Top 10 Stories of 2017: No. 8 Two Veteran IHSA Coaches Reach Milestone Victories

Over the next few weeks, in addition to highlighting the Top 10 Player Profiles of 2017, we will also highlight the Top 10 Stories in Illinois High School Baseball during the 2017 calendar year.

Today, we’ll take a look at No. 8 Two More IHSA Coaches surpass 800 wins.

This was a theme in last year’s top stories of the year as three long-standing coaches eclipsed the 800 mark. Last year we previewed the possibility of it happening again in 2017 and sure enough, Illinois Valley Central’s Jerry Rashid accomplished the feat along with Fenwick’s Dave Hogan. Marking only the 7th and 8th coaches all-time to accomplish the milestone and three of those eight are still active IHSA coaches. 

Rashid’s 807 wins over the years have not gone unnoticed, and after his 39th IHSA season in 2017, he won’t be adding to that IHSA win total anytime soon.  This summer, Rashid was hired as the Head Baseball Coach at Eureka College. The numbers Rashid takes on to the next level are staggering. On top of his 807 wins the IHSBCA Hall of Famer has collected 18 conference championships, 17 IHSA regional titles, four sectional crowns and five appearances in the Sweet 16. Rashid has been to the state semifinals three times (2006, 2008, 2010), twice reaching the state title game. His 2006 IVC team captured the IHSA Class A Championship going 40-2 and led by third-round MLB Draft pick and current Cleveland Indians pitcher Zach McAllister.

Dave Hogan holds the distinguished milestone of collecting all 806 of his wins in one program, the Fenwick Friars. To add to that, he’s also accumulated those wins in the daunted Chicago Catholic League. Hogan has been at the helm of the Friars since 1980, 37 seasons, racking up 13 CCL championships. There are no signs of slowing down either, the Friars are in the midst of four consecutive regional championships, including two 3A sectional titles in that span.

Last year we concluded this story with the prospects of it happening again the following year. It doesn't look like we can say the same for 2018 as the crop of veteran coaches around the state is slim, there are only four active coaches with more than 600 career wins heading into 2018.

TOP 10 STORIES OF 2017

+ No. 8 - Two Veteran IHSA Coaches Reach Milestone Victories
+ No. 9 - Ryan Sublette's Postseason Gem
+ No. 10 - Inaugural Metro East Kickoff Classic