Some memorable 2015 moments in the Fox Valley, Tri-Cities

While we're a few days into the New Year, I'd like to take one last look at a memorable 2015 for area high school athletics:

State champions

In November, coach Bill Schalz guided Rosary to the girls swimming state title for the fifth time in school history. Individual champions included Athena Ye (100 backstroke), Alexis Yager (200 IM) and the Beads' 200 free relay and 200 medley relay squads.

The list of individual state track and field champions included Streamwood senior Gabby Juarez (1,600-3A); Aurora Central Catholic junior Karina Liz (800-2A); and Rosary senior Emily Martin (1,600-2A).

On the boys' side, first-place finishers were Cary-Grove senior Ricky Hurley (shot put-3A); West Aurora junior Chris Walker (triple jump-3A); Kaneland sophomore Danny Walker (pole vault-2A); and Burlington Central senior Lucas Ege (110 high hurdles and 300 intermediates-2A).

In October, 3 consecutive birdies on the back side propelled St. Edward senior Michael Mattas to medalist honors (149) at the Class 1A boys state golf meet.

Last May, Cary-Grove's Luka Sisauri captured the pommel horse crown (9.15) at the boys gymnastics meet.

In February, several area wrestlers pocketed state titles, including Cary-Grove senior Michael Cullen (120 pounds-3A); Crystal Lake South senior Eric Barone (145-3A); and Marmion juniors Riley DeMoss (170-3A) and Nathan Traxler (182-3A).

Scratching a 52-year itch

Led by starters Nate Navigato, Pace Temple, Daniel Santacaterina, Bennett Fuzak and Loudon Vollbrecht, Geneva's boys basketball team earned its first downstate trip since 1963 with a fourth-place Class 4A state finish.

Coach Phil Ralston's Vikings capped a 30-5 season with a pressure-packed 57-52 double-overtime victory over Lake Park in the DeKalb supersectional at Northern Illinois University.

One week earlier, Navigato's 3-point play with 9 seconds remaining lifted Geneva to a 65-62 sectional championship triumph over Rockford Auburn at DeKalb High School.

The Vikings' postseason run also included a thrilling 73-70 regional title victory over St. Charles East (24-4) in Geneva.

Notable achievements

The 1,600-meter run in last May's Class 3A girls state track and field meet featured a 1-2-4-5 area finish. Streamwood's Gabby Juarez captured the title, 2 seconds ahead of fellow Upstate Eight Conference River Division rival Torree Scull of St. Charles East. St. Charles North freshman Audrey Ernst and Jacobs senior Lauren Van Vlierbergen placed fourth and fifth, respectively.

Last winter, St. Charles East senior Domenick Strauss placed fourth individually while leading the Saints to a third-place team showing at the boys state bowling tournament.

Led by Tim Riordan, Oliver Saile and goalkeeper Jake Hasenstein, Bartlett's boys soccer squad earned a fourth-place finish in its first Class 3A state tournament appearance. Coach Vince DiNuzzo's Hawks claimed three 1-0 postseason victories before suffering a 3-2 double-overtime loss to Quincy in the state semifinals.

Last spring, pitchers Ryan Sargent, Ryan George, Casey Dennison and Johnny Rohde helped lead Jacobs' baseball team to its first trip to the state finals. Coach Andy Jakubowski's squad tied for third place with a 29-11 record.

South Elgin and St. Charles North were crowned Class 4A regional baseball champions in late May.

Nearly a year ago, Dundee-Crown senior Kiwaun Seals poured in a school-record 42 points during the Chargers' 50-48 victory over Cary-Grove. During one stretch, Seals scored 36 consecutive points.

In November, seniors Ally Vasquez, Alli Splitt, Sarah Graham, Erin Olson and Delaney Bayer lifted Cary-Grove's girls volleyball team to a third-place Class 4A state finish. It was the Trojans' fourth state volleyball trophy since 2009.

Led by Sam Pryor's 15 points, Burlington Central's girls basketball team defeated top-ranked Class 3A foe Montini 51-37 in Lombard. It was the Broncos' first loss to a 3A foe in nearly 3 years.

Coach P.J. White guided St. Edward's basketball team to its first sectional title since 1997 with an 85-69 win over Reed-Custer in Class 2A action last March.

Football fanatics

The list of local football teams to qualify for the state playoffs this past season included Bartlett, Huntley, South Elgin, West Aurora, Batavia, Cary-Grove, Geneva, Jacobs, St. Charles North, Crystal Lake South, Hampshire, Kaneland, St. Edward, and Westminster Christian.

Coaches' farewell

Several area coaches announced their retirement or resigned in 2015, including West Aurora's Gordie Kerkman (boys basketball), Bartlett's Denise Sarna (girls basketball) and Tom Meaney (football), Hampshire's Bob Barnett (boys basketball), Burlington Central's Marv Leavitt (girls volleyball), St. Edward's Jaci Corn (softball), Elgin's Kyle Rohde (football), St. Charles North's Ruth Vostal (girls soccer), and Huntley's John Hart (football).

Sad note

Last April, first-year South Elgin boys tennis coach Michael Bruno died of an apparent heart attack at the age of 38. In June, former Burlington Central standout athlete T.J. Sportsman passed away in an automobile accident while returning home from a fishing contest in Wisconsin. Sportsman, a physical education teacher at Munhall Elementary School in St. Charles, was 34.

Craig Brueske can be reached at csb4k@hotmail.com