Lockport’s Hutsyn Timosciek Aims for Greater Success in Senior Season

Hutsyn Timosciek became a prominent figure two years ago, scoring 11 kills in a pivotal supersectional match that propelled Lockport to the state finals for the first time in 25 years. Last season, she accumulated 356 kills to lead the team back to state, compensating for the injured Kyla Mitchell. In both years, Lockport secured third place in the state in Class 4A. As a senior right-side hitter, Timosciek aspires for more this year.

We definitely want more — that’s the goal every year, she stated. Sadly, we’ve been falling a little short. But we’re so used to going to state now. I feel like we’ve had a taste of it and we want more of it.

Timosciek delivered a strong performance on Thursday night, contributing 11 kills to lead the Porters in a 25-18, 25-22 victory over Sandburg during the SouthWest Suburban Conference. Virginia recruit Mitchell added 10 kills for Lockport, delivering nine in the closely contested second game. Milwaukee recruit Natalie Bochantin recorded 12 assists, and Emma Consigny added six digs. On the other hand, Bella Maras led Sandburg with five kills, supported by Ellery Dyra with three blocks.

The Porters find themselves fortunate to have both Timosciek and Mitchell in the lineup simultaneously. Last season, Mitchell watched from the sidelines as she recovered from a leg injury. This season, she transitioned from middle hitter to outside hitter, appreciating Timosciek’s contributions.

She’s a major part of our team, Mitchell commented. She’s someone we can count on to put the ball away. She has huge power behind her arm, and, yeah, she’s definitely a big piece to this team. She does a lot for us.

Standing at 5-foot-11, Timosciek remains uncommitted but continues to improve, says Lockport coach Nick Mraz. During her sophomore year, she was part of the team, but the match that stands out was the supersectional, Mraz recalled of the remarkable 23-25, 25-9, 25-22 win over Downers Grove South. That was huge. It was a big reason we went to state that year. We knew she would have to pick up a lot of the slack her junior year and she led the team in kills, and her confidence carried into this year. She wants the ball. She demands the ball.

With hopes of reaching the state finals for the third consecutive year at CEFCU Arena in Normal, Timosciek believes the team’s experience is advantageous. Sophomore year, we didn’t know where to go right away, she recalled. Junior year, we knew where to go and what to wear. We didn’t know there were pictures during practice, and junior year, we were able to get ready and look nice. We felt more comfortable last year.

Sports success is a family tradition for Timosciek. Her mother, Sherrie, formerly known as Donnells, contributed to Sandburg’s girls soccer team’s first-ever state qualification in 1991. Her brothers, Hayden and Hyatt, celebrated Lockport’s Class 8A state football championship in 2021. Hutsyn maintained the winning streak with two third-place finishes.

Despite her mother’s high school ties to Sandburg, there isn’t much friendly rivalry when Lockport faces Sandburg. I have a lot of friends on Sandburg, so I trash-talked with them before the game, she shared. But with my mom — we’ve been here so long, I don’t think she cares about Sandburg anymore, I’m not going to lie. She wants me to win.