The Lyons Township High School girls basketball team clinched a share of the West Suburban Conference Silver Division title Jan. 28 by beating Glenbard West 63-44 in Glen Ellyn.
The Lions (22-3, 10-0 in Silver) can take the crown outright this week with a victory against Oak Park and River Forest [on Feb. 1, after press time] or at second-place Downers Grove North (20-6, 8-2) on Feb. 4.
In defeating the Hilltoppers, LTHS received double-digit scoring from Izzy Lee (17 points), Ella Ormsby (15 points), Hailey Markworth (11 points) and Ally Cesarini (11 points).
In nonconference action, the Lions defeated St. Ignatius 60-26 on Staff Appreciation Day on Jan. 29 and Waubonsie Valley 58-46 in overtime Jan. 25.
Lee (13 points), Mezan (11 points) and Cesarini (10 points) paced the Lions against St. Ignatius. Lee also had a team-high 19 points against Waubonsie, followed by Markworth (16 points) and Cesarini (13 points).
The LTHS boys basketball team lost to top-ranked Glenbard West for the third time this season, but the 62-50 margin on Jan. 28 in LaGrange was the closest.
Nik Polonowski (20 points) and Tavari Johnson (14 points, 5 assists) scored in double figures for LTHS (18-4, 6-2 in WSC Silver). Billy Bach (8 points), Aidan Sullivan (8 points, 5 rebounds) and Will Carroll (7 rebounds) also contributed.
This was the first loss in 2022 for the Lions, who had won eight straight after losing 60-28 to Glenbard West (24-0, 7-0) on Dec. 31 in the championship game of York’s Jack Tosh Classic Tournament. LTHS also lost at Glenbard West 71-34 on Dec. 3.
LTHS bowlers 30th at state meet
Lyons Township High School senior Jalen Pfaff tied for 30th on Jan. 29 in the second day of the boys bowling IHSA state meet in O’Fallon.
Pfaff’s total of 2,550 pins (212.5-pin average) came from six games each Friday and Saturday, which included a 256 fifth game. Senior Dylan Holtz was 67th (2,371, 197.6 average).
On Jan. 28, the Lions finished 16th (5,845) and did not advance to Saturday’s round by finishing among the top 12. Holtz (48th, 1,235) and Pfaff (57th, 1,220) advanced individually by being among the 30 highest scorers for those not among the 12 advancing teams.
LTHS’ other bowlers on Jan. 28 were junior Drew Escamilla (tied for 88th, 1,165), senior Jack Pochocki (118th, 1,103), junior Tommy Hennessy (943 for 5 games) and senior Xavier Gawel-Barden (179 for 1 game).
RBHS boys basketball back on track
The Riverside-Brookfield High School boys basketball team started another winning streak by beating Immaculate Conception 64-50 in the program’s Pack the Place event Jan. 25.
J.P. Hanley (16 points with 4 threes), Joevonn McCottry (13 points with 3 threes, 4 steals), Brady Vaia (10 points) helped the Bulldogs (15-4, 7-1 in Metro Suburban Conference) outscore the Knights 18-12 in the first two quarters to establish a 36-24 halftime lead.
RBHS then defeated Chicago Christian 71-41 on Senior Night on Jan. 28 behind Hanley (17 points with 3 threes, 7 rebounds), McCottry (14 points), Joe Gilhooley (12 points, 6 rebounds) and Vaia and Arius Aljosius (8 points each).
The RBHS girls (9-17) lost their Pack the Place game to Rosary 54-47 but won 50-39 at Morton on Jan. 27.
LTHS gymnasts 5th in WSC-Silver
Lyons Township High School junior girls gymnast Annmarie Holmes earned a top-five individual medal at the West Suburban Conference Silver Division meet by tying for fourth place on floor exercise (9.0) on Jan. 29 at Hinsdale Central.
Holmes also tied for sixth on balance beam (8.45) and was ninth in all-around (32.60). Freshman Emmy Bertucci was ninth on uneven parallel bars (8.2).
The Lions (128.05) finished fifth at the meet and fifth in the final overall standings. They played host to an IHSA regional meet on Feb. 1 (post press time) and should advance individual entries to the Oswego Sectional on Feb. 7.
