The commitment, hard work and perseverance has paid off.

Last week, the West Aurora graduate was one of 12 players named to the roster of the women’s volleyball team that will represent the United States this summer in the Paris Olympics.

A 6-foot-1 setter who has had a successful seven-year professional career overseas, the former Wisconsin standout realized a dream that dates back to grade school.

The news came via email from USA Volleyball.

Her first call was to her dad, Tony.

“It was pretty emotional,” he said of Wednesday’s announcement. “She couldn’t get the words out at first. She was shaken, and it took about a minute. And my emotions were all over the place.”

Players had a two-hour window to share the news with relatives and friends before they were expected at a congratulatory outing for the team in the Los Angeles area.

Emotions ran especially high for Carlini. Three years earlier, she didn’t make the U.S. team that went on to win the gold medal in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics that were delayed until 2021 due to the pandemic.

Her college coach, Kelly Sheffield, was ecstatic when she reached him in an airport on a recruiting trip.

“She’s dreamed about this her whole life,” Sheffield said. “I remember meeting her and her family the first time at her house. I asked her what her most prized possession was, and she pointed straight up at an Olympic flag fastened to the ceiling above her bed.

“When I asked why, she said, ‘Every day when I wake up, I say to myself, ‘This is what you’re working toward. And every night, I look up at it and think about how that’s the dream.’”

Retired teacher Sue Ludwig, who coached Carlini at Jewel Middle School, learned the news through a social media private message from a member of the family.

“It was kind of upsetting Lauren wasn’t on the team for the last Olympics,” Ludwig said.

Carlini had several years of club volleyball under her belt when she arrived at Jewel in sixth grade and worked with teammates who had never played before.

“She was doing things my eighth graders were trying to do,” Ludwig said. “She was so good working with teammates. Her patience was amazing.”

By the time Carlini reached eighth grade, games would be packed with fans wanting to see the team play, according to Ludwig.

A four-year varsity player, Carlini led West Aurora to a program-record 32 wins as a senior when the Blackhawks won the conference title and their first regional in 15 years before losing to eventual Class 4A state champion Benet.

Carlini was named the 2012 Gatorade Player of the Year and also ranked as the top volleyball recruit in the country for her class.

Everything seemed to come easy as she became Wisconsin’s first four-time all-conference player in the Big Ten and a four-time All-American, the last three first team, under Sheffield’s tutelage.

Her senior year in college, she won the Sullivan Award for the best amateur athlete in any sport.

Now 29, she has played three pro seasons in Italy, three in Turkey and one in Russia but plans to play professionally at home.

She has signed on with League One Volleyball as one of the founding athletes for LOVB Madison, an entry in the new women’s league that plans its inaugural season in January 2025.

“The first time around and being the last person cut was hard,” Sheffield said of the Olympics. “It’s like a sledgehammer to the head, but she didn’t give up on herself. She continued to work. She chose the harder path. The easier path would have been to throw her hands up and say, ‘That’s it.’

“It’s never a straight line for even the most successful people. It’s not easy for anybody.”

This week, Carlini and the U.S. team are in Fukuoka, Japan, competing in the third week of the FIVB Volleyball Women’s Nations League, an annual tournament featuring the top 16 teams in the world that finishes June 20-23 in Thailand. It impacts world rankings that determine the final six teams to qualify for the Olympics.

“This is her goal, what’s driven her,” her dad said. ”She’ll always be Lauren Carlini, Olympian.”

Hopefully, there will be more to come for Lauren, whose family already has flights booked to France.

Many of us will be watching.

The state championship match was about to begin, and the 6-foot-4 senior was amazed by the packed gym at Hoffman Estates.

“I didn’t really see a spot where someone wasn’t sitting,” Bute said. “It just felt so cool to look up and see all these people looking down watching us. I love playing in front of people. I know a lot of the team does.”

Bute and the Dukes, who were playing in the state final for the first time, particularly appreciated their fans, who showed up in force and were in full throat.

“Our crowd did a great job,” Bute said. “I think ours was really loud the whole time, even when we were down.

“It’s just a fantastic feeling to be able to have people watch you play. We think it makes us play better.”

That atmosphere is lacking in club sports.

“At clubs, it kind of feels like you’re playing for yourself sometimes,” Bute said. “With high school sports, you’re playing for the school, you’re playing for your friends, you’re playing for that logo on your back. I love that.”

York’s logo was never more prominent on the volleyball court than it was this season, which ended with the team’s 25-21, 28-26 loss to Marist in the final on June 1. The second-place showing was the highest for the Dukes (37-5), who set a program record for victories and advanced to state for the first time since 1999.

