Please join us in a send-off parade for these athletes at 4:45 p.m. Thursday, March 12, 2026, at Bonnie McBeth Learning Center, 15730 Howard St.
Our athletes will get a police escort through the Bonnie McBeth parking lot from Howard Street to Renwick Road.
Plan to be at Bonnie McBeth at 4:30 p.m. to be ready when the athletes arrive at 4:45 p.m.
Two District 202 middle school Special Olympics basketball teams will compete in the state games this weekend at Illinois State University, and five high school student athletes will participate in the state skills competition.
These five high school Special Olympic athletes will compete in the basketball skills competition this weekend:
Jacob Alvarez, senior, Plainfield South
Ryan Angelus, freshman, Plainfield East
Jack Chlebos, senior, Plainfield East
Diva Drummer, sophomore, Plainfield East
Popnen Pius-Alonee, sophomore, Plainfield East
The Black Cheetahs and the Blue Cheetahs competed in the regional tournament on January 13.
They will compete March 13 through 15 in the state games at Illinois State University.
The teams are made up of students from Aux Sable, Drauden Point, Heritage Grove, and Ira Jones middle schools.
In 2025, the inaugural year for the District 202 program, the teams took first place.
Haley Koziol, Special Olympics Athletic Director for the middle school and FBI SELECT teacher at Drauden Point, said some players from that team moved to high school, and several sixth graders have joined the rosters.
This year’s program focused on improving their skills, learning new plays, and being good teammates, she said.
“With another bid to the state tournament, they have definitely done something right,” Koziol said.
Here are the two teams:
Black Cheetahs
Camden Annis, seventh grade, Aux Sable Middle School
Ryen Lebsock, seventh grade, Aux Sable Middle School
Payton Labellarte, eighth grade, Drauden Point Middle School
Nicholas “Nick” Lammert, eighth grade, Drauden Point Middle School
Bentley Liberatore, eighth grade, Drauden Point Middle School
Will Rosario, eighth grade, Drauden Point Middle School
Noah Trevino, seventh grade, Drauden Point Middle School
Jonah Flores, eighth grade, Ira Jones Middle School
Joseph “Joey” Schmid, eighth grade, Ira Jones Middle School
Luke Lewandowski, sixth grade, Heritage Grove Middle School
Coaches Brenda Rosenbaum and Haley Koziol. Parent volunteer Jason Lammert
Blue Cheetahs
Angelo Aguilar, sixth grade, Drauden Point Middle School
Jahaziel Bandera, eighth grade, Drauden Point Middle School
Isaiah Burgos, sixth grade, Drauden Point Middle School
Parker Cuello, seventh grade, Drauden Point Middle School
Gabriel Cicero, eighth grade, Drauden Point Middle School
Vahin Choudhury, eighth grade, Heritage Grove Middle School
Jake Garbis, seventh grade, Heritage Grove Middle School
Jackson Marisco, sixth grade, Heritage Grove Middle School
Caleb Brown, sixth grade, Ira Jones Middle School
Lilianna “Lily” Diversey, eighth grade, Ira Jones Middle School
Coaches Dani Harness and Isabella D’Andrea. Parent volunteer Briana Litfka
