LHS To Induct 5 Into Athletic Hall Of Fame

LEMONT, IL — The newest members of Lemont High School’s Athletic Hall of Fame will be introduced at a ceremony on Sunday, Sept. 15, at Cog Hill Golf Club in Lemont. The school said the hall of fame’s 15th induction class will be Eugene Goldsmith ‘77, Rich Jakusz ‘74, Kyle Spoo ‘10, Jason Taylor ‘97 and Melanie (Waszak) Martinez ‘10.

The 2019 Lemont High School Athletic Hall of Fame Ceremony will begin with a reception at noon on Sept. 15. Lunch will be served at 12:45 p.m., with the induction ceremony beginning at approximately 1:30 p.m. According to the school, tickets are $25 each; reservations must be made through the Lemont High School Athletic Department by Wednesday, Sept. 11. To make a reservation, call the athletic department at (630) 243-3207.

Eugene Goldsmith '77

Goldsmith guided the school’s athletic booster club through an era of unprecedented growth, the school said. He served as President of the Blue & Gold Backers from 2002-12, and as Vice President in 2001-02. During his tenure as President, the organization raised approximately $250,000 to benefit the school’s athletic department and other school organizations. Goldsmith helped design the concession stands at the LHS Sports Complex and the school’s football stadium. The school said he has been tabbed with the school’s “Extra Mile” Award in 2009 and was a recipient of the ESPN Radio 1000 “Local Hero” award in 2010. Goldsmith served as a member of the Lemont Jaycees for 32 years, holding various offices through his tenure. He was selected as the state’s Jaycees “Most Outstanding Local Director” and held the role as the Jaycees Northeast Illinois Region State Director. The school said he has served as the Jaycees Special Olympics Chairman, and chaired the Keepataw Days Parade six times, and also co-chaired the Keepataw Days Festival. As a student, Goldsmith had seven combined varsity letters in baseball, football and wrestling. He picked up two varsity letters in football, earning a starting position as a senior in 1976, earned three varsity letters in wrestling, and was part of a team that won the 1975 Class A district title. He was the winner of the John Santos Memorial Award as a senior in 1977. Goldsmith collected two varsity letters in baseball and was a member of the district title winning team as a senior in 1977. He was an honor roll student and father of Lemont High School graduates Kevin (2005) and Brian (2009). LHS said he also began a tenure on the school’s Building and Grounds team in 2012.

Rich Jakusz '74

Jakusz earned 10 combined varsity letters in baseball, basketball, football and track and field. LHS said he served as a quarterback and kicker while picking up three varsity letters in football. Jakusz led the Joliet area in passing and scoring as a junior in 1972. He was tabbed with All-Northeast Conference honors in football as a junior and senior and received three varsity letters in basketball playing for Hall of Fame coach John Jones. Jakusz was honored with team MVP accolades as a senior in 1974 after helping Lemont to a 22-5 record and a Northeast Conference title. The school said he also earned all-conference in honors in basketball as a junior and senior and was cited to the Joliet Herald News all-area football and basketball teams as a junior and senior. Jakusz picked up two varsity letters in baseball, and helped his teams to conference titles as both a sophomore (1972) and senior (1974) and batted near .400 in both of his varsity seasons. He also earned two letters in track, picking up all-conference honors and was tabbed as “Most Athletic” in the Class of 1974. Jakusz was a National Honor Society student who was a member of the Student Council. He also served as a youth baseball, basketball and soccer coach in Lemont.

Kyle Spoo, '10

Spoo was a four-time letterwinner in boys’ soccer and totaled 163 points on 64 goals and 35 assists over four seasons. The school said he was a four-time All-South Suburban Conference honoree and helped Lemont to a composite record of 79-20-9, including a 35-6 mark in SSC play. Spoo guided the squad to four IHSA Regional crowns, three SSC Blue titles, three IHSA Sectional championships, one IHSA Super-Sectional victory, and the school’s first-ever appearance in the IHSA Elite 8. The school said he earned National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) All-Midwest honors as a senior in 2009 and was tabbed to the Illinois High School Soccer Coaches Association (IHSSCA) All-State Team in 2009. He tallied career highs of 20 goals, 15 assists and 55 points on his way to SSC Blue Player of the Year honors as a senior. Lemont went 21-5-1 in 2009 and advanced to its third IHSA Super-Sectional title match in four seasons. Spoo earned IHSSCA All-Sectional honors as both a sophomore (2007) and junior (2008). The school said he led the team in scoring as a junior and senior, and in goals scored each of his final three seasons; scored 19 goals as a sophomore in 2007, as Lemont finished 22-3-3 and advanced to the IHSA Elite 8. Spoo has also earned all-area accolades from several local publications. The school said he was a team captain and member of both the Chicago Fire and Chicago Magic U.S. Soccer Development Academy squads. He was named to the 2009 ESPN Rise Team for Illinois. Spoo was a high honor roll student and earned a scholarship to play men’s soccer at Loyola University Chicago. The school said he served as the Ramblers’ team captain as a junior and senior and was named to the 2012 Horizon League All-Tournament Team.