“I bulked up the schedule this year to play some of the best teams in Indianapolis,” York coach Ken Dowdy said. “We beat the team (Roncalli) that won the Indiana state championship.

“To finish 37-5, if you would have told me that at the beginning of the season, I would probably have been a little bit surprised due to the caliber of teams we played. But they killed it, no pun intended.”

Indeed, after losing to Marist on April 20, the Dukes won 22 consecutive matches, including a 25-16, 25-14 rout of Loyola in the state semifinals.

“To know this is our last match, that we’re going to be one of two teams playing in the last match of the season, was pretty special,” Dowdy said.

The feat was especially sweet considering York’s recent history. The Dukes were led by six seniors who were three-year varsity starters and had experienced the agony of losing their playoff openers in each of the past two seasons.

What was different about this team?

“I think for a lot of us, especially the seniors, watching the last seniors lose, that’s all they had,” Bute said. “It really motivated us. We don’t want that type of ending. We want to go out on our terms, to be able to go all the way to the last day and play until we clearly can’t any more. That kept pushing us forward, to play just one more day at practice, just one more game.”

What a match the last one was. Bute had eight kills, the last two of which saved match points, and sophomore outside hitter Ben Brown had seven kills as the Dukes went toe-to-toe with the favored RedHawks (39-2), who had swept two-time defending champion Glenbard West in the semifinals earlier in the day.

“The boys battled really, really hard against a Marist team that is ranked No. 2 in the nation,” Dowdy said. “After those two very disappointing regional semifinal losses the previous two seasons, I think this group of seniors was very unselfish. We were a very diverse offensive team.”

The unselfishness began with Bute, who led the team with 276 kills but was one of many cogs in a high-powered offense. Brown had 256 kills, 6-2 senior middle hitter Logan Rice had 210 kills, 6-7 sophomore middle hitter Hunter Stepanich had 192 kills and 6-7 senior opposite Luke Shorter had 148.

Seniors Jack Zitek and Zach Brown, who is Ben Brown’s brother, shared the setting duties running a 6-2 offense. But each still finished with more than 1,000 career assists, with Zitek tallying a program-record 1,315.

“A player like Jack (Bute) on any other team could have 400-plus kills,” Dowdy said. “But because we were so balanced, we were able to have six players that were the cog in our offense and two fantastic setters who put them in position to be successful.”

For Bute, who also led the team with 203 digs, familiarity bred success.

“We were all just such great friends on and off the court,” Bute said. “Logan Rice really stepped up and became a captain, which brought the whole team up. The setters did a great job of keeping their cool. Our sophomores, as well, did a fantastic job of filling huge roles and being great players.”

Indeed, Ben Brown and Stepanich, a three-sport varsity athlete, infused the team with additional skill and youthful energy.

“Hunter, this is his first year playing (varsity), and he made first-team all-state,” Bute said. “He doesn’t even play club.

“Ben Brown always brought so much energy, especially when we played Marist the first time. There was a point he got a kill and he ran around the entire court just jumping on the wall.”

Then there was Bute, who was an avid baseball and football player when he was younger. He discovered volleyball in seventh grade, and it soon became his forte.

“I just love volleyball,” he said. “I felt like it was the only sport that I could really shine in. I was all right at the other ones. Then I grew a ton. That helped. I was 5-9 going into freshman year.”

At which point Bute wasn’t on Dowdy’s radar as a future varsity player.

“He started out as a freshman B (team) setter,” Dowdy said. “He had a growth spurt. We brought him up during his sophomore season, and he primarily played defensive specialist because of his passing ability.”

Dowdy moved Bute to outside hitter last season, and the rest is history. So, too, are the careers of Bute and the other seniors, none of whom will play college volleyball, preferring to attend big schools, where some plan to play club volleyball.

Dowdy will miss all of them, with Bute in particular being hard to replace.

“He’s like an assistant coach,” Dowdy said. “He’ll go home, and he’ll stat the match after a match every night, and not for his own stats, but just to break down the match.

“He’s one of those kids that is quiet and just goes to work on the court and has such a good work ethic. Jack is going to be an athlete I’ll talk about for the rest of my career.”

Bute plans to attend Colorado and study engineering. He is drawn to architectural engineering and likes looking at the buildings in Boulder silhouetted against the Rocky Mountains.

Athletically, though, nothing can surpass the unprecedented heights the Dukes reached under Bute’s leadership.

“It was a once-in-a-career season for me,” he said. “It was fantastic.”

Matt Le Cren is a freelance reporter.

So, mere minutes after the junior setter/right-side hitter and the RedHawks won the state championship, Teresi got the chance to take a look at the trophy up close and personal.

And he was hyped up.

