Prospect product Sawadski helping the LaCrosse Eagles fly
Prospect High School graduate Jillian Sawadski, a senior forward playing on the University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse women’s soccer team, earned her third straight first-team selection in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.
Helping the Eagles win a fifth straight regular-season title, Sawadski then scored two goals in LaCrosse’s 3-0 victory Nov. 5 over Wisconsin-Oshkosh in the WIAC Tournament semifinals. Avenging its prior loss, Division III No. 25 LaCrosse (20-1) then won its fifth straight WIAC tourney title on Saturday, 1-0 over Wisconsin-Platteville.
Senior forward Grace Williams (St. Charles East) and freshman midfielder Macy Evans (Neuqua Valley) join Sawadski among LaCrosse’s top seven scoring leaders.
Four of Sawadski’s nine goals this season have been game-winners. She’s added six assists for 24 points. After the Platteville game Sawadski was among the WIAC’s top three in goals, points, and game-winning goals, and eighth in assists.
In four seasons with LaCrosse, Sawadski is tied for second place in program history with 34 goals, second with 93 points, and third with 25 assists.
Auspicious debut
The women’s soccer team at Washington University in St. Louis was No. 1 in Division III, before Saturday’s 2-1 loss to No. 10 Chicago. Just a freshman, defender Grace Harper (Stevenson) has played the second-most minutes for the Bears. She’d played in all 18 games, making 12 starts, with one goal and two assists.
Incredible
On Oct. 31 at St. James Farm in Warrenville, North Central College won its 52nd straight College Conference of Illinois-Wisconsin men’s cross country title. The Cardinals scored 16 points, one point from a perfect 15. Carthage College placed second with 85 points.
Each of the seven North Central runners finished in the top 10 to earn all-CCIW honors. They included junior Ricky Klein (Stevenson), who finished third; and senior Nolan Crooks (Downers Grove South), ninth.
On the same day and course, Elmhurst University senior Jessica Solar (Glenbard North) won the individual CCIW women’s race. The elementary education major ran her six kilometers in 22 minutes, 13.5 seconds, helping the Bluejays finish third in team standings.
North Central College won the women’s team title as well. Leading the way for the Cardinals in second place was freshman Mariangela Popoca (Willowbrook). All-CCIW finishers included Illinois Wesleyan junior Maddie Morgan (Glenbard West, fourth), Elmhurst sophomore Sarah Hahn (Geneva, sixth), Carthage senior Kylie Florance (Warren, seventh) and Wesleyan freshman Jordan Sutter (Grayslake Central, eighth).
Respect
University of Michigan senior cross country runner Brooke Johnston (Lake Zurich) and fifth-year Wisconsin runner Micah Wilson (St. Charles East) were their respective teams’ Sportsmanship Award winners following the Big Ten Conference cross country championships Oct. 30 in Madison, Wis.
On the course, Johnston placed 24th individually to help Michigan finish third in the women’s team standings. Wilson earned second-team all-Big Ten honors with his 19th place finish for the second-place Badgers men.
Des Plaines brains
Two Northern Illinois University soccer players, both from Des Plaines, last week received Horizon League Scholar-Athlete recognition.
Redshirt freshman forward Monica Correa (St. Viator) got the nod on Nov. 3. The mechanical engineering major has a 4.0 grade-point average. In 17 games, all starts, she also led the Huskies women’s soccer team in scoring with 11 points, on four goals and three assists.
On Nov. 4, Northern Illinois redshirt senior midfielder Jakub Drazek (Elk Grove) made the men’s Horizon League Scholar-Athlete Team for a third straight season. Injured after appearing in 12 games with 11 starts, Drazek is a business administration major who carries a 3.967 GPA.
doberhelman@dailyherald.com