March 20--For the fourth consecutive game, Lincoln-Way West played a team that possessed much more top-level talent.
This time, the Warriors' remarkable run of upsets came to an end against what might be the most talented team in Illinois. Belleville Althoff, featuring superstar junior Jordan Goodwin and at least two other future Division I players, won its first state championship with a 62-37 victory at Carver Arena.
"I guess if that's the team that knocks you out you can't be too mad about it," Lincoln-Way West junior guard Marco Pettinato said. "They have high-level talent at multiple positions, and they were about as strong and athletic as you can get."
Goodwin, a four-star recruit, has the attention of Illinois, Missouri and major colleges throughout the country, including Iowa, which recently offered him a football scholarship.
Fellow Crusaders Brendon Gooch (Southern Illinois) and Tarkus Ferguson (UIC) will also play in college. The other two starters in Althoff's five-guard lineup will play college football, with senior Keenen Young planning to play receiver at Jackson State and junior C.J. Coldon undecided.
Meanwhile, Lincoln-Way West's players haven't received much attention on the recruiting trail. Pettinato and 6-foot-6 senior Jon Marotta are being recruited by Division II and III schools. Senior guard Cameron Gavin will play football at D-II Winona (Minn.) State.
Lincoln-Way West's roster, in addition to being light on college prospects, is literally light. No Warrior is listed at 200 or more pounds. By comparison, five of Althoff's 15 players weigh 200 or more. West dressed only nine players until the state tournament, when they brought up two freshmen and a sophomore.
"We don't have the size, so we try to get as strong as athletic as we possibly can in the weight room," Pettinato said. "That and a lot of conditioning."
On Friday, the Warriors vanquished Peoria Manual, which features Illinois-bound Da'Monte Williams and fellow D-I prospects Romon Douglas-Watkins and A.J. Youngman. That followed a supersectional shocker against Charlie Moore (Memphis), Jarrin Randall (Western Michigan) and Morgan Park.
West's run of upsets started in the sectional final against Hillcrest, which has two potential high-level players in junior Marcus Garrett and freshman Isaac Stanback.
"We've been clicking on all cylinders to beat those teams," Pettinato said. "It started against Providence in the regional championship game, then continued against Peotone. Then we went up another level against Hillcrest, and then we stepped up even higher against Morgan Park."
The Warriors went 3-1 in their last four games against a group of opponents that combined for a 108-18 record this season. Not bad for a team that started the season 10-8 and went 2-5 combined against its fellow Lincoln-Way school district teams, going 0-3 against Central, 0-1 against East and 2-1 against North.
"At one point we were hoping just to finish above .500," Marotta said. "To go from where we were to finishing the season down here, it's just been crazy."
"I'm not an easily impressed man," Lincoln-Way West coach Brian Flaherty said, "and I am very impressed with this group."
wlarkin@tribpub.com