“I’ve wanted this freshman year and sophomore year,” Teresi said. “It was so sad when we lost those years. But winning this year … I’m actually so happy about it.”

Teresi was itching to get that final kill on June 1 in a 25-21, 28-26 victory over York at Hoffman Estates, helping Marist win its first state championship since 2018.

He definitely got it.

“I just wanted them to set me the ball,” Teresi said afterward. “I don’t even know what to say. I’m just so excited.”

Teresi, who repeats as the Daily Southtown Boys Volleyball Player of the Year, has had RedHawks fans excited for three years. He was primarily a setter as a freshman, developed into a strong hitter as a sophomore and was an even stronger hitter this spring.

The 6-foot-4 Teresi finished with 327 kills, 575 assists, 174 digs, 68 blocks and 65 aces. The Ohio State recruit received tons of postseason accolades, including being named the East Suburban Catholic Conference’s player of the year for a third straight season.

Teresi’s versatility has already impressed his teammates and coach Jordan Vidovic.

He also received notice from his opponents. After Marist’s 25-17, 25-15 state quarterfinal win over Public League power Payton, Graham Miller and Francis Richmond raved about the Marist star.

“Seeing that kid swing and seeing someone who swings like that who sets so well is just something you don’t usually see,” Miller said of Teresi. “We had some good blocks against him, but just how high he can get and how he can hit, it’s hard to slow him down. He moves around, and you have to make sure you know where he is at.”

“I was pretty impressed he did so well because what he does is so very, very, very hard,” Richmond said.

Later, Teresi tallied nine kills, 12 assists, four digs and a solo block in the win over York.

York coach Ken Dowdy knew the Dukes were going to have their hands full with Teresi.

“He does everything,” Dowdy said of Teresi. “You are not going to shut him down completely. He’s going to get his kills. You have to accept that. You just can’t get the other players go off.”

While Teresi’s power continues to cause jaws to drop, his serving keeps getting more effective as well. If he’s not getting aces, he’s causing havoc with the opponents’ serve receive.

Vidovic never put a speed gun to Teresi’s serves but guessed they are in the range of 60-70 mph.

“It’s college level,” Vidovic said. “At its max out, it’s by far the most velocity we’ve ever had here, without any question. (Teammate Nathen) Toth can give him a run for his money sometimes, but Christian’s serves are the hardest.

“If you had a stopwatch, the amount of time it leaves his hand to the time it would get to a passer … there is zero comparison.”

Teresi said he started to jump serve at age 6. His older brother, Colin, played in club tournaments and Christian tagged along. He and his father, Marty, put some of the down time to good use.

“I remember going to my brother’s tournament at Adversity and they had these badminton nets that were my height,” Christian said. “My dad would always toss the ball to me.

“I would hit over it. That’s how I learned my jump serve.”

Jeff Vorva is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.

First Team

Jeremiah Aro, Sandburg, junior, right-side hitter: Ended up with 300 kills and 50 blocks for Eagles. All-state, all-conference.

Josh Bluhm, Lockport, senior, right-side hitter: Had 338 kills and 155 digs to go with 52 blocks and 21 aces. All-state, all-conference. Committed to William Penn.

Evan Dziadkowiec, Lockport, senior, setter: Tallied 876 assists to boost career total to 2,765. Added 207 digs, 67 kills, 39 blocks and 34 aces. All-state, all-conference. Committed to Loras.

Connor Jaral, Lincoln-Way West, senior, outside hitter: Had 342 kills, 139 digs and 46 blocks. All-state, all-conference. Committed to Loras.

Noah Konopack, Lincoln-Way West, senior, setter: Notched 872 assists, 237 digs and 26 aces. All-state, all-conference.

Trey Marek, Lincoln-Way East, senior, outside hitter: Had 361 kills while hitting over .300 and providing a 2.40 passing percentage. All-state, all-conference. Committed to Illinois Wesleyan.

Justin McGary, Marian Catholic, senior, setter: Came up with 811 assists, 166 digs, 147 kills, 60 blocks and 42 aces. All-state and all-conference. Committed to Missouri Baptist.

John Mikrut, Brother Rice, junior, right-side hitter: Had 313 kills, 130 digs, 42 aces and 31 blocks. All-state, all-conference.

Aidan Peloquin, St. Rita, senior, outside hitter: Packed powerful swing and was strong on defense for Mustangs. All-state and all-conference. Made AVCA All-American watch list.

Christian Teresi, Marist, junior, setter/right-side hitter: Led RedHawks with 327 kills, 575 assists, 174 digs, 68 blocks and 65 aces. All-state. East Suburban Catholic Conference’s player of the year. Committed to Ohio State.

