Latin Romans
TOP SPORTS MOMENTS
The ultimate goal
(John J. Kim/Sun-Times)
Location: 59 W. North Ave., Chicago
Conference: Independent School League
Colors: Navy blue and orange
Nickname: Romans
Enrollment: 434
State titles: Two team titles, seven individual titles
Behind the name: Founded in 1888, Chicago’s oldest independent school.
1. All-State player Emily Maynard sparked a championship comeback with her school-record 79th career goal as the 2006 girls soccer team rallied from 2-0 deficit to beat Columbia 3-2 for the Class A state title. Maynard also set up Katie Shatto’s game-tying goal before Lizzy Schink netted the game-winner for coach Thomas Bower’s team, which finished 22-1-1.
Decade of dominance
2. Latin’s girls basketball squad posted a 217-62 record and won 10 straight ISL titles from 1998-2007. The streak spanned three coaches (Rich Levenhagen, Bobby Locke and Max Rouse) and produced two professional players: forward Santia Jackson, who played college ball at Georgetown, and guard and UIC grad Chrissy Dizon, both of whom played in Europe.
Above the rim
3. The Romans’ boys basketball program soared to new heights in 2002. Led by 6-7 senior forward Michael Rudoy and still growing 7-2 junior center Kenny George, Latin achieved a 27-3 record, a third straight Independent School League title and a regional title before the season ended with a sectional-final loss to Driscoll.
Cutting edge
4. Gigi Stender, Anna Morro and Kara Bachman led the 2001 girls hockey team — then a co-op with Loyola and North Shore and in its first year of existence — to a 15-1-1 record and the 2001 state championship. They were the team’s leading scorers with 19, 12 and 11 goals, respectively, and each scored in a 3-1 win over New Trier in the state title game.
Double dipping
5. Coach Tom Nystrom capped a 424-win career by guiding the boys water polo team to a third-place state finish in 2004. John Wilkes and Andrew Peterson scored four goals each in the 13-7 consolation game win over New Trier. The 2006 squad, featuring Jordan Himmel, Steve Wickes and Sam Kettlewell, did them one better, finishing second to Fenwick.
WHAT LATIN MEANS TO ME
By Santia Jackson: A 1999 graduate, Jackson played college basketball at Georgetown and professionally in Europe and South America.
I started at Latin in eighth grade. My brother was going there at the time, and he loved the school, and my parents thought it would be good for me to join him and expose myself to the kind of education I could get at Latin.
My parents wanted me to get a good high school education, and my time at Latin certainly prepared me for my first year of college. Going to school at Latin was kicking my butt when I started. I was getting up at 5 a.m. to finish studying.
But it paid off. When I arrived at Georgetown, I was tutoring people my freshman year. Being a D-I athlete means you miss a lot of classes, and you have to make up that work, and Latin prepared me for that. The school was a great starting point; it was definitely a blessing.
I remember my Spanish teacher, Seńora Dragonetti, used to be so serious about Spanish. No language teacher I had to that point cared that much. She would take points off if you didn’t ask a question in Spanish. After graduating from Georgetown, I played basketball in Europe, and I lived in Spain for two of those years, and I never would have made it and been able to do the things I needed to do if I didn’t have the foundation she laid down.
Coach Jan Wilson and coach Dave VanderMeulen also helped me very much. My freshman year, I made varsity but only averaged single-digit points. Sophomore year I started and got more comfortable, and by junior year things started to take off.
The funny thing is, I developed a love for the game more because sports weren’t the school’s focus. Eventually that love for the game would propel me to playing in Europe and help me build my life.
Before I became a Hoya or a professional athlete, I was a Roman. I wore the orange and blue representing a tradition of strong education, family, love and truth.
I am honored to be able to look back and say ‘‘thank you.’’
NOTABLE ALUMNI
• Alexi Giannoulias: Illinois state treasurer.
• Nina Gordon: Singer, founding member of Veruca Salt.
• Laura Granville: Professional tennis player, 1996 singles state champion.
• Johnny Groth: MLB outfielder 1946-1960, primarily with Detroit Tigers.
• John Marshall Harlan II: U.S. Supreme Court justice 1955-1971.
• Lisa Madigan: Illinois attorney general.
• Roger McGuinn: Singer, songwriter, founding member of The Byrds.
• Cyril Mowatt: State champ in triple jump (’84, ’85), long jump (’84).
• Katie Paglini: 2000, 2001 state champion in 100-meter backstroke.
• Nancy Davis Reagan: Former first lady.
• Doug Sohn: Owner of Chicago’s Hot Doug’s.
• Bill Wirtz: Deceased Blackhawks owner.
• William Wrigley Jr. II: Chairman of Wrigley Co.