Big things ahead for area's top athletes
ROUND LAKE BEACH -- Big careers reap large-scale rewards.
But despite the overwhelming success Stanford-bound Sarah Boothe achieved during a record-setting basketball career at Warren High School, she was not ready for the size of the trophy she was received Monday night.
(Michael Schmidt/News-Sun)
(Michael Schmidt/News-Sun)
"That one?" she asked, when it was pointed out to her during the reception portion of the Lake County News-Sun's annual High School Sports Banquet. "Are you sure? Oh my gosh, I don't know where I'm going to put it."
She was referring to the Waukegan-based Kennedy's Creative Awards custom-made, three-and-a-half-foot-tall trophy she received at the Round Lake Beach Cultural and Civic Center for being named one of two Student Athlete of the Year winners. The other went to Highland Park High School's three-sport standout Johnny "The Rocket" Lindquist, who played key roles on his school's football, basketball and baseball teams the past two years.
The trophy, Boothe said, "is even bigger than my Miss Illinois trophy," which she nabbed as the best prep girls player in the state.
About 250 athletes, coaches, parents and friends were on hand to watch Boothe, Lindquist and 150 other athletes collect News-Sun awards designating Athlete of the Week and All-Lake County football, girls volleyball, and boys and girls basketball winners.
Following introductory remarks by emcee Darren Day of the News-Sun sports department and Larry Green, president of the News-Sun Parent Group, coach Bosko Djurickovic of the men's basketball team at Carthage College addressed the full house. Djurickovic won two NCAA Division III titles while coaching at North Park University.
"I've had tons of kids on my team from this area," he said prior to the speech. "This is a good basketball area. And it's always great to be able to speak before young athletes."
Among those attending their final high News-Sun banquet was Waukegan High basketball standout Bianca Jarrett, who will be heading to Indiana State University this summer to get a head start on college courses before she starts her scholarship carreer at the Division I level.
In the meantime, she's working on her shot about three times a week with her shooting coach.
"Just hooping it," she said. "This is really nice," she followed up about Monday's event.
Warren basketball star, junior Brandon Paul, eighth-grade brother Darius, and father Cliff were also on hand. Brandon, an all-stater, was recently ranked the top player in the state in his class.
"I really enjoy these kind of banquets," said Brandon, who will play hoops at University of Illinois at the conclusion of his high school career. "I like being among people who have done great things in their sport."