When the Lyons Township High School football team upset highly regarded Glenbard West 31-13 last fall, the victory seemingly sent a momentum-building ripple throughout the LT athletic program the rest of the year. After snapping the host Hilltoppers’ gaudy 27-game regular season winning streak, the Lions (10-2) earned a share of the West Suburban (Silver) Conference Championship and advanced to the Class 8A State quarterfinals.
The gridiron Lions’ “to be the best you have to beat the best” template for success translated well with other LT sports. In girls volleyball (41-1 record) and boys baseball (37-4), the Lions claimed state championships over then top-ranked Cary-Grove and Providence, respectively, paving the way for national recognition this summer.
ESPNRise.com, an online website for high school athletes, recently ranked the LT athletic program as the 27th best in the nation. The only other Illinois high schools to make the prestigious cut were Wheaton-Warrenville South (No. 15) and Palatine (No. 41).
“I think the ranking reveals a great deal about the [LT] community and the athletes that populate our halls,” LT football coach Kurt Weinberg said. “Our kids are committed to excellence academically and athletically. Our administrators, teachers, coaches and parents along with dedicated student-athletes really define the school’s success.”
The ESPNRise.com rankings were determined in the following manner: Scoring was tallied according to a formula for each final national ranking of the 15 high school sports in which there is a Powerade Fab 50. Seven points were awarded for a No. 1 ranking, six points for Top 5, five points for Top 10, four points for Top 25, three points for Top 40 and two points for Top 50.
Along with the Lions’ girls volleyball (Ranked fourth in the nation) and boys baseball (No. 11) championship clubs, LT boys soccer (No. 35) also earned a Top 50 national ranking. The previous year, LT boys soccer won the school’s first state title in that sport.
In November, the LT volleyball team pulled out a 25-23, 19-25, 25-23 win over Cary-Grove in the Class 4A State Championship match. Led by stars Jocelynn Birks and Alexis Viliunas, the Lions produced a dominant season under coach Joann Pyritz, who claimed her second state title as a coach and third as part of the LT program.
George Ushela, Pyritz’s assistant coach, enjoyed a pair of state crowns during the past school year. Ushela also guided the LT senior-laden baseball team to an 8-3 win over Providence in the Class 4A Championship in June.
“It’s a special feeling of being on top of the world, well, at least on top of the state,” Ushela said earlier this summer. “But it really feels like we’re on top of the world.”
While the aforementioned three power programs led LT to a national ranking, in reality, the Lions lit up the scoreboard across the board.
Boys swimming finished 17th at the state finals with 22 points. The wrestling team advanced to the state quarterfinals before falling to Glenbard North 36-28. In the individual state competition, LT grapplers Drew Bates (27-6) and Joe Gonzalez (40-6) both made it to their championship bouts. Matt Nora (44-3) finished third at state with a 5-2 decision over Minooka’s Jake Residori.
In hoops, head coach Tom Sloan (52-5 record in two years) masterfully coached the boys team to another remarkable season as the Lions finished 26-3 with conference and regional titles. Even without top scorer Nick Zeisloft, the Lions put a scare into eventual state champ Simeon before losing 64-51 at the Argo Sectional final.
“It was fun coaching these guys because all of them are unselfish, skilled players,” Sloan said. “We had a real shot [to beat] Simeon. Our goal ultimately is to compete for state championships with a good group of players who play the game the right way.”
The spring season welcomed more success as runner Julie Dambra took fourth in the 400-meter dash (57.61 seconds) at the state finals. Boys water polo (29-3) earned a thrilling 15-5 victory over rival Brother Rice to claim a sectional title. In girls soccer, Kelsey Holbert (19 goals) led the Lions to a 22-5 record and appearances in the Pepsi Showdown, Naperville Invite and York Sectional finals. Girls swimming and water polo also enjoyed fine seasons, while both boys and girls tennis performed predictable well under veteran coach Bill Wham.
“The boys and girls sports both did very well [last year],” Wham said. “I think the reason for our success in athletics has a lot do with the area demographics. Our students, who come from towns like La Grange, Western Springs and Lyons, have a lot of parental support. When these kids come to LT, they play and learn about sports from an excellent group of dedicated coaches.”
Expansive facilities are another reason LT typically flourishes in sports. Collectively, the North and South campuses provide athletic amenities like a top of the line swimming facility, two field houses, football field, baseball field, multiple gyms, two outdoor tracks, 10 tennis courts, and additional fields used for baseball, softball, lacrosse and soccer.
“We are certainly blessed with great resources,” Weinberg, the school’s varsity football coach, said. “A specific example is the [South Campus] field house. With the exception of kicking, we can have a full football practice in there if needed.”
Wham added, “I think our facilities give us a huge advantage. With our tennis courts, we can get 20 kids on one side and 20 kids on the other side.”
While the recent ESPNRise recognition is well-deserved, LT is historically familiar with life in the winner’s circle. The school boasts 26 state championships, led by boys track and field with a whopping nine state crowns.
“LT has the full package,” Weinberg said. “When you consider the community support, great kids and coaches along with awesome resources, there’s really no place like it. I was happy at my previous school [Highland Park], but I decided I would only leave for a special place like LT. I’m enjoying every day here; this is home.”