High school sports roundup: Lemont's Lehenbauer books boys track and field state meet berth

LOCKPORT – Even as an eighth-grader at small Trinity Lutheran School in Burr Ridge, Lemont sophomore David Lehenbauer enjoyed big accomplishments as a high jumper.

On May 18, he took them to new heights.

Lehenbauer qualified for his first Class 3A track and field state meet by clearing a lifetime-best 6 feet, 3 inches – the state-qualifying height – for the first time at the Lockport sectional.

“Actually the goal this year was just to clear 6 feet. It’s kind of crazy,” Lehenbauer said. “After I cleared 6 feet [in previous meets], I knew I had a shot, but I never really knew that I could actually do it. I think the whole idea of sectionals and the adrenaline just kind of propelled me over.”

Lehenbauer, who placed third at the sectional, cleared 6-3 on his second attempt. His previous best was 6-1, which he achieved for the first time May 10 to place second at the Southwest Suburban Blue meet.

“He’s a hardworking kid, kind of self-taught, been doing it for a long time,” Lemont coach Dennis Kennedy said. “We’re hoping he just keeps getting better.”

In eighth grade at Trinity, Lehenbauer played four sports. His then personal-best 5-6 height earned second place at the Lutheran Sports Association of Illinois state meet.

“It gave me some momentum that I could jump with the best of them,” Lehenbauer said. “[Trinity is] a smaller school, about 100 kids. I’m not really used to the big atmosphere.”

He’s adapted quickly.

In 2016, Lehenbauer cleared 5-9 for the first time at sectionals and improved to 5-10 in this season’s indoor opener.

Lehenbauer was coming off playing high school basketball for the first time. He’s also played two seasons of golf.

“I think a large part [of my improvement] was doing basketball. It was good for strengthening my legs,” Lehenbauer said.

Baseball

A pair of home runs and five RBIs from KC Simonich plus a three-run home run by Ryan Sublette and a solo shot by Chris Weber weren’t enough for the Indians in an 11-10 loss against Bremen on May 22.

Angel Salinas doubled, drove in a run and scored twice, and Nate Madej added a double and run scored, but Lemont (28-5) saw its 10-8 lead in the sixth inning evaporate when Bremen scored twice in the bottom of the sixth and once again in the seventh for the victory.

Girls soccer

After outscoring its regional opponents 17-0, including a 7-0 win against Richards in the regional final at Lemont on May 20, the Indians breezed past Washington 5-0 in a Class 2A sectional semifinal at Marist on May 23.

Lemont will face Marist in the sectional final at 5 p.m. May 26.

Softball

Lemont won big in both ends of a doubleheader against Hillcrest on May 18, winning 19-1 in Game 1 and 10-0 in Game 2.

Jade Mardjetko struck out 13 and gave up just one hit and three walks to earn the win in the first game, and Lucy Conway was 2 for 4, with a run and four RBIs.

Gia Canterino pitched a perfect game in the 10-0 win while going 2 for 3 with a run and RBI at the plate. Haley Ercoli was 2 for 3 with two runs in Game 2.

Boys tennis

It was history in the making for Lemont’s boys tennis program at the Class 1A Joliet Catholic sectional May 20. The Indians sent all four positions to the state tournament for the first time in history as they won their second sectional crown in program history. The first sectional title was in 2013.

Junior Charles Balisalisa gutted out a 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 win in the singles semifinals to advance to the championship match against fellow junior teammate Arjun Reddigari. In the final, Reddigari won 6-1, 6-2.

The all-senior doubles team of Peter Rogers and Faraz Longi joined Reddigari on the top of the medals stand as they capped their title with a 6-3, 6-1 win against Tinley Park. They are the second Lemont doubles team in school history to win a sectional title, the other coming in 2007.

Seniors Matas Maleiska and Luke Pawlak were fourth in doubles, securing their state tournament spot with a 6-1, 7-5 quarterfinal win.

Girls track and field

Gerda Simkeviciute, Gianna Lopez, Celine Ratulowski and Julianne McClatchy were just learning to tie their shoes the last time Lemont’s girls track and field team had a relay make it to state. That quartet – senior Simkeviciute, juniors Lopez and Ratulowski, and sophomore McClatchy – represented Lemont in the 4x400-meter prelims May 19 at Eastern Illinois University. They clocked a time of 4:08.04 as the first Lemont relay team to take the track at state since 2002, when the 4x100 and 4x200 relays qualified.