Beecher Board of Education Meeting | November 12, 2025

Article Summary: Beecher High School senior Wences Baumgartner was officially recognized by the Board of Education for breaking the Illinois High School Association’s (IHSA) all-time career goal scoring record with 187 goals. Baumgartner was one of several student-athletes honored for outstanding fall seasons, including state qualifiers in golf and cross country.

Student Athlete Recognitions Key Points:

• State Soccer Record: Wences Baumgartner concluded his high school career with 187 goals, establishing a new IHSA record. He was also named conference Player of the Year and Beecher’s first-ever all-state soccer player.

• State Golf Finishers: High school golfer Peyton Serafin finished tied for 9th at the state tournament, while junior high golfer Dominic Anacario qualified for state and finished tied for 38th.

• Junior High State Qualifiers: Sixth-grader Easton Tucker represented the junior high at the IESA State Cross Country Finals. The junior high softball team was also honored for its season, which concluded in the state’s Elite Eight.

• Music Honors: Junior high students Jocelyn Garcia (band) and Sofia Maksym (choir) were selected for the prestigious ILMEA Music Festival.

BEECHER, IL – The Beecher Board of Education on Wednesday, November 12, 2025, honored a group of exceptional student-athletes, led by high school soccer phenom Wences Baumgartner, who etched his name in state history with a record-breaking season.

Baumgartner, a senior, was celebrated for shattering the IHSA’s all-time career goal scoring record, finishing his high school career with an incredible 187 goals. His dominance also earned him Player of the Year honors for his conference and a selection as Beecher High School’s first-ever all-state soccer player. His single-season scoring totals also rank 5th and 16th in IHSA history. The boys’ soccer team finished its season with an 18-6-1 record, winning both the RVC Championship and Tournament.

“He is our high school single-season scoring record holder,” an administrator announced while reading Baumgartner’s athletic resume. “Overall, he is Beecher High School’s career goal scorer with 187 goals over his career. That also placed him on the top of the IHSA goal scorer in a career.”

The board also recognized several other students for their elite performances during the fall season. In golf, high schooler Peyton Serafin was honored for finishing tied for 9th at the state tournament after shooting an impressive one-under-par 71 on the second day. At the junior high level, Dominic Anacario qualified for the state golf tournament, where he finished tied for 38th place.

Junior high cross country runner Easton Tucker received recognition for an “amazing season” in which he qualified for the IESA State Finals as a sixth-grader, a rare accomplishment.

The board also celebrated the Beecher Junior High softball team, which finished its season with a 19-4 record and a trip to the state’s Elite Eight.

In addition to athletics, several students were recognized for academic and artistic achievements. Elementary students Dexter Grutizus, Reid VonAlven, and Sofia Bentivenga were honored for showing exceptional growth on their fall benchmark exams. Junior high students Jocelyn Garcia and Sofia Maksym were congratulated for being selected to represent Beecher at the 2025 Illinois Music Educators Association (ILMEA) Music Festival in Cicero.