By Jeff Vorva
A former talented team will rub shoulders with a current talented team.
Beecher’s 2007 softball team is a part of the 2024 Beecher Hall of Fame class and will be honored May 11 before a home softball game against Lemont. The 2007 squad won the Illinois High School Association Class 2A State Championship and finished with a 33-4 record.
During the postseason, the Bobcats outscored opponents 69-1 including a 17-0 super-sectional win over St. Joseph Ogden, which had knocked Beecher out of the payoffs the previous year.
They beat Casey-Westfield, 3-0, in the state title game.
Members of the team were Jaci Amram, Carissa Boekeloo, Jacqueline Brown, Jacqueline Grim, Jenna Grim, Jordyn Harris, Kristen Hensen, Jennifer Hermanson, Kaylee Houlihan, Rebecca Ivers, Jill Jacobson, Melissa Krabbe, Rachel Krabbe, Alex Lagesse, Alexandra Morgan, Samantha Ores, Ashley Rucker, Jennifer Rucker, Courtney Wehling, and Megan Willie.
Kevin Hayhurst was the head coach and his assistants were Pat Ivers, Mary Schmidt, Adam Shearer, and Kevin Brown.
The 2024 team won its firsts three games by a combined score of 29-1.
Baseball assignments
The Illinois High School Association released its baseball postseason assignments.
In Class 2A, Beecher, Manteno, and Peotone at a sectional that is still seeking a host.
In Class 3A, Crete-Monee is at the Evergreen Park Sectional.
Hofman unstoppable
Former Crete-Monee softball star Alex Hofman won the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Association Softball Player of the Week honor for the week of March 18. The Trinity Christian College standout could not be stopped in a March 19 doubleheader sweep of Maranatha Baptist.
She was 4-for-4 with two doubles, five runs batted in, and three runs in the 16-0 opener and had a pair of doubles and four RBIs in the 15-0 nightcap.
Through 27 games, the junior infielder hit .373 with a homer and 18 RBIs. She also had 10 walks to bolster her on-base percentage to .462.
Allen signs
Beecher baseball player Quinton Allen inked a letter of intent to play at Calumet College of St. Joseph.
He also had four hits including a home run in a 12-6 loss to Herscher on March 27.