Ottawa Township High School District 140

05/31/2026

Congratulations to Joey Liebhart on finishing 4th in the 300 Hurdles at the IHSA 2A Track and Field State Finals

05/28/2026

OTHS Seniors Joey Liebhart, Bryar Baxter & Stephon Patrick qualified for the IHSA Class 2A Boys State Track Championships.

Liebhart won 1st in the 300-meter hurdles at the IHSA Class 2A Sectionals held at Pontiac High School May 20th. Liebhart, who also ran the 110-meter hurdles, and Patrick in shot put, both finished with 3rd place podium appearances. Baxter finished 4th in pole vault.

As they prepare for their first State meet at Eastern Illinois University May 28th through 30th, Liebhart, Patrick and Baxter and coach Trent Swords shared thoughts about the road to the finals.

How did the Sectional meet unfold for each of you?

Joey Liebhart: “I knew both races were going to be very competitive. I ended up getting 3rd place in the 110 hurdles qualifying for state. I wasn't quite confident that I was going to be running a state time in that race. At the end of the race, I leaned forward over the line and fell, got some nice scratches on my arm. 300 hurdles were my better race. I was fairly confident going in. There were lots of good guys around me, and I think all that pushed me, and I ran a PR and qualified for state.”

Bryar Baxter: “It was a bit of a weird day because I was on a different pole. My other one was too small, and it was a little rocky. I ended up making the state qualifying mark, and that took a lot of the pressure off. And then I ended up tying my PR at 133.”

Stephon Patrick: “I started with shot put. I threw the state qualifying mark on my second throw, surprisingly. Then I went to discus, and I did not make state, but I think I had a good fight. Then we went back to shot put for finals and I threw above the mark I got earlier, and I was for sure going to state.”

Is reaching the IHSA State Championship an expectation?

Trent Swords, Coach: “When we start the year, I talk to everyone about, you know, track is possibly different than other sports that they might be involved in, like football or basketball, that are more team oriented. We are a team, but there are individual goals they set for themselves. I tell them early on to set those goals, know what those are, know what the time is to qualify for state and that's what you come to work on each day at practice. It's a stressful time for a coach and for these athletes. It doesn't matter what you've done all season - you have to do it at that one particular meet (sectionals). I’m hopeful they are able to achieve the goals that they've set for themselves. I'm really proud not only of these three, but everybody from our team. We had a really nice sectional. We competed well. We were 5/10ths of a second away from qualifying our 4 x 4 team, which would have been the first time ever for OTHS. Our 4 x 1 was a couple ticks off as well. So, we had a lot of great competition, and we performed well.

What are your goals for the State Meet?

Stephon Patrick: “I think my expectations are that when I get to throw on Friday morning, that I will be able to compete, and I will be able to make it to finals for Saturday morning, and I could make myself one of the top athletes in Illinois this year. I know that I would like to make this more icing on a cake for me and Coach Swords because I know that he's retiring.”

Bryar Baxter: “My expectations are, hopefully, to make it to finals. I know it's gonna be very competitive, a lot of good jumpers there. I hope to reach my goal that I've set for myself at 13 (feet) 6 (inches). But I don't know. The ultimate goal was to make it to state. I've said since freshman year that I wanted to go, so I'm just glad I get to.”

Joey Liebhart: “My ultimate goal is to place top three in the 300 (meter) hurdles. Since the beginning of the year, I've known that I can compete in the 300 (meter hurdles) specifically, 110 (meter hurdles), maybe not quite as much. I would still love to do great in those, but my main focus this weekend is get to the finals and then go out there and compete. I know I can compete with all of those guys and I'm very hopeful for that.”

What are your plans after high school?

Bryar Baxter: “It's all a little bit blurry. Nothing's really set in stone yet, but if track is in it, then I will be set.”

Joey Liebhart: “I don't plan on running track or doing any type of sports after high school. I'll be going to the University of Illinois to study civil engineering.”