Nathen Toth, Marist, junior, outside hitter: Had 287 kills, 182 digs, 54 blocks and 53 aces for state champions. All-state. Named state tournament MVP by Illinois Volleyball Coaches Association. Took visits to MIT and Princeton.

Jozef Walus, Reavis, junior, outside hitter: Racked up 252 kills, 241 digs and 26 aces. South Suburban Red’s player of the year.

Second Team

Luke Brannigan, Marist, senior, outside hitter: Paced RedHawks to state championship with 213 kills, 217 digs, 35 blocks and 33 aces. All-state, all-conference.

Marco Budzak, Oak Lawn, sophomore, setter/right-side hitter: Had 370 assists, 157 digs, 160 kills and 31 blocks. All-conference.

Mitchell Carrera, Oak Forest, senior, setter/right-side hitter: Totaled 606 assists, 37 blocks, 103 kills and 60 aces. All-conference. Committed to Cornerstone.

Sebastian Corral, St. Laurence, senior, middle hitter: Had program-record 58 blocks to go along with a .680 hitting percentage. All-state, all-conference.

Ian Faber, Chicago Christian, senior, middle hitter: Finished with 99 blocks and .533 hitting percentage. All-state, all-conference.

Kaden Kaczmarek, Providence, senior, middle hitter: Had 197 kills and .380 hitting percentage with 51 blocks, 36 digs and 24 aces. Catholic League White’s player of the year.

Ethan Kuziela, Marist, senior, setter/right-side hitter: Had 172 kills, 451 assists, 91 digs, 35 blocks and 26 aces. Committed to Illinois Wesleyan.

Phoenix McGruder, Marian Catholic, senior, outside hitter: Totaled 316 kills, 139 digs, 52 blocks and 44 assists. Had .287 hitting percentage. All-state, all-conference.

Matthew Muehlnickel, Lincon-Way East, junior, outside hitter: Had 259 kills while passing at a 2.40 clip. All-state, all-conference. Committed to Lindenwood.

Sebastion Pardol, Argo, sophomore, outside hitter: Tallied 334 kills, 173 digs and 52 aces for Argonauts. All-state, all-conference.

Ahmad Powell, Homewood-Flossmoor, junior, outside hitter: Totaled 226 kills, 132 digs, 32 aces and 28 blocks. Had 2.31 passing efficiency. All-state, all-conference.

Kevin Rodriguez, Lockport, senior, libero: Chalked up 272 digs, 70 assists and 20 aces. Had 2.23 rating in serve receive. All-state, all-conference.

Honorable Mention

• Colin Alvers, Lincoln-Way Central, junior, libero.
• Myles Aquino, Sandburg, senior, libero.
• Paul Baker, Brother Rice, junior, outside hitter.
• Anthony Barbato, Oak Forest, senior, opposite hitter.
• James Bullock Jr., Marian Catholic, senior, middle hitter.
• Gabriel Chapman, Crete-Monee, senior, outside hitter.
• Nate Epley, Homewood-Flossmoor, senior, outside hitter.
• Andrew Flores, Lincoln-Way West, junior, libero
• Sam Jager, Chicago Christian, sophomore, libero.
• Drew Kregul, Lincoln-Way West, junior, middle hitter.
• Jeremy Lin, De La Salle, junior, outside hitter.
• Jack Meador, Marist, senior, middle hitter.
• Michael Miller, Tinley Park, senior, outside hitter.
• Krystian Paulich, Reavis, junior, libero.
• Matthew Phelan, Brother Rice, junior, setter.
• Aydin Provost, Mount Carmel, junior, right-side hitter.
• Tyler Sempek, Andrew, senior, libero.
• Matthew Suchecki, St. Laurence, junior, setter.
• Kyle Swarens, Lincoln-Way East, senior, setter.
• Juvontae Thompson, Bremen, senior, outside hitter.
• Hunter Vedder, Lincoln-Way West, junior, outside hitter.
• Wade Welke, Lockport, senior, outside hitter.
• Cael Whitchurch, Lemont, senior, setter.
• Charlie Zeiler, Stagg, sophomore, libero.

Jeff Vorva is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.

Even earlier this season, after multiyear starter Matt Santana had graduated, it wasn’t clear that Arnold would get most of the innings at the position.

But when the Indians play Mooresville in the Class 4A state championship game at Victory Field on Saturday night, there’s no doubt who will be behind the plate.

“I’ve been able to take off with it,” Arnold said.

Perhaps it’s no coincidence that Lake Central (24-9) has been able to take off, too, advancing to the state finals for the first time since 2012.

