Hersey senior Nate Mabry returned to the scene of his greatest athletic triumph on Saturday night and may have achieved an even better one.
Eighteen months after Mabry won the all-around state title in boys gymnastics at Hoffman Estates, he was back at the school, this time for an outdoor event.
Mabry again left as a state champion, but he had 21 soccer teammates sharing it with him.
“Gymnastics is very different to this because that’s an individual sport,” he said. “It’s all on you. This is relying on your teammates, trusting the guy next to you, and going out there and getting a win with the team.”
Starting at center back, the 5-foot-11 Mabry helped his team get a big win as the Huskies beat Lane Tech 1-0 on penalty kicks in the Class 3A state championship game.
It’s the first state title in team history for the Huskies (19-3-5), who won just eight games and lost in the first round of the playoffs last season. But Mabry has now won state medals in three sports; he finished eighth in diving as a junior.
Mabry and the Huskies had high hopes for this season, but turning a dream into reality isn’t always realistic.
“At the beginning of the year, we set a goal to become state champions,” he said. “I didn’t know if we could get there, but we took it one game at a time.
“This is the best team I could ask to play for, best group of guys. I’m really going to miss being a part of this team.”
The Huskies will miss Mabry, a three-year starter and stalwart on a back line that helped senior goalkeeper Adrian Smakowski record 13 shutouts. Three of those clean sheets came in the final three games.
“Not only is he athletically gifted in gymnastics and diving, he’s just that strong,” Smakowski said of Mabry. “His flip throws add so much to our team.
“He’s a great guy to be around — great leader, great person and an amazing defender. I couldn’t be happier with him helping us get through this whole season.”
Mabry began competing in club gymnastics and club soccer when he was 5 and persevered at both. His flipping in gymnastics gave him the basis for his powerful flip throw-ins, which usually travel 30 to 40 yards and can wreak havoc on opposing defenses.
“It’s been over a decade in the making,” Mabry said. “It’s just gotten longer and longer and more accurate over time.”
Few players utilize the flip throw at the high school level, never mind become as proficient at it as Mabry.
“His are next level,” Hersey coach Michael Rusniak said. “As a former defender, I would never want to be someone that would have to defend those. The thing is they are incredibly accurate and consistent, and he knows where to place them. It’s definitely a great weapon.
“But also, he is a leader as a center back, and I think that definitely is way bigger than the flip throw.”
That was the case against Lane (17-3-4), which like Hersey was making its first appearance at the state finals. The Huskies were outshot 13-8 during 100 minutes of regulation and two overtimes, but Mabry helped them stay strong in front of Smakowski, who made eight saves.
“His defense has been on point, and it’s been an honor to have him in the back,” Smakowski said.
The 6-foot-4 Smakowski was the star of the shootout, making diving saves on Lane Tech’s first two shooters.
“You have to stay calm,” he said. “If you start panicking, lose composure, you won’t perform.
“The job of goalkeeper is you have to not panic, and take everything in in the moment. You can only do your best. Beyond that, you can’t control anything more.”
But after teammates Johnny Antoniou, Nik Van De Mark and Adam Bugaj converted their kicks, Smakowski controlled — and sealed — Lane Tech’s fate. He stepped to the spot and converted the winning penalty kick for a 4-2 shootout win.
It was a rare instance of a goalkeeper scoring to win a state title. Smakowski’s approach was simple.
“Just nail them,” he said. “Remain calm, take a deep breath and pick a spot. That’s all it is.”
In an age when many elite athletes are urged to pick one sport, Mabry chose to keep doing two sports and even added diving a couple of years ago. It hasn’t held him back.
“I think playing all the different sports keeps you in pretty good shape and well-rounded,” he said. “We had a great summer camp, always productive practices, and it kept my game in shape.”
Indeed, Mabry was not only the top defender for the Huskies, but also one of their leading scorers. He registered a team-high 15 assists, many of which came off his flip throws, and his 11 goals were second on the team behind senior forward Kacper Lechowicz’s 13.
“It’s a really unique instance when you get somebody that is that athletic who can just pick up diving,” Rusniak said. “He’s been on varsity for three years, and he’s only gotten better and better, and I feel like him being in those other sports has really improved his overall athleticism and strength in soccer.
“His balance is a huge thing when you’re a center back. And his vertical — he’s also scored a lot of goals off of headers.”
Mabry is not planning to play sports in college, so his upcoming diving season will mark the end of a unique and history-making career.
“He’s probably the most decorated athlete we have at Hersey right now,” Rusniak said. “He’s one of a kind.
“He’s played every single minute of every single game. He’s also probably one of the toughest kids we have on our team. He’s taken some knocks, and he’s always managed to get up.”
In the process, Mabry helped elevate the Huskies to heights they didn’t realize they could reach. His drive and determination proved to be infectious.
“You could tell this group was a little different,” Rusniak said. “They were highly motivated. They were determined from day one what they wanted to accomplish. One of those goals was to make a state run.
“I don’t think anyone of us at the time knew that was going to be winning state, but they were determined.”
Mabry, whose state title in May 2023 marked the end of the Illinois High School Association’s sponsorship of boys gymnastics, was asked about his favorite moment in his high school sports career.
“Favorite memory is either sophomore year, last event in gymnastics, or right here with this team, rushing the field with Adrian Smakowski,” he said. “You could not ask for a better end to a soccer career.”
Matt Le Cren is a freelance reporter.
