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St. Charles East set to induct four to Hall of Fame this weekend

Four former student-athletes who combined for 3 state championships, five top-6 state individual performances, six top-3 state team finishes, and competed in 7 different sports will be spotlighted this weekend at St. Charles East.

Honored as Jodie Harrison Lifetime Achievement Award recipients for 2017, the quartet will join the St. Charles (East) High School Athletic Hall of Fame prior to Saturday's 6 p.m. boys basketball game against Geneva.

Brittany Butcher (Class of 2003)

A 3-sport athlete at St. Charles East, Butcher played golf, basketball and softball during her high school run.

As a junior, Butcher earned regional medalist honors (83) while leading the Saints to a regional girls golf team title.

As a senior, the guard was a state finalist in the IHSA's Three-Point Shootout.

Her accomplishments grew larger on the softball diamond.

A 4-year starter and 2-time captain, the 3-time team MVP earned all-area and all-conference recognition as a pitcher in 2001, 2002 and 2003.

"It was challenging (playing three sports) but I had a great support system and great friends."

Butcher, whose dad, Rick, was a longtime coach/teacher at St. Charles East, tossed a 1-0 shutout over St. Charles North in the regional championship her junior campaign.

"I have to thank my parents for allowing me to play three sports," she said. "They spent a lot of time driving me around to practices. My dad was my catcher."

Butcher went on to play softball at Edgewood College and Aurora University, compiling a 4-year record of 63-25 and 567⅓ 1/3 innings pitched.

Butcher, now Pfeiffer, works as a physical education teacher in Barrington.

Pete Ploszek (Class of 2005)

Ploszek earned all-state football and track recognition for the Saints.

As a junior, he began his varsity football career on defense at free safety, earning all-conference status.

Switching to offense his senior season, Ploszek rushed for 1,525 yards as the Saints improved to a 4-5 finish in coach Ted Monken's first season.

"Coach Monken asked me about playing full-time offense," said Ploszek. "I jumped at it - any way I could help the team."

The Saints qualified for postseason play the next five years (2005-2009).

"It felt good to have played a role in the rebuilding process," said Ploszek, who earned all-state honors as a senior.

In track, Ploszek captured the 200-meter state indoor title and placed sixth in the 100 and 200 at the 2005 state outdoor meet while also participating on three relay teams.

Ploszek played 4 years of college football at Princeton where he was a tailback, defensive back and kick returner.

Today, Ploszek and his wife live in California, where he works as an actor.

"I'm grateful for the coaches who gave me opportunities - guys like Ted Monken, Brian Teresinski and Ben Provencher," said Ploszek. "They played huge roles in my development."

Derek Shanahan (Class of 1998)

Shanahan achieved greatness for the Saints' record-breaking soccer teams of the 1990s.

During his sophomore and junior seasons, Saints compiled a 63-game unbeaten streak (80 against Illinois schools) while becoming the first team in state history to post back-to-back unbeaten seasons, capturing state titles (1995 and 1996).

"It was a culture of winning," said Shanahan.

As a freshman, the Saints' season ended in a 3-2, double-overtime quarterfinal loss to Granite City.

"I remember feeling bad for the older guys," said Shanahan.

During his sophomore year, the Saints finished 28-0-1 and followed with a 28-0-2 mark under coach Paul Keenan.

The midfielder capped his career as an All-American, earning Gatorade National Soccer Player of the Year honors in 1997 after leading the Saints to a third-place state finish.

"I got a lot of attention but in reality we had a core group of talented players," he said.

Shanahan went on to play 4 years collegiately at Stanford, where he earned all-conference honors while leading the team to a national semifinal berth.

Stacy Springer (Class of 2001)

A 4-year letter winner, Springer became a fixture for the Saints at the girls golf state tournament.

The 2-time all-state golfer recorded third- and fifth-place individual state finishes during her junior and senior seasons.

She helped lead the team to the state title in 1999, as the Saints finished ahead of New Trier.

"It was always us and New Trier down to the wire," said Springer.

St. Charles (East) earned second- and third-place trophies in 1997 and 1998, respectively, and finished sixth in 2000.

"We had unbelievable success," said Springer. "It was very rewarding. I have a lot of respect for (Coach) Rod Osborne and (then Saints boys coach) Rob Prentiss.

Springer played collegiately at Kentucky, earning all-American Scholar honors in 2002 and 2003.

"The pressures of the state tournament really helped me in college," she said. "There was a lot more to balance."

Springer, now Borkowski, has spent the last 12 years working in the golf industry as a sales rep at Nike.

Craig Brueske can be reached at csb4k@hotmail.com).

Pete Ploszek
Derek Shanahan
Stacy (Springer) Borkowski
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