Will Cook County News

By Claude Martinez.

Chicago – “I have been just preaching to them that it’s not going to be easy,” said second-year head coach Brandon ‘Smoke’ Williams of Simeon Career Academy (20-12-1), when asked about preparing for the IHSA 3A Chicago Brooks Sectional Final on June 7, 2025, against Walter Payton College Preparatory High School (18-20). “If we expected it to be easy, then what are we playing for?”

“The easy way is never fun. The hard way is always fun,” said Williams. “So that is what we did. They stayed focused, they stayed locked in, made the plays when they needed to be played, and here we are.”

For most of the game, Simeon’s Antonio Porterfield and Payton’s Nathan Volkens battled it out on the mound, getting plenty of help from their teammates across the diamond and in the outfield. By the end of the fifth inning, the score was tied 5–5, with both starting pitchers having been relieved; after 5 innings pitched.

Aiden Pondexter took over for Porterfield (finished with four strikeouts), while Nick Linares came in for Volkens (finished with two strikeouts).

In the top of the 6th, Pondexter allowed a single run. But when the roles reversed, the outcome shifted. Linares found himself in a jam with the bases loaded and walked Antwan Jackson, allowing Jeremiah Henry to cross the plate for what would become the game-winning run.

Senior Bryce Jones wasn’t done yet. With the count at 2-2, he stepped into the box and hit a sharp ground ball that snuck through the second baseman’s five-hole, bringing in Aiden Pondexter standing and Cavion Danley sliding into home plate. (Note: Video of this play can be seen on WCCN’s social media pages, linked here.)

Although Jones was not credited with a hit on the play, officially scored as an E4, his clutch moment earned him WCCN Player of the Game honors.

In the top of the 7th, the Simeon Wolverines locked it down, keeping Payton off the board for good.

FINAL: Simeon Career Academy 8, Walter Payton College Preparatory 5.

As a four-year varsity player, Jones spoke about his last at bat: “He was throwing a lot of fastballs,” noted Bryce Jones. “I knew he was going to come with another one and challenge me so I was just waiting on it and put a good piece on it… Doing it for my team.”

“It means a lot,” Jones added after speaking about winning the sectional championship. “Especially doing it with this group, being here all four years. I feel like it came around the best time.”

In his second year as head coach, Brandon Williams put an emphasis on improving: “The goal this year was to improve in every step of the way from last year… and we did that,” Williams stated. “We improved in wins, we improved in conference wins, we improved in playoff wins in city, and now we just won the sectional championship. Like it can’t get no better than that.”

Finally, when asked who stood out on the day, Simeon’s coach shared, “My seniors came through big… Antwan Jackson, Bryce Jones, they came through huge and for them to go out as sectional champs, in their senior year, I’m so proud of them boys.”

Simeon Career Academy will now head to the Super-Sectionals on Monday, June 6, to take on St. Laurence.

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