Students of Nazareth pride themselves in the values of scholarship, service, spirit and unity. Many students use athletics as an outlet to practice these values. Coaches provide athletes with the instruction needed to perform, while teachers help to develop students into young men and women endowed with the Nazareth values needed to represent themselves and the teams well. It is the proper synthesis of skill and values that has make Nazareth athletics so successful. The 2011-2012 school year, athletically, has been one for the record books thanks to the accomplishments of Nazareth athletes and coaches.
As the focal point of the fall athletics season, Nazareth football did not disappoint. Varsity had a ten-win season, the most in Nazareth football history, along with the school’s first ever East Suburban Catholic Conference Championship. Following the E.S.C.C. Championship victory, the Varsity boys made their Class 6A playoff debut and came home as state quarterfinalists. Notably, ten players received All-Conference titles, another record in Nazareth football history. Senior Bob McGivney and Junior Pat Vitek were named offensive and defensive linemen of the year respectively, and Senior Kalium Ewing was the defensive player of the year and named to the All-State team.
Boys’ golf had a tremendous season, capturing first place at the Nazareth Invite and first place at the IHSA Regional. They ended their season in third place at the IHSA Sectional and in fifth place at IHSA state.
With an overall record of 9-10-3, boys’ soccer took second place in the Proviso West tournament and fourth place in the Lasallian Cup Tournament. Seniors Nick Haraus, John McLachlan and Phil Lombardo were all named to both the Proviso West and the Lasallian Cup All-Tournament teams. Haraus was named to the All-Conference team, received honorable mention to the All-Sectional team and was also named to the Chicago Fire All-Academic team. McLachlan is signed to play at Lewis University and was named to both the All-Conference and All-Sectional Teams. Finally, Lombardo is signed to play at Roosevelt University.
Girls’ Tennis had an outstanding season, bringing home first place at both the Lemont and Willowbrook Invitational’s. The girls finished fourth in the E.S.C.C. as a team, tied for eighth in state and were the recipients of the 2011-2012 IHSA Team Academic Achievement Award. Lexie Petrovic and Alysa Straub both had remarkable seasons and paired up for the doubles competition at the IHSA State competition. The girls finished in second place and were both named to the All-State Team. Individually, Petrovic was the E.S.C.C. Player of the Year and singles champion and Straub took second place in the E.S.C.C. singles competition.
The Girl’s and Boy’s Cross Country Teams had great over-all seasons. The girls were 5th in conference and senior Alyssa Levato was a conference medalist. The girls won 2nd place at Regionals at Riverside Brookfield, the boys won 5th place, and both the girls and the boys made it to the sectional race. The girls won 8th place at sectionals and senior Charlotte Walsh was a regional medalist. Both Levato and Walsh were state qualifiers.
Girls volleyball took first place at the Bradley-Bourbonnais Tournament, won the bronze division championship at the Mother McAuley Asics Challenge and were silver division champs at the Champaign-Centennial Tournament. This was all en route to winning the IHSA regional championships. Seniors Brittany Brown and Ana Vrhel were both named to the All-Conference team.
Junior John Bonk and Freshman Tyler Jackson led the way for the boys’ basketball team. Both boys received All-Tournament honors at the Stagg Thanksgiving Tournament and were both named All-Area Suburban Life. John Bonk was also named to the E.S.C.C. All-Conference team and received an Honorable Mention to the All State Illinois Basketball Coaches Association.
Senior Malcolm Watson and the wrestling team had and unforgettable season. Sophomore Joey Citro, Senior Grant Casey, and Sophomore Dan DeSimone were all named to the All-Conference team. Vitek was also named to the All-Conference team in addition to qualifying for sectionals. Junior Aeneas White was a state qualifier. Watson was the champion of the Lisle Tournament and the Downers Grove South Invitational. He was also the conference champion and the conference wrestler of the year. To cap off his unbelievable season, Watson won the IHSA state championship.
The 2010-2011 baseball team took fourth in state and set a school record for wins. This year, they began the season without one returning position player from last year and are off to a great start. Ranked fourth in the Chicagoland area and seventh in state. They also recently earned the title of regional champions along with the Girls softball team. Three senior pitchers are headed to play in college next year, Ed Gengo and Dominic Purpura will play for Carthage College and Ryan Marske for the University of Miami-Ohio.
