Oswego East’s Noah Schultz (22) faces an Oswego batter during an Southwest Prairie Conference game at Oswego on Thursday, May 12, 2022. (H. Rick Bamman / The Beacon-News)
Not one but two hard-throwing pitchers from the same high school baseball team selected in the MLB draft and wooed by millions in signing bonuses?
Unprecedented.
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A basketball recruit choosing one of America’s blue blood programs?
Not unprecedented but still rare.
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The best choice for No. 1?
Flip a coin.
Here are the Aurora and Elgin area’s top 10 stories of the year in boys sports:
Yorkville Christian’s Jackson Gillen, left, and Lena Winslow’s Griffin Luke battle during the 170-pound championship match in the Class 1A state meet at the University of Illinois’ State Farm Center in Champaign on Saturday, Feb. 19, 2022. (H. Rick Bamman / The Beacon-News)
10. Breakthrough performance on the mat
That didn’t take long. Powered by individual champion Jackson Gillen (170 pounds) and runner-up Isaac Bourge (120), Yorkville Christian won the Class 1A dual meet state title in the wrestling program’s second season. The school’s first state trophy, it was matched only a few weeks later by the basketball team.
Marmion’s Jameson Garcia, left, and Mount Carmel’s Damian Resendez battle in the Class 3A 113-pound championship match at the State Farm Center in Champaign on Saturday, Feb. 19, 2022. (H. Rick Bamman / The Beacon-News)
9. Five wrestlers reach state podium’s top step
Four area wrestlers joined Gillen in capturing individual state titles. Jameson Garcia, a junior from Marmion who has since committed to Harvard, won the Class 3A title at 113. St. Charles East sophomore Ben Davino won the Class 3A championship at 120 and added a national freestyle title over the summer. In Class 2A, Aurora Christian seniors Joe Fernau (126) and Braden Stauffenberg (152) also won championships.
Batavia celebrates winning the Class 3A team championship at the boys track state meet in Charleston on Saturday, May 28, 2022. (Vincent D. Johnson / The Beacon-News)
8. Batavia wins state title in track
Batavia coach Dennis Piron added to a legacy that includes two state football titles when his track team won the Class 3A championship. Wins from Jalen Buckley in the triple jump and the 1,600 relay of Vincie Solano, Jake Hohmann, Drew Gerke and Jonah Fallon led the way.
Yorkville Christian’s K.J. Vasser (0) finds a path through the Liberty defense during the Class 1A state championship game at the State Farm Center in Champaign on Friday, March 11, 2022. (Rob Dicker / The Beacon-News)
7. Yorkville Christian wins state in basketball
Hardened by a challenging schedule filled with quality Class 3A and 4A opponents, Yorkville Christian was more than prepared for a thrilling run to the Class 1A state championship. The Mustangs were led by 6-foot-6 star Jaden Schutt, the Beacon-News/Courier-News’ player of the year. Schutt, a Duke recruit, averaged 27 points. He was supported by K.J. Vasser averaging 16.4 points, Tyler Burrows at 11.1 and David Douglas Jr. at 10.2.
Oswego East’s Patrick Robinson scoops up a shot against West Aurora during a Southwest Prairie Conference game on Friday, Feb. 25, 2022. (Jon Langham / The Beacon-News)
6. Oswego East basketball makes historic run
With senior forward Patrick Robinson and junior forward Mekhi Lowery leading the way, Oswego East finished 33-2 and set the school single-season record for wins before earning the program’s third regional title. The Wolves fell short of the program’s first sectional title with a 52-51 loss to Bolingbrook.
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Larkin’s Damari Wheeler-Thomas (10) sails past Rockford East’s Latrell Kyles (23) in the Class 4A Huntley Sectional semifinals on Tuesday, March 1, 2022. (H. Rick Bamman / The Beacon-News)
5. Larkin basketball’s record-setting season
Senior guard Damari Wheeler-Thomas, a North Dakota State recruit, led Larkin to a 30-4 record and the program’s single-season record for wins. The Royals came up one win short of reaching state for only the second time, losing in a Class 4A supersectional to eventual state champion Glenbard West.
Wide receiver Trey Madsen focuses on the ball while making a catch for Aurora University during the 2022 season. (Photo provided by Aurora University )
4. AU shocks NCAA Division III football
Aurora University went 11-2 and won the first football playoff game in program history with a 33-28 upset of perennial power Wisconsin-Whitewater in the first round. The Spartans then topped Alma of Michigan 48-26 in the second round. Tackle Chris Toth, running back Jhe’Quay Chretin, wide receiver Trey Madsen and linebacker Marcellus Romious each earned All-American honors.
Batavia’s Tyler Jansey heads upfield against St. Charles North during a DuKane Conference game on Friday, Oct. 21, 2022. (Jon Langham / The Beacon-News)
3. Road for Batavia football leads to Champaign
Powered by a ferocious defense featuring linebacker recruits Tyler Jansey (Wisconsin) and Jack Sadowsky (Iowa State), Batavia finished 10-4 and made a strong run to the Class 7A championship game. The Bulldogs lost 44-20 to undefeated Mount Carmel, the consensus No. 1 team in the state. It was Batavia’s third appearance in the state final in nine years.
Duke recruit Jaden Schutt of Yorkville Christian dunks at State Farm Center at the University of Illinois on Thursday, March 20, 2022. (Rob Dicker / The Beacon-News )
2. Jaden Schutt signs to play basketball for Duke
Whether Yorkville Christian graduate Jaden Schutt becomes one of Dick Vitale’s “diaper dandies” or a “PTPer” for prime-time player remains to be seen. But Schutt, the Beacon-News/Courier-News’ player of the year, did make a big splash by signing with Duke from more than 20 major offers. It’s easily the area’s biggest signing since East Aurora’s Ryan Boatright chose UConn.
Oswego East’s Ashton Izzi (14) delivers a pitch against Joliet West during a Southwest Prairie Conference game in Oswego on Monday, April 11, 2022. (H. Rick Bamman / The Beacon-News)
1. Oswego East baseball pitchers hit jackpot
The MLB draft was a bonanza for Oswego East. The White Sox ended up picking Noah Schultz, a 6-foot-9 left-hander, at No. 26 in the first round and then signed the Vanderbilt commit with a $2.8 million bonus. Later, the Seattle Mariners selected Ashton Izzi, a 6-3 right-hander, at No. 126 in the fourth round. The Wichita State commit signed a deal that included a $1.1 million bonus.