Stephon Patrick: “After high school, I'll be traveling to California to pursue my goals in football. Hopefully this is not the last time I compete.

Trent Swords, Coach: “It just brings me such pride and joy to see the kids that I've had a part in coaching and just be a part of their high school life for four years to see them become young men, set goals, go out, work hard, and achieve their goals. It will be an emotional day for me as it always is when the track season comes to an end and the seniors move on. It'll be a tough day, but I'll be super excited. I know these guys are gonna do a great job and I’m just so proud of them.”

05/28/2026

05/27/2026

Ottawa Township High School (OTHS) Seniors Kaden Araujo and Ayden Sexton qualified for the IHSA Class 1A Boys State Tennis Championships.

Their doubles team finished with a third-place podium appearance at the IHSA Class 1A Sectional meet held at the LaSalle Peru Township Sports Complex in Peru, Illinois Friday, May 22nd.

As Coach Matt Gross guides Sexton and Araujo through their first IHSA State Championship appearance in matches at Hoffman Estates High School May 28th through 30th, they shared their thoughts about the road to the finals.

How prepared were you both heading into Sectionals that you would reach the podium?

Kaden Araujo: “We put ourselves in a great position in the regular season to get the seed we wanted to and - with all due respect to our opponents - get the opponents that we want, and we were just able to execute.”

Ayden Sexton: “I felt pretty confident, especially the first match. We kind of breezed through it, and then the second match, you know, things didn't go our way most of the time, and we just kind of had to bring it back together to win it all.”

Kaden Araujo: “Anytime you play, you want to win, but sometimes the process is more valuable than the result, and the sectional is probably the most pressure we've played under our entire tennis career. So having that experience going into state, that's way more valuable than just a regular season match.”

Was qualifying at Sectionals for the IHSA Class 1A State Championship an expectation?

Ayden Sexton: “I was kind of expecting it this year. Last year, I kind of hoped, and I think as I improved, I kind of knew that I could do it this year.”

Kaden Araujo: “The expectation is definitely to go to state, and the goal is just to win as many matches as possible. Because we have a reputation of sending doubles to state like every year, you don't want to be that team to mess it up.”

Matt Gross, Coach: “My expectation was that these guys would be where they're at today. I felt that they were good enough knowing who would be in the sectional. (Coach) Mrs. (Tracey) O'Fallon and I both felt like their best chance of qualifying for state was together. 28 out of the 30 years I've been at Ottawa, I've been able to go to state with our players. One of the earliest memories was the Nagle Brothers in 1999, 2000 when they finished 2nd in state. So, this is always a goal.”

OTHS has a rich history of success with its tennis program. Is there a weight that comes with being a part of that history now?

Kaden Araujo: “A little bit, yes. But at the same time, you're just playing a kid’s game, so you just want to go have fun and do your best and just represent the program well.”

Matt Gross, Coach: “I got to coach under Coach (Tom) Henderson the first few years that I coached, and then I got to coach with Coach (Lyle) Gunther while his grandkids were in high school. Ever since I've been in Ottawa, this is my 30th year, I've always felt like, one of the main goals is to just continue the tradition. Everybody in the state knows Ottawa Tennis because of Lyle Gunther and Tom Henderson. So, we just wanna keep it rolling.”

Ayden Sexton: “On the day that we won and we qualified for state, I just was kind of thinking about all the people that have done it before and how we just continued to keep the legacy.”

What do you take away from your time playing tennis at OTHS knowing the IHSA State
Championship matches are the last high school tennis games you both will play?

Kaden Araujo: “I just want to take away the all the work that we put in over the last four years. All the growth that we've all made individually and as a team. So just going out the right way. And hopefully pull out some matches, but whatever happens, we can live with the result if we play our game and just control what we can control.”

Ayden Sexton: “I think just the key takeaway is, for me, is to just understand how they're playing if we lose and see if I can adapt or do anything different. And like Caden said, just acknowledge our growth over the four years and just enjoy the last moments of high school.”

