Six LHS Student Athletes Make College Commitments

LEMONT, IL — Six Lemont High School seniors have made commitments to continue their athletic careers at the collegiate level. The school said quarterback Luke Bailey has committed to play football at Drake University; offensive lineman Sam Campagna has committed to play football at the University of Saint Francis; infielder Anthony Fornero has signed a National Letter of Intent to play baseball at the University of Evansville; Julia Lesnicki has signed a National Letter of Intent to swim at Lewis University; catcher Steven Russell has committed to play baseball at Marian University; and wide receiver Anthony Sambucci has signed a National Letter of Intent to play football at Western Michigan University.

The school provided career highlights for each athlete:

Luke Bailey – Career Highlights

• Earned two varsity letters playing quarterback for head coach Bret Kooi
• Completed 151-of-267 passes for 2,081 yards and 26 touchdowns during his career, and added 41 carries for 290 yards (7.7 yards per carry) and nine rushing scores
• Earned All-South Suburban Conference-Blue Division accolades as a senior in 2019
• Threw for at least one touchdown in 10 straight games to close the year, recording three touchdown passes on three occasions
• Lemont went 8-3, finished as the SSC Blue runner-up, and advanced to the second round of the IHSA Class 6A Playoffs
• Made his varsity debut as a junior in 2018, splitting time at quarterback
• Three-sport athlete who also earned varsity letters in basketball and track and field
• High Honor roll student
• Will play for head coach Todd Stepsis at Drake University, an NCAA Division I Football Championship Series institution that is located in Des Moines, Iowa, and is a member of the Pioneer Football League.

­Sam Campagna – Career Highlights

• Earned two varsity letters playing for head coach Bret Kooi Saw time at both offensive tackle and center during his career
• Earned All-South Suburban Conference-Blue Division accolades as a senior in 2019
• Totaled 27 pancakes as a center
• Lemont went 8-3, finished as the SSC Blue runner-up, and advanced to the second round of the IHSA Class 6A Playoffs
• Made his varsity debut as a junior in 2018, helping Lemont to 24.6 points per game
• Three-sport athlete who also earned varsity letters in wrestling and track and field
• High Honor roll student
• Will play for head coach Joe Curry at the University of Saint Francis, a NAIA institution that is located in Joliet, and is a member of the Mid-States Football Association.

Anthony Fornero – Career Highlights

• Has earned two letters playing for head coach Brian Storako
• A career .358 hitter who already holds the school record with 56 career stolen bases
• Two-time All-South Suburban Conference-Blue Division performer who has seen time at third base, shortstop and catcher
• Has compiled 21 extra-base hits (13 doubles, six triples, two home runs) in two seasons, totaled 69 runs scored and 63 RBIs, and posted an on-base percentage of .484 and an OPS of 1.002
• Served as a team captain as a junior in 2019 while earning All-SSC Blue accolades
• Also tabbed as the team’s Offensive Player of the Year and as an honorable mention all-state performer
• Set a school single-season record with 39 stolen bases, and also led the team with three triples and six hit-by-pitches
• Made his varsity debut as a sophomore, batting .344 with two home runs, 31 RBIs and 17 stolen bases on his way to All-SSC Blue honors
• Has been part of multiple national tournament victories while playing travel baseball for the Cangelosi Sparks
• Honor roll student
• Will play for head coach Wes Carroll at the University of Evansville, an NCAA Division I institution that is located in Evansville, Indiana, and is a member of the Missouri Valley Conference.

Julia Lesnicki – Career Highlights

• Earned three varsity letters, including two for head coach Erin Horan
• Helped the squad to three South Suburban Conference-Blue Division titles (2016, 2017, 2019)
• Won both the 100 backstroke (1:04.06) and 200 individual medley (2:24.18) and was part of the winning 200 medley and 400 freestyle relay squads at the 2019 SSC Blue Meet
• Set a school record (59.63) in the 100 back at the IHSA Lockport Sectional, touching the wall in second place
• Also placed third in the 200 individual medley and was part of two top five relays in sectional competition, which helped Lemont to a program-best fifth place finish in the team standings
• Served as a team captain as a senior
• Swims competitively for the Hickory Willow Swim Association, for whom she also serves as a coach
• High Honor roll student
• Will swim for head coach Roger Karns at Lewis University, an NCAA Division II institution that is located in Romeoville, and is a member of the Great Lakes Valley Conference.

Steven Russell – Career Highlights

• Has played one varsity season for head coach Brian Storako
• Expected to play a supporting role at catcher and first base in 2020
• Made his varsity debut as a junior in 2019, batting .250 with one RBI
• Lemont went 21-16 in 2019
• Plays travel baseball for Hounds Baseball Club
• High Honor roll student and National Honor Society inductee
• Will play for head coach Jordan Baitinger at Marian University, an NCAA Division III institution that is located in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, and is a member of the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference.

Anthony Sambucci – Career Highlights

• Earned three varsity letters playing for head coach Bret Kooi
• Standout wide receiver who helped Lemont to a composite 23-10 record, three top two finishes in the South Suburban Conference-Blue Division, and three IHSA Playoff berths
• Amassed more than 3,000 all-purpose yards and scored 32 touchdowns
• Averaged 16.1 yards per catch in his career, totaling 119 receptions, 1,915 receiving yards and 27 touchdown catches
• Served as a team captain as a senior in 2019 and earned Illinois High School Football Coaches Association Class 6A All-State honors
• Totaled 1,086 yards receiving on 65 catches (16.7 yards per reception) and scored 16 touchdowns through the air
• Averaged 28.5 yards per kick return and 27.5 yards per punt return
• Earned All-SSC Blue accolades, all-area honors from the Joliet Herald News, Daily Southtown and Suburban Life Newspapers, and Champaign News-Gazette special mention all-state recognition
• Selected to Shaw Media’s Friday Night Drive “Team of the Year” as one of the state’s top 22 players
• Lemont went 8-3, finished as the SSC Blue runner-up, and advanced to the second round of the IHSA Class 6A Playoffs
• Led Lemont with 11 total touchdowns as a junior in 2018
• Made his varsity debut as a sophomore in 2017, totaling 15 receptions for 148 yards and two touchdowns
• Honor roll student
• Will play for head coach Tim Lester at Western Michigan University, an NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision institution that is located in Kalamazoo, Michigan, and is a member of the Mid-American Conference.