Jacobs’ Grady takes soccer talents to Lewis

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College soccer coaches liked Jacobs senior Lauren Grady’s work on the field when they saw her play in person or on her highlight DVD.

They also had to appreciate Grady’s initiative with the recruitment process.

“I did my own thing and wrote my own emails,” Grady said. “I looked at all the schools I was interested in and sent [emails] to their coaches.”

One of those coaches was Lewis University’s Chris Koenig, who attended a tournament in St. Louis where Grady was playing as a member of the Crystal Lake Force. Grady made quite a first impression.

“I had a hat trick,” Grady said, “so it worked out pretty well.”

Grady stayed in touch with Koenig over the next year, and this past fall she committed to the NCAA Division II school in Romeoville. She will sign her NCAA national letter of intent with the Flyers next month.

Grady was a Northwest Herald All-Area second-team selection at forward this past spring. With the Force, Grady plays center midfield – the position Koenig wants her to play for Lewis.

“It has been a process,” Grady said. “My goal was to make my decision over the summer. I narrowed it down a lot. The first thing that attracted me there was coach Koenig. A couple weeks into school, I knew it was the place for me.”

Jacobs was 20-7 overall and 10-2 to tie for second place in the Fox Valley Conference Valley Division. Grady also plays for the Force’s Elite 18U team when she is not playing in the high school season.

“I’ve always wanted to play in college,” Grady said. “It’s not just a game, it’s a way to honor God,” she said of playing at the Catholic and Lasallian university. “Lewis is the perfect place for me to do that.”

Closing in: Hampshire forward Tyler Watzlawick, a 6-foot-7 senior, scored 16 points in Saturday’s 52-47 victory against Crystal Lake Central, giving him 900 career points.

Watzlawick, a fourth-year varsity starter, is averaging 15 points a game and should hit the 1,000-point mark for his career soon.

Hampshire (8-7 overall, 1-1 FVC Fox) has won six consecutive games, with Watzlawick playing a huge role in those victories.

• Joe Stevenson is senior sports writer for the Northwest Herald. He can be reached by email at joestevenson@shawmedia.com. You also can follow him on twitter@nwh_JoePrepZone.