By Drake Skleba

 

The third-annual Phil Lawler/Illinois High School Baseball Coaches Association Summer Classic State Tournament will begin on Monday, July 18. The tournament marks the 36^th year of the state championship tournament hosted by the IHSBCA. Lawler, who served as the pitching coach at Naperville Central for 29 years, was the tournament director from 1984-2008.

 

The tournament opens at eight regional sites throughout northern Illinois. 153 teams will begin the quest for the championship at, Oak Park Fenwick, Glen Ellyn Glenbard South, Roselle Lake Park, Libertyville, Palatine, Oak Lawn Richards, Orland Park Sandburg, and St. Charles East. Opening regional round action will begin Monday morning.

 

Regional quarterfinals will be Tuesday July 19. Semifinal action follows on Wednesday July 20 and the eight regional champions will be crowned in the regional championship games, to be played on Thursday July 21.

 

The eight regional champions will advance to the double-elimination finals, held at North Central College in Naperville and Benedictine University in Lisle, beginning on July 25-28. Semifinal action will be at Benedictine University in Lisle on Wednesday July 27 and the Championship Game will be at 7:30 p.m. at Benedictine University on July 28.

 

In 2009, Orland Park Sandburg defeated St. Rita in the first Phil Lawler Classic. Last July, Nazareth Academy defeated Streamwood for the 2010 state championship. Who will hoist the Lawler Classic Championship Trophy at Benedictine University in Lisle around 10 p.m. on Thursday night July 28?

 

Fenwick Regional: Defending Class 4A and 2011 PBR State Champion Lyons Township looks to follow up its State Championship that the Lions won in June with a Lawler Classic Title on July 28. The Lions are the No. 1 seed at Fenwick.

 

Glenbard South: Upstart Metea Valley of Aurora claims the top seed at Glenbard South. The Mustangs in only their second year of varsity baseball had a quality summer.

 

Lake Park: Defending 2010 Lawler Classic runner-up Streamwood is the top

gun at Lake Park. The Sabres made it to the Elite 8 in Class 4A in the spring. The Sabres fell to eventual champ Lyons Township in the Rockford Supersectional.

 

Libertyville: Prairie Ridge is the No. 1 seed at the 22-team Libertyville regional. The Wolves struggled in the spring but it looks like PR is back to its winning ways. Hope the folks in Lake County get their power on soon.

 

Palatine: The top seed at Palatine is the host Pirates rival Fremd. The Vikings, a 20-game winner in the spring, have continued on their winning ways this summer.

 

Richards: Another group of Vikings, from Burbank St. Laurence, have claimed the top seed at Richards. The Vikings, a Final 4 team at the 2010 Lawler

Classic, look to advance further in the 2011 Classic.

 

Sandburg: At Sandburg, Plainfield South has claimed the top spot.

 

St. Charles East: The North Stars of St. Charles North are the top seed in St. Charles. The North Stars had a 25-win season in the spring and have played well this summer.

 

Check out the 2011 Phil Lawler Classic website for all the results and schedules

below at:

 

http://www.allprosoftware.net/2011PhilLawlerSummerClassic/2/aptschart.htm