Choosing a handful of vivid recollections from eight years’ worth of faces, events and memorable moments is not an easy task.
It’s especially tough with Lincoln-Way North, which had a string of successful teams and individual achievers during its too-short life span.
But I’ll do my best.
Let’s start with my visit to North’s gym in mid-August 2015. Just a few days earlier, the Lincoln-Way community had been told that the North campus would be closing after the school year due to financial difficulties.
The first faces I saw belonged to girls volleyball coach Mary Brown, junior Madeline Morrow and seniors Erin Dilger, Allyson Cappel and Samantha Ritter.
Judging from the hue and cry from the community that I had read about, I expected bad moods and grimaces. I found smiles and determination.
Brown didn’t know if she’d have a job the next fall but vowed to do her best to take her final Phoenix team as far as she could. The girls talked about being motivated to have the program go out with a bang.
North delivered, winning a conference title and Class 4A regional and sectional titles. The team went further and won more matches than any other in program history. The end finally came in an emotionally crushing 25-20, 19-25, 25-22 supersectional loss to Normal.
That day, I saw tears as the girls and coaches came out of the locker room together one final time. But Cappel still had her dignity, still had her spirit, still managed a smile when we met face to face.
“We never played afraid to lose,” she said. “We were always playing to win.”
Most memorable volleyball players: Stephanie Pearson (2012), Rachel Burkman (2015), Cappel (2016).
One of the most fun aspects of covering North in girls basketball was following the continuing adventures of coaches Jim Nair and Jim Martin.
Nair was Martin’s assistant at Lincoln-Way East until leaving to start the program at North. The two remained close friends, often scouting at games together.
Try as he may, Nair just couldn’t beat Martin when they met head to head. The streak went on and on, as Martin’s Griffins beat North seven consecutive times. Nair finally prevailed in the championship game of the 2013 Medieval Classic. The Phoenix won three of the last four, including a Jan. 15 game at the United Center.
Nair is now going to East to once again be Martin’s assistant, with the hopes that in two years when Martin retires he’ll become the head coach.
Most memorable girls basketball players: Sam Nekola (2010), Ashley Weringa (2013), Lanie Hicks (2016).
I don’t know how many others were curious, but I sure was about how North’s softball program was going to start off in 2009 under coach Aimee Lonigro.
It was sort of a “can you match this” challenge for Aimee and her players. In 2002, she became the first coach at East and took the Griffins to the Class AA state title in their first varsity season. When the Phoenix started out 3-0, we shared a few smiles reminiscing and talking about lightning striking twice.
It didn’t. North lost a classic regional game 1-0 to Providence and finished the 2009 season 13-19. But Lonigro would put many successful teams on the field during the next seven seasons, including a regional championship winner in 2013.
Most memorable softball players: Laura Iversen (2009), Jill Galich (2013), Anne Allen (2016).
I’d have to say my most thrilling — and moving — evening of Lincoln-Way North football occurred Aug. 28, 2015.
The Phoenix, led by quarterback Jaylin Branch, rallied from a 21-point halftime deficit to beat Richards 30-29. It was an incredible start to an amazing final season in which George Czart guided North to an 11-1 record.
But it wasn’t my only vivid memory from that night.
Long before North’s defense stopped Richards on a two-point conversion with no time remaining, the cheerleaders from Richards presented the cheerleaders from North with a plaque. On it was a message for the whole school community, which was still reeling from the recent news that North was closing.
It began: “Do not be sad because it is coming to an end, be happy because it happened.”
It was a mantra that the athletes and coaches at North embraced during the 2015-16 school year. It sure made documenting the march to the finish line an inspiring one.
Twitter @tbaranek
