The varsity Orland Park Pioneers team had a huge 2022 season. Photo by Jeff Vorva
Area Sports Roundup: Orland Park Pioneers honored; local hoops teams win Thanksgiving tourney titles
By Jeff Vorva
Staff Writer
Two youth football teams teams were honored by the Orland Park Village Board for winning Super Bowl championships in their respective divisions.
The Orland Park Pioneers’ varsity and super lightweight players received awards and recognition Nov. 21 from the board and Mayor Keith Pekau, who has the distinction of playing Pioneer football in the organization’s first year in 1976.
Todd Shelton and Chris Stefanos shared the head coaching duties for the varsity team. They were assisted by Bill Sigel, Jason Buechele, Jack Shelton, Jim Rodriguez and Pat Clifton.
The varsity team has gone 32-1 over the past three seasons and 22-0 the previous two campaigns. It was a three-time River Valley Super Bowl champ and a Wednesday Night Super Bowl winner.
Varsity members include Brody Wantroba, Toddy Shelton, Ethan Krueger, Barret Sigel, Nolan Rodriguez, Jordan Masino, Chase Czerwonka, Jake Tomczak, Jack Clifton and Matthew Durkin.
Also on the roster are Jake Buechele, Devin Stefanos, Quinn Durkin, Jake Drew, Carson Conrad, Sean Ruisz, Henry Selof, Briggs Corona, Zayne Salah and Jad Jaber.
Others include Egan Kelly, Kendall McDowell, Luke Kruszynski, Cade Koehler, Jax Arocho, Nolan Torgerson, Logan Kondziolka, Taylor McDoniel, Cash Phillips and Othman Mizyed.
Rounding out the team are Will Beeler, Adam Danko, Mohammad Ghadban, Ibrahim Jaffal, Shafik Yasin, Rami Agha, David Klimaszka, Blake Wagner, Rocco McCarthy, Stephen Caxton-Idowu and Keegan Kirk.
The super lightweights, coached by Al Krokos and assistants Pat Richardson, Adam Sutter, Ray Morandi, Matt Wilkinson, Chuck Kakos and Mark Garrity, became the first team in Pioneer history to win both a River Valley Championship and a Wednesday Night Championship during the same season.
Members of the super lightweight squad include Thomas Sutter, Jack DuBois, Taylan Morandi, Zane Judeh, Blake Schuler, Luke Krokos, Cole Baldridge, Austin Flynn, Zachariah Ballouta and Jase Enstrom.
Also on the roster are Vincent Spizzirri, Wyatt Kipper, Cayden Caldwell, Carter Erwin, Ellis Hubbard, Michael O’Connor, Lucca Morandi, Jason Erwin, Noah Cordoba and Christopher Medina, Jr.
Others on the squad are Shane Sternberg, Andrew Richardson, Jordan Ulaszek, Gavin Garrity, Arthur Slabenak, Anthony LaPapa, Christian Paulsen, Scott Gumienny, Frank Wilkinson and Laith Hammami.
Rounding out the team are Cody Godlewski, Nick Pomonis, Yousef Yasin, James Okrasinski, Nolan Burke, Aaron McCarthy, Michael Ordman, Thomas Richardson, Nathan Campos, Jude Morrar, Rayder Slabenak, Owen Garrity, Maximus Bauer and Adam Krokos.
The Orland Park Pioneers Super Lightweight team was honored at a recent Orland Park Village Board meeting. Photo by Jeff Vorva
Cornucopia of champions
The Oak Lawn boys basketball team shocked Mount Carmel, 76-68, on Nov. 25 to win the Spartan/Ram Classic. The Spartans’ Xavier Sulaiman was the tournament MVP and teammate Ayham Salah made the all-tournament team.
Evergreen Park won the Lisle Thanksgiving Tournament. Nolan Sexton and Ulises Cardenas were named to the all-tournament team.
Marist won the District 218 Thanksgiving Tipoff Classic with a 61-50 win over Richards on Nov. 25. Kaden White led the RedHawks with 13 points.
Brother Rice won the Bill VandeMerkt Classic at Riverside-Brookfield. Ahmad Henderson was the tournament MVP and teammates Tre Dowdell and Khalil Ross were on the all-tournament team.
Lyons won its own tournament with a 58-51 triumph over Lincoln-Way East. Penn recruit Niklas Polonowski had 22 points for the Lions.
Milestones
Saint Xavier’s Maia Fawcett hit the 1,000-point mark in an 83-48 win over Waldorf on Nov. 25. She is the 22nd player in Cougars women’s basketball history to hit that mark.
Former Argo and Morton College player Tadrianna Heard recently scored her 1,000th collegiate point for Purdue Northwest.
King-sized honor
Longtime Lyons wrestling coach Mark King was recently honored by having his name attached to the school’s wrestling accomplishment board. It is now known as the Mark King Wall of Fame.
King has served as a head coach or assistant for 50 years.
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