Panthers Pick Perfect Time for First Victory

Oswego High School picked the perfect time to earn its first win of the season, beating Romeoville 8-0 in Oswego to open Southwest Prairie Conference girls soccer play.

Erin Apolzan scored three goals and had an assist while goalkeepers Laura Gallardo (40 minutes) and Amy Annala (25 minutes) combined to post the shutout.

“This was a great game for us tonight,” Oswego coach Jamie Bartkowiak said. “We put together a lot of good soccer and focused on a lot of things we were working on in practice. I'm very proud of what we accomplished tonight.”

Cathy Tram found the back of the net twice for the Panthers (1-3 overall, 1-0 in the SPC).

Hunter Coppes, Trisha Carr and Deanna Reichardt were also credited with goals.

Assists also went to Lisa Bajkowski, Reynolds Cross, Carr and Kendra Hughes.

In a 3-2 loss to West Chicago, Erin Apolzan and Cindi Chavez each scored a goal.

Tram and Kendall Craig were credited with assists.

Laura Gallardo played in the net in the first half, turning away five shots. Amy Annala turned away four shots in goal during the second half.

“We just need to put the whole picture together and connect everything we're learning as a team,” Bartkowiak said “It's still so early in the season for us. There are a lot of games left, which means a lot of opportunities for success.”

The Panthers opened the season with a 27-25, 25-4 non-league loss to Neuqua Valley March 28. Freddy Miller’s five kills and Boyer Kornfiend’s five assists led the team in both categories.

Danny McGuire (two assists), Miller, Billy Burker and Alex Pena added two digs each.

Quentin Kovac chipped in a pair of kills.

Oswego East won the Crimson bracket championship of the Plainfield North Invite last weekend by beating Thornton-Fractional North and Plainfield East’s junior varsity.

Dom Cook had nine kills and Blake Izzo added eight kills in the final game.

Cook and Keerthan Vantakala were honorable mention, all-tournament.

In a 25-22, 13-25, 25-23 non-conference loss to Elgin Larkin, Izzo’s nine kills topped the Wolves in that category. Mike Gerler led the defense with six digs from the libero position and Alex Wilson had 10 good jump serves.

Scott Allegretti picked up his second win of the season in dominant fashion in Oswego’s 9-1 non-conference win over Naperville Central.

Allegretti allowed one run over five innings and struck out five. He was just as lethal at the plate, going 3-for-3 with a double and an RBI.

John Hugunin also had three hits and scored two runs for the Panthers (2-1).

Oswego dropped a doubleheader to Kaneland, losing 9-5 and 14-8.

In the first game, Ashley Blocker was 3-for-3 at the plate with two runs scored and an RBI.  Jess Garcia had two hits and drove in two runs while Miranda McCain also had two hits.  Brandi Riess smacked a leadoff homerun in the fourth inning, her first of the year.

Tayler Lofthouse drove in the other run for Oswego while Genna Hilgenbrink, Katherine Daley and Shianne Williams each collected hits for the Panthers, who belted three home runs in the second game.

They came from Hilgenbrink, Williams and Jessa Garcia. Hilgenbrink’s three-run blast in the first inning was her second home run of the season.

Williams and Garcia, who was 4-for-4 with three RBI, each belted second-inning dingers.

Miranda McCain went 2-for-4 while Tayler Lofthouse, Brandi Riess, Ashley Blocker, and Amanda Muscato also collected hits.  Muscato just missed a grand slam in the sixth, crushing one to left that hit the bottom of the fence

Oswego is 2-0 after posting dual wins over Illinois Math and Science Academy (5-2) and Joliet West (4-3) to start the season.