2024 in review: Red Raiders add to state team trophies
HUNTLEY — Two teams added to Huntley’s state team trophy collection while a third advanced to a super-sectional as 2024 year highlights.
Coaches reflected on their team’s accomplishments in previously reported coverage for My Huntley News.
Girls track earns runner-up
On May 25, Huntley girls track and field team led the charge to IHSA state trophy winning seasons with a second-place Class 3A finish in 2023-24.
“Last season, our girls track and field team finished runner up at the state meet, bringing home a state trophy for the second year in a row, building off of our 2023 state championship,” Red Raiders head coach Jason Monson said.
Monson noted several IHSA State Track and Field Meet highlights which were earned at Eastern Illinois University in Charleston.
“The state meet was highlighted by championships in the triple jump by Dominique Johnson, a state championship 4×100 relay of Sophie Amin, Emmy Byers, K’Leigh Saenz, and Vicky Evtimov, a 4×200 relay state championship of Dominique Johnson, Emmy Byers, Saenz, and Evtimov,” Monson said.
“We had a runner up 100m hurdle medal for Sophie Amin, a fifth place discus medal for Sienna Robertson, and a third place long jump medal for Dominique Johnson,” Monson said. “Our team qualified 15 athletes in 12 events for the state meet. We are incredibly happy with our success of 2024 and looking forward to continue that success in 2025.”
Volleyball gains fourth place
On Nov. 9, volleyball history was made when the Red Raiders broke through with a super-sectional win to earn a Class 4A State semifinal tournament bid. They would finish fourth in a stellar 32-10 season. The win meant for the first time since 1997-98, Huntley played in an IHSA State Semifinal volleyball match.
The Red Raiders fell to Benet Academy in the semifinals and later to Lockport in the state third-place match Nov. 16, but memories flowed from a 32-10 season, with nine seniors, three of whom will play volleyball collegiately. In addition to star Georgia Watson attending the University of Kentucky as an early HHS grad, Mari Rodriquez has committed to play volleyball at Upper Iowa University and Jocelyn Erling will attend Harper College.
Watson recorded her 402nd kill of the season, following an assist from Rachel Hein, to put the exclamation point on the Red Raiders’ 25-22, 25-16 victory over Palatine Fremd for the DeKalb super-sectional championship.
“I think we have a self-belief as a team, but there is a fine line between self-belief and cockiness and we’re on the right side,” Watson said during the celebration. “I’m so proud of this team, every time we step on the court. Going to state feels so amazing.”
The Red Raiders won the Harlem regional, McHenry sectional over Libertyville, and the DeKalb super-sectional over Fremd. Benet Academy and Lockport Township proved too tough to overcome in 2-0 set losses at the state tournament in Normal.
“We came back and showed determination,” Naymola said after the Fremd match. “I knew this team could do it, I’m so proud of them. They are so dedicated, come in and work hard every day, with no drama. We have such team cohesiveness. I was real impressed with how we were able to mix it up on offense,” Naymola added.
Naymola, who secured her 500th career win early this year, now has 529 career victories.
Softball wins sectional
On June 3, the 2023-24 sports seasons ended as Huntley advanced to the Rosemont Super-sectional but fell to Mundelen, 2-1. HHS won the Barrington Class 3A sectional by edging archrival Barrington 5-3. Coach Mark Petryniec’s team had won the FVC with a 16-2 record and 30-10 overall. Infielders Meghan Ryan (Class of 2024) and Lyla Ginczycki (junior in 2025) won all-state honors.
Boys track and field wins sectional
The spring seasons also were highlighted by a IHSA Class 3A Sectional track-and-field meet title by the boys team here on May 16 and seven events qualified for state. Tommy Nitz took two seventh place finishes at state, in the 1,600 and 3,200-meter runs while Jeff Cruickshank was seventh in the high jump. Finishing eighth was the 4×200-meter relay team of Dom Giuseffi, Vinny Costa, Talon Sargent and Lex Giron.
Individuals do well at state
Individual honors at IHSA State meets also included girls wrestling. Current juniors Janiah Slaughter’s second place season at 103 pounds, as she was 29-3 record while Aubrie Rohrbacher was 45-5, including a 5-1 state tournament for third place at 130 pounds. For the boys, Radic Dvorak was 1-2 at state at 157 pounds, 37-16 season record while Class of 2024’s Markos Mihalopoulos was 1-2 at 285 pounds.
Nitz runs all-state
Nitz completed his cross country career with back-to-back IHSA Cross Country State Meet all-state honors. Nitz later committed to attend Coastal Carolina University to run cross country next season.
Nitz finished in 11th place at the Class 3A Boys State Meet with a time of 14:25.70, at Detweiller Park in Peoria Nov. 9. The time was a personal best and beat his pre-state meet goal of 14:30.
“The plan is to be prepared for a fast start and Nitz did a great job getting out in the 1st mile,” HHS boys head coach Matt Kaplan said. “With a half mile to go he started to move up and with the final 400 you just go as hard as you can go. Nitz ran a great plan and ran a new best.”
State Tennis qualifiers
Two doubles tandems, Ariana Patel and Julie Klockner, and Kate Burkey and Ella Doughty, advanced to the IHSA Class 2A State Meet this fall. Burkey and Doughty recorded a 2-2 record at state while Patel and Klockner were 1-2. HHS also won the FVC title. In the spring, sophomore Will Geske advanced to the IHSA State Class 2A singles tournament and was 1-2.
Football makes playoffs
The Red Raiders gained a Class 8A playoff spot for the third straight year and finished the season 5-5, 5-4 Fox Valley Conference. Eight players, led by seniors quarterback Braylon Bower on offense and Charlie Condon on defense, gained All-FVC honors.
Soccer squads win regionals
Both the boys and girls Huntley soccer teams won regional championships and finished runner-up in the Fox Valley Conference. The boys had a final record of 14-7-4 this fall while the girls were 15-5-4 in the spring.
Baseball wins regional
The Red Raiders baseball team, under the direction of head coach Andy Jakubowski, won the Fox Valley Conference title with a 14-4 record, took home a regional crown and a sectional tournament victory for a 28-9-1 season.
Lacrosse boys, girls
Both lacrosse teams had standout seasons. The boys ended 16-6 and won the FVC with a perfect 9-0 record. They advanced to the sectional final. The girls were 16-5, 6-2 and second in the FVC and won one post-season match.
