Seven Lemont student-athletes make college commitments

Seven Lemont High School student-athletes have announced their commitments to compete collegiately beginning in Fall 2024. They include baseball players Giovanni Rendina (Joliet Junior College) and Will Tarazi (Loras College); football players Daniel Gibson (Quincy University), Chris Montell (Benedictine University) and Daniel Taylor (Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology); men’s golfer Robert Politza (Valparaiso University); and wrestler Noah O’Connor (Johns Hopkins University).

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Daniel Gibson – Career Highlights

• Earned two varsity letters, including one as a senior playing for head coach Willie Hayes
• Helped Lemont to a composite 17-6 record over two seasons, as well as two South Suburban Conference-Blue Division titles and two IHSA Playoff berths
• Totaled 37 tackles (25 solo) with three interceptions and three deflected passes during his career
• Served as a starter at defensive back as a senior in 2023
• Led the team with three interceptions
• Added career highs of 19 tackles (14 solo) and three pass breakups
• Lemont went 5-5, captured the SSC Blue, and qualified for the IHSA Class 6A Playoffs
• Made his varsity debut as a junior in 2022
• Totaled 18 tackles (11 solo)
• Lemont went 12-1, posted a perfect regular season, won the SSC Blue, and reached the IHSA Class 6A Semifinals
• Also has participated in boys’ track and field and boys’ lacrosse at the varsity level
• Honor Roll student
• Will play for head coach Jason Killday at Quincy University, an NCAA Division II institution that is located in Quincy, Ill., and is a member of the Great Lakes Valley Conference. Killday was recently named Quincy’s head coach. Last season, the Hawks went 6-5 and tied for fifth in the conference standings.

Quincy University Football

Chris Montell  – Career Highlights

• Earned one varsity letter playing for head coach Willie Hayes
• Transferred to Lemont after the 2022 football season
• Was Lemont’s starting quarterback for much of the 2023 season
• Completed 68-of-142 passes (47.9 percent) for 805 yards and seven touchdowns
• Led the squad in passing yardage and touchdown passes
• Added one rushing score
• Lemont went 5-5, captured the SSC Blue, and qualified for the IHSA Class 6A Playoffs
• Will play for head coach Jim Schroeder at Benedictine University, an NCAA Division III institution that is located in Lisle, Ill., and is a member of the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference. Schroeder has led the Eagles to winning campaigns in each of his five seasons. Benedictine was 5-4 in 2023 and was fourth in the conference standings.

Benedictine University Football

Noah O'Connor – Career Highlights

• Earned four varsity letters wrestling for head coach Erik Murry
• Two-time IHSA state qualifier who compiled a 111-45 record over four seasons
• Twice served as a team captain
• Helped Lemont to a 42-2 record in South Suburban Conference meets, as well as two SSC Blue regular-season titles and two SSC Tournament crowns
• Ranks eighth on the school’s career list with 238 takedowns
• Finished with a 44-6 record as a senior in 2024, posting a career high in victories that ranks fourth on the school’s single-season list
• Ranked among the program’s single-season bests in takedowns (127 - 6th) and pins (27 - 7th)
• Earned IHSA Regional and IHSA Sectional crowns, and was the SSC runner-up
• Went 3-2 and finished fifth at 150 pounds at the 2024 IHSA Class 2A Wrestling Individual State Finals
• Lemont went 21-12 overall, was 12-1 in SSC meets, and won both SSC Blue regular-season and SSC Tourney titles
• Earned Illinois Wrestling Coaches and Officials Association Academic All-State and All-State Scholastic honors
• Went 37-12 as a junior in 2023
• Captured SSC and IHSA Regional titles, and was an IHSA Sectional runner-up
• Posted a 1-2 record at 152 pounds while making his IHSA State Finals debut
• Lemont went 21-11 overall, was 12-1 in SSC meets, and was the SSC Blue regular-season and SSC Tourney runner-up
• Lemont also captured a team IHSA Regional crown
• Posted a 21-18 record while wrestling at 145 pounds as a sophomore in 2022
• Placed third at the SSC Meet and was an IHSA Regional runner-up
• Lemont went 22-4 overall, was 12-0 in SSC meets, and won both SSC Blue regular-season and SSC Tourney titles
• Made his varsity debut in a shortened season in 2021
• Went 9-9 overall and placed sixth at 120 pounds at the IWCOA State Finals
• Lemont went 6-3 overall, which included a 6-0 record in SSC meets
• Also wrestles for Natural Athlete Wrestling Club
• High Honor Roll and National Honor Society student
• Will wrestle for head coach Keith Norris at Johns Hopkins University, an NCAA Division III institution that is located in Baltimore, Md., and is a member of the Centennial Conference. Norris has guided the Blue Jays for 19 seasons and has coached multiple All-America performers. Johns Hopkins was sixth at the conference meet this winter.

