Note: The Vedette reached out to every spring sports coach in our coverage area. These previews are based on their responses.
Baseball
Beecher
Sophomore Chase Maher will contribute on the mound and at the plate after going 3-1 with a 2.03 ERA and batting .383 with 21 runs and 26 RBIs. Other productive veterans include junior Ryan Cruz (.300, 24 RBIs), senior Nolen Lane (.300, 26 runs; 6-2, 30 strikeouts in 28 2/3 innings) and Steven Fetzler. Also expected to contribute are junior pitcher Nicholas Fox, sophomore infielder/pitcher Chasten Clegg and sophomore pitcher Santino Imhof.
Crete-Monee
The Warriors aim to win the Southland Athletic Conference and capture their first regional title since 2008. Expect a lot of action on the bases with senior shortstop/pitcher Bren Milburn (.380, 27 RBIs, 43 runs, 48 steals) and senior outfielder Timothy Gaddis (.420, 26 RBIs, 39 steals) back. Milburn, a Morton College commit, is the program’s career leader with 95 steals. Also watch junior pitcher/infielder Padraig Hurley.
Manteno
Several productive hitters return from last year’s 19-7 regional finalist, including senior Andrew Norred (.369, 22 RBIs) and juniors Maddox Toepper (.403, 20 runs), Jake Stevens (.342, 11 doubles, 18 runs, 16 RBIs) and Tyler Buehler (.322, 23 runs, 24 RBIs). Norred also went 3-0 as a pitcher, while junior Connor Harrod was 5-3.
Girls soccer
Beecher
The Bobcats, who won the program’s first regional title last season, return a trio of two-time all-conference and all-sectional players in junior forward Grace Durante, junior midfielder Ava Gaidar and junior defender Teagan Claus. Durante, who has 83 goals and 24 assists in her career, is the reigning Southland Athletic Conference Player of the Year. Senior midfielder Charlotte Farrar is another all-conference player back.
Crete-Monee
Three seniors return to lead the Warriors: defender Kaylee Mazur, Nathalia Hernandez and Carlene Magnaye. Two newcomers to watch are freshman midfielder Scarlett Quintero and sophomore midfielder Cielo Zaldarriaga.
Manteno
Numbers are up for the Panthers, who have 29 players in the program and have reinstated a JV team. With 12 returners from a six-win squad, coach Eric Greenquist expects an improved record and to be competitive in the Illinois Central Eight and the postseason.
Peotone
Junior forward Allie Werner had 32 goals last season to boost her career total to 49 and is on pace to break the program scoring record. Other key returners from a 15-5 regional champion squad include senior midfielder Kate Cuthbertson, junior forward Peyton Bisping, sophomore defender Callie Weiss and sophomore midfielders Alexa Matichak and Nayeli Horta. Freshman midfielder Katelyn Leitelt, who has six years of club experience, is a rising star with eventual college potential.
Softball
Beecher
Florida State-bound pitcher Ava Lorenzatti, a two-time All-State first-team selection, leads the Bobcats, who are No. 2 in the Illinois Coaches Association Class 2A preseason poll. They finished 32-2 last season and reached the supersectional.
Illinois Lutheran
The senior-heavy Chargers look to compete in the River Valley Conference and the IHSA Class 1A playoffs, Sophomore pitcher/infielder Lola Spada drove in 31 runs last season and went 5-2 with a 3.76 ERA. Adding punch are three seniors: shortstop Emma Nagle (.323, .482 OBP, 25 RBIs), third baseman Mia Jacobucci (24 runs, 20 RBIs, 18 stolen bases) and outfielder Azaylia Sanchez (.316, 24 runs, 21 RBIs).
Manteno
Seven starters return from last year’s 30-2 team led by four college recruits: pitcher/outfielder Ava Peterson (Washington University of St. Louis), who batted .515; catcher Jaz Manau (Southeast Missouri, who scored 39 runs; first baseman/left-handed pitcher Macy Iwanus (Illinois Wesleyan), who had four homers, 25 runs and 32 RBIs; and third baseman Addison Smith (Joliet Junior College). The Panthers are ranked No. 17 in Class 2A by the Illinois Coaches Association.
Boys track and field
Manteno
Sophomore Briggs Cann is the defending Illinois Central Eight long jump champ. He and Caden Reiter, who was conference runner-up in the 800 meters, are back from the ICE’s first-place 4×400 relay team. Seth McHugh, the league runner-up in the 3,200, is a distance runner to watch. Also keep an eye on sophomore Nick Honkisz in the hurdles and sprint relays.
Girls track and field
Manteno
Klarke Goranson is one of the state’s elite distance runners as a freshman. She was sixth in the IHSA Class 2A state cross country meet last fall and has set program indoor records in the 800 (2:14.19) and 1,600 (4:50.29) meters this spring. Watch sophomore Ella Graniczny in the horizontal jumps and state cross-country qualifier freshman Lyla Nevel in the distances.
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