The Coal City High School Athletic Department held its second annual Senior Athletic Banquet on Sunday, May 4. The event served to recognize senior athletes for their contributions to the program and honor select members of the class of 2025 for outstanding achievements in their various athletic endeavors.
“The amount of success in the gym today is pretty outstanding. We have students who have accomplished some incredible feats,” said Coal City High School athletic director Brad Boresi.
“When I met with athletes in the fall I shared with them this year's slogan ‘new success.’” Boresi said. The slogan reflected new facilities, new coaches and new expectations including doing something individually or as a team that they have not done before—finding new success.
The athletes and coaches embraced the theme. “In the fall our girls golf team won its first regional championship in school history, our boys soccer team won the most games in a season in over 20 years, our volleyball team won 20 matches for the fourth consecutive season and our football team advanced to the semi-finals,” Boresi said.
During the winter season, Boresi shared that for the first time in school history both the girls and boys basketball teams won 20 games in the same season. “And, in one of the most exciting weekends of high school sports that I have witnessed, our wrestling team won its second state championship in the last three years.”
This spring the Coalers baseball and softball teams are well on their way to another 20 game season, the girls soccer team is in a great position to win the regional and members of the boys and girls track teams continue to set records. And looking ahead, Boresi said, “our boys tennis team, along with our girls tennis team from the fall, have a lot of young talent that should be competing for state qualifiers in the next few years. And that is not to mention our cheer team from both the fall and winter who excelled under new leadership.”
“As a whole I think our athletic programs are as strong now as they have ever been and I am excited to see where things go,” Boresi said.
The athletic director started off the recognitions highlighting those student-athletes who have announced their intent to continue their athletic careers at the collegiate level, as well as those who have earned All-Conference and All-State honors, and the individual and team state qualifiers and state place winners.
Members of the class of 2025 who participated in athletics during their senior year were: Anthony Aultz, Corinna Barkley, Landin Benson, Nathan Brodnick, Jerry Carlson, Aylie Castle, Jacob Cerutti, Hayden Clark, Dakota Clubb, Brittnae Combes, Juliana Covington, Mackenzie Croxton, Blaine Doss, Ella Edwards, Lilly Feisley, Alysin Fite, Peyton Gibson, Rey Gonzalez, Kaycee Graff, Fianna Gregory, Addison Hodgen, Ayden Housman, and Sydney Hughes.
Also, William Johnke, John Keigher, Kylee Kennell, Owen Kent, Culan Lindemuth, Deborah Lynch, Anayi Mayorga, Avery McConnell, Gabe McHugh, Zander Meents, Ava Meyer, Robert Mitchell, Alaina Morales, Mason Natyshok, D’Arcy Ness, Hunter Nettles, Trevor Perino, Madi Petersen, Chloe Pluger, Katherine Promis, Emma Rodriguez, Naomi Rodriguez, Sam Sterba, Will Thompson, Calleigh VandeWerken, Abby Viano, Alec Waliczek, Mayson Wantroba, Jackson Wharrie, AJ Wills, Griffin Winke and Dylan Young.
All senior athletes in attendance were presented with a certificate noting each of the sports they participated in during their senior year. The banquet also served to honor a group of student-athletes, coaches and volunteers for their contributions.
Landin Benson—Career Achievement Award
Landin Benson graduates from Coal City High School as one of the school’s most decorated athletes in the sports of wrestling and football. “The amount of hardware and jewelry he is leaving with having been a member of state championship teams and individual victories,” Boresi said, is impressive. Benson was a four year member of both programs and accomplished amazing things on both the football field and wrestling mat. He is the leading rusher in Coal City High School football history and earned All-Conference and All-State honors in both sports for two consecutive years. He has two first place dual team state wrestling championship medals and two state dual team wrestling runner-up medals for his participation on the Coaler wrestling team and he closed out the 2023-2024 wrestling season as the Class 1A 165 pound champion.
Landin Benson—Male Athlete of the Year
Emma Rodriguez—Female Athlete of the Year
Recipients of the Athlete of the Year Awards were nominated and voted on by their peers. Landin had an incredible year on the football field and the wrestling mat, and has earned numerous accolades in both sports. Emma is an All-Conference volleyball and basketball player, and had an overall outstanding athletic career as a Coaler. “I anticipate that happening in the next level as well,” Boresi said, noting she will continue her volleyball career at the University of St. Francis.
Aylie Castle—Female Teammate of the Year
Alec Waliczek—Male Teammate of the Year
Nominated by their peers, Aylie Castle and Alec Waliczek were named Teammates of the Year. “One of the best compliments you can get as a high school student-athlete is that you are a good teammate,” Boresi said, adding, “I think both of these two have displayed that throughout their careers.” Aylie participated in Coalers volleyball and soccer and Waliczek was a member of the football and wrestling teams.
