Cary-Grove qualifies for first IHSA state finals since 2009 with win over St. Patrick

SCHAUMBURG – Charlie Taczy stared into the batter’s box for a few extra seconds Monday evening as he stood on the mound at Wintrust Field.

As a consistent beat of clapping rang in from the stands, Taczy lifted his left leg, brought it close to his glove and then hoped for the best as he unleashed the ball from his hand.

Taczy never lost sight of the ball as he watched it miss a bat and land in catcher Keenan Krysh’s mitt.

Once Taczy’s right foot landed, he let out a scream, turned to Krysh and screamed again as Taczy threw his own mitt away while his Cary-Grove teammates tackled him to the ground.

[ Photos: Cary-Grove vs. St. Patrick at Class 3A Schaumburg Supersectional ]

It was a fairytale moment for a story that wasn’t supposed to unfold this way. The Trojans had just beaten St. Patrick 9-2 to win the Class 3A Schaumburg Supersectional and advance to the state finals for the first time since 2009.

“It’s awesome,” Taczy, a senior, said. “I have no words to explain it right now. I don’t know how to explain it. We’ve never been here.”

It was a moment that never seemed in doubt as soon as Monday’s game started. The Trojans’ (21-12) first two batters got on base before senior Brock Iverson hit a double to left field to give C-G an early 1-0 lead. Senior Ricky Barnes made it 3-0 when he hit a single up the middle of the infield to bring in two more runs.

That was more than enough for Taczy, who put together another dominant performance. After the Shamrocks scored a run in the second inning on a groundout, Taczy controlled the rest of the game and didn’t face much more adversity the rest of the way.

St. Patrick put up one last threat in the seventh and added a run on a passed ball with the bases loaded. But Taczy got out of the jam with his 11th strikeout to end the game. He threw a complete game, allowing two runs off six hits.

“He holds himself to such a high standard and just continues to get back on the mound and pitch,” C-G coach Kyle Williams said. “Man, that’s the Charlie that we expect and have got all year long. He’s a special one. He’s one of a kind.”

While Taczy had himself another day on the mound, Iverson continued his hot playoffs at the plate. He brought in two more runs when he towered a two-run home run deep past the right field wall in the fourth and then knocked in a fourth run off another booming shot, this one a double into left field.

Barnes and senior Francis Panko each brought home two runs off a hit while senior Jacob Duvall knocked in a run off four hits.

Iverson said the Trojans always feel comfortable with Taczy on the mound. With so much support defensively, the batters feel freer at the plate.

“It means a lot, especially on the defensive side,” Iverson said. “But as long as he’s shutting them down and he’s given us the opportunity to go put up runs for him, we’ll win every game that he throws for us.”

Despite the heroics, Monday was a moment that Taczy doubted he’d get to experience when the season started in March. The Trojans were dealt two big blows to start the year when key senior leaders Hayden Dieschbourg and Luca Vivaldelli each suffered season-ending injuries before the season even started.

With Williams also taking over the program, Taczy wasn’t sure what to expect.

“It’s awesome. I have no words to explain it right now. I don’t know how to explain it. We’ve never been here.”

—  Charlie Taczy, Cary-Grove senior

But C-G built momentum toward the end of the season and turned it to another level in the playoffs. The Trojans beat the Crystal Lake South on Saturday for their first sectional crown since 2009 and now will travel to state for the second time in program history.

“I’m extremely happy,” Taczy said. “I think in the beginning of season, I had a little bit of self doubt about our team because we struggled with a lot of injuries. But now, seeing this, I’m just so hopeful.”

The Trojans will try to keep that hope alive when they play Benet in the Class 3A semifinals at 1 p.m. Friday at Slammers Stadium in Joliet. After another dominant performance Monday, the Trojans have a simple plan for their trip to state.

“Don’t change anything,” Taczy said. “Just keep going with what we’re doing. Let it ride and just have fun out there. That’s one of our mottos, have fun.”

https://www.shawlocal.com/northwest-herald/2025/06/10/cary-grove-qualifies-for-first-ihsa-state-finals-since-2009-with-win-over-st-patrick/