Mooresville (32-3) has a formidable pitching staff with Cincinnati recruit Brendin Oliver, Alabama commit Hudson DeVaughan and Indiana recruit Hogan Denny, who is the state’s Gatorade player of the year and has logged the team’s second-most innings when he’s not catching.

But Arnold wouldn’t trade Lake Central’s stellar staff for anyone’s, and the DePauw recruit has earned the respect of that talented group, which includes Indiana recruit Griffin Tobias, Maryville recruit Blake Sivak and Cincinnati commit Josh Flores.

“We have the greatest pitching staff in the state right now, and getting to handle Tobias and Sivak and Flores on a day-to-day basis is a great experience,” Arnold said. “We put a lot of work into it day to day. … Every day has built on top of each other to get to where we are now on the mound and in general.

“Helping handle our pitching staff on a day-to-day basis and trying to call the right pitches at all times has definitely contributed to our success.”

Arnold will get no argument from Tobias.

“He’s gotten way better since the start of the year,” Tobias said. “We have that connection as a pitcher-catcher. Every time I have a pitch in my hand that I want to throw, he just ends up calling it, and I’m like, ‘There we go.’ We have that little connection going, which is fantastic to have. He’s great behind the plate.”

When Sivak threw a complete-game gem in Lake Central’s win against Homestead in the semistate finals, the connection between him and Arnold was especially evident.

“On Saturday, when he caught me, I didn’t shake him off one time,” Sivak said. “He knew exactly what to call in the right situation. That led to a great outing and great success and got us the win. We’ve just worked really well together.”

This really is Arnold’s first season as the primary starter at any level of the program. He split time at catcher on the freshman team and again as a sophomore on the junior varsity team. He played sparingly last season, serving mostly as the bullpen catcher.

As this season opened, there still was some gray area.

“We go into the season, I always like to keep three catchers,” eighth-year Lake Central coach Mike Swartzentruber said. “It’s probably not ideal for the three catchers because it’s hard to feed three mouths behind the plate to get them enough playing time. I would’ve liked to have played them all more than I did, and I’m sure they all wanted to play more than they did. But two of them are juniors, and I know they’ll be back next year, and Drew was always the guy going into the season I was going to give first crack at the job to.

“At the very beginning of the season, his heart and mind were in the right place, but he was pressing a little bit as far as behind the plate and at the plate as well. So we were shuffling catchers around. Finally, the Munster game, he had a really big game, and he took hold of the job as the regular guy.”

Arnold went 3-for-3 with two doubles and four RBIs during that game against rival Munster on April 26. Overall, he’s hitting .231 with 11 RBIs, but his defensive role is paramount.

“To have a guy back there you can trust, he’s a smart kid, he’s very conscientious of the game of baseball, he has a good baseball IQ,” Swartzentruber said. “He’s not shy as far as being able to communicate, which is a must as a catcher, as far as communicating with the infield and communicating with the pitchers. He’s been great. You can see his confidence level growing and growing each game. Right now, he’s a very confident catcher and even hitter, for that matter. He’s done a really good job for us.”

Swartzentruber, who led North Posey to consecutive Class 2A titles in 2005 and 2006, also praised Arnold’s persistence and ability to stay focused.

“That’s one of the things we try to teach all the kids here,” Swartzentruber said. “If you were playing somewhere else, you’d probably be a varsity starter right now. But here you have to bide your time. I tell them patience is a great quality to have. … You come here every day and you practice against other really good players, it’s going to make you better. I would want to be challenged and pushed like that. Here, there’s a guy either right above you that you’re trying to catch, or a guy right below you that’s nipping at your heels trying to catch you as far as playing time.

“So those catchers get along really well. That’s another quality of this team. They’re there for each other. They support each other. There’s no pettiness. There’s no individualism. And Drew’s a big part of that. When Drew was splitting three ways, when the playing time was divided up three ways, he didn’t say anything. He kept a great attitude, kept plugging, kept working, and he eventually took over the job.”

Arnold viewed that outcome as a reward for his diligence.

“Looking at last year, I knew I didn’t really have much of a chance to play,” he said. “But going into this year, I knew I was the guy and it was my chance to take it from there. I’ve put everything I have into it to make sure I’d be able to hold down that spot.

“I worked with my staff all throughout the offseason to make sure that when it came around and it was time to play, I was going to be their guy behind the plate. Extra hours before and after practice, on weekends, making sure I’d be able to catch them.”

Arnold hopes to be celebrating with those pitchers and the rest of his teammates on Saturday night.

“We are one jelled group together,” he said. “There is no single individual in the dugout, on or off the field. It’s just a group of guys who try to do whatever it takes to win.

“It means a lot to be able to be here. But at the end of the day, the job’s not finished, and we have to go get the right color ring.”

