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Coffaro finds continuity in commitment to Gregory, South Floria

A Hersey standout guard has committed to a former Hersey standout guard.

Joe Coffaro, who averaged 18.6 points for the Huskies this winter, has made a verbal commitment to play at the University of South Florida, coached by 1985 Hersey graduate Brian Gregory.

Gregory is taking over the USF program after coaching at Georgia Tech and Dayton.

Gregory helped lead the Huskies to the Elite Eight in 1985.

"Having a fiery, competitive point guard from Hersey move on to college to play for another fiery point guard from Hersey is one of those circumstances you could never predict or plan," said Hersey coach Steve Messer. "However, it is a proud moment for Hersey basketball."

Coffaro was a talented athlete when he arrived Hersey as a freshmen.

"However, his dedication to working out and working on his game was unsurpassed by any other player I have been around," Messer said. " I am also very pleased with his dedication to defense and team success. Very rarely does the top scorer also lead the team in assists and steals while collecting as many rebounds as the forwards."

Coffaro averaged 3.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.5 steals per game. He had 87 3-pointers entering the postseason and 208 for his career.

"Joe is such a prolific scorer, creating shots for himself and teammates," Messer told the Daily Herald after the season. "He also is a scrappy defender with a nose for the ball. Hersey is very proud to be represented by such a fine athlete and excellent basketball player.

"Joe and his parents did a great job of really looking at many different schools and slowly narrowing down the choices until he found the right fit for him."

Men's lacrosse

Schaumburg lacrosse midfielder Michael Anzelmo was named second string all-state for the second year in a row.

He broke his own school-record of 82 goals on the season, second most in the state.

He was also named to play in the Illinois lacrosse all-star game at Brother Rice High School on Tuesday at 8 p.m. Anzelmo will be continue his studies and lacrosse at Rockhurst University, in Kansas City, Mo., majoring in education.

• Augustana sophomore Brian Hinsberger (Lake Zurich) earned the Vikings' Best Defensive Player award. Hinsberger played in 13 games and had 27 ground balls and 15 caused turnovers.

Hit, Pitch and Run

Rory Kuhn, a 13-under player for the Mundelein Stampede, won the Hit, Pitch and Run title at Wrigley Field this past weekend.

She had to hit three balls off a tee for accuracy, throw six balls to a target and run from second to home.

Kuhn won this event at Avon Township and advanced to the sectional at Grant Township. After winning the sectional, the top three scores from the Chicago area advanced to Wrigley Field.

Now she has to wait to see if her score in the top three in the United States. If so, she will advance to the finals at Marlins Park in Miami during the MLB All-Star Game.

Women's golf

Illinois State junior Kiley Walsh (Prospect) has been selected as a Robert G. Bone Scholar for the upcoming 2017-18 academic year.

She and Wes Ward of the men's cross country and track and field teams are the first Redbird student-athletes to be named Bone Scholars since the 2011-12 academic year. The Bone Scholarship is the top undergraduate honor bestowed at Illinois State, and is reserved for only the top 14 juniors.

Walsh earned All-Missouri Valley Conference honors for the second-consecutive season in 2016-17, after tying for fourth place at the MVC Championships this spring. A Spanish major, Walsh owns a 3.94 cumulative grade-point average (GPA), and has been a two-time MVC Scholar-Athlete First-Team selection.

"Winning the Bone Scholarship is truly an exceptional honor," Walsh said on the school's website. "This award is a reflection of my teachers, coaches and other supportive roles that have encouraged me to find success in the many levels of being a student-athlete. Illinois State University has provided an incredible environment where my academic learning has grown strongly and my personal development has tremendously expanded."

Walsh and Ward are the 23rd and 24th Illinois State student-athletes to earn the scholarship named in honor of the late Illinois State University President Robert G. Bone. The Karin L. Bone Athletics Study Center, which supports the academic endeavors of all Illinois State student-athletes, is named in honor of the late Illinois State University First Lady.

Bone Scholars are students who combine broad and excellent academic achievement with campus and community engagement, while displaying outstanding qualities of character and leadership.

Walsh is the first Illinois State women's golfer to receive the Bone scholarship.

Men's track and field

Hope College junior Benjamin Pederson (Prospect) took 12th place in the 3,000-meter steeplechase at the NCAA Division III Outdoor Track & Field Championship.

Pederson posted a run of 9:34.02 at the SPIRE Institute in Geneva, Ohio. He qualified for the finals by running a time of 9:21.04 in the preliminaries while finishing sixth in his heat and 14th overall among 20 entrants.

Men's basketball

Former Wheeling standout guard Chris McClellan is still playing professional basketball for the Bloomington Flex, which recently traveled to China for a three-week tournament. His FLEX Team USA won the final championship game 103-70 on its China tour.

Women's soccer

Eclipse Select forward Kalyssa "Kiki" Van Zanten of Buffalo Grove has been included in the U.S. U-17 Women's National Team's 10-day camp through June 11 in San Diego. It serves as preparation for a July trip to China. This age group is also in the midst of the cycle that will look to qualify for the 2018 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup in Uruguay.

Conant summer camp

The second semester Conant summer camps begin on Monday, June 26 and the last day to register is on Tuesday, June 27 at 1 p.m. For more information check the Conant website (https://conanths-ar.rschooltoday.com). All registration is completed online.

Wheel chair lacrosse

Former Schaumburg High School lacrosse player Barry Weintraub (from 2003-2007) is a five-year activity-based exercise specialist with the Able Program at Courage KennyRehabilitation Institute in Golden Valley, Minn.

He was featured in an article by the Sun Post (Minn.) for his idea of wheelchair lacrosse this year at the Able Program where disabilities do not stop its clients from being active and having fun.

"It's passion and joy (to coach this sport)," said Weintraub in the story. "It has always been something I've enjoyed. Seeing other people get excited about a sport that they haven't had the chance to play and learn and succeed in is just great." The program's 10 players meet weekly to practice lacrosse basics and work on stick handling while moving around in their wheelchairs.

Weintraub's team plays with men's league gear and by men's league rules, which allows physical contact. "It really allows us to be a lot less adaptive," he said.

Players can bang chairs together, hit each other with sticks and play aggressively, just like players in an able-bodied league.

There are a few adaptations to the game, including the field and number of players during a game. Wheelchair lacrosse must be played on a roller hockey rink, either in a gymnasium or outdoor roller rink. The rink is smaller than a traditional lacrosse field, which is the same size as a football field, so the team must play with two fewer players.

Oakton camp

Boys and girls from kindergarten through high school freshmen can hoop it up this summer by attending the Oakton Community College basketball camp Monday through Thursday, June 19-22, at the Des Plaines campus (1600 E. Golf Road).

Coached by experienced Oakton athletic staff and student athletes, the four-day camp features two sessions divided by grade level entering fall 2017.

The registration fee is $50 per participant, and proceeds support Oakton's basketball programs. For more information or to register, contact Mick Reuter, men's basketball coach, at (847) 635-1753 or mreuter@oakton.edu or Melissa Rauschenberg, women's basketball coach at mrausch@oakton.edu.

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