Sports Shorts

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Updated: November 2, 2011 12:33AM

LT student-athletes awarded scholarships

Every year, Lyons Township High School recognizes student-athletes whose outstanding performance extends beyond the athletic field, court or track. These gifted athletes are students first and foremost and exhibit the best of character on and off the field. Their excellent performance and behavior is recognized by LT coaches and faculty, along with LT graduates and other organizations.

Recent Lyons Township High School graduate Horacio Sanchez, of Countryside, was awarded the $700 Chuck Bennett Award for being the best male athlete in the senior LT class as voted on by the varsity head coaches at LT. Sanchez will attend Wright State University in the fall, where he will continue his soccer and academic success.

Lindsay Esposito, of Western Springs, and Spencer Mahoney, of La Grange Park, were awarded the Coaches Medal Award. These $700 awards are given to one male and one female senior athlete, chosen for his and her leadership and citizenship in school affairs. While at LT, Esposito played volleyball and basketball, and Mahoney played basketball and baseball. Esposito will attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and Mahoney will attend Valparaiso University.

Kelsey Holbert, of Western Springs, and Samuel Telfer, of Western Springs, were awarded the Donald Francis Lange Memorial Award based on their outstanding character, leadership, scholarship and athletic abilities. These $700 awards are given to one male and one female each year who exhibit these qualities. Holbert will attend University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee and Telfer will attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Jocelynn Birks, of Willow Springs, was awarded the $700 Hubbard/McKee Award. Birks was voted the most outstanding female athlete of the year by LT’s head varsity coaches. Birks will continue her volleyball and academic success at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

David Sekula, of Indian Head Park, and Grace Trilla, of Western Springs, were each awarded the Stenger Medal. The medals are awarded to one male and one female member of the senior class who display the best in all-around athletic participation, good citizenship, sportsmanship and whole-hearted concern for the athletic reputation and programs at LT. Sekula and Trilla will both attend the University of Redlands in California.

Lyons’ Gaudio
named All-America

North Central College women’s golfer Alyssa Gaudio, a resident of Western Springs and a Lyons Township High School graduate, was named a First Team All-America selection by the National Golf Coaches Association for the 2010-11 season.

Gaudio became the first All-American in the history of the Cardinals women’s golf program. She led North Central with an 18-hole average of 79.8, posting six first-place finishes and earning All-College Conference of Illinois-Wisconsin honors and Academic All-CCIW honors for the fourth straight season.

In addition, Gaudio — an Exercise Science major — was also named to the NGCA All-America Scholar team for the third time. To qualify for that distinction, student-athletes must maintain a minimum cumulative grade-point average of 3.5 and compete in at least 66 percent of the team’s scheduled rounds during the season.

Two of Gaudio’s teammates were also named to the All-America Scholar Team: Naperville North graduate Marisa Miko and York grad Mary Kate Rohn. The trio of Cardinals helped lead North Central to the most successful season in program history, including a second-place finish in the CCIW Championship Tournament and first-time-ever qualification in the NCAA Division III National Championship event.