Oswego's Vergonet Making History

Oswego High School’s Bre Vergonet became the school’s first badminton singles player to reach the state meet two consecutive years after her performance at the Naperville North sectional Thursday in Naperville.

Vergonet, the SPC champ at No. 1 singles, took second place to punch her ticket to the state meet Friday and Saturday, May 12 and 13, in the Lantz Building on the Eastern Illinois University campus in downstate Charleston.

Vergonet reached the title match at the Neuqua Valley sectional, but lost to Bradley-Bourbonnais junior Susan Oo 21-12, 21-16. Oo was a state qualifier a year ago.It marked the second year in a row Vergonet played in a sectional final.

Vergonet, a senior, went 3-2 at the state meet a year ago.

Riley Vann is back.

And, she may be better than ever.

The Oswego High School junior won three events at the Southwest Prairie Conference girls track and field meet Thursday at Oswego East.

Vann, who was hampered by a hip injury a year ago, was first in the pole vault (11’6”), 100-meter hurdles (16.13) and 300 hurdles (47.49).

“That was fun,” Vann said. “Last year, I was hurt all year, so this is really nice. It’s good to be back.”

Vann struggled through the injury and never reached her full potential.

“One of my hips was messed up and my stride was out of line,” Vann said. “So, I’ve worked my way back from that and all that’s paying off.”

Vann is a cinch to advance to the state meet at the Naperville North sectional Friday in Naperville. The state-qualifying standard is 10’3”

“My vault was pretty good today,” Vann said. “It’s just nice to vault because it’s been so gross trying to vault this spring.”

Her personal best is 12’0”. Geneva’s Allie Pace won the Class 3A state title last year by clearing 12’0”

“I used to be in gymnastics, so it’s like that,” Vann said. “I love flying through the air. There’s nothing better than clearing a height you want in pole vault.”

Her times in the hurdles are just off the state standards of 15.34 (100) and 46.94 (300).

“Personal records and state,” Vann said of her goals for the sectional meet. “That’s all I want.”

Oswego East’s Ariel Michalek was a double winner at the SPC championship meet.

Michalek, who won the state cross country championship in the fall, was first in the 3,200 (10:52.96) and 1,600 (5:12.44).

“It’s challenging, but I’ve been working hard the whole season and I’m just trying to power through it the last three weeks,” Michalek said. “I want to break my times, better myself and hopefully come out of it a better runner at the end of the season.”

Both times are well within range of the state-qualifying marks of 11:22 (3,200) and 5:15 (1,600).

“My two mile is coming along and in the mile, I’m trying to break five (minutes) because that’s what you have to do in order to place at state,” Michalek said. “I’ll be working for that at the sectional. At state, there will be a lot more competition and more people to stay up with, so I think it will be a good race to find out what I have in me.”

Oswego East High School plated a run in the bottom of the fourth inning and made it stand for a 1-0 Southwest Prairie Conference win over Oswego Thursday, May 5 at East.

The Wolves threatened to score nearly every inning, amassing eight hits.

Oswego East pitcher Morgan Ettinger fired a complete-game, one-hitter as the Wolves ran their records to 8-9 overall and 5-4 in the SPC.

Oswego dropped to 4-15, 3-7.

For the second time this year, Oswego and Oswego East high schools needed three games to decide their Southwest Prairie Conference boys volleyball match up.

Although this one did not place among the state’s records for most points in a match, it was just as exciting as the visiting Panthers took home a 25-17, 20-25, 25-19 victory.

Alex Pena’s 12 digs and a solid game by Matt Purcell, who had 11 kills and five blocks, propelled the Panthers (9-18-1, 5-4 in the SPC).

Oswego East dropped to 5-11, 0-7 in the SPC.

Oswego won the first meeting 25-13, 22-25, 33-31.

Boyer Kornfiend (seven digs) and Billy Burke (two digs) combined for 25 assists. Freddy Miller had seven kills.

Tommy Schabinger (nine digs), Jason Hines (six digs) and Danny McGuire (four digs) also played well defensively. Kevin Oppe came up with five kills and Brandon Garcia chipped in three kills and three blocks.