Lucas Spence hasn’t been in the Houston Astros organization very long, but some of the bosses know who he is.
The Crete-Monee graduate made an appearance in a spring training game as a pinch runner March 10 against Toronto.
That may not sound like much, but consider that he was not drafted last year and signed a free-agent deal with the Astros on July 20. He was then assigned to the Class A Fayetteville Woodpeckers, where he hit .200 in 80 at-bats.
Spence had concluded a successful 2024 season with Southern Illinois-Edwardsville, as the left-handed hitting outfielder/pitcher hit .385, including a 23-game hitting streak.
He also made 14 appearances on the mound and had 22 strikeouts in 18 2/3 innings.
It was his only season at SIUE, but he left an impression on coach Sean Lyons.
“He is being rewarded for a great junior season,” Lyons said when Spence signed his deal. “I couldn’t be happier for how his hard work paid off.
“I’m excited for Lucas to get the opportunity to continue his playing career at the professional level.”
Spence played two years at Black Hawk before coming to the Edwardsville campus.
He left Crete-Monee in 2021 owning the school record with a .444 batting average after hitting .469 his senior season.
Manteno falls in quarters
Manteno Middle School’s eighth-grade girls volleyball season came to an end in the Illinois Elementary School Association Class 3A state quarterfinals as the Panthers lost 25-14, 25-17 to Williamsville on March 21 at Pana High School.
Kam Sadowski led Manteno (24-3) with five service points. Taylor Gibson and Addy Cox each had three, and Emma Derrico and Mady Dye each added two.
Williamsville went on to win the championship. Williamsville also knocked out Manteno in the seventh-grade Class 3A semifinals on March 15 en route to a state championship.
Award-winning Panthers
Manteno’s girls basketball team gave out its awards at a recent banquet and Maddie Gesky, Lila Prindeville and Emily Horath were named most outstanding athletes.
Horath also won the Ms. Hustle award. Alyssa Singleton was named best defender. Horath and Bella Gigliello were named most improved. Ava Peterson was named Ms. Panther and Macy Iwanus was named Coach’s Flex.
Gesky camp coming
The Josh Gesky Youth O-Line Camp is coming May 17 at Legacy Park in Manteno.
The camp is open to fifth-through-eighth grade students. The fee is $75 per camper. For more information, contact joshgeskyfootballcamp@gmail.com.
Gesky is a former Manteno star who is a senior lineman at Illinois. He was a Big Ten Honorable Mention pick on the media and coaches’ teams.
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