Matt Gross, Coach: “I hope they feel good about themselves. I think they do. It's really an exciting time to see all the players there and this is something that they're always going to remember. They'll always be state qualifiers and, and they experienced the state tournament. I still remember the times that I was at state in high school, and they were fond memories.”

What are you plans after high school?

Ayden Sexton: “I'm going to (Illinois Valley Community College) IVCC for two years and I'm going to be playing tennis for them. And then afterwards, wherever I transfer to, I'll be playing there too.”

Kaden Araujo: “I will not be playing tennis competitively after high school, but I plan to continue playing recreationally. Educationally, I'm gonna go to IVCC for three semesters and then eventually transfer to a four-year college for either accounting or finance.”

05/26/2026

The faculty, staff and administration of Ottawa Township High School (OTHS) and members of the OTHS Board of Education honored 293 graduating seniors from the school’s class of 2026 during commencement ceremonies in Kingman Gymnasium Friday, May 22nd.

“Graduates, your journey started at OTHS 1,382 days ago,” said Dr. Michael Cushing, Superintendent of OTHS District 140. “I wish you nothing but the best as you move on to the next phase of your life.”

The 2026 graduation activities in Kingman Gym marked the 148th senior commencement ceremony in school history. Ottawa Township High School was established in 1878.

“High school has taught us how to use different methods every day to continue to improve,” said Teagan Cole, president of the class of 2026, during her commencement address. “As we continue into the vast world hopefully past Ottawa, please keep in mind that you are the only factor between success and failure,” she told the gathered students in addition to more than 2,500 friends and family of graduates who attended the commencement.

During the ceremonies, OTHS principal Patrick Leonard, who is retiring in July, announced student Brooklyn Byone earned Valedictorian honors. Byone was one of 32 members of the OTHS class of 2026 who graduated with a cumulative grade point average (GPA) above 4.0.

Congratulations to the Class of 2026 on their graduation from OTHS!

05/26/2026

Congratulations to the following graduates of the Ottawa Township High School (OTHS) Class of 2026 with last names beginning with "A" through "H":

(Names with an asterisk (*) denotes membership in the S. Isabella Sanders Ottawa Honor Society. A number sign ( #) denotes that student has received the Illinois State Seal of Biliteracy or Commendation towards the Seal of Biliteracy)

