Soccer: Larkin’s Erik Rodriguez signs with DePaul
By Steve Nemeth For Sun-Times Media February 6, 2013 5:04PM
Larkin's Erik Rodriguez (left) will continue his career at DePaul. | John Konstantaras~For Sun-Times Media
Whether it’s East, West, North or South, Division III to Division I, Elgin area boys and girls soccer standouts have it all covered following Wednesday’s National Letter of Intent Day.
After a historic Sectional title appearance, Larkin’s boys program boasted five headliners topped by Erik Rodriguez giving his signature to Division I DePaul. Tony Hernandez and Michael Gomez will continue as teammates at Dominican University, which could mean a match against ex-Royal Jazael Medina, who committed to D-III North Central. Junior Escalante aims to play for Elgin Community College.
St. Charles North’s Justin Stanko earned a scholarship from Division I Loyola while the North Stars’ Class 3A runner-up squad from 2012 boasts four of five signees at the NCAA’s top level. Alex Gage also becomes a Rambler, Kelly Manski agreed to play for Wisconsin-Milwaukee while Jorie Clawson and Natalie Winkates decided on Southern Illinois-Edwardsville and Northern Iowa, respectively. Kenzie Rose opted for D-III Winona State.
Jacobs has a trio of D-I women’s hopefuls in Margaret Rivera (Northern Illinois), Catie Sherman (Oral Roberts), and Kyle Dennison (a preferred walk-on at Iowa) while the Golden Eagles’ boys program has Anthony Moscatello joining NAIA William Woods University.
Despite a one-for-the-record books 20-2-2 campaign for St. Charles East that ended in a supersectional loss to eventual 3A state champ Warren, the Saints boys program has more players weighing academics over possible collegiate careers, the one exception being Alex Johnson, who plans to attend Iowa’s D-III Loras College.
However, coach Paul Jennison’s girls crew has Amanda Hilton signing to play D-I soccer in the Big Ten with Nebraska while Carly Pottle decided on D-III Wisconsin-Whitewater.
Dundee-Crown’s Brittany Gantz chose D-III Union College in Kentucky while Huntley’s Crystal Hoffman opted for NAIA St. Francis in Indiana.