Gabe McHugh—Male Best Competitor
Kylee Kennell—Female Best Competitor
“If you ask the coaches, these two compete every night whether it's in practice or at a competition and they do it year round as they are both three sport athletes,” Boresi said. Kylee is a member of the golf, basketball and soccer teams and Gabe participated in football, basketball and baseball. “I can tell you the female winner of this award, having been around her, has an amount of competition and fierceness about her and I know the boys coaches would say the same about our male recipient,” Boresi said.
Juliana Covington, Culan Lindemuth, Madi Petersen and Will Johnke
—Coaler Pride Award
The recipients of this year’s Coaler Pride Award are student-athletes who have not only made significant contributions to their various athletic pursuits, but embody what it means to be a Coaler. Boresi had this to say about each of the honorees:
Juliana Covington is an individual he got to know as a student who was always late to school—a fact she readily admits. But he said something changed and she graduates with a 4.0 grade point average and plans to continue her academic and athletic careers at the college level. She is a good example, he said, “of when it clicks it clicks.”
Culan Lindemuth is a multiple state qualifier and although some of his wrestling tournaments might not have ended the way he had hoped, he maintained a positive attitude. Throughout high school he was a part of some pretty impressive teams and success. What really stands out about Culan is that, “he was a leader for some of the younger guys in the wrestling room each night of practice.”
Madi Petersen is a two sport athlete who Boresi said, “always does the right thing consistently.” He added that he appreciated her level of volunteerism at the high school. Madi will continue her education and softball career at the collegiate level.
Will Johnke embodies what it means to be a student-athlete and a Coaler, Boresi said. Will is at the top of his class academically, and a leader at Coal City High School including serving as president of his class and student council, and holding a captains position on this year’s football team.
Zander Meents—Comeback Athlete of the Year
An award with multiple meanings, but very fitting for the recipient because if you asked Zander, “I think he would tell you his junior season did not live up to his expectations,” Boresi said. In the months leading up to the 2024 football season, Zander spent a lot of time improving his game, but then sustained an injury early in the season. “He battled back. I think that was very evident by the play he had late in the season and the playoff run of the football team,” Boresi said. Meents, a quarterback, served as a captain of the football team and also played basketball for the Coalers.
Three Sport Career Athletes
Kylee Kennell—golf, basketball and soccer
Dylan Young—football, basketball and baseball
Naomi Rodriguez—volleyball, competition cheer and softball
Three Sport Athletes—Senior Year
Gabe McHugh—football, basketball and baseball
D’Arcy Ness—golf, basketball and softball
Calleigh VandeWerken and Kaycee Graf—Student Assistants of the Year
When Coal City High School athletic director Brad Boresi was a student he had the honor of serving as former athletic director John Cullick’s teaching assistant, so he understands the duties. “Being the AD’s TA might sound great, but there is a little disclosure that says, ‘other duties as assigned,’” Boresi said. As his assistants, Calleigh and Kaycee often find themselves working on ‘other duties’ that include setting up for events, picking up lunch, typing or assisting with content for the new video boards. No matter what task is presented, Boresi said they do it well and he is grateful for their assistance and hard work throughout the year. “They really do it all,” he said.
Francis Loughran—Coach of the Year
“We have the best coaches in the conference and I am not saying that just because I am the athletic director, but we really do,” Boresi said, noting he’s heard stories from others in his position that don’t have the dedication and spirit of collaboration Coal City coaches do. One of those outstanding coaches is Francis Loughran who led the Coaler football team to a 10-3 record in 2004. “They had a pretty good regular season and during the playoff run I think they even surprised themselves on how much they achieved and accomplished,” Boresi said. The Coalers advanced to the semi-finals falling to the eventual state champions in a close game.
Mark Masters—Career Coaching Accomplishment
Mark Masters is a Hall of Fame Coach who has led the Coaler Wrestling Team to multiple Dual Team State Final appearances over the years with the team being crowned State Champions this year, the second first place win in the past three years. Along the way, the coach achieved a personal milestone as he recorded his 500th Wrestling Dual Team Coaching win. In recognition of this accomplishment he was celebrated by the Athletic Department.
Brooke Young—Volunteer Appreciation Award
Athletic Director Brad Boresi presented the Volunteer Appreciation Award to Brooke Young in recognition of the countless hours she has put into the athletic program and her dedication to ensuring the student-athletes and coaches have the equipment and support they need to be successful. “She spends more time here than people realize,” Boresi said. Brooke has served multiple terms as president of the Coal City Athletic Boosters and has been part of the parent support group for many years. Her work with the boosters has also ensured fans attending athletic contests at all levels have concessions—often requiring her to make multiple trips to the store for candy and pop, hundreds of phone calls for piping hot pizza and adding new items that will keep fans coming back to the stand, purchases that ensure the boosters have the funds necessary to support Coalers Athletics.