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Chicago Tribune
3 days ago
- Sport
- Chicago Tribune
The best ever? Ohio State recruit Christian Teresi and Marist make case with state championship. ‘It's awesome.'
Marist's Christian Teresi wasn't going to argue with his coach. Jordan Vidovic proclaimed that the RedHawks are the best team in Illinois to ever play the sport. After they won their second straight state title, the Ohio State-bound Teresi quickly agreed. 'Of course I want to stay humble,' Teresi said. 'But I'm going to agree with him 100% on that. We went to California and beat the No. 1 team in the nation (Mira Costa). 'I feel like that was a big accomplishment for an Illinois high school. And now we won the state championship again. It's awesome.' Teresi continued his role as an awesome do-it-all player Saturday. The senior setter/right-side hitter produced 14 kills on a .619 hitting percentage to lead Marist to a 25-20, 25-20 victory over Glenbard West in the boys volleyball state championship match at Hoffman Estates. While Teresi added 15 assist and seven digs for the RedHawks (40-2), MIT recruit Nathen Toth tallied 11 kills, Jacob Finley notched 18 assists and Rorey Donnelly delivered 11 digs. Charlie Clifford led the Hilltoppers (36-6) with eight kills in a match that featured 21 ties and four lead changes. But the several times Marist needed a big play, Teresi usually provided it. 'I was telling Jacob, our setter, to keep setting me because they were not stopping me at all,' Teresi said. 'I was just going on a roll and I wanted to keep getting set. 'These are the games where I really want to stand out. There are a lot of people watching. I know we played Glenbard twice during the season, but we knew coming into this game, this was going to be a brand-new team.' It's the second straight state title in boys volleyball, third overall for the boys and third straight for Vidovic, who won in 2024 with the boys in the spring and then the girls team in the fall. Earlier in the day, Marist beat Lane Tech 25-15, 25-19 in the semifinals. Toth totaled six kills and five aces to lead the RedHawks, while Teresi chipped in with four kills and eight assists. Finley recorded eight assists and Donnelly had seven digs against Lane (35-7). Marist then put an exclamation point on a season in which the RedHawks went 30-0 against Illinois teams and dropped just one set — Friday against Lake Park in the state quarterfinals. That had Vidovic excited about placing this team at the top of the state's history list. 'There is no doubt in my mind because we went out and did it,' he said. 'Everybody else is hypothetical and we went out and played the best of the best. We went toe-to-toe with the most stacked high school volleyball teams … probably ever. 'I've been around some great Illinois teams as a player, as a spectator, as a sibling, as a coach, and I've seen some phenomenal teams, but the way the game is played right now, the speed and the way the ball is travelling, there was nothing like that back then.' Teresi closed a four-year varsity career with one more big match under his belt as a goodbye. 'I've never seen a player as compete as Christian — not at all,' Toth said. 'He can do everything. He's super athletic. He's got a wicked arm swing. I really don't know what this kid can't do. 'I don't know how you can go up there on the block and stop him.' About the only thing Saturday night that could almost stop Teresi was a question about if this year's title felt better than a year ago. It was almost like asking a parent who the favorite child is. 'I don't know … I think this year was more exciting for our team,' Teresi said. 'Well, actually I think last year was more exciting because it was our first one. 'But this was better because of us winning last year.'
Chicago Tribune
13-05-2025
- Business
- Chicago Tribune
West suburban program offers a teens a taste of philanthropy
For the past year, 17-year-old Sebastian Amin, a junior at Glenbard West High School in Glen Ellyn, has received added training — entirely outside the classroom — about the world of philanthropy. It's part of a new program that offers participants the opportunity to learn more about giving, including vetting and selecting nonprofit community groups to receive some portion of a pot of $10,000. 'It's a cliche, but helping people is a good thing. It makes you feel good, but it makes other people feel better,' Amin said. 'It's coming together for a common good.' Amin is one of 27 juniors at Glenbard West who are part of the inaugural class of the Teen Philanthropy Network, a nonprofit organization formed by a group of interested Glen Ellyn and Wheaton residents. Founded by retired real estate executive Rich Cline, who serves on the board of trustees of the DuPage Foundation, and his daughter, Sara Howland, the Teen Philanthropy Network was inspired by a similar philanthropic endeavor for high schoolers in Oak Park. Cline and Howland immediately saw the opportunity to bring the idea to Glen Ellyn, and they partnered with that Oak Park-based group, Three Pillars Initiative, to launch the Teen Philanthropy Network at Glenbard West. Offering hands-on learning, the Teen Philanthropy Network is a two-year program that starts at the ground level, teaching students what philanthropy is and what the nonprofit sector is and then working with them to identify worthy recipient organizations that address causes about which they are most passionate. 'It feels good knowing we can help many nonprofits and fix whatever they're trying to fix,' said Glenbard West junior Mimi Simon, 16, who said she takes great interest in any organizations devoted to children. 'From this program, I learned I have a lot more interest in philanthropy than I thought.' The Teen Philanthropy Network's day-to-day work is guided by its program coordinator, Abby Shapland. Over the past year, Shapland worked to implement the Three Pillars Initiative's curriculum within the Teen Philanthropy Network and made sure that each session was meaningful for the teens. In addition, eight community members, including Cline and Howland, agreed to serve as mentors assigned to groups of seven or eight students. 'The mentors were monumental in getting the organization off the ground,' Shapland said. By the end of the year, the teens had identified and vetted groups that they were interested in, and ultimately selected four grant recipients: Glen Ellyn Youth and Family Counseling Services, Glen House Food Pantry, Glen Ellyn Children's Resource Center and District 93 Kids Foundation. Each recipient group received between $1,000 and $3,000, presented at a capstone ceremony on April 27. 