Piatt's OT: McCaffrey gives Maroons good scoring chances with unique throw-ins
May 9—CHAMPAIGN — Champaign Central junior Maya McCaffrey does something nobody else in the area does, and if you've been to a Maroons girls' soccer game in the last year, you know exactly what I'm talking about.
McCaffrey is the Maroons' go-to person for throw-ins when the ball goes out of bounds on the offensive side of the field because she flips onto the ball and launches it toward the net.
"Honestly, it's like second nature," McCaffrey said. "It's just like the gymnastic skill, a front handspring, but instead of putting your hands on the ground, you're putting them on the ball. You can't really do it slow. Otherwise, you'll fall over, so you kind of just have to go for it. I could probably do it with my eyes closed."
The junior's success with the move is largely thanks to her gymnastics background. She's been competing in gymnastics since she was 3 years old but didn't realize this type of throw-in was a thing until early last season.
"I tried it, and it worked well. Then, I was like, 'Hey, Steve (Whiteley), I can do this cool flip. Let me put it in a game,'" McCaffrey recalled upon telling Central's coach about the move. "Ever since then, I think I've done it in almost every game."
From her first game doing it against Peoria Notre Dame last season to today, she gets the same reaction from the opposing crowd and players the first time she lets it fly. Audible gasps, almost sounding concerned for her safety, when she goes into the flip, but those turn into surprised "Woahs" as they watch the ball sail halfway across the field through the air.
"Just shock and people not really knowing what's happening," McCaffrey said of the type of reactions she's seen. "It's really cool hearing little kids in the crowd or even older adults say 'Wow, that was so cool' after I do it as I'm running away. My dad has a couple videos of me, and you can hear all the commentating in the background. It's really neat."
McCaffrey said she tries to tell her teammates to be ready for it early in each game. Because they're the only ones who know what she's about to do, outside of Central coaches and fans, that's the perfect time to catch them off guard and score.
Her throw-ins are something McCaffrey takes a lot of pride in now. She threw one right in front of the net for senior Cricket Wagner to head in on April 14 in front of a packed Demirjian Park crowd for the Champaign-Urbana Girls' Soccer Showcase. She also threw one directly into the net for the game's only goal in the Maroons' win against Glenbard North this past Saturday.
"It's awesome because, playing center back or sweeper, I don't get a lot of action in the goal-scoring. I kind of just make sure no one scores on us," McCaffrey said. "When I get that chance to go up there and throw it right at the goal, it's cool because I get a little moment of offense, and it's really cool to be able to directly help out the team."
A look ahead
Vote for Athletes of the Week
This week's boys' finalists are Bryson Houchens (St. Joseph-Ogden baseball), Voldy Makabu (Centennial track and field), Rylan Pheifer (Iroquois West baseball) and Ike Young (Monticello baseball).
Our girls' candidates are Acasia Gernentz (Armstrong-Potomac softball), Lilly Long (LeRoy softball), Chloe Sikora (Urbana soccer) and Sam Slagel (Prairie Central softball).
Sikora has a strong lead in the girls' poll, and it looks like the boys' vote will come down to Young and Houchens. You have until noon Thursday to cast your vote under the "Prep Sports" tab on .
Shoutouts
Macie Russell, Salt Fork athletics
After having standout performances in five sports this year — volleyball and cross-country in the fall, basketball in the winter and softball and track and field in the spring — Russell was named The News-Gazette's Female Athlete of the Year.
Jack Barnhart, Centennial athletics
Following an All-State football season and a 44-0 wrestling season that ended with a Class 2A heavyweight state title, Barnhart was named The News-Gazette's Male Athlete of the Year.
Audrey Allender, Champaign Central girls' track and field
Broke the Maroons' 12-year pole vault record by clearing 11 feet, 0 1/4 inches on April 26 at the Urbana Invite.
Aubrey Wagner and Kaia Kimmel, Iroquois West softball
Combined for a four-inning no-hitter with seven total strikeouts in the Raiders' 16-0 victory against St. Anne on May 1.
Acasia Gernentz, Armstrong-Potomac softball
Pitched a five-inning no-hitter with nine strikeouts and was just one defensive error away from a perfect game during a 13-0 win against Donovan on May 2.
