Herald-News Athlete of the Week: Lincoln-Way Central’s Lisabella Dimitrijevic

Lincoln-Way Central’s Lisabella DImitrijevic won a close vote for the Herald-News Athlete of the Week honor. She drew 294 votes, edging Joliet Catholic Academy’s Preston Buss (272) on a ballot that also included Joliet West’s Billy Bailey and Lemont’s Sage Mardjetko.

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

When did you start playing softball?

Dimitrijevic: I actually played basketball the earliest. I didn’t get into softball until I was 8 years old when my mom signed me up for the Mokena house league. I stuck with basketball, volleyball and softball until about seventh grade. That’s when I figured out that softball was what I wanted to do, and I quit playing basketball and volleyball.

What made you pick softball?

Dimitrijevic: I love pitching. I like being in control of the outcome of the game, having that on my shoulders. I started playing travel ball in 8U, and I have been doing it ever since.

Do you play travel with your high school teammates?

Dimitrijevic: I have been on a couple of travel teams with some of my teammates. For the most part, we go our own way for the travel teams. The travel team I am on now doesn’t have any of my teammates. There are some girls from Lincoln-Way East, some from Antioch, some from Barrington. It’s a pretty good team.

Are you still able to fit in well with your high school teammates?

Dimitrijevic: Oh, yeah. I grew up playing with most of the girls on the team. We played in the house league together when we were younger, and it all comes back, and we have a good time together.

What are some of your goals for this year?

DImitrijevic: It would be nice to win state. Obviously, Class 4A is really difficult, and we have a difficult sectional and supersectional, but we are confident. We have beaten a lot of teams that are in our sectional this year. If we keep hitting, fielding and pitching like we have been, we will be fine.

What’s your go-to pitch?

Dimitrijevic: My riseball, for sure. I love throwing it. That’s the pitch that I know is going to work when I need to get an out.

OK, so you’ve won the sectional. What are you getting to eat to celebrate?

DImitrijevic: It probably depends on where we go, but I would most likely order pasta. I love rigatoni with vodka sauce or spaghetti and meatballs.