ABROMAITIS, HAILEY LYNN
ALLEN, JORDYN RENEE
ADDIS, JAX
AMEZQUITA, ALAN TADEO
ANDERSON, DYLAN
ANDERSON, MADELYN ROSE
*ARAUJO, KADEN JOHN
ARMSTRONG, JACOB HENRY
ARROYO, JADA RENEE
BARR, JAYLYN MARIE
BARSZTAITIS, JAELENE MARIE
BATISTINI, BRAYDEN LEWIS
BAXTER, BRYAR JAMES
BEGUIN, OLIVIA REESE
BELLEL, DAMIEN JAIR
BIVENS, KALEIGH
BLAZYS, MAKENZIE MAE
BOLDING, ELIJAH EVAN
BOWDEN, AARON RICHARD
BRADFORD, SOPHIA JOSLYN
BRADY, BROOKLYN KIARA
BRANDOW, DELAINEY RAE
*BRANDT, TAYLOR MARIE
BREWER, BRAYDEN ROLLIN
BROMBEREK, TRACE ROBERT
BROWN, LANDEN DAVID
*BRYSON, C**T KENNETH
BURKE, MAKENA JADEN
BUSTAMANTE, RICARDO ELIAS
BUTLER, DYLAN CHRISTOPHER
*BYONE, BROOKLYN ELIZABETH
BYRD, HANNAH AUBRY
CAMACHO, BRIANNA
CARBAJAL, JAYDEN XAVIER
CARRIER, JAXON SAVAGE
CARTER, OLIVIA FAITH
CECHOWICZ, ARCHER NICHOLAS
CEPAITIS, KORBIN EDWARD
CHAPMAN, AMILLYAH
CHEATHAM, BREGAN LYN
CHIAVENTONE, GIANA AVERY
CLARK, BENJAMIN DAVID
CLEMENTS, LINA ELYSE
COFFEY, DELAYNE KATHERINE
*COLE, TEAGAN MELESA
CONLEY, LUCAS JAMES
CONTRERAS, ALEXANDER JOHN
CONTRERAS, GIOVANNI
COOK, IVY
*COONEY, KERRIGAN ANN
CORTEZ, GAGE PHILIP
CORTEZ, JAYLAH MERCEDEZ
COVALSKY, AYLA ROSE
CREED, GAVIN BRODY
*CROSBY, EMMALEE ANN
CROTTY, BRAYDEN ANTHONY
CUMMINGS, EMMA MARIE
DANIELSON, AMBER LYNN
DANNO, JULIAN JOSEPH
DAVIS, OLIVIA ANNE
DEGRO, EMMILY YANICE
DIAZ, TESSA MARIE
DILLEY, LANDON WILLIAM
DONAHUE, JOSEPHINE ELIZABETH
DOTY, BRADON ALEX
DUBACH, HUNTYER ROBERT-PAUL
DUMKE, CAMERON JUDD
DUNCAN, DUANE AMBROSE, III
EASTON, HUNTER BENJAMIN
EINHAUS, SAMUEL JAMES
ENERSON, MIKE
ENGEL, ZACH
# ESPINOZA, ANDREA ADALAY
EWERS, HAYLEY CATHERINE
FALANEY, SOPHIA CONSTANCE
FALLMAIER, EVAN BRADLEY
*FARABAUGH, LUCAS ANTHONY
FARMER, DOMINIC LUIS
FASCETTA, ALLY MARIE
FELDT, HAYDEN JAMES PAUL
FIESEL, OLIVIA LOYCE
FIGENBAUM, JOCELYN KATE
FIGENBAUM, KILAH GRACE
FINNEGAN, EMELIA IRELYN
FISHER, DANIEL ISAAC
*FISHER, LAUREL ALEXA
FLANERY, CHASE ALEXANDER
FOSTER, SAVANNAH EVE
FRAZER, TYLER JOSEPH
FREDERICK, ZIEDRICH GABRIEL
FREY, ENZO ANDREW
FUCHS, BRENDYN JAMES
GARAY, LILLY
GEIGER, KADEN
GERENA, MARIO ANTHONY
GLEIM, LUKE
GONZALEZ, ARIEL ZARRAY
GONZALEZ, BRIANNA RENEE
GRADY, BRIELLE MARIE
GRAHAM, RUSSELL DAVID
GRAMAN, REBEKAH LYNN
GRAVES, ARIANNA MARIE
GRETENCORD, MALCOLM PAUL
GRIEVES, KOBE SILAS
GROSS, FINLEY CLARE
GUTIERREZ, ETHAN SERGIO
* # GUTIERREZ, PERLA
GWALTNEY, ISABEL MARIE
HALL, GRACIE RAE
*HALTERMAN, SAMANTHA MALYN
HARMON, DALLAS WAYNE
HARRIS, ENRIKA JO
HARSTED, RYLEE SHEA
HART, BELLA ELLEN
HART, CAMERON DANE
HART, MEMPHIS
HASENBERG, ALEXANDER AIDEN
HAYES, ELLA GRACE
HAYES, RIDDICK AEDEN
HELD, CHRISTOPHER MICHAEL, Jr
HENNING, LAILA GRACE
HEREDIA Jr, JOSE ANTONIO
HERNANDEZ-SOLIS, YAQUELIN
HETELLE, HARLYN CRAIG
HODGE, EELAN JAMES
HOFFMAN, DEREK ALLEN
HOYE, KYRRA JADE
HUGGINS, CHARLOTTE KAY
HUGHES, BRANDON LEE
HUGHES, BROCK ALEXANDER
HUGHES, GRIFFIN JACOB

