Northwest Herald Athlete of the Week: Cary-Grove’s Ethan Dorchies

Name: Ethan Dorchies

School, year: Cary-Grove, junior

Sport: Baseball

Why he was selected: Dorchies had it all working in a Class 3A Cary-Grove Regional final win against Fox Valley Conference rival Prairie Ridge. The Trojans junior fired 12 strikeouts in a complete-game, 1-0 victory, leading C-G to its first regional title in four years.

Cary-Grove’s season ended with an 11-6 loss to Lake Forest in the Grayslake Central Sectional semifinals.

Dorchies, a University of Illinois Chicago commit, rose to the top of the Trojans’ rotation after being their No. 3 as a sophomore. He was 9-1 this season with a tidy 0.78 ERA, 0.89 WHIP and 71 strikeouts in 62 2/3 innings.

For his performance, the Trojans’ outstanding right-hander was voted the Northwest Herald Athlete of the Week by readers. He answered some questions about his regional-final gem, his dream car, favorite baseball movies and more.

[ Baseball: Ethan Dorchies’ gem leads Cary-Grove past Prairie Ridge to regional title ]

What are you most proud about this season?

Dorchies: I’m most proud about how we banded together as a team in order to get through some of the rough patches we had this year.

Tell me about the emotions of throwing a complete game to win a regional title. Where does that rank among your biggest games?

Dorchies: The regional game was crazy. Having all the fans there supporting us really gave me that extra push to finish the game. My heart was beating so fast in the seventh inning that I was actually shaking with excitement to go out there and win for my team.

What sport that you don’t play would you be good at?

Dorchies: I think I would be really good at pool.

What is your dream vehicle?

Dorchies: A McLaren P1.

What are you favorite parks in the Fox Valley Conference?

Dorchies: Cary-Grove, Huntley and Crystal Lake South

Which of your teammates really inspires you, and why?

Dorchies: One of my teammates that inspires me is Hayden Dieschbourg because of his commitment to hard work. He does everything 100%.

What are three of your favorite baseball movies?

Dorchies: “Major League,” “42″ and (tied for third) “For the Love of the Game” and “Field of Dreams.”

You get to have dinner and talk baseball with three major league players (past or present). Who are you picking?

Dorchies: Bartolo Colon, Yasiel Puig and James Karinchak.

What would you like to change about baseball?

Dorchies: I would like to have it be that all levels have to use wooden bats.

You just won a million dollars, what’s the first thing you would buy?

Dorchies: A house on the beach.