Familiar foes, bigger stakes

The Rant thinks it’s pretty cool that we still have six local teams fightin’ for a state title.

There are three baseball and three softball teams left, and if you include the Grayslake Old baseball team there are three FVC teams still standin’.

The Grove outlasted South Elgin, 10-9, in 10 innings in their sectional semifinal baseball game and now will play FVC Valley rival Huntley on Saturday for the sectional title. The two teams split a pair of games during the regular season and tied for the FVC Valley Division title.

The Rant thinks they should just bring along the FVC Valley trophy that the Trojans and Raiders split this season and put that on the line as well as the sectional championship and settle this thing once and for all.

Marian Central plays Grayslake Old for a sectional baseball title, and that should be a great matchup, too.

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In softball, Jacobs trailed, 3-0, and then exploded for 10 runs in a 10-3 win against Hononegah. The Eagles get to play The Grove on Saturday in a game that features a couple of good hittin’ teams.

Marengo is comin’ off a dramatic win against The Ridge and now must face a solid Antioch team on Saturday. The Indians beat Antioch during the regular season, 2-0, and, as in that win, they will not be afraid to force the action.