Eighth Grade Panthers Fall to Summit Hill, but Have Terrific Season!
Panthers 8th grade girls volleyball had a fantastic season. Photo by Jim Piacentini.
By Dennis Bowling
Eighth grade girls volleyball Coach Alexis Hosselton knew the Manteno Panthers played their best match of the season, but Summit Hill just played a bit better on March 13. Despite Madelyn Gesky, a powerful middle hitter, registering six kills and four service points, Summit Hill eliminated the Panthers, 25-14, 25-17, in the Class 8 4A Girls Volleyball Sectional #5 Championship in Frankfort. With the win, Summit Hill (23-2) was to advance and play in the IESA Class 8 4A State tournament at Morton Junior High in Morton.
Manteno (26-2) had an outstanding season, and Coach Hosselton felt the Panthers played very well, stating, “Summit Hill was just a very good team. We had some serving and passing errors that put us in a bad position to hit the ball.”
“Madelyn, though, pulled through for us and is a big presence in hitting and blocking. She’s very smart, too,” Hosselton noted. Continuing, the Coach remarked, “I am very excited about the volleyball programs at Manteno High School and Manteno Middle School. We’ll be very successful.”
Gesky, a very poised player, felt the Panthers had some great teamwork and said, “We all worked very well together. We did have a lot of errors, but we just kept trying to come back. We fought hard until the very end of the match, plus our setter connection was very good. I am ready for high school volleyball.”
Setters Morgan Derrico and Danika Fletcher each had eight good sets and did a very good job.
“We had a great year,” Fletcher said. “Madelyn is just so good. I always try to put the ball where she needs it. Leah (Milton) is phenomenal, too, and was hitting the ball hard. We had only two losses; that’s an awesome season.”
Milton, a talented middle hitter, had three service points and four kills and remarked, “Our season was just amazing. Everyone on our team played well. We all improved so much and all came together, too.”
“Danika did so well, and Morgan (Derrico) is just so positive,” she continued. “No matter what the score was, Morgan was always there for us, while Madelyn always got the kill.”
Manteno teammates also playing very well were libero Mia Shedwill, outside hitters Ryan Mazeika and Madison Belisle, plus defensive specialists Adalyn Akiyama and Leah Donnelly.
Manteno Middle School seventh graders to keep an eye on included Makenna Laskowski, Kendall Blanchette, Maddy Weiland, and Nora Donnelly, among others. They finished with a 26-1 overall mark and should do very well in eighth grade.
Illinois News
Classifieds
Sen. Joyce: Modernizing Thinking, Technology to Power Future
Spread the loveCreating public policy requires constantly adapting what we have done before to what we need to do today and for tomorrow. Sometimes, that means rethinking a position that can hit close to home. Since 1987, Illinois has had in place a moratorium on additional construction of nuclear power generation facilities. Concerns about the…
Help Spread Christmas Cheer!
Spread the loveAn effort currently is underway to provide gifts to Manteno children in need this Christmas. Tags, with children’s ages and wish lists, may be picked up from four Manteno businesses: Berkot’s, Fitness Premier, National Bank of Manteno, and Whitmore Ace Hardware. Gifts should be wrapped, with the tags attached, and returned to the…
Long Rezoning Hearing in Manteno Had Room Packed
Spread the loveBy Andrea Arens The meeting of the Manteno Planning and Zoning Commission lasted for five hours with, literally, those for and against split down the middle of the elementary school gymnasium. There was a press conference before the meeting at Heritage Park, where Phil Nagel, Jeanne Ives, and the attorney for the Concerned…
Crete Country Christmas is Coming to Town This Weekend!
Spread the loveOrganizers have so much in store for the community at the Crete Country Christmas, December 1 – 3, and hope you’ll join them to celebrate the season. It seems there’s something for everyone – young and old, including a Grinch 5K, Breakfast with the Grinch, Santa visits, a Cocoa and Cookie Crawl, Holiday…
‘Step Back into a 1950s Christmas and Hanukkah’
Spread the lovePlus 75th Anniversary of Park Forest exhibits at the 1950s Park Forest House Museum. The 1950s Park Forest House Museum, 227 Monee Road, Park Forest, in St. Mary’s Catholic Church, invites you to “Step Back into a 1950s Christmas and Hanukkah,” which will be open from November 29, through January 3. Also available…
Becker’s Names Riverside Cancer Institute Great Oncology Program
Spread the loveFor its dedication to providing outstanding oncology care to the community, the Riverside Cancer Institute has been recognized as a “Great Oncology Program” by Becker’s Hospital Review, a leading source of healthcare news and information. Becker’s releases its list of hospitals and health systems with leading oncology programs annually. “It is an honor…
No Gotion Campaign Leaders Pledge Loyalty to Their Community
Spread the loveBy Madeleine Willis Most Manteno residents like Annette LaMore have lived in Manteno their entire lives. What keeps them in town is the small, rural, and supportive community. LaMore sees plenty of room for growth in Manteno, but she wants to keep the town safe and is working to keep Gotion, Inc., out of…
38 KCC Students Inducted into Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society
Spread the loveThirty-eight Kankakee Community College students were inducted into Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society in October. Phi Theta Kappa is an international academic honor society for community college students. Local KCC students who recently joined are: Bourbonnais – Rocio Aquillon Navarete, Hailey Keast, Joseph Lamb, Gabriella Longtin, Emma Miller, Sydney O’Dell, Mya Ramdoo, and…
‘Miracle on 8th – a Kris Kringle Market’ December 9
Spread the loveThe Community Arts Council of Kankakee County and the Kankakee County Historical Society are excited to bring the community a magical experience this holiday season! Mark your calendars for “Miracle on 8th: A Kris Kringle Market” being held on Saturday, December 9, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., on the museum grounds, 801…
Riverside Recognized for Workplace Mental Health in National Award
Spread the loveRiverside receives honorable mention with Carolyn C. Mattingly Award for Mental Health in Workplace. Riverside Healthcare is pleased to be one of four organizations nationally to receive honorable mention recognition for workplace mental health from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and The Luv u Project. “At Riverside, we have a…
Rotary Club Jigsaw Puzzles Available in Time for Holiday Gift-Giving
Spread the loveThe Bradley-Bourbonnais Rotary Club is excited to announce its 2023 jigsaw puzzle now is available for purchase at these locations in: Bourbonnais – BaDa Bloom Flowers and Bourbonnais Village Hall; Bradley – King Music; and Kankakee – Joy’s Hallmark, Kankakee County Museum, Rubber Rose Books, Stefari’s West, plus the Kankakee County Convention and…
Riverside Re-designated 2024 Military Friendly Employe
Spread the loveRiverside Healthcare announced recently it has earned the 2024 Military Friendly Employer designation. Institutions earning the Military Friendly Employer designation were evaluated using public data sources and responses from a proprietary survey. More than 1,200 companies participated in the 2024 Military Friendly survey. “We are proud to announce Riverside has been re-designated as…