Huntley starts postseason without injured star Mychko

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Huntley’s softball team will have to try for a third consecutive regional title without senior catcher and standout Jenna
Mychko.

Mychko will be out of the Red Raiders’ lineup during regionals, recovering from a stint in the intensive care unit last week after taking two foul balls to the head during a game against Jacobs. Mychko thought she had a concussion, but instead learned her brain was bleeding, she said, and was admitted Tuesday for overnight observation.

Doctors have relegated Mychko to the bench for at least two weeks, she said, meaning the Raiders will have to run through their own IHSA Class 4A regional without their four-year starter and Illinois signee.

“I’m upset because I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to play another high school softball game,” said Mychko, who was released from the hospital Wednesday
afternoon.

Mychko said doctors gave her Tylenol and kept her overnight last week only to monitor the bleeding and ensure it did not get worse, but the positive prognosis was met with some disappointment.

“I know the team’s really excited,” Mychko said. “I just wish I could play with them.”

Top-seeded Huntley – which also hosts the 4A sectional next week – will face fourth-seeded Jefferson at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday in a regional semifinal. Second-seeded Jacobs will face third-seeded Dundee-Crown at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday in the other semifinal. Should the Raiders and the Eagles both win, they would meet for a fourth time this season in a regional championship game at 11 a.m. Saturday.

The Raiders were playing Jacobs when Mychko was injured. Huntley leads the series, 2-1, this year.

Cary-Grove is the top seed in its own regional. The Trojans will play in a regional semifinal at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday against the winner of today’s quarterfinal between fifth-seeded Round Lake and fourth-seeded Crystal Lake South, scheduled for 4:30 p.m. at South.

Second-seeded Grant plays third-seeded McHenry in the other regional semifinal at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday. The semifinal winners will play for a regional title at 4:30 p.m. Saturday.

Players to watch

Here are a few key players to watch during the IHSA Class 4A softball playoffs:

Cary-Grove – Lindsay Efflandt, freshman pitcher
The Trojans have followed Efflandt’s arm all season and clinched the program’s first Fox Valley Conference Valley Division title in more than 15 years.

Crystal Lake South – Liz Adams, sophomore catcher
Although the Gators have struggled this season, Adams consistently has produced from the plate.

Dundee-Crown – Melany Love, sophomore pitcher
Love pitches well and delivers from the plate to lead D-C this year.

Huntley – Kelsey Hagan, junior third baseman
Hagan has batted cleanup all season and will be relied upon even more while hitting sensation Jenna Mychko is sidelined.

Jacobs – Sara Jacobson, senior outfielder
Jacobson is a veteran to the postseason, and her tight fielding and hitting could help Jacobs immensely.

McHenry – Megan Gier, senior catcher
Gier has helped McHenry’s new rotation of pitchers adjust to the varsity game this season while holding her own at the plate