All-Southwest Prairie Conference teams revealed for spring sports in 2023

Players from the Herald-News coverage area were well represented in the 2023 All-Southwest Prairie Conference accolades in girls badminton, boys volleyball, girls soccer, baseball and softball.

Softball

Joliet West in the SPC East and Yorkville in the SPC West swept the “most valuable” awards given out by the Southwest Prairie Conference in softball.

Joliet West junior Brooke Schwall was selected as the East’s Most Valuable Player, while sophomore teammate Madison Jadron was voted Most Valuable Pitcher. Both also were voted All-SPC alongside Joliet West teammates Avery Houlihan (jr.), Hope Hughes (so.) and Shelby Fraser (jr.).

All-SPC East accolades also went to: from Plainfield East – Lauren Brock (sr.), Avery Welsh (so.), Natalie Utrata (so.), Maddie Kilroy (sr.) and Gianna D’Amico (sr.); from Plainfield South – Katie Nichols (jr.), Giana Zumdahl (so.) and Hailie Boardman (so.); from Plainfield Central – Tricia Hogrefe (jr.), Brailynn Mica (sr.) and Abby DeGrado (sr.); from Romeoville – Juliana Anderson (jr.); and from Joliet Central – Haydn Voss (fr.) and Natalie Reyes (jr.).

Receiving honorable mention were Joliet West senior Mya Millsaps, Plainfield South junior Lauren Pell and Plainfield South sophomore Kendal Pasquate.

Herald-News area standouts making the All-SPC West team were: from Minooka – Taylor Mackin (jr.), Madison Kelly (jr.), Gracie Anderson (so.) and Chloe Lesnicki (sr.).; and from Plainfield North – Natalia Lesnicki (sr.).

Receiving honorable mention were the Plainfield North trio of Megan Bouska, Giana Winge and Alex Sikora.

Yorkville’s Sara Ebner and Madi Reeves won the SPC West Most Valuable Player and Most Valuable Pitcher awards, respectively.

Baseball

Plainfield Central’s Taylor Kujak was named the SPC East Most Valuable Player, and Joliet West’s Conner Hogan was selected SPC East Most Valuable Pitcher in baseball for the 2023 season.

Receiving All-SPC East honors were: from Plainfield East – Jacob Rosenquist; from Joliet West – Conner Hogan, James Love, Joe Lukancic and Angelo Spoto; from Joliet Central – Robert Fitzpatrick and Zach Riley; from Plainfield South – Blake Phommachanhom and Carson Blake; from Plainfield Central – JT Augustyniak, Colin Bailye, Phil Carlton, Caleb Coberley, Taylor Kujak and Ryan Perry; and from Romeoville – Karlos Otero, Nolan Holgado and AJ Burnett.

Making the All-SPC West team from the Herald-News area were: from Plainfield North – John St. Clair and Joe Guilano; and from Minooka – Ryan Anderson and Nate George.

Oswego had the West’s Most Valuable Player (Trey Hernandez) and Most Valuable Pitcher (Eddie Scaccia).

Girls soccer

Plainfield North’s Tessa Fagerson was named the SPC’s Most Valuable Player and was one of five Tigers standouts – the others being Mia Davis, Georgia Liapis, Gabriella Mattio and Alex Tetteh – to earn all-conference honors.

All-SPC honors also were awarded to Herald-News area players from: Plainfield South – Alexandra Arnold, Kaitlyn Cheop, Addison Grigg and Mason Hillery; Plainfield East – Kelli Coughlin, Anna Jenkins and Kristen Scwartz; Plainfield Central – Kailey Franco and Veronica Gordon; Joliet Central – Brenda Hernandez; Minooka – Kait Lavezzi, Ella Rucka and Cali Rucka; Joliet West – Julia Martinez, Abigail Vungteveen and MacKenzie Mertes; and Romeoville – Erica Zaragoza.

Boys volleyball

Plainfield East senior Nathan Grutza was named the 2023 Southwest Prairie Conference Most Valuable Player and was one of four Bengals – the others being Braxton Francis, Kendall Killins and Thomas Tagtmeyer – named to the All-SPC team.

All-SPC honors also were awarded to Herald-News area players from: Joliet West – Landon Brouwer, Thomas Fellows; Romeoville – Gavin Carrasco; Plainfield North – Aidan Cupps, PJ Vaughan and Jacob Vu; Joliet Central – Joseis Dixon; Plainfield South – Bret Jensen; Plainfield Central – Ethan Ricketts; and Minooka – Jayce Moore.

Girls badminton

All-SPC honors were awarded to Herald-News area players from: Romeoville – Faviola Alvarez, Claire An, Maya Edrada, Samira Gallardo, Sarina Silva and Jayden Swearingen; Plainfield North – Celine Sutor, Nishita Sree Ghadi and Ashika Anaad; Plainfield South – Mia Anguiano, Alexandra Cuevas, Ilanna Lucheck, Teresa Rojas, Areli Rosas and Rianna Sullivan; Joliet Central – Sophia Baltz, Ana Gudeman, Marianna Guzman, Samantha Jiminez, Heather Long, Audrey Rodriguez; and Plainfield East – Anyssa Ostrovecky.