Willowbrook ‘springs’ to athletic success

It has been an incredible year for athletics at Willowbrook, and below are highlights from the spring season.

Boys Track and Field
The team finished in 2nd place at the West Suburban Conference Gold Division Outdoor Meet. All-Conference athletes are senior Donnie Hawkins, senior James Funteas Jr., senior Nicholas Eufrasio and senior Tyler Olson. The boys also had eight Academic All-Conference athletes – Funteas Jr., Eufrasio, Olson, senior Cristian Batiz, senior Frank Francione, senior Andrew Kanelos, senior Christopher Senese and senior Austin Stoner.

Girls Track and Field
The Girls Track and Field Team had a strong showing at the Sectional Meet. Sophomore Kyla Denwood qualified for the State Meet in discus, and junior Shannon Jones qualified in the 800-meter run. Jones also was part of the 4x800-meter relay team that qualified for the State Meet, along with junior Melissa Johnston, junior Diana Marin and sophomore Grace Guthrie. Expectations will be high for this team next year, as all of these girls will return!

Boys Tennis
The boys had an outstanding year. The team finished 3rd in the West Suburban Conference Gold Division Meet and had a dual record of 10-5. The team had seven All-Conference players – senior Matt Buhr, senior Matt D’Alessandro, senior Joseph Draus, senior Anthony Pauletti, senior Leo Mares, senior Rafay Siddiq and junior Khateeb Raza. The team also had seven Academic All-Conference Players – Buhr, D’Alessandro, Draus, Pauletti, Siddiq, senior Abdul Ahmed and senior Mohammed Hameed.

Boys Volleyball
The Boys Volleyball Team posted a 22-16 final record this year, while fighting through several injuries to key players. This is the fourth time in the last five years the team has finished with 20-plus wins. The team was led by All-Conference players senior Thomas King and senior Ryan Wakely, and the boys had eight Academic All-Conference players.

Boys Gymnastics
The Boys Gymnastics Team was a dominant power throughout the year. This year, the boys were Conference Champions, Sectional Champions and finished 4th at the State Meet. Eleven athletes competed at the State Meet, and freshman Adam Sousa finished 4th in the All-Around. Individually, Sousa, senior Bret Golz and senior Keawe Winstead were All-State athletes.

Girls Soccer
The Girls Soccer Team finished 3-3 in Conference play and 9-12 overall. The team was led by All-Conference players senior Jessica Budig, senior Natalie Wolski and junior Samantha Wozniak. Budig and Wolski also were named Academic All-Conference and were selected to the Chicago Fire Soccer Club’s All-State All-Academic Team.

Badminton
The Girls Badminton Team won the West Suburban Conference Gold Division Co-Championship this year by going undefeated in the regular Conference season. The team posted 11 All-Conference players. Senior Brooke Bimber and senior Sydney Planz were State qualifiers in doubles. Bimber, Planz, senior Dalia Cruz, senior Haley Patel and senior Liana Pavese were Academic All-Conference.

Girls Softball
The Girls Softball Team posted a record of 24-11 and finished in 2nd place in the West Suburban Conference Gold Division. The girls won the Fenton Bison Blast Tournament and played in the Regional Championship. The team was led by senior Samantha Schmidt, who leaves Willowbrook with some of the most impressive statistics any Warrior has ever had.

Boys Baseball
The Boys Baseball Team had a record-setting year, finishing 26-10. The boys came in 2nd place in the West Suburban Conference Gold Division, and the team played in the Regional Championship. The team did not lose a game in the month of May and earned a No. 2 seed at Sectionals.

Go, Warriors!