The stats Jack DeAno put up in his career at Wheaton North certainly don’t lie as the three-year starter goes down as one of the top players to come through the baseball program.

But the numbers that make the soft-spoken DeAno the proudest are not of the individual variety but of what the Falcons were able to accomplish as a team on the diamond.

This spring, Wheaton North started the season by winning its first 20 games before going on to win the DuPage Valley Conference title outright.

“I am real proud to be on a team that was that good — probably the best team we’ve ever had at Wheaton North ,” DeAno said. “We had the most wins in a season (28) and the 20 in a row was an awesome thing to do. We didn’t like how it ended up but we had a real good year.
“It was great, especially winning the conference title outright. That is the first time in a while. That made it better; I’m happy our team could do that.”

A year ago, DeAno was a key producer on a Falcons’ squad that tied for the DVC title and, more importantly, brought home a Class 4A fourth-place state trophy.

“Going downstate was awesome,” the recently graduated senior said. “The teams there were real good. We lost both games but just getting that experience playing on a nice ballfield. Just the whole state experience was great.”

As for his own achievements this spring, DeAno was again a lethal two-way threat for Wheaton North. The DVC Player of the Year batted .438 with nine homers and 37 RBIs while compiling a mark of 7-2 on the mound with an earned run average of 2.29.

“I definitely prefer to hit and play the field,” said the center-fielder, who was also contributed on the football field as a cornerback for the Falcons. “Pitching is all right, but I am happy to focus on one thing now. Definitely my mentality is to put the ball in play. Putting the ball in play even gives you a chance to beat out a grounder. I always try to focus on getting the bat on the ball.
“Pitching-wise, I would definitely bear down a lot harder when guys got on base. I just tried to minimize the damage when I got in tough situations.”

DeAno will now take his skills to the Division I level as he heads to Vanderbilt in the fall. The Southeastern Conference school saw him at a showcase in Minnesota right after his junior year and reaffirmed its interest at a tournament in Georgia.

“I went down for a visit,” he said, “and I absolutely loved it. The coaches are really nice and I decided right away to go there. I verbally committed in early August. I can’t wait to go down there and see the level of play. I’m glad to be a part of the team, even if I don’t play right away. Just to be a part of a team that plays in the SEC.”

But before embarking on the next step of his career, DeAno took a second to reflect on a baseball program he’s leaving behind that has reached unprecedented heights due in large part to him and his fellow seniors.

“It definitely flew by,” DeAno said. “I am happy that I could be a part of a team that did so well in baseball. I am ready for a change but I definitely appreciate the Wheaton North baseball program. We are leaving with a lot of pride. We were able to get our name out there as a good program and I am happy we could do that.”

Scott Schmid

Meet the rest of the all-area team:

Baseball
Eric Albaugh
Wheaton Academy, senior
Achievements While Wheaton Academy set a new school record for wins (21), Albaugh produced similar individual record-setting numbers. The outfielder finished with a school-record 10 home runs, 35 RBIs and 49 runs scored while hitting .500 and striking out just six times all spring. One of his many big games came May 21 in a win over Illiana Christian, when he was 4-for-5 with two homers and five RBIs. He will continue his baseball career at Wheaton College.

Baseball
Tyler Christ
West Chicago, senior
Achievements The center fielder elevated his game to another level this season, hitting .450 with 15 doubles, nine home runs and 34 RBIs while also scoring 36 runs. One of his best of many big games came April 14 against Wheaton Warrenville South, when Christ went 4-for-5 with four runs scored, a home run and four RBIs in an 18-9 West Chicago win. He also had a five-RBI game in a win over Wheaton Academy.

Baseball
Aric Dama
Wheaton North, senior
Achievements Grouped in the same conversation with Jack DeAno and Trey Martin, this senior became the staff ace for a Falcons team that won the DuPage Valley Conference title outright. Also doubling as an outfielder, the all-DVC pick went 9-1 on the mound with an ERA of 1.58 in a team-high 71 innings. Dama also batted .336 with eight doubles and 20 RBIs from his spot in the heart of Wheaton North’s batting order.

Baseball
Jack DeAno
Wheaton North, senior
Achievements An all-around outstanding baseball player, this senior was selected to the all-DVC team for the third time and was named the conference player of the year in 2009. The center fielder hit .438 with nine homers and 37 RBIs while going 7-2 on the hill with an ERA of 2.29 and 63 strikeouts. DeAno, who helped bring the Wheaton North baseball program to a new level, will continue his baseball career at Vanderbilt.

Tennis
Will Exner
Wheaton North, senior
Achievements Teaming with sophomore Jack Lorentsen, that duo was the Falcons’ lone representative at the state meet. The grouping didn’t disappoint, compiling a record of 3-2, with one of the losses an epic three-set match in the second round. The twosome had finished fourth at the ultra-tough Naperville North sectional to advance to state.