05/26/2026

Congratulations to the following graduates of the Ottawa Township High School (OTHS) Class of 2026 with last names beginning with "J" through "Z":

(Names with an asterisk (*) denotes membership in the S. Isabella Sanders Ottawa Honor Society. A number sign ( #) denotes that student has received the Illinois State Seal of Biliteracy or Commendation towards the Seal of Biliteracy)

JACOBSEN, JOCELYN KATHLEEN
JOACHIM, HEZEKIAH JAICROIX
JOHNSON, FELICITY JOY
JOHNSON, JACK MATTHEW
JOHNSON-DEBERNARDI, JAYDON
JULIAN, REAGAN LENNAE
KANELLIS, ADDISON SHEA MARIE
KESSLER, EMILY JEAN
KHUDAVERDIIEVA, PARVANA
KIMES, TRENITY
KIPER, HALLIE LYNN
KLENE, LEYLAH MAY IRENE
KOPPENHOEFER, JAMES MICHAEL
KRAFFT, EVAN
KUTELLA, KAILEE MARIE
LAGE, CADEN JUSTIN RAY
LAMBERT, BASIA LUCIA
LANGE, DANILEIGH KATE
LAWRENCE, DAKOTA JAMES
LEACH, TYLER JOSEPH
*LEIGH, AVERY SUSAN
LEITERITZ, AUGUST RAE
LEON-GUTIERREZ, ANDREA GUADALUPE
LIBBY, IZAIAH WILLIAM
*LIEBHART, JOSEPH DANIEL
*LOGAN, NOAH ADAM
LOPEZ, JORGE
LOPEZ, JOSIAH ANTHONY MIGUEL
LOPEZ, SARA ELIZABETH
LOVELL, XANDER JAYMZ
LOWE, BRADY RICHARD
LOWE, BRANT DANIEL
MAHAFFEY, SOPHIA MARIE
*MARKEY, ISABELLA MARIE
*MARTIN, MAYA ADALEIGH
MARTINEZ, DIEGO
MARVIN, NOAH SCOTT
*MAUBACH, AUBREY ELLA
MCGILL, MICHAEL HENRY
MCNALLY, BRENNAN THOMAS
MILLER, LILY ELIZABETH
MILLER, SHAELYN ELIZABETH
MILLIGAN, THOMAS MICHAEL
MILLS, LOGAN RYAN
MISSEL, LUCIELLE MARIE
MESARCHIK, JAYMIE
MOLINA, EMMA ROSE
MOORE, KINDLEY ELIZABETH
*MORELAND, ZULEE SRICHAN
MUNOZ, MARITZA
MUNSON, MARK
*MURPHY, ROBERT GRACEN
MURRELL, ATORYAN DSIAH NASEAN
NANTZ, JAYDEN MARIE
NANTZ, KAZDYN ALAN
NEU, JONATHAN DOMINICK
NICHOLS, ARIANNA PAAGE
NILLES, CASH MIAH
*NIMKE, KALEB FREDRIK ANTON
NODLAND, SKYLAR NICOLE
*NORTHRIP, DAPHNE MAXINE
O'BRIEN, AVA ELIZABETH GRACE
OHLENDORF, LAUREN KAY
O'NEILL, MAGGIE KATHRYN
OROZCO, JULIAN NOEL
PAGAKIS, BRODY JAMES
PARIS, EVAN HUNTER
PARKER III, STEPHEN CHARLES
PARKS, DOMINIC MICHAEL
*PASSWATER, LUKE JAMES
*PATEL, ISHIKA VIJAY
PATRICK, STEPHON EUGENE
# PEREZ MARIN, KATHYSHA NICOLE
* # PEREZ, XINA HERMELINDA
