The Times Athlete of the Week: Hard work led Lance Grandgeorge to success on the soccer pitch

Winning 61.6% of the online vote, Somonauk-Leland-Newark boys soccer star Lance Grandgeorge is The Times Athlete of the Week, sponsored by SOCU.

The Bobcats senior set a Little Ten Tournament record with five goals in the championship match as the co-op won the conference tournament title 7-0. Grandgeorge won on a ballot that also included runner-up Piper Stenzel [Seneca girls golf], Drake Kaufman [Ottawa boys golf] and Kodi Rizzo [Newark girls volleyball].

Here is a Q&A with this week’s winner:

Do you have any nicknames?

I do not.

It’s been an amazing season for the Somonauk co-op, including winning the Little Ten Conference Tournament this past week. What goals does the team have for the postseason?

Taking it game by game, but with the ultimate goal to make it as far as possible.

How have the players from the three schools in co-op – Somonauk, Leland and Newark – blended together so well on the field?

We have been practicing together since the summer, and the chemistry between everyone has been amazing.

What goes into scoring 100-plus high school goals, both in terms of the work you put in and what your teammates’ contributions have been?

Many of us have been playing since AYSO, so we work very well together. So I attribute lots of my success to them and my coaches, but it also takes a lot of hard work outside of practice.

You and the team are going out to dinner to celebrate a big win. Where do you go and what do you order?

Our team tends to go to McDonald’s after big wins. I usually order a cheeseburger and fries.

If you could go anywhere in the world on an all-expenses-paid, two-week vacation, where would you go and why?

I would go somewhere tropical and play golf.

What was your favorite childhood Halloween costume?

Firefighter.

Do you have a costume this year?

No.

What are your three favorite high school pitches to play on?

Somonauk, Hinckley-Big Rock and Yorkville.

Is there a fact about you that might surprise people who only know you through sports?

I hate losing.

Do you have any college plans? If so, do they involve sports?

I want to go to a four-year university to continue my academic and soccer careers.