The Illinois High School Association announced Tuesday that its board approved a recommendation from the basketball advisory committee to require a 35-second shot clock in varsity boys and girls basketball games starting with the 2026-27 season.

“The IHSA has allowed the shot clock to be used in tournaments and shootouts the past two seasons, and the overwhelming feedback we have received from coaches is that it is time to embrace the shot clock in all varsity contests,” IHSA executive director Craig Anderson said in a news release. “We believe the two-season lead time will provide our schools with ample opportunity to install the shot clocks and get comfortable with them from both a coaching and game administration perspective.”

The IHSA also announced changes to the schedule for the state finals for both boys and girls basketball that will begin with the 2024-25 season.

The new schedule will feature semifinals in Class 1A, 2A and 3A on Thursday, with third-place games in those classes on Friday, along with Class 4A semifinals on Friday night.

Saturday’s schedule will include the 4A third-place game, followed by the championship games in all four classes.

The changes will allow for semifinal games to be played Thursday and Friday nights. The schedule the past three seasons drew criticism for having third-place games in primetime, often drawing small crowds.

In 2021-22, the IHSA switched from its longtime format with state games for 1A and 2A on one weekend and 3A and 4A on the next to a three-day tournament for all four classes.

“It’s been fairly unanimous in the Illinois high school basketball community that moving the state tournament to a single-weekend format has been a success,” Anderson said. “Our coaches believe this new schedule will provide an even better experience for all the student-athletes, coaches and fans.

“We look forward to seeing it play out when we celebrate America’s Original March Madness next winter.”

It was Tax Day in April 2021, and Gulbrandsen made her varsity debut as a freshman midfielder. She scored two goals for the Wolves in a 7-0 Southwest Prairie Conference win over Joliet West.

“I came off the bench, so I was very nervous,” Gulbrandsen said, looking back on that moment. “It was the first game of the season after the pandemic, so nobody knew what to expect.

“I scored off a header, and all the girls were so excited for me. All the nerves vanished, and I felt so comfortable. I felt immediately embraced and welcomed.”

It was the prelude to the most consequential career in the history of Oswego East’s program.

Gulbrandsen, the 2024 Beacon-News/Courier-News Girls Soccer Player of the Year, remade the team in her image of a poised, skilled and fearless talent.

As a senior forward, the Wisconsin recruit scored two goals three minutes apart for the Wolves in a season-opening 2-1 victory over Whitney Young on March 11, and she never looked back.

This spring, Gulbrandsen finished with 27 goals and nine assists for the Wolves (14-7-2). She completed her four-year career as the program leader in career goals (89) and assists (35).

But Gulbrandsen, who also set the single-season program record with 30 goals as a junior, typically found a way to deflect attention.

“An assist means that somebody has to finish it and a goal means that somebody has to give it to me,” she said. “I’ve just been a part of four really good teams. I think it’s indicative of that.

“I’ve had so many good players around me who made me better, and I’ve made them better.”

Like clockwork, Gulbrandsen struck fear into the opposition, with teams running two or three defenders at her in an attempt to slow her down.

“Anya is a relentless player who never gave up,” Plainfield North coach Katie Monterosso said. “She’s technically savvy, and you always had to make sure you had your strongest defensive player on her. She knows how to take players on and is very difficult one-on-one.

“She’s a strong finisher, and she’s very calm on the ball.”

The 5-foot-6 Gulbrandsen utilized explosion off the ball, touch, finesse and the ability to anticipate the flow of the game. Her closest friends testify to her pride, purpose and competitive fury.

And it’s the consistency, according to senior midfielder Riley Gumm.

“I say this all the time, but Anya is truly one of the hardest working people I know,” Gumm said. “She is incredibly confident and disciplined, which radiates onto everyone around her.

“She is an amazing player but an even better person.”

Her achievements were not in a vacuum, facilitating the greatest four-year run in program history.

During Gulbrandsen’s tenure, Oswego East had a .731 winning percentage (60-18-4), punctuated by earning a regional championship two years ago. It was the first for the Wolves in girls soccer.

She made the team, but she said the program made the player.

“A lot of people in my life wanted for me something that I wanted for myself,” Gulbrandsen said. “I need people in my life. I love being part of teams and finding people through my teams.

“When you devote yourself to a sport, I think my biggest takeaway was finding people who shared those common interests.”

College marks the next frontier, and Gulbrandsen will soon begin her time in Madison.

“I like to think I set the bar high for myself,” she said. “I think if I do what I want to do, I will be able to get there. I think the same thing will happen in college that happened in high school.

“I’ll find new people I love to be around, and I’ll find new roles on my team. I think I have the tools necessary to figure it out.”