Jason Taylor '97

Taylor earned nine varsity letters combined in baseball, basketball, cross country and golf. He is a four-year varsity baseball player who served as a shortstop and pitcher. The school said he is a three-time All-Suburban Prairie Conference honoree in baseball and earned team MVP and Suburban Prairie Conference Player of the Year honors as a senior in 1997 while helping the team to a conference title. Taylor received baseball all-area accolades from several publications and earned three varsity letters in basketball. He graduated as the school’s all-time leading scorer, as well as the school record holder for 3-point field goals in a game, season and career. The school said he was a two-time all-conference player in basketball and was cited with basketball team MVP and Suburban Prairie Conference Player of the Year honors as a senior in 1997. Taylor competed in the 3-Point Shootout at the IHSA State Finals and was named to the Lemont Christmas Classic All-Tournament Team. He received basketball all-area accolades from several publications. Taylor also earned one varsity letter each in cross country and golf. He was tabbed as “Most Athletic” in the Class of 1997. Taylor was a National Honor Society student and earned a baseball scholarship to Rockhurst University. He finished his career fifth on the school’s all-time innings pitched list, and posted a career batting average of .358. Taylor was part of the 1999 NCAA Division II College World Series squad and played in three regional championship games.

Melanie (Waszak) Martinez '10

Martinez earned four varsity letters in girls’ swimming and is a three-time IHSA Girls’ Swimming State Qualifier (2006, 2008, 2009). The school said she is a four-time South Suburban Conference champion in both the 100 butterfly and 100 backstroke. Martinez is a four-time team MVP and was part of SSC champion 200 and 400 freestyle relay teams three times. She finished her career as the school record holder in the 100 fly (57.03), 100 back (59.44) and 200 individual medley (2:13.66). The school said she was also part of school-record squads in the 200 freestyle, 400 freestyle and 200 medley relays. Martinez became the first female in school history to qualify for the IHSA Swimming State Finals as a freshman in 2006 and helped Lemont to the SSC Blue title as a sophomore in 2007. Martinez also qualified for the IHSA State Finals in two events (100 fly, 100 back) as both a junior and senior, and placed 12th in the 100 fly at the 2008 IHSA State Finals, earning the school’s first-ever point in state finals competition. The school said Martinez placed eighth in the 100 fly at the 2009 IHSA State Finals, which is the best state finals finish ever for a Lemont swimmer. She served as a team captain and was a High Honor Roll student as well as a member of the Student Council. Martinez earned a scholarship to swim at the University of Illinois-Chicago and served as a team captain as both a junior and senior at UIC. The school said Martinez held eight UIC team records as an individual or part of a relay squad. She set a school and Horizon League record in the 200 butterfly and earned Swimmer of the Meet honors as a junior at the 2013 Horizon League Championships. Martinez won three individual events at the 2013 Horizon League Championships and was part of three victorious relay squads. She has also mentored student-athletes as part of UIC’s “Pass the Torch” program.

Lemont High School is also seeking nominations for potential future Athletic Hall of Fame inductees. The school said nominations are accepted in one of four categories - Athlete, Coach, Parent/Community Member or Pride of Lemont. All nominees must be of good character, reflecting the qualities and ideals set forth in the school’s Athletic Code of Conduct. Nominees in the ‘Athlete’ category are not eligible for induction to the Athletic Hall of Fame until five years after their graduation from the school.

Hall of Fame nomination materials may be obtained by contacting the school’s Athletic Office at (630) 243-3207, and may be downloaded from the “Athletics” page on the school’s website, www.lhs210.net.