'When it came time to allocate the money and make decisions, the kids rocked it out of the ballpark,' Shapland said. 'They were awesome. The decision was totally theirs, and they had to work together to reach consensus as a group, which is a difficult thing to do when you have 27 different kinds with different viewpoints and different perspectives, but they did it with flying colors.' One grant recipient, the District 93 Kids Foundation, is a group providing support to at-risk youngsters in Community Consolidated District 93, which covers Bloomingdale, Carol Stream and Hanover Park. The teens awarded $1,000 to the foundation. 'In their grant application, they stated that any money awarded to them would be used to ensure students with the most significant needs would have access to essential resources for both academic success and personal well-being, (including) school supplies, winter coats and clothing and emergency assistance,' said Glenbard West junior Claire Nielsen in presenting Dist. 93's communications director, Ryan McPherrin, with the grant. 'The foundation addresses critical needs in order to empower these students to thrive in numerous aspects of life and foster a more equitable and supportive community. … We were impressed by the substantial impact of the program and the detailed analysis he provided for us.' Another nonprofit, the Glen Ellyn Children's Resource Center, received $3,000. The center provides programming outside of school hours to assist under-resourced students from kindergarten through high school. Students are eligible to participate in the Glen Ellyn Children's Resource Center's programs if they qualify for a free lunch program at school. The Teen Philanthropy Network's grant will help support the center's general operations, including after-school tutoring and a summer camp. 'As an after-school tutor myself, this program encourages (Teen Philanthropy Network) members to support the community, as I see rewarding benefits from volunteering for the (Glen Ellyn Children's Resource Center),' said Glenbard West junior Charlotte Franz. Next year, the Teen Philanthropy Network's inaugural class will spend their senior year focusing on fundraising, including writing appeals, hosting events, exploring corporate partnerships and holding one-on-one conversations with potential donors. Every dollar they raise will be used for future Teen Philanthropy Network grants. 'It's powerful to think about what this means,' Howland said. 'High school students are making real, meaningful financial decisions that will ripple through our community.' The Teen Philanthropy Network's founders also will welcome a new junior class next year.
Chicago Tribune
05-05-2025
- Sport
- Chicago Tribune
Cut from baseball, Madan Sundaram stars for Lincoln-Way East volleyball. ‘One of the best liberos in the state.'
Lincoln-Way East's Madan Sundaram started to play baseball when he was 4. Sundaram was coached by his mother, Lisa, then played travel ball and loved the sport. But he was cut as a freshman in high school. 'I was crushed,' he said. 'I got home and went in my room and I was sulking. I was so sad.' Two or three days later, Sundaram was contacted by coach Kris Fiore to try out for the Griffins' storied boys volleyball program. 'At that time, I'd never touched a volleyball in my entire life,' Sundaram said. 'But I said, 'I'm in.''' He has developed into what Fiore calls 'one of the best liberos in the state.' On Saturday, Sundaram was named to the all-tournament team of the 33rd annual Lincoln-Way East Invitational as the Griffins finished second in the 24-team event. Glenbard West knocked off Lincoln-Way East 24-26, 25-8, 25-20 in the championship match. Matthew Muehlnickel led the Griffins (19-3) with seven kills and seven digs, while Carter Geiger contributed seven kills and Joey Abbeduto added five. Sundaram chipped in with three digs, Dylan Nanney tallied 13 assists and Will Hubatch had 11 assists. Back in 2022, Fiore was intrigued when Sundaram was out of the baseball picture. 'My son (Evan) played baseball with his brother,' Fiore said of Sundaram. 'When I found out he didn't make the baseball team, I hunted him down because he was a good athlete. 'He's been a great player, so it worked out well.' Brother Rice (20-5) finished fourth after dropping a 26-16, 14-25, 15-6 semifinal decision to the Griffins and a 25-21, 25-19 decision to Downers Grove North. Sundaram, Lincoln-Way West's Andrew Flores, Lincoln-Way Central's Dylan Brannigan, Brother Rice's Oliver McNichols and Lockport's Ryan Dziadkowiec also made the 18-player all-tournament team. Defending champion Marist did not enter the tournament but sent its JV team. The young RedHawks raised a few eyebrows winning the Bronze Division, beating the varsity teams of Wheaton St. Francis, Hinsdale Central and Yorkville on Saturday. Still, the weekend spotlight shined on Sundaram. And even though he never picked up a volleyball before entering Lincoln-Way East, he has worked at his craft. 'If you have those two skills of being willing to work and being athletic, volleyball is a game you can pick up and evolve quickly,' Fiore said. 'And he has done that.' Sundaram looked at the sport as a second chance in his athletic career. 'I was so grateful for the opportunity that I tried my butt off every single practice,' Sundaram said. 'No matter how I felt or what day of the week it was or what happened the day before, I always tried to be the best that I could be. 'I tried to treat everything like it was the state championship.' The Griffins have developed state championship aspirations. The first week of the season, they beat Glenbard West 26-24, 2-25, 25-21 in Glen Ellyn. After rallying from a 20-15 deficit in the first game Saturday, Lincoln-Way East got destroyed in the second game but played the Hilltoppers (21-3) tight in the finale. Starting right-side hitter Grant Urban, who also plays football, missed the tournament as he was involved in a national kicking competition in Las Vegas. Sundaram said that he wrestled with the choice of playing sanctioned volleyball in college or going the club route as Illinois and he chose the latter. 'I had a couple of phone calls and a lot of emails,' he said. 'I'm good at volleyball, but I'm a better student. I can get a better education and a better college experience at a bigger university. 'U of I has been my dream school. Both of my parents went there. I have five U of I jerseys. I love the school.' Originally Published: May 5, 2025 at 11:07 AM CDT