Gymnastics
Darren Fill
Wheaton Co-op, sophomore
Achievements A rising young star in high school boys gymnastics, this sophomore finished in 12th place in the all-around at the state meet with a score of 52.35. That total included a high score of 9.1 on the vault, an 8.9 on floor exercise and an 8.85 on the parallel bars. Fill also placed second in the all-around at the sectional behind teammate Tim Krueger.

Tennis
Matt Hirsh
Glenbard West, freshman
Achievements Hirsh made an immediate impact during his freshman season, becoming the first Hilltopper to qualify for state since 2006 and the first singles player for the program to advance since 2003. On the big stage at state, Hirsh went 2-2. He had a tough draw playing Augie Bloom of state champion Hinsdale Central in the second round (Bloom would finish fifth). Hirsh also took fourth at the sectional tournament.

Volleyball
Joe Kelly
Wheaton Warrenville South, senior
Achievements An all-around outstanding volleyball player, this senior was the glue behind the Tigers becoming the first boys volleyball team to win three state championship in a row. Kelly dished out 1,183 assists this spring while also accumulating 61 kills, 49 blocks and 23 aces. He will attend St. Louis University in the fall where he will play club volleyball.

Gymnastics
Tim Krueger
Wheaton Co-op, senior
Achievements This senior ended an outstanding high school career in style, winning the same three individual events that he did a year ago. He won the floor exercise with a 9.65, took the top spot on the vault with a 9.6 and emerged victorious from the parallel bars with a 9.55. Those first-place finishes helped Krueger to a fifth-place showing in the all-around with a score of 53.9, which aided Wheaton Co-op to fourth as a team.

Tennis
Jimmy Li
Wheaton Warrenville South, junior
Achievements Li has improved his performance in each of his trips to the state meet and this spring was no different. The junior, who also won DuPage Valley Conference and Naperville North Sectional singles titles, went 6-2 this time around, falling only in the second round and the seventh round of the consolation bracket. He went 4-2 as a sophomore at state and 0-2 as a freshman.

Track
Lukas Looby
Wheaton Warrenville South, junior
Achievements This junior was one of two Tigers to advance to the finals of the Class 3A state track meet, along with Dan Hohenstein, who placed 11th in the high jump. Looby received an all-state medal after finishing eighth in the pole vault with a mark of 14 feet, 3 inches. A week earlier, he had finished fourth at the sectional after clearing a height of 13-9.

Baseball
Trey Martin
Wheaton North, senior
Achievements A two-way threat for the Falcons and a key cog in the team’s success the last two seasons, Martin hit .331 on the spring with a team-high 10 home runs while knocking in 28 RBIs. The all-DuPage Valley Concerence pick also got the job done on the mound, compiling a record of 5-0. The right-hander, who also played first base, had an ERA of 0.95 with 42 strikeouts in 36-2/3 innings.

Volleyball
Kevin McGinnis
Glenbard West, sophomore
Achievements This talented underclassman will certainly be a player to watch out for in the upcoming years. He went into the season figuring to be the team’s libero, but made the move to setter in the early going. It paid off as McGinnis ran the offense with efficiency, dishing out 583 assists. He also topped the team with 42 aces, was second with 87 digs and also totaled 36 kills and 23 blocks.

Tennis
Vince McPherson
Glenbard South, junior
Achievements McPherson made his first appearance at state this spring and had a strong showing. The junior standout posted a 2-2 record, both victories coming in three sets. McPherson gave Ben Quazzo of Latin a good battle during a 6-3, 6-2 loss in the second round, and Quazzo went on to finish in the top 16. McPherson finished fourth at sectionals.

Volleyball
Neill Nystrom
Wheaton Warrenville South, senior
Achievements This 6-foot-10-inch senior was a force at the net and a main reason why the Tigers raised the first-place trophy again this spring. Nystrom, who is headed to the University of Texas but not to play volleyball, led the Tigers with 344 kills on the season to go along with 35 blocks. The outside hitter was also an improved server this year and tallied 30 aces.

Baseball
Blake O’Brien
Glenbard West, senior
Achievements It was a tough season on the field for the Hilltoppers but O’Brien made the most of his time on the mound. The returning right-hander made eight starts, threw three complete games and finished with a 4-4 record — one-third of the team’s 13 victories — and a 3.00 ERA. O’Brien, an all-West Suburban Silver Conference selection, also had one save, struck out 44 and walked just 12.

Baseball
Mike Olp
Wheaton Warrenville South, senior
Achievements The lone returning Tiger starter from a year ago, this standout three-sport athlete’s leadership and play on the field were instrumental for his team’s success this spring. The all-DuPage Valley Conference selection hit .404 on the season while adding five home runs and 26 RBIs, helping Wheaton South reach the 20-win plateau and upset No. 2 seed Elk Grove Village in the Class 4A regional finals.

Track
Andrew Payne
Glenbard South, senior
Achievements Payne was a four-year state track meet qualifier and earned his first all-state medals this spring. The senior sprinter posted top-nine individual finishes in the 100- (fourth) and 200-meter (sixth) dashes and also anchored the 4 x 200 relay to fifth place with juniors Connor Douglas and Austin Williams and freshman Wesley Sanders. Payne was joined on the all-state podium by high jumper Joe Boesso (seventh) as the Raiders finished 15th in the Class 2A team standings at state.