Patrick Z. McGavin is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.

FIRST TEAM

Zach Bava, Naperville Central, junior, catcher: Batted .398 with three home runs, 22 RBIs, 28 runs scored, 27 walks, 13 doubles and 10 stolen bases. Threw out 10 runners trying to steal and picked off four others. All-conference. Committed to Illinois State.

Paul Feret, Neuqua Valley, senior, outfielder: Batted .346 with three home runs, 26 RBIs, 26 runs scored, 12 stolen bases. Had four assists. All-conference. Committed to Purdue Northwest.

Ben Ford, Waubonsie Valley, senior, outfielder: Batted .368 with four home runs, 35 RBIs, 26 runs scored and seven doubles. All-conference. Committed to Illinois Wesleyan.

Ryan Gustaitis, Waubonsie Valley, senior, outfielder: Batted .398 with 17 RBIs, 28 runs scored and 27 walks. All-conference.

Marc Iozzo, Benet, senior, third baseman: Batted .408 with three home runs, 38 RBIs, 28 runs scored, 13 doubles and eight stolen bases. All-conference. Committed to Miami of Ohio.

Troy Kashul, Naperville Central, junior, infielder: Batted .424 with four home runs, 27 RBIs, 14 runs scored and 11 doubles. All-conference.

Matt Knapczyk, Neuqua Valley, senior, outfielder: Batted .385 with three home runs, 19 RBIs, 35 runs scored, 21 stolen bases, seven doubles and four triples. All-conference. Committed to Parkland.

Owen Myket, Metea Valley, senior, outfielder: Batted .366 with six home runs, 29 RBIs, 25 runs scored, nine doubles and four stolen bases. All-conference. Committed to Wheaton.

Jackson Prentice, Naperville North, senior, designated hitter: Batted .380 with five home runs, 27 RBIs, 16 runs scored, five doubles and 14 walks. All-conference. Committed to McHenry County.

Will Richards, Naperville North, senior, first baseman: Batted .358 with 15 RBIs, 11 runs scored and nine doubles. All-conference. Committed to Benedictine.

Owen Roberts, Waubonsie Valley, junior, pitcher: Went 10-0 with a 1.10 ERA, two saves and 73 strikeouts in 57 1/3 innings. Also batted .464 with four home runs, 31 RBIs, 26 runs scored, 10 doubles and two triples. Conference player of the year and pitcher of the year.

HONORABLE MENTION

Sean Carroll, Waubonsie Valley, senior, first baseman; Aiden Clark, Naperville Central, junior, catcher; Joe Coffey, Benet, senior, first baseman; Jeremy DeWilkins, Benet, senior, catcher; Sebastian Guzman, Neuqua Valley, senior, pitcher; Jack Hatteberg, Naperville Central, senior, pitcher; Jake Rifenburg, Benet, junior, pitcher; Matt Sonnenschein, Naperville North, junior, pitcher; Zak Sumser, Naperville North, senior, pitcher; Jeremy Wrona, Metea Valley, senior, outfielder; Will Zalabak, Neuqua Valley, senior, first baseman.

Matt Le Cren is a freelance reporter.

But in addition to her defensive prowess, Czech became one of her team’s offensive catalysts. She helped the Porters win their first 24 games in earning All-American honors.

Looking back, it’s all pretty mind-blowing.

“This year, my confidence definitely skyrocketed and I feel like I played my best games out of any season I’ve ever played,” Czech said. “It feels good, and all the recognition is nice.

“I definitely wasn’t expecting it at all, but I feel like all the hard work that I’ve put in over the years has definitely paid off.”

Czech, the 2024 Daily Southtown Girls Soccer Player of the Year, led a dynamite defense for Lockport (24-1) that recorded 17 shutouts and allowed just 10 goals all season.

The SIU Edwardsville recruit also handled duties on free kicks and corner kicks for the Porters, piling up 19 assists to go with four goals in the process.

Czech blossomed into the most impactful player on a team full of standouts and — as far as Lockport coach Todd Elkei is concerned — all it took was some self-confidence.

“Her progression from last year to this year was huge,” Elkei said. “We worked really hard on the mental aspect of her game. She’s always had the skill set. It was more just getting her to believe in herself that she could be the player that she’s developing into.

“The scary part is she hasn’t even hit her ceiling yet.”

Czech felt a big weight on her shoulders as the season began. She knew Lockport had a special team, but there was a big void left by the graduation of Bella Diorio.

Diorio, the 2023 Daily Southtown Girls Soccer Player of the Year, scored a program-record 41 goals before heading to TCU. She took most of Lockport’s set pieces, a role passed on to Czech.

