Lyons Township High School senior football player Caleb Greer tormented Oak Park and River Forest on both sides of the ball Friday.
Greer not only had a 26-yard touchdown reception but returned two interceptions 81 and 12 yards for TDs and had another key pass breakup in the Lions’ 49-0 West Suburban Conference Silver Division road victory.
Greer’s three TDs in a row gave the Lions (4-2, 3-1 in Silver) a 35-0 lead with 4:44 left in the third quarter.
On the next play following the ensuing kickoff, Teryn Hatter had yet another pick-six, going 21 yards for a 42-0 advantage to initiate a running clock by virtue of a 40-point margin.
Before his touchdown reception, Greer had another significant play. With LTHS leading 21-0, he broke up the Huskies’ end zone pass on fourth-and-goal from the 9. LTHS then drove 91 yards in 10 plays.
Quarterback Ryan Jackson was 17-for-27 passing for 229 yards and three TDs. Jackson first scrambled left and just before heading out of bounds found a wide-open Travis Stamm for a 65-yard TD pass and 7-0 lead. Stamm had eight catches for 134 yards.
The Lions’ next score was an 11-yard strike to Jack McQueeney.
Their last score was a 47-yard TD run by Dylan Rickman on the second play of the fourth quarter. Tommy Newcomb converted the first six extra points and Aleksander Vavrik the seventh.
Just before halftime, the defense made a fourth-and-1 stop at the 22. Eddie Tuerk had a sack and McQueeney and Jack Grigus had tackles for losses. Tackle leaders were Danny Carroll (five) and Danny Montesano and Shane Harris (four each).
LTHS boys soccer
The Lions suffered a tough loss in many respects Sept. 27.
They were defeated in the annual Silver Brick meeting with Hinsdale Central 1-0 in Western Springs 6-5 in seven rounds of penalty kicks to decide a scoreless tie.
The Lions (11-4-2, 2-1 in WSC Silver) also had senior central defender Collin Sullivan injured during the game Sept. 26 before it was suspended by lightning with 26:29 left in the second half.
“We played better (the first night). This break helped Hinsdale Central. They got to fix some things. We didn’t play very well in the game portion,” LTHS coach Paul Labbato said.
“Penalty kicks are penalty kicks. It sucks that this rivalry goes to the penalty kicks. I’d like it to have seen it – win or loss – (decided) in regulation just because the penalty kicks are not fun for everybody.”
Lyons Township’s Owen Suda (9) plays the ball against Hinsdale Central Wednesday, Sept. 27, 2023 in Western Springs. | Steve Johnston 
Lyons Township’s Daniel Svelnis (4) defends Hinsdale Central’s Luca Davies (12) Wednesday, Sept. 27, 2023 in Western Springs. | Steve Johnston 
Lyons Township’s Haris Sarajlija (10) heads the ball up field past Hinsdale Central’s Michael DiTomasso (26) Wednesday, Sept. 27, 2023 in Western Springs. | Steve Johnston 
Lyons Township’s Haris Sarajlija (10) brings the ball up field against Hinsdale Central Wednesday, Sept. 27, 2023 in Western Springs. | Steve Johnston 
Lyons Township’s Mason Burda (7) works to get the ball away from Hinsdale Central’s Matthew Gantar (22) Wednesday, Sept. 27, 2023 in Western Springs. | Steve Johnston 
Lyons Township’s Mason Santos (20) goes up to clear the ball against Hinsdale Central Wednesday, Sept. 27, 2023 in Western Springs. | Steve Johnston
Labbato said Sullivan will be sidelined for about two weeks before being re-evaluated. He was lost to injury the latter half of last season. Jimmy Brejcha moved to center defense with Danny Svelnis.
“That’s going to make a huge difference for our team – again,” Labbato said.
The Lions’ Owen Suda tied the penalty kicks 1-1, Haris Sarajlija also converted and Declan Kracker, Brejcha and Svelnis tied the score three more times before the Red Devils’ second save after also stopping a penalty kick in the second 10-minute overtime period. LTHS goalie Tyler Balon stopped one penalty kick.
On Friday, the Lions won 5-0 over Rauner, coached by former LTHS girls soccer player Maggie Orlowski.
Brejcha scored twice and Mason Burda, Austen Wisniewski and Suda had goals.
Chris Medina, Zach Morgan, Ryan Siegel and Sarajlija had assists.
LTHS girls volleyball
The Lions (19-4) defeated Downers Grove South 25-12, 26-24 Friday in La Grange behind Grace Turner (10 kills), Abby Markworth (23 assists), Maddie Richard (7 kills, 2 blocks), Taylor Carroll (5 kills), Kiley Mahoney (7 digs, 3 aces), Laine Violante (9 digs, 2 aces) and Maggie Kachmarik (6 digs).
The Lions scored the last three points after facing set point at 24-23 after leading 20-12. Alita Folkening’s tip kill put LTHS ahead 25-24 followed by a Downers South attack error.
On Sept. 27, LTHS defeated Glenbrook South 25-14, 25-22. Turner had a single-game best 15 kills in 23 attacks with just one error. Turner also had two aces and two blocks.
Other standouts included Violante (12 digs), Kachmarik (9 digs), Mahoney (8 digs, 13 serve receptions), Markworth (24 assists, 7 digs), Carroll (5 kills), Richard (4 kills) and Folkening (3 blocks).
On Sept. 26, the Lions suffered their first WSC Silver loss Sept. 25-21, 25-23 at co-leader Oak Park and River Forest (21-3, 4-0 in Silver). Carroll (7 kills), Richard (6 kills), Mahoney (7 digs, 27 serve receptions), Markworth (19 assists), Kachmarik (5 digs) led the Lions (2-1 in Silver).
LTHS cross country
Nick Strayer was 28th (15:29.4 for 5,000 meters) and the Lions were 18th (447 points) at the Nike XC Town Twilight Meet Saturday night in Terre Haute, Ind.
The Lions’ other finishers were Ben Wuggazer (61st, 15:46.9), Cillian Henning (102nd, 16:09.2) in his return to action, Maks Washchuk (170th, 16:28.7), Tate Pavelka (192nd, 16:34.1), John O’Halloran (212th, 16:39.7), Brendan Whalen (246th, 16:50.9), Charles Ciesla (265th, 16:57.3), Patrick Collins (282nd, 17:03.2) and John Barrette (294th, 17:06.2).
The LTHS girls were sixth at the St. Charles North Invite Saturday (159 points). Mya Coglianese (22nd, 20:27.0), Addison Powers (26th, 20:38.0), Ainsley Grove (36th, 21:03.8), Ellie Moran (38th, 21:06.0) and Kelly Makovic (42nd, 21:14.10) were top-50 finishers.