Molly Buckles, LeRoy softball
Hit two home runs with five RBI in the Panthers' 11-1 win against Delavan on May 2.
Abbey Matthews and Miriah Powell, Argenta-Oreana softball
Matthews had five hits with two doubles and a triple while Powell drew six walks with her only hit being a home run in the Bombers' 14-9 nine-inning win against Villa Grove on May 2.
Piper Kiser, Villa grove softball
Hit two home runs with four RBI in the Blue Devils' 14-9 nine-inning loss to Argenta-Oreana on May 2.
Gavin Bailey, Mahomet-Seymour baseball
Hit two home runs with five RBI in the Bulldogs' 13-1 win against Heyworth May 2.
Ruby Tarr, Unity softball
Hit two solo home runs to power the Rockets to an 11-2 win against Chillicothe IVC last Friday.
Kate Kristensen, Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley softball
Set a Falcon single-season home run record by blasting her 11th, 12th and 13th homers in a 10-0 win against Fisher last Friday.
Monticello baseball
Improved to 27-2 on the season with a 6-2 win over Mahomet-Seymour last Friday to make this the winningest season in Sages' history and also shared the Illini Prairie regular-season title by beating St. Joseph-Ogden on Monday.
Champaign Central girls' 3,200-meter relay
The team of Aleigha Garrison, Jaylee Elsts, Keely Richmond and Reese Baumann broke the Maroons' event record with a time of 10 minutes, 4.84 seconds at last Friday's Big 12 Conference championships.
Dave Ellars, Unity girls' basketball
Officially inducted into the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame last Saturday.
Caleb Ochs, St. Joseph-Ogden baseball
Signed his letter of intent to continue his baseball career at Monmouth College last Saturday.
Macy Warner, Hoopeston Area softball
Hit two home runs with four RBI in the Cornjerkers' 11-1 win against Urbana last Saturday.
Carson Lykins, Rantoul baseball
Laid down a walk-off suicide squeeze in the bottom of the eighth inning to give the Eagles a 2-1 win against Herscher last Saturday.
Dylan Ragsdale, Argenta-Oreana boys' track and field
Signed his letter of intent to continue his athletic career at Millikin University on Monday.
Aimee Davis and Lindy Bates, Unity softball
With the Rockets' 4-3 win over Charleston on Monday, Davis reached the 200-win milestone as a coach. Bates recorded her 100th strikeout of the season with nine in that game.
Nic DiFilippo, Mahomet-Seymour baseballWon his 350th game as a coach with Monday's 13-4 win against Prairie Central.
Abby Sabalaskey and Westville softball
Sabalaskey pitched two perfect games in the last week. The first was a four-inning, 10-strikeout performance in a 15-0 win over Oakwood last Friday. That win also completed a fourth straight undefeated season in Vermilion Valley Conference play (39-0) for the Tigers, with Sabalaskey going 37-0 in that stretch. Sabalaskey's second perfect game was a seven-inning, nine-strikeout performance in a 4-0 victory over Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley on Tuesday, which also gave her 72 career wins to make her the Tigers' all-time wins leader.
Natalie Hasting, Tuscola girls' track and field
Signed her letter of intent to continue her throwing career at Illinois College on Tuesday.
Braxton Clem, Salt Fork baseball
Pitched a four-inning no-hitter with six strikeouts in the Storm's 15-0 win against Heritage on Tuesday.
Kami Muehling, Milford/Cissna park softball
Pitched a no-hitter with eight strikeouts, one walk away from a perfect game, in the Bearcats' 6-0 win over Georgetown-Ridge Farm on Tuesday.
Cassidee Stoffel, Monticello softball
Hit two home runs with seven RBI to highlight her three-hit day in the Sages' 13-2 win against Mahomet-Seymour on Tuesday.
Cricket Wagner, Champaign Central athletics
After leading the volleyball team to a 23-14 record and regional championship appearance with her record-setting defensive season and the girls' soccer team to an 11-5-2 regular season record, Wagner won the Maroons' Female Athlete of the Year Award.
