Riverside residents Clara and Lily Zimmerman are following the tradition of their mother, Sarah, by playing volleyball at St. Ignatius College Prep. This year, they’re program teammates.
Clara and fellow junior Lola Baker of Riverside are in their second varsity seasons. Lily is now on the freshman A team.
“It’s been really fun. I like watching (Lily’s) team,” Clara said.
The SICP varsity is off to a 7-3 start. Like last year, Clara is a starting right-side hitter who plays in the front row. Baker is a setter in usually a two-setter offense.
“(The goal is) just for the team to do well and have fun. There’s a lot of juniors (10),” Clara said.
Perhaps the most interesting match was outdoors Sept. 6 at DePaul College Prep. The Wolfpack lost in three sets.
“(We played) on the football field. It was really fun, at night under the lights,” Baker said. “A lot of Ignatius students came.”
This season, the Wolfpack have the moved up from Class 3A to 4A. They lost to DePaul in the 2024 sectional final after finishing third in 3A in 2023.
Besides 10 juniors, the Wolfpack have five seniors and one sophomore on varsity.
“It’s definitely going to be more of a challenge (in 4A),” Baker said. “We had high expectations last year and we didn’t meet those. But we’re a pretty solid group.”
Baker and Clara Zimmerman previously were volleyball teammates at Hauser Middle School. As freshmen, they played on different freshmen teams. Baker also joined lacrosse and was on the junior varsity last season.
“For her freshman team, Lily Zimmerman is a setter usually in a one-setter offense and plays full rotation. The Wolfpack are 6-2.
“It’s been going pretty good. We have strong hitters and servers,” Lily said.
For club volleyball, the Zimmermans are moving from DuPage Elite to Chicago Elite. Baker will play this coming season for Michio based in Evergreen Park.
In June, Lily Zimmerman was one of two players from her DuPage Elite 14-and-under United team named All-American at the Amateur Athletic Union Junior National Championships in Orlando. The team reached the semifinals in the Classic Division.
“It meant a lot to me,” Lily said. “It was kind of shocking but kind of not, too.”
Fenwick
Fenwick junior and two-time all-stater Juliana Gamboa of Riverside faces tougher competition this girls cross country season as the Friars’ move from Class 2A to 3A.
Her goals haven’t changed.
“Originally everyone was a little stressed with moving up (to 3A) but now everyone’s ready to rise to the challenge and work hard so I’m very excited.”
Gamboa was 21st at last year’s 2A state meet (17:41.23 for 3.0 miles) for the 17th-place Friars and 17th in 2023 (17:47.4). Gamboa feels more prepared with help from sophomore Bridget Brunick (30th at state, 18:03.34), who was five places from all-state honors.
“Last year we did around 25-30 (miles weekly) and now we’ve moving up to 40. Our goal is going to be 50,” Gamboa said.
Other Fenwick fall sports varsity athletes from Riverside include seniors Luke Leone, Christopher Polston, Diego Robles, William Tomczak and Connor Wahl (football), senior McKenna Posluszny and sophomores Simone McNally and Gweneth McNally (girls flag football), senior Aidan Haefner and junior Daniel O’Donoghue (boys golf), juniors Simone Black, Giada DeCosta and Emily Przybylski and freshman Penelope Black (cheerleading), juniors Caitlin Stack (tennis), Burke Burns (boys cross country) and Sarah Durkin (girls cross country) and freshmen Penelope Black, Stella Buckman and Marthea DeCola (swimming and diving) and from Brookfield senior Lillian Boyle (volleyball) and sophomore Samantha Stowe (swimming and diving).
Nazareth Academy
Nazareth senior Dan Lewis of Brookfield returned with lofty goals Saturday to Peoria’s Detweiller Park, annual site of the state meet.
After taking 42nd in the 2A boys race at the First to the Finish Invite (15:51.7 for 3.0 miles), Lewis feels on pace for top-25, 2A all-state honors after taking 61st at 2024 state (15:28.6).
“Fitness-wise I know I’m able to be right around there. A 15:52 in this training block, I’ll take it,” Lewis said. “I definitely want to go sub-14:50 (at state). It’s definitely another big goal but I’m going to work hard for it.”
Even in hot weather, Lewis ran 29 seconds faster than his 2024 FTTF time. He’s also coming off his first individual 2A state track berth in the 3,200-meter run (21st, 9:57.96).
“Running at state for track was so big. That showed I can compete with some of the top guys,” Lewis said.
Other Nazareth fall sports varsity athletes from Brookfield include seniors Johnny Colon, Jackson Failla and Christopher Kasky (football), senior Diego Villanueva (soccer) and freshmen Abby Fijal (girls cross country), Leah Halmon (cheerleading) and Annalise Hernandez (pom dance) and from Riverside senior Connor McKay (boys golf) and junior Nathan Hill (football).