising potential developing in the Dupage area as well as in the state of Illinois. Coaches Mike Black (Lacrosse America Rep for the West) and Mark Colello (Neuqua Valley) believed in and lobbied for the opportunity for the team to compete, and their efforts paid off as they along with Zach Gagle, Gary Hoppe and Doug Conley (Lacrosse America Coaches) brought the two teams to Tampa to represent Illinois against some of the continents best high school players. The Green Turtles, a powerhouse team from Baltimore was there as well as the Connecticut Hurricanes, Team Colorado,Team Arizona, Team Carolina, Headstrong, an All Star team from Pennsylvania, 2 Knights from New Jersey, the Edge from Ontario and Central New York’s All star Roadhawks amongst others. But surprisingly the Varsity level wasn’t won by any team on the East Coast or even by any assembled state All-Star team. Instead it was The New Westminster Salmonbellies, a team from British Columbia, Canada that played together since they were kids that took the Varsity Championship Trophy home with them in a 7-5 victory over Headstrong in the finals, emphasizing the value team cohesion has in this game. Team Illinois North finished with wins against the Palm Beach Storm, LB3 from Philadelphia,the St. Louis Samurai and the Miami Makos, but couldn’t get past an extremely talented Roadhawks team and lost a close heart breaker 7-6 to the Green Turtles, the varsity compliment to the only JV team to hand TI-West a Defeat in the Semi-finals at the Notre Dame Challenge in the summer. North’s Highlight game was a come from behind 7-6 win over the Storm were the team exerted great ball control and solid defense, running out the last two minutes of the clock to preserve the victory according to Coach Gagle. “We were down in the second half and fought back, made good decisions and stiffened up on D!” The loss to the NY Roadhawks sent TI-North into the 9thplace bracket and a tough 7-6 loss to the Turtles pitted them against the Lyon Banks Team from Philli for their final match-up, which they won 7-5 to give TI North a winning weekend.
TI-West varsity players Sean Brogan, Tyler Hines, and Madden Titus from St. Charles along with Jack Buckley from Oak Park were invited to join the Summer’s TI-North Varsity team comprised of Jordan Blazer, Ryan Brennan, Dan Dickson, Tyler Hall, Matthew Harris, Pat Marquard, Trevor Synek, Tom Piazzi, Austin Powell, Jarrid Puzes, Joe Schlesinger, Ryan Werhane, Bill Wildmer, Lance Yapor, Andrew Belville, and Zach Nisson. Perhaps we can all share a certain excitement about TI-West’s accomplishment that may suggest a change is in the air. “It was a National Championship Tournament that wasn’t won by an east coast team at either level”observed one of the participants. TI-West coaches Black and Colello emphasized control and respect for the game. “We spread the ball well on offense, stuck together and played our game!” observed Black, “and by the final game our defense was terrifying to our opponent!” Perennial lacrosse legend Gary Gait presented the team with their medals and the Championship Trophy and the team presented Coach Black with the Gator Aid dousing. When asked about what he looks forward to, Black commented that he is glad the team was able to represent the state well and that he looks forward to many of these guys competing at the next level. Team Illinois-West JV Roster: The 2008 Dicks Tournament of Champions – U17 Champions
Name -Position (High School) Total Games played
Matt Barry -Defense (St.Viator) 18
Mike Beatty - Attack (Neuqua Valley) 10 Rob Buckley - Midfield (Oak Park) 18 Joe Calvello -Midfield (Naperville North) 18 Alex Carlson -Defense (Neuqua Valley) 11 Drew Colello -Attack (Neuqua Valley) 5 Taylor Coughlin -Midfield (St. Charles) 18 Ben Dvorak -Midfield (St. Charles) 5 ChadEllis -Attack (St. Charles) 5 Tim Engle -Attack/Mid (Stevenson) 5 Kevin Harris -Defense (Stevenson) 5 Jack Huber -Attack (Stevenson) 5 Dom Imbordino -Defense (St. Francis) 18 Patrick Kileen -Defense/LSM (St.Charles) 5 Kai Libby -Midfield (Home School/Wheaton Academy) 18 Kevin McCann -Midfield (Neuqua Valley) 18 Pat McGushin -Goalie (St. Charles) 18 Graham Niswander -Defense (Neuqua Valley) 18 Zach Roberts -Midfield (Neuqua Valley) 18 Mike Soukup -Midfield (Neuqua Valley) 11 Participants on TI-West JV in the other summer tournaments
Chicago Challenge: TI-West JV Team Record: 6-0
Notre Dame So. Challenge: TI-West JV Team Record: 6-1
But didn’t travel to Dick’s Tournament ofChampions: Alex Hamilton -Attack (Neuqua Valley) 13 Jake Mann -Attack (Naperville Central) 13 Kevin Pew -Attack (Neuqua Valley) 10 Colin Brown -Attack (Naperville North) 6 Jared Greenough -Midfield (Neuqua Valley) 6 John Park -Midfield (Neuqua Valley) 7 Mike Porter -Midfield (York) 13 Billy Rawson -Midfield (St. Charles) 13 Kevin Epp -Defense (Neuqua Valley) 13 Johnathan Ballew -Goalie (Neuqua Valley) 13 Congratulations to all the teams and coaches from the Dupage area for preparing and developing the young men who participated on the 2007 Team Illinois West Varsity and JV Teams.
The TI-West JV player statistics and power ratings from thetournaments, profiles, pictures and more will be available in The Advancement Program area of this web system for Lacrosse in the Dupage Area. Those interested to learn more about the 2008 Advancement Program for the area's teams and players should contact Coach Libby at coachlibby@gmail.com | 
Former Dupage Coach Dave Neff (Neuqua Valley & St. Charles) has taken the Head Coaching job for Carthage College and will be helping the school launch the area's first Division III Lacrosse Program in 2009. This is an exciting development for the sport of lacrosse, the CCIW (the Conference Wheaton, Augustana and Carthage are all in) and a promising opportunity for every lacrosse player in the area.
Coach Vic, the much loved coach who founded and built the program at Wheaton Warrenville South, has taken the head coaching position at Hinsdale Central. The Dupage Conference teams and coaches will miss his dedication and leadership and we all wish him the very best in 2008.
Wheaton Warrenville South defeated Neuqua Valley to gain the 2007 Dupage Conferences Junior Varsity Championship in the season ending Conference JV & F/S Championship Tournament hosted in West Chicago.
First year program Wheaton North surprised the Dupage Conferences with a great season culminating in the 2007 Frosh-Soph Conference Championship in West Chicago