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June 5, 2023

Huntley senior catcher Ryan Bakes throws to first baseman CJ Filipek for an out against Jacobs. Jacobs upset the Red Raiders 7-4 at the Dundee-Crown sectional semifinal May 31.
Steve Peterson
Huntley senior catcher Ryan Bakes throws to first baseman CJ Filipek for an out against Jacobs. Jacobs upset the Red Raiders 7-4 at the Dundee-Crown sectional semifinal May 31.

Sports • June 5, 2023

Jacobs’ surge ends HHS season

By

HUNTLEY – The Huntley baseball squad came into the Class 4A sectional semifinal game at Dundee-Crown with rival Jacobs after chalking up 29 wins, a Fox Valley Conference championship and the Hampshire regional crown.

But it was Jacobs, riding a five-game win streak, whose offense just keeps coming and players later celebrated a 7-4 upset win. Jacobs was only 14-18 when it began winning but improved to over .500 by scoring 16 total runs against FVC powers McHenry and then the Red Raiders. Huntley concluded a memorable season with a 29-8 record.

“I told the seniors to remember this season as the best team they have ever been on,” Huntley coach Andy Jakubowski said.

There are 17 Class of 2023 members, coach Jakubowski’s largest senior class, with almost all playing college baseball next season. The group is led by catcher Ryan Bakes and his selection of the University of South Carolina while twin and center fielder Brayden Bakes opted for Indiana University.

The contests with Jacobs are always unique because it’s against summer team teammates or boyhood friends from youth teams and even family members. Although Huntley won twice over JHS in the regular season, including Jakubowski’s 500th career win, it would be the team in the brown and gold throwing their gloves up in celebration.

Jacobs’ offense, first against starter Malachi Paplanus (who returned from an injury after missing the regular season) and a succession of relievers, netted one home run, eight hits and eight walks.

The game went back and forth, with HHS leading 2-1 but a four-run third inning turned the tide to the Golden Eagles for a 5-2 lead. Huntley kept battling with two single-run innings. After closing the gap to 6-4, the Red Raiders were energized with one out and the potential lead on the bases. But senior Anthony Edge retired the five hitters he faced. Joe Garlin led the HHS offense with two hits, two sacrifice flies and three RBIs while senior CJ Filipek had two hits and an RBI.

“The key was holding it to a 2-1 lead and we had Christian Graves pitching and our bullpen lined up. For us it is all about playing tough non-conference games, and the FVC, with the focus on the post-season,” Jacobs coach Jamie Murray said.

After the final out was settled, the whole HHS team, then seniors, gathered with the scoreboard looming in the background. The talents of late-season leaders for hits Joe Garlin; run scored and home runs Ryan Bakes; RBIs AJ Putty and pitching of Andrew Ressler, who will play baseball at SIU-Edwardsville next season, with a post-season no-hitter, innings and strikeouts bests.

“With the juniors and sophomores coming back, we’ll regroup and reload for next season,” Jakubowski said.