Johns Hopkins University Wrestling

Robert Politza – Career Highlights

• Earned three varsity letters playing for head coach Mark Hollatz
• Served as a starter on two of the best teams in school history in 2022 and 2023
• Ranks third on the school’s career scoring list with a 9-hole average of 37.6
• His scoring averages as both a junior and senior rank among the top 15 in program history
• Lemont posted top-four finishes at the IHSA State Finals in both 2022 and 2023, and captured three South Suburban Conference-Blue Division titles (2020, 2022, 2023) during his tenure
• Three-time all-conference performer who had six medalist finishes and 11 rounds under par during his career
• Earned all-conference accolades as a senior in 2023 after placing as the runner-up at the SSC Meet
• Served as a team captain and posted a career-best 9-hole average of 36.7
• Tied for third individually (74) and earned all-regional honors while helping Lemont to an IHSA Regional title
• Tied for eighth individually (74) and picked up all-sectional accolades while helping Lemont to an IHSA Sectional crown
• Posted a career-best state finals finish, tying for 19th at the IHSA Class 2A State Finals while shooting 153 (78-75)
• Lemont established a new program best by finishing as the 2023 IHSA Class 2A State Runner-Up
• Lemont also posted a 13-0 dual meet record and won six straight tournaments before the state finals
• Was the SSC Blue champion as a junior in 2022
• Posted a 9-hole average of 37.8
• Placed fourth individually (76) and earned all-regional honors while helping Lemont to an IHSA Regional runner-up finish
• Tied for 13th individually (76) in IHSA Sectional competition
• Tied for 58th at the IHSA Class 2A State Finals while shooting 162 (80-82)
• Lemont finished fourth at the 2022 IHSA Class 2A State Finals
• Transferred out of state prior to his sophomore year
• Was a sectional medalist for Valparaiso (Ind.) High School and competed at the 2021 IHSAA State Finals
• Moved into Lemont’s starting line-up as a freshman in 2020
• Posted a scoring average of 38.9 and earned all-conference honors after placing seventh at the SSC Meet
• Accomplished junior golfer who has won multiple Mid-American Junior Golf Tour events
• Also competed on the school’s boys’ bowling team
• High Honor Roll student
• Will play for head coach David Gring at Valparaiso University, an NCAA Division I institution that is located in Valparaiso, Ind., and is a member of the Missouri Valley Conference. Gring is in his 13th season as Valpo’s head coach, and has guided the Beacons to runner-up finishes in the conference meet the last two seasons.

Valparaiso University Men's Golf

Giovanni Rendina – Career Highlights

• Has earned one varsity letter playing for head coach Brian Storako
• Is expected to compete for time behind the plate this season
• Made his varsity debut as a junior in 2023
• Batted .375 with three hits and six runs batted in while playing in a limited role
• Also drew six walks and posted an on-base percentage of .625
• Handled 43 chances in the field without an error and threw out two would-be base stealers
• Lemont posted a record of 29-7-2, went 19-0 in SSC play for the first time in school history, and won an IHSA Regional
• Plays travel baseball for Hounds Baseball
• High Honor Roll student
• Will play for head coach Gregg Braun at Joliet Junior College, an NJCAA Division III institution that is located in Joliet, Ill. Braun, who also serves as JJC’s Athletic Director, is in his fifth season as head coach. He led the Wolves to a seventh-place finish at the 2023 NJCAA Division III World Series.

Joliet Junior College Baseball

Will Tarazi – Career Highlights

• Is in his first varsity season playing for head coach Brian Storako
• Expected to compete for innings as a righthanded pitcher this spring
• Played in the Lemont baseball program as a freshman and sophomore
• Accomplished travel baseball player who has excelled in Perfect Game events
• Picked up a victory in relief while pitching at the 2022 Perfect Game National Championships
• Struck out six while tossing a shutout in a Perfect Game Tournament in 2023
• Most recently played travel baseball for Longshots Baseball
• High Honor Roll and National Honor Society student
• Will play for head coach Carl Tebon at Loras College, an NCAA Division III institution that is located in Dubuque, Iowa, and is a member of the American Rivers Conference. Tebon has racked up more than 500 wins in 28 seasons, and led the Duhawks to a 29-17 record, a conference tourney title, and their first-ever NCAA Division III Tourney berth last spring.

Loras College Baseball

Daniel Taylor – Career Highlights

• Earned two varsity letters, including one as a senior playing for head coach Willie Hayes
• Helped Lemont to a composite 17-6 record over two seasons, as well as two South Suburban Conference-Blue Division titles and two IHSA Playoff berths
• Running back who averaged 7.7 yards per carry over two seasons, with 1,234 yards and 17 rushing touchdowns
• Earned All-SSC Blue accolades as a senior in 2023
• Totaled 1,025 yards and 15 rushing touchdowns on 133 carries, averaging 7.7 yards per carry
• Added seven catches for 55 yards and one receiving touchdown
• Led the team in rushing yards, rushing touchdowns, and total touchdowns (16)
• Posted seven 100-yard games and four multi-touchdown games
• Lost just one fumble in 140 touches
• Lemont went 5-5, captured the SSC Blue, and qualified for the IHSA Class 6A Playoffs
• Made his varsity debut as a junior in 2022, contributing as a reserve running back
• Carried 27 times for 209 yards (7.7 yards per carry) with two rushing touchdowns
• Lemont went 12-1, posted a perfect regular season, won the SSC Blue, and reached the IHSA Class 6A Semifinals
• Also has lettered in boys’ track and field and boys’ wrestling at the varsity level
• High Honor Roll student
• Will play for head coach Jeff Sokol at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, an NCAA Division III institution that is located in Terre Haute, Ind., and is a member of the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference. A four-time conference coach of the year who has led Rose-Hulman to two NCAA Division III Playoff appearances in 13 seasons, Sokol guided the Fightin’ Engineers to a 7-3 record and a conference runner-up finish last fall.

Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology Football