PETERS, ANDREW ALLEN
PHILLIPS, DAVID JOESPH
PHINNEY, LEIGHA KAELYN
PINTER, DAVID MICHAEL
PLOTZ, JACOB XAVIER
*POLEGA, BETHANY GRACE
PONGRACZ, JACK
POSEY, MASON EDWARD
*POUTRE, ETHAN DOUGLAS
PULEO, DELANEY ROSE
QUINN, WYATT
*RAMZA, AVA MILLICENT
RESENDEZ, JASMINE MARIE
REYNOLDS, ALYSSA RENEE
REYNOLDS, BRADLEY THOMAS
RILEY, TRISTAN MICHAEL
RISSMAN, GABRIEL MICHAEL-EUGENE
RISTAU, EVAN ROBERT
ROMERO, GRECIA ELENI
RUHLAND, MAYSON ALAN
*RUIZ, CLAIRA MARIEL
RUPP, HANNAH MAY
SAMOLITIS, MADELINE JUNE
SAMPSON, NOAH ALEXANDER
*SANDERS, OWEN ROBERT
SANTOY-CEJA, KAYLEE MARIE
SARTORI, DOMINIC MATTHEW
SAUCEDO-GARCIA, MANUEL ANGEL
SCHILLO, NATALIA ELIZABETH
SCHILTZ, LEAH ASHLEY
SCHMIDT, MADISON LYNLEE
SERBY, KATHERINE ALICE
SERGENTI, DANIEL ANTHONY - SOA
SEXTON, AYDEN JEFFERY
SHORKEY, BLAKE ANDREW
SKINNER, LANE EVAN
SMITH, COOPER WILLIAM
SMITH, ELIZABETH GRACE
*SMITHMEYER, GRANT PHILIP
*SOLAN, HALEY JOY
SOLIS, CHRISTIAN
*SOULSBY, MADILYN
*SOWELL, MADISON VIRGINIA
* # STALLMANN, PAUL GUY
STEVENS, LUKAS ALEXANDER
*STISSER, MARY CLAIRE
STROK, STEPHANIE LOUISE
STUBBLEFIELD, KYLIE ROSE
SULLIVAN, AUBREY EILEEN-RENE
SWANSON, ADAM JEFFREY
SWEEZER, NICHOLAS ANTHONY
TAYLOR, JOHN HERMAN VAN STED
THEISSEN, MADILYN MAY
*THIRY, CHARLES ROBERT
THOMAS, CELIE ANN
THORSEN, KENDALL ELIZABETH
THRUSH, JULIANA LILY
*THRUSH, RILEY LYN
TROUTMAN, ALEXIS ROSE
TROUTMAN, GRACIE ANN
VALDEZ, BRYSON ANTHONY
VANA, EMILY JENNIFER STARR
VEDDER, MICHAEL
*VERCOLIO, ANDREW
VERMEULEN, ETHAN JEFFREY
VEZAIN, AUTYMN CHRISTINA
VITERI, AIDEN CHRISTOPHER
VOIGT, ZUREEN PATRICIA
WADE, SAMUEL
*WALKER, MARELYN SUE
*WEATHERFORD, AVA ANGELINE
WEATHERSBY, JAYDA LEIGH
WEYGAND, AVERY
WILHELM, MCKADEN WILLIAM THOMAS
WILLIFORD, ZACHARY JOSEPH
WILSON, JUDITH LYNNE
WILSON, TIFFANIE NICOLE
WINDY, LILA LIN
WOOD, CHARLES DEWAYNE, IV
WOOD, ISAIAH RYAN
WOODYER, CAYDEN MILES
WOODYER, CHARLES WALTER
YOUNG, AVEA
YOUNG, SIMONE BLAIR
ZARWELL, NOLAN PHILIP
ZOPP, RHOIN ELLA

05/23/2026

Congratulations to our Girls Softball team on their Regional Championship! They beat Geneseo 3-0

05/23/2026