Volleyball
Mike Segneri
St. Francis, senior
Achievements Segneri began his senior year by going downstate in golf this past fall and ended it as the excellent tablesetter for St. Francis’ 29-win volleyball team. The setter was a four-year starter for the Spartans, a great run highlighted by a 35-4 record junior year (in which St. Francis fell in the sectional final in three games to eventual state champion Wheaton Warrenville South). The Spartans won 124 matches in his four varsity seasons.

Baseball
Sterling Smith
Glenbard South, senior
Achievements Smith dominated the power numbers for the Raiders this season, becoming the most dangerous hitter in the lineup. The outfielder led the team in batting average (.398), slugging percentage (.704) and on-base percentage (.504). He also scored a team-high 41 runs, led the team with 43 hits, smashed a team-best eight home runs and topped the team with 11 stolen bases. He was also second in doubles (nine) and third in RBIs (25) and was named team MVP.

Baseball
David Suffern
Glenbard South, senior
Achievements Suffern was one of the top pitchers in the rotation and a horse for the Raiders on the mound this spring. He made 11 starts and tossed a team-best eight complete games, finishing with a 5-5 record, two saves and a 2.04 earned run average. Suffern logged a team-high 65-1/3 innings, allowed 38 hits and struck out 83 (avereage of 8.89 strikeouts per game). At the plate, Suffern had a .278 batting average with three home runs, 19 RBIs and 18 runs scored.

Track
Mike Trumpy
Wheaton North, senior
Achievements Making another trip to the state meet, Trumpy left with a medal around his neck after placing third in the 110-meter hurdles in a time of 14.46. Trumpy also joined with Ivan Tamba, Dayton Henriksen and Jon Frano to finish eighth in the 4 x 100 with a clocking of 43.07. A week earlier, he won the sectional title in the 110 hurdles after crossing the line in 14.42. Also a star running back for the Falcons, Trumpy is heading to Northwestern in the fall.

Tennis
Charles West
Wheaton Academy, senior
Achievements West and sophomore Devin Moore essentially share this spot, as the doubles standouts joined forces to advance to state for the second year in a row. After winning one match in the 2008 state tournament, West and Moore took it to another level this spring with a 3-2 record in state play. They also were Private School League doubles champions and earned second place at sectionals for the second straight year to advance to state.

Gymnastics
Scott Wiedmeyer
Glenbard South, junior
Achievements Wiedmeyer, who competed in club gymnastics prior to this season, made a splash at his first IHSA state finals. Wiedmeyer was runner-up in the all-around at state, with other all-state finishes on vault (second), parallel bars (third) and horizontal bar (tied for third). He also had top-five finishes in five of six events at sectionals. Wiedmeyer is the first all-stater for the Raider program since 1983.

Honorable mention
GLENBARD SOUTH
Joe Boesso, track; Matt Behnke, baseball; Connor Douglas, track; Grant Gibson, track; Ty Gregorash, track; Ben Miller, track; Garret Payne, track; Joe Ramirez, baseball; Carrick Rice, track; Wesley Sanders, track; Nick Slezak, baseball; Austin Teitsma, track and field; Collin White, track; Austin Williams, track; Pat Williams, gymnastics; Peter You, track
GLENBARD WEST
Scottie Glotzbach, volleyball; Chris Kavanaugh, baseball; Adam Lepold, volleyball; Steve Lindquist, baseball; Dylan Loch, track and field; Kyle Olsen, gymnastics; Matt Pietrus, track; Jonny Schmid, volleyball;
ST. FRANCIS
Michelangelo Consiglio, baseball; Mark Hale, volleyball; Jason Lombardi, baseball; Dave Metzler, volleyball; Joe Mordell, volleyball
WEST CHICAGO
Ethan Burau, baseball; Jeff Foreman, track and field; Rhett Gunderson, baseball; Ryan Krage, volleyball; Matt Kubik, track and field; Steven Romanelli, volleyball
WHEATON ACADEMY
Carson Boyd, tennis; Ryan Dzingel, baseball; Mark Fernandes, volleyball; Austin Graf, volleyball; Devin Moore, tennis; Danny Torres, tennis; Sterling Witt, baseball
WHEATON NORTH
Mike Brackman, gymnastics; Wade Cervenka, baseball; Randal Ellison, track; C.J. Jossell, track; Jack Lorentsen, tennis; Keegan Ovitt, volleyball; Jack Quinn, baseball; Jeff Schalk, baseball; Matt Shatswell, track; Ivan Tamba, track; Jake Waterman, track; James Waterman, track
WHEATON WARRENVILLE SOUTH
Robert Grabek, baseball; Dan Hohenstein, track; Neal Johnston, baseball; Kevin Mueller, volleyball; Jon O’Neil, baseball; Kevin Piraino, track; Taylor Rhoades, baseball; Rob Samp, volleyball; Neal Whittington, volleyball