Daily Herald celebrates year's best in prep sports

The suburbs' top prep athletes and their families gathered Sunday to celebrate their successes on and off the field at the fourth annual Daily Herald Prep Sports Excellence Awards.

More than 600 high school athletes representing 32 sports from 67 high schools were honored at the event, held at the Sears Centre Arena in Hoffman Estates. Each school nominated 10 of their top athletes, all of whom were invited to attend along with their families.

Nominees could be chosen for a variety of reasons, Daily Herald Prep Sports Editor Aaron Gabriel said. Some were chosen for setting records, winning championships and demonstrating great athletic skill. Others were honored for acting as team leaders, showing sportsmanship, excelling in school and being involved in community service.

For Buzz Lindgren, 18, a recent graduate of Hersey High School in Arlington Heights, the ceremony was a chance to reflect on his four years of playing football, baseball and basketball — the countless hours of practice, the long summers of training and the friends he met along the way.

“It's an honor to be recognized,” he said. The Arlington Heights resident's devotion to sports didn't stop him from also working hard in school, and he plans to attend the University of Illinois in the fall.

“I'm proud of him — proud of what he's done and the guy he's become,” said his dad, Rob Lindgren.

Amid performances from the Prospect High School Marching Band and Elk Grove High School cheerleaders, as well as an appearance from the Bartlett and Streamwood high school mascots, eight students were given special awards recognizing their achievements.

Naperville North High School runner Judy Pendergast, who was on the girls cross-country and track teams, received the Sweet Moment Award, which recognizes an unforgettable moment for an athlete or a team. Last fall, Harvard-bound Pendergast became the Class 3A track and field 3,200-meter champion with a time of 15 minutes, 54 seconds, making her the first girl ever to break 16 minutes.

“It's really nice to be recognized for all the hard work I've put in over the last four years,” she said, attributing her success partly to the support of her parents, her teammates and her coach, Dan Iverson.

A Sweet Moment Award was also awarded to Christian Brunner, a Dundee-Crown High School wrestler who also finished the season an undefeated state champion.

The Spirit of Sportsmanship Award went to Dan Sobolewski and the Benet Academy basketball team, which finished second in the state for the second time in three years. In addition to the terrific program and impressive records, Gabriel said, the Benet Academy players excelled at playing the game together as a team.

“It was really exciting for all of us,” Sobolewski said. “This obviously isn't a one-person award. It's because our team did so well this year. I'm really happy I can be the captain of this team and prove a lot of people wrong with what we did.”

For Sobolewski, who also played baseball, a lot of time, work and dedication went into becoming a successful prep athlete. “It's pretty cool to wrap up my high school career with this award,” he said. “These last four years have been pretty special to me. It's really been a dream come true for me.”

A Coach Award was given to Naperville North High School gymnastics coach Brad Foerch, who is retiring after 34 years of coaching.

“The kids are everything, and you do everything in your power to keep them safe,” he said. “It's great to win, but when you step out there and put yourself in the position to even lose, you're a winner.”

Other winners of this year's special awards include:

• The Overcoming Obstacle Award: Katie Schroeder, a pole vaulter at Grayslake Central High School, and Palmer Graham, a Conant High School football player. The award is given to a team or athlete that overcame adversity and made an impact during their season.

• The Spirit of Sportsmanship Award: Kathleen Doyle and the Benet Academy girls basketball team, and Dan Sobolewski and the Benet Academy boys basketball team. The honor recognizes an athlete or team that stood out and went beyond the game.

• The Heart and Soul Award: Erica Mote, a runner at Glenbard South High School, and Tommy Howe, a volleyball and football player at Antioch High School. This is awarded to athletes that were the key to their team's success through their “can do” approach and great attitude.

• Coach Award: Schaumburg High School girls volleyball coach Jeannette Pancratz and Naperville North High School gymnastics coach Brad Foerch.