Shorewood's Bourg an Ace on the Diamond, Boss in the Kitchen, and Set to Star at Robert Morris

Watch out Buddy Valastro. A future cake boss is headed to Robert Morris University and her name is Katie Bourg.

A senior third baseman who batted .375 with three home runs for Joliet Township’s final softball team last spring, Bourg officially signed Monday in a ceremony at Joliet West — and the Shorewood resident has her sights set on something other than home plate.

Like spoons, forks and plates.

“I want to go into the pastry business as my profession and there are not a lot of schools out there that have both softball and pastry,” said Bourg, who plans on majoring in culinary arts. “That was a big thing for me.”

It was a big day as well for the Joliet West athletic program. Besides Bourg, Troy Junior High products Marissa and Morgan Graves signed for Saint Xavier in girls soccer. Jon Smith (football, Bemidji State) and Sam Wietlispach (cross country, IIT) also signed.

Following in the footsteps of her cousin Sam Vargocko, who prepped at Plainfield South before playing at Western Michigan, Bourg made the transition from second base in travel with the Joliet Dirt Devils to become a power-hitting, quick-gloved third baseman for West.

“I’ve always wanted to play college ball because Sam told me it was a lot of fun,” Bourg said. “It has been a dream of mine.”

So is being the next Buddy Valastro, the host of TLC’s “Cake Boss.” West softball coach Heather Suca noted how Bourg “is an excellent student with a great work ethic and a leader on and off the field.”

In that way, she’s the boss.

“I love that show,” Bourg said with a smile. “I love all of those types of shows.”

As the Tigers’ top wide receiver last fall, Smith put on a show by catching 32 passes for 430yards  and six touchdowns. West football coach Jason Aubry also feels Smith could run track for the NCAA Division II school.

“Jon has untapped potential,” Aubry said. “He has the ability to bring out the best in people, and while he can talk a good game sometimes, he also has the talent to back it up. I think he is going to have a tremendous career.”

“I’m excited,” Smith said. “I’ve wanted to play college football ever since I started out back with the Joliet Titans. I know to play I would have to be dedicated and work hard, and while I had some rough patches, I got through all of that and I listened to my coaches to get to where I wanted to be.”

There was never any doubt that twin sisters Marissa and Morgan Graves would want to play together at the next level. Marissa, a pass-first midfielder who had 10 goals and 12 assists, and Morgan, who scored 24 goals as a striker for JT’s supersectional qualifier last spring, were a package deal.

“There were a couple of other places, but Saint Xavier is the one that really stuck out,” said Marissa, who plans on majoring in nursing. “The coaching staff and the school, it felt the same as high school and we were really comfortable going there.”

“We’ve been playing sports together since we were 3,” pointed out Morgan, who plans on majoring in biology. “It always seems right to play with her and it’s the greatest thing because she’s my best friend. I always know where she is going to be on the field.” 

In the final year before splitting into West and Central, Joliet Township fielded its best team in girls soccer in 2010 – a possibility current West coach and then JT coach Jeff Lundeen had heard about through the grapevine.

“When Morgan and Marissa were at Troy, I always heard that they were coming here and I wondered if the stories about how good they were as athletes were true,” Lundeen said. “As athletes and as soccer players, there’s no doubt it has been true.

“They were a strong reason for our success, as players and as people, and they have done it right. Marissa was the player who could make the perfect pass and Morgan was the pure scorer, power forward with a ton of strength.”

One of the Tigers’ strongest long-distance runners, Wietlispach picked Illinois Institute of Technology for its combination of athletics and academics.

“I have a passion for running,” Wietlispach said. “I knew if I gave it up in college, something would be missing, so being able to maintain that at the next level is great.”