Senior Juliana Gamboa of Riverside often has risen to the occasion for the Fenwick High School girls cross country team.
Now she hopes to help the Friars do the same after making the move from the sport’s Class 2A to the largest-schools 3A in 2025.
“The big goal this year is for the team to make it to state,” said Gamboa after the Hinsdale Central Invitational Sept. 5.
“I think after last year we re-evaluated and decided that’s something we could do. We went hard this summer for training. We took it seriously. Obviously had a lot of fun (too), but coming into the season everyone’s ready.”
Gamboa was a team-best 16th (19:01.9 for 3.0 miles) at the invite for the 12th-place Friars (327 points) with junior Bridget Brunick 17th (19:04.3).
Other area team members are senior Sarah Durkin of Riverside (210th in varsity race) and junior Elsa Pettigrew of Brookfield.
In the boys varsity race, Fenwick senior Burke Burns of Riverside was a team-best 59th (personal-best 16:33.7).
Last year, Gamboa, Brunick and senior Mia Bagato were 3A individual state qualifiers. Gamboa finished 42nd in a personal-best 17:32.0 for 3.0 miles after top-25 all-state in 2A as a sophomore (21st, 17:41.2) and freshman (14th, 17:47.4).
In June, Gamboa, Brunick and sophomore Claire Twohy attended Northern Illinois Elite Cross Country Camp in Green Lake, Wis.
“With my last season, just showing up to every race, giving it my all and being really grateful is something I feel would make this season extra special,” Gamboa said.
Sophomore Jack Rooney of Riverside is rotating in at safety and cornerback for the Fenwick football team (4-0), the defending Class 6A state champions ranked No. 2 in last week’s 6A Illinois media football poll. Senior Jossane Milewski of North Riverside is a team manager.
Junior Samantha Stowe of Brookfield and sophomores Stella Buchman and Marthea DeCola, both of Riverside, are members of the varsity girls swimming and diving team.
Other Fenwick varsity fall sports athletes from Riverside include senior Daniel O’Donoghue and freshman John Berni (boys golf), seniors Simone Black, Giada DeCola and Emily Przybylski and junior Erin Wahl (cheerleading), juniors Madelyn Dan, Gweneth McNally, Sloane McNally and Maura Mullen (flag football) and sophomore Phoebe Baker (girls volleyball).
Nazareth fall sports
Senior defensive lineman and tight end Chris Kasky of Brookfield is awaiting his season debut for the Nazareth Academy football team.
In the meantime, the co-captain and Missouri recruit continues making an impact.
“I’ll be back. It’s just trust the process, trust each other and do what we do, because we do a lot of great things,” Kasky said.
“I’m always at practice. We have a lot of young guys up (on varsity). I feel like I’m a good mentor towards them, just keeping the team positive, moving forward.”
In last week’s Illinois media football poll, the Roadrunners (1-3) were ranked No. 5 in 6A before losing 47-42 to Montini (No. 2 in 4A). Nazareth lost its opener 35-21 to IC Catholic (No. 2 in 3A), beat York 27-3 and lost 35-7 Sept. 4 to Mt. Carmel (No. 2 in 8A).
Senior wide receiver Nathan Hill is from Riverside. Nazareth reached last year’s 6A semifinals.
“(Mt. Carmel is) a tough opponent every year and it gets us better and gives us a good gauge how we’re looking,” Kasky said.
“I think we’re going to be just fine. We have a lot of young guys getting reps right now. That’s definitely going to be one of our strong suits when it comes playoffs.”
Other Nazareth fall sports athletes include junior Liam DeFauw of Riverside (boys soccer), sophomore Nicolette Limoges (girls cross country) and freshman Madison Fisch (cheerleading) from Riverside and sophomore Annalise Hernandez (pom and dance) and freshman Bradley Murphy (boys cross country) both from Brookfield.
St. Ignatius fall sports
Seniors Lola Baker and Clara Zimmerman and sophomore Lillian Zimmerman, all from Riverside, are members of the St. Ignatius College Prep varsity girls volleyball team (8-3). Baker is a co-captain.
