Halt of spring sports denies these potential record-breakers
Fourteen wins. For a Benet soccer team that broke school records the past two seasons with 20 and then 24 victories, 14 was well within its reach.
Those 14 wins would have given Benet's senior class a school-record 71, breaking the mark by Benet's 2014 class.
With the spring season halted because of the COVID-19 pandemic, that record by Benet's 2014 soccer team will stand.
So will numerous others at high schools around the country, from a home run mark set to fall to a runner mere seconds away from putting their name in the record books with the fastest time in school history.
Benet's senior soccer class of Kate Flynn, Mia Tommasone, Cami Picha, Dani Pullen, Sarah Bozych, Emily Mikitka, Maggie Roche, Karina Krammer, Grace Barz and Rachel Kolb includes five four-year varsity players and two more that were on varsity for three. Those 24 victories last year included winning the Class 2A state championship.
"Our seniors are obviously sad and disappointed that they won't have the opportunity to go onto the soccer field together this season and represent our school with the Benet crest on their jersey one last time," Benet coach Gerald Oconer said. "However, they all did something that not too many athletes can say. They went out as champions at the end of their final high school game."
The Downers Grove South girls track and field team has two seniors nearing a school record, Brenna Cohoon and Erin Reidy.
Cohoon was just four seconds away from 2015 grad Abby Kargol in the 3,200 meters. Reidy's PR of 2:10 in the 800 trailed just 2016 grad Michaela Hackbarth's 2:09.1.
"It's (the record) definitely been a goal for me," said Cohoon, who very well might have set it as a junior if not for an early season injury. "Having that whole series of events coming close a couple of times makes this a difficult time to deal with emotionally. This will be something that fuels me more going forward hopefully in the fall in college."
Both Cohoon and Reidy will run in college at Iowa State and Minnesota, respectively.
Reidy, who said she started running with her dad as he trained for iron mans, will leave Downers Grove South with the record in the 1,600.
"I know how disappointing it is to not get that last chance to do it but I know there are things going on in the world that are much more important than a school record," Reidy said.
On the boys side at Downers South, senior Shawn Lee had a shot at the Tyler Rocco's shot put record.
Aurora Christian's Alyssa Busker was looking to make school history along with defending her 100 and 200 meter Class 1A state championships.
Northern Illinois bound Janae Dean, a senior at Hoffman Estates, was hoping to leave her mark in the 3,200 relay and 800 after barely missing out on state championships in both last year, according to athletic director Steve Lacni.
Kaneland senior Rachel Richtman already owns school records in the 1,600 and 3,200 but based on indoor times was poised to take 8-10 seconds off those times making it harder for future Knights to break it.
Likewise, Libertyville senior lacrosse player Emma Burns already holds the school record with 159 goals but will miss a chance to push her record to a much higher total. Benet's lacrosse goalie Connor Meagher holds the total saves and save percentage marks as a three-year starter who would have added to it.
At Carmel, girls track and field coach Jim Halford reports that after setting an indoor record in the 600, Ezzie Posner had an excellent chance to break the school's 800 outdoor record.
Antioch's Charlie Smith holds the 1,600 record and was trying to add the 3,200. Ayanna Tommy and Tyler Oslage were both looking to bettering school records they already own as was Libertyville's Ethan Burkhart in the 100, 200, 400 and 800 wheelchair division. Teammate Will Gordon had a chance at the school's 800 mark.
At Hersey, Josh Methner (3,200), Kenny Haughton (200) and the 800 relay of Haughton, Chris See, Danny Grozdev and Andy Jean Louis already had set indoor records. Athletic director Steve Messer said Methner in the 1,600 and 3,200, Haughton in the 100 and 200, and the 800 and 3,200 relays all had shots at the school outdoor marks, On the girls team Janine Boyan was fourth in state last year in the discus with a good chance to win it this year.
Benet boys track and field coach Brian Quick reviewed nearly 30 years of East Suburban Catholic Conference records. His senior Brendon Carter, the two-time defending champion in the 300 intermediate hurdles, could have become just the third to win an event three straight years, along with setting a record time.
Kendrick Grant and Elyjia Jones were poised to help the Round Lake track team break times in the 400 and 800 relays, and Fatima Giron was set to improve on the records she already owns for the girls team. For the school's soccer team, Dana Devera holds the record for most goals in a season (21) and career (55), missing a chance to extend that total.
Huntley's Ian Geisler already holds numerous school records and was looking to medal in both the 1,600 and 3,200 at state; his teammates Zach Fitzgerald (long and triple jumps) and Josh Guyer (triple jump and high jump) had chances to join him as a school record holder according to coach Chris Maxedon.
Harvest Christian assistant athletic director Sydney Knudsen reports a number of Lions set to break records including Gil Duran in baseball and these track athletes: Lydia Camp, who had the state's fastest 1A time in the 1,600, Maddy Martin in the 3,200 and 1,600 relays, Brooke Bandel in the hurdles, Erik Richter (800, 400 and 1,600 relays) and Sam Morris (400 and 1,600 relays).
Marmion pole vaulter Andrew Saloga, headed to Kansas next year, set goals even higher than school records hoping to break both Kane County and possibly even the state record of 17-4. Coach Dan Thorpe said the only thing holding him back was the length of his pole and North Central College had helped him out with that.
"His form is great, strength is great and speed is great," Thorpe said.