In the Porters’ third game of this spring, Czech scored on a free kick in overtime to beat Glenbrook South 2-1. With that, a star was born.

“Being able to score that goal was amazing,” Czech said. “I remember the practice before, going over them. I was like, ‘We’ll see how it goes.’ That set my tone and confidence for the rest of the season.

“The pressure was high there and I was able to do it, so I knew I could do it over and over again.”

Czech became the ultimate two-way player, according to fellow senior defender Brinlee McNabb.

“Working alongside Emma in the back has been unbelievable,” said McNabb, a Milwaukee recruit. “She makes my life so much easier back there, and she’s such a great defender.

“It’s been great to see her be able to contribute so much to the offense, too.”

Czech grew up playing basketball and volleyball as well, but she quickly knew her passion was devoted to the soccer field.

“My dad (John) was a big basketball fan,” Czech said. “He grew up playing basketball and he played in high school. I think he really wanted me to get involved in basketball. I loved basketball, but I fell in love with soccer and decided it was my sport.

“My dad had not known anything about soccer, but he took it on himself to coach and he learned the game throughout my years of playing. And now, he loves the sport. Being able to get him into the wonderful sport of soccer, I think that’s super cool.”

As Czech moves on to college, she also hopes she has sent a message to future Porters.

She’s proof a role player one season can become a star the next.

“I hope everyone sees that you can really do anything if you put the work in,” Czech said. “Last season, I had a good season, but this year I really proved myself.

“If you put in the work and have confidence, you’ll see the results come your way.”

FIRST TEAM

Max Adkisson, Vernon Hills, senior, defensive specialist/libero: Had 341 digs, 539 serves passed, 18 aces and 64 assists. All-conference and Illinois Volleyball Coaches Association all-state honorable mention. Committed to Catawba.

Ben Boron, Grayslake Central, junior, outside hitter: Had 323 kills, 30 aces and 321 serve receptions. Conference player of the year and IVCA all-state second team.

Wyatt Jones, Lake Zurich, junior, setter: Had 853 assists, 155 digs and 56 blocks. All-conference and IVCA all-state honorable mention.

Jackson Kern, Libertyville, sophomore, libero: Had 300 digs and 462 serve receptions. All-conference and IVCA all-state honorable mention.

Ben Miller, Vernon Hills, senior, middle hitter: Had program-record 381 kills, 202 digs, 31 aces and 458 serves passed. Conference player of the year and IVCA all-state second team.

Evan Page, Grayslake Central, junior, libero: Had 266 digs and 518 serve receptions. All-conference.

Gabe Schwartz, Lake Zurich, junior, outside hitter: Had 351 kills, 58 aces and 478 serve receptions. Conference player of the year and IVCA all-state second team.

SECOND TEAM

Aarav Bamrolia, Libertyville, junior, setter: Had 616 assists, 22 aces and 140 digs. IVCA all-state honorable mention.

Onon Bayasakh, Stevenson, senior, libero: Had 533 serve receptions, 302 digs and 67 assists. All-conference.

Landon Diaz, Waukegan, senior, outside hitter: Had 261 kills, 40 blocks, 25 aces, 107 digs and 227 serve receptions. All-conference.

George Hollenstein, Grayslake Central, junior, outside hitter: Had 171 kills and 247 serve receptions. All-conference.

Anthony Kim, Lake Zurich, senior, defensive specialist/libero: Had 232 digs, 360 serve receptions and 77 assists. All-conference and IVCA all-state honorable mention.

Jacob Strahan, Grayslake Central, senior, right-side hitter: Had 232 kills, 45 blocks and 135 digs. All-conference and IVCA all-state honorable mention. Committed to Loras.

Bryce Tupaz, Grayslake Central, junior, setter: Had 758 assists and 58 aces. All-conference.

HONORABLE MENTION

Konrad Bochonko, Lake Zurich, junior, outside hitter; Alex Frias, Waukegan, senior, setter; Keyon Haynes, Lake Zurich, senior, middle blocker/opposite hitter; Justin Howell, Libertyville, junior, defensive specialist/outside hitter; Logan Kim, Stevenson, senior, setter; Nathan Knight, Libertyville, sophomore, middle hitter; Freddie Kunzer, Grant, senior, setter; Kevin Mann, Mundelein, junior, outside hitter; Kian Odongo, Stevenson, senior, middle blocker; Bryan Pedraza, Waukegan, senior, libero; Erik Stover, Lakes, senior, outside hitter; David Synovic, Lakes, senior, outside hitter; Fernando Tovar, Lakes, senior, libero; Piotr Wolan, Warren, senior, libero.

Isi Frank Ativie is a freelance reporter.