By Drake Skleba
Senior Writer

The Elite 8 is set for the 5^th Annual Phil Lawler Summer State Tournament Finals beginning on Monday at North Central College in Naperville and Benedictine University in Lisle. In the 38^th season of the Illinois High School Baseball Coaches Association Summer State Tournament, the 2013 field is one of the strongest in the tournament’s storied history.

Returning is the 2012 Phil Lawler Summer State Tournament champion Lyons Township. Hall of Fame head coach George Ushela’s Lions look to be the first school to win consecutive titles since Andrew won back-back titles in 1991 & 1992 under the legendary Frank Ganser. Ushela and the Lions are gunning for their fifth IHSBCA/Lawler crown. 2012 All-Tournament selection Max Larson and junior Connor Pavletic lead the 2013 LT squad.

After finishing second in Class 4A in the spring, Libertyville has again made another postseason run. The Wildcats are led by their TCU-bound PBR First- Team All-State C Evan Skoug, junior SS Jimmy Govern and 6-foot-4 220 pound junior LHP Mitch Townsend.

St. Charles East head coach Len Asquini, after leading the Fighting Saints to a third-place finish in Class 4A in the spring, brings a new cast of Saints to Benedictine. Junior Jake Rykoskey drove home five against Geneva on Thursday night to punch the Fighting Saints ticket to Lisle. Junior Kyle Cook leads the Fighting Saints staff. Cook fired a four-hit shutout at archrival St. Charles North in the St. Charles East Regional semifinal on Wednesday.

Two teams from the Southwest Prairie Conference will be in the Lawler Finals. Minooka head coach Jeff Petrovic brings an ultra-talented defensive club to Naperville on Monday. The Indians allowed but five runs to win the Lockport Regional Championship. Led by senior SS Neal Tyrell and senior RHP Trevor Maly, the Indians are very stingy when it comes to giving up runs. Illinois State-bound RHP Mitch Vogrin is the ace of the Indian staff. 

Up-and-coming Plainfield East, also from the Southwest Prairie Conference, can hit. The Bengals roared through the Glenbard South Regional, putting up 27 runs and 34 hits in the semifinals and championship games. East head coach Andy O’ Reel’s Bengals are led by the hard-hitting Jovany Urbieta, who hit two bombs and plated six runs in Thursday’s 12-6 regional championship win over Benet Academy in Glen Ellyn. RHP Cole Kotopka leads the Bengals staff. Kotopka fired a two-hit, 10 strikeout masterpiece at the Glenbard South Regional top seed Hinsdale South, on Tuesday.

The Huntley Red Raiders, under head coach Andy Jakubowski, traditionally have a full-stable of arms. The Red Raider pitcher’s showed their stuff, allowing but three runs in their four-game run to the Lake Park Regional Championship. RHP Eric Luecht leads a talented and deep Red Raider staff. University of Illinois-bound Mike Skonieczny, SS Matt Sullivan and Tommy Kiriakopoulos lead the Red Raider offense.

St. Rita will be gunning for their third IHSBCA/Phil Lawler Summer state crown, having won in 2005 and taking home the first Phil Lawler Summer State Championship Trophy in 2009. The 2013 Mustang edition, under head coach Mike Zunica, is led by Austin-Peay LHP Mike Costanzo. The future Governor lefty was brilliant, striking out an even dozen St. Laurence Vikings to lead the Mustangs to the Reavis Regional Championship. Junior Tony Faron was as hot at the plate as the steamy weather last week. Sophomore Justin Vivar fired five-no hit innings against Richards, and finished up with a two-hit shutout in his varsity debut on Wednesday.

Glenbrook North outscored their four Palatine Regional opponents by a 33-7 margin, culminating with an 8-1 win over two-time defending Palatine Regional Champion Maine South, in the title game on Thursday. GBN head coach Dom Savino’s Spartans were Central Suburban League Champions this spring.