D-C’s seniors seize last opportunity

Lauren M. Anderson - landerson@nwherald.com Dundee-Crown shortstop Steve Schwartz is one of a core group of seniors looking to make the most of the team's postseason run.

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Dundee-Crown’s baseball team had reason to dream big with five third-year varsity starters returning.

After taking some lumps and going 21-47 in the previous two seasons, this was supposed to be the Chargers’ year to do something special.

“We were frustrated in the beginning of this year,” said first baseman Kirk Hanselmann, one of the five third-year starters. “We had higher goals and it didn’t work out. In the second half of the season, we realized, ‘This is our time. This is what we’ve been working for.’ ”

D-C improved down the stretch to finish 23-13, and 17-7 in the Fox Valley Conference Valley Division. They are one of two Fox Valley Conference teams still playing.

D-C won the IHSA Class 4A Huntley Regional Saturday and will meet Cary-Grove (26-9), the other remaining FVC team, at 4 p.m. Thursday in a DeKalb Sectional semifinal at DeKalb High School.

See CHARGERS, page 3C

The winner advances to meet either Boylan or Streamwood in Saturday’s 11 a.m. championship game.

“It’s rewarding. I’m so proud of the kids who bought into what we told them three years ago,” Chargers coach Jon Sawyer said. “We could do this. No one was really happy with the way we played when we started 3-6, but we’ve cleaned up some of our deficiencies.”

Hanselmann, shortstop Steve Schwartz, right fielder Scott Nowicke, center fielder Jake Romano and third baseman Nick Spagnola all played together since their sophomore year. The Chargers were 8-24 and 13-23 the last two years and competitive in the postseason.

Mike Hazelhurst fired a gem in Saturday’s 1-0 win against Huntley, which the players regard as a milestone victory for the program.

“My sophomore year we got walked off in the regional final [against Larkin],” Schwartz said. “Last year, we were leading top-seeded South Elgin in the seventh and lost. It was nice on Saturday to hold on to a lead against such a good team.”

D-C feels now it has validated its season and wants to keep going against a C-G team in the sectional for the third consecutive year.

“It’s almost like we’re a family,” Schwartz said. “Before each game, we say we want to keep the family going for one more game. We’re grateful for everything the coaches, our parents and our teammates have given us.”

Sawyer, a D-C graduate, took over in 2009 when the current seniors were sophomores. He was uncertain if he would be rehired by District 300 next year though and took a physical education teaching position at Grayslake North next year.

“Steve and I played for [Sawyer] on the sophomore team when we were freshmen,” Hanselmann said. “To play for a coach for four years really doesn’t happen [often]. He really know what the program is all about.”