Riverside Brookfield High School senior forward Hazel Hall said goodbye to girls soccer and several great friends Saturday. The Bulldogs lost in the Class 3A Lyons Township Regional final 3-0 to the host Lions, whose defensive line includes senior Caroline McKenna, Hall’s teammate on the Chicago Inter Soccer Club.
“We were up against each other most of the game. She’s one of my closest friends,” said Hall, headed for the University of Washington.
“As disheartening as the moment was, it was a special moment because I was able to close out my soccer career with some of my best friends.”
Lyons Township’s Josie Pochocki (2) shields the ball away from Riversdie-Brookfield’s Audrey Raymond (3) during the Class 3A Lyons Regional championship game Saturday, May 18, 2024 in Western Springs. | Steve Johnston 
Riversdie-Brookfield’s Niamh Larson (11) and Lyons Township’s Abby Brown (21) colide going after the ball during the Class 3A Lyons Regional championship game Saturday, May 18, 2024 in Western Springs. | Steve Johnston) 
Riversdie-Brookfield’s goal keeper Annabel Krueger (1) covers the ball as Lyons Township’s Josie Pochocki (2) chases it down during the Class 3A Lyons Regional championship game Saturday, May 18, 2024 in Western Springs. | Steve Johnston 
Riversdie-Brookfield’s Hazel Hall (17) gets a hug from Lyons Township’s Caroline McKenna (10) after the Bulldogs lost 3-0 during the Class 3A Lyons Regional championship game Saturday, May 18, 2024 in Western Springs. | Steve Johnston 
Riversdie-Brookfield’s Hazel Hall (17) heads the ball away from Lyons Township’s Claire Mortonson (9) during the Class 3A Lyons Regional championship game Saturday, May 18, 2024 in Western Springs. | Steve Johnston
The No. 2-seeded Lions (17-3-2) collected all of their goals in the first half from Izzy Lebar, Zibby Michaelson and Caroline Mortonson, who assisted the other two.
The No. 7 Bulldogs (13-8-2), seeking their first regional title since 2016 in 2A, lost in the regional finals for the second straight year. Their seniors include tri-captains Hall, Niamh Larson and Maddie Bisiules and starters Cassidy Erb, Kate Newberry and Annabel Krueger, recruited to play goalie this year.
“We’ve developed such a strong bond, the fellow seniors I’ve been with for four years, the underclassmen I’ve had the pleasure getting to know,” Hall said. “I think I’m going to miss most the sisterhood. We’re in this together. We’re a family together.”
LTHS played No. 3 Hinsdale Central (15-7) in Tuesday’s sectional semifinals and most likely would face No. 1 York (17-1-1) in Friday’s sectional final.
Softball
LTHS junior pitcher Isabella Evans missed the 2023 softball season after undergoing hip surgery the first day of tryouts. She’s returned with a flurry, leading the team with four home runs and 23 runs batted in and is the Lions’ primary pitcher.
“I’m having a good year so far. I’m feeling good, ready to win more,” Evans said. “[On the mound] I’m just working on throwing faster and I feel like I’m throwing harder and more consistent and can make it through all of the innings.”
RBHS (20-10) and the Lions (13-16) are hoping for that kind of solid all-around play as the No. 5 and 9 seeds in the 4A Marist Sectional.
As a lower seed, LTHS won last year’s regional final with a 15-3 victory over RBHS, a 2022 regional champion over Downers Grove South.
In the Downers South Regional, RBHS plays No. 12 Reavis Wednesday with the winner most likely meeting No. 4 Downers South for the regional title at 11 a.m. Saturday. The Bulldogs, who won the MSC by one game with a 5-1 record, have a veteran lineup led by seniors Zoe Levine and Emily Organ and third-year starting junior Ellie Megall.
In the Morton Regional, the Lions open against No. 8 York, Wednesday. The teams split their regular-season meetings. The winner most likely gets No. 1 and defending 4A state champion Marist at 5 p.m. Friday.
“[Sophomore shortstop] Ava Jacklin has been tremendous all season defensively,” LTHS coach Megan Pyles said. “Getting [Evans] back this season has been a plus, not only defensively on the mound but in our hitting lineup.”
Seniors Peyton O’Flaherty and Kaitlyn Filkins are key veterans of last season’s postseason run. Then there are seniors like catcher Arianna Amelia, who has starred in her first season of significant varsity action.
“This year I really came back with a want and a drive to be playing, especially as a senior, and holding my own,” Amelia said. Besides taking pride as a battery mate for Evans, Amelia also is excited to be among the LTHS offensive leaders (.283 average, 12 RBIs) after rough summer and fall seasons.
“It’s great to come back and actually know that I can hit the ball,” Amelia said.
These regional champions meet in the Marist Sectional semifinals May 28.
Baseball
Undefeated Nazareth (34-0) and Lyons Township (20-11) are the top two seeds and Riverside Brookfield (15-15) is No. 9 in the 4A Reavis Sectional. Nazareth and RBHS are in the Nazareth Regional. The Bulldogs, who play No. 8 Kenwood, Thursday, most likely would visit the Roadrunners for the regional title at 10 a.m., Saturday.
The Bulldogs lost to five top-25 rated teams. They won the Metro Suburban Conference with a 5-0 record. With a two-game lead, the second game with Westmont was not played.
“We had a challenging schedule this year,” RBHS coach Mark Ori said. “The boys have made a lot of progress and have played their best baseball the last two weeks.”
Nazareth is the two-time defending 3A state champion. The Roadrunners went 14-0 in the East Suburban Catholic, the first time that’s been done since they joined the conference in 2002.
In the Brother Rice Regional, LTHS plays No. 15 Hubbard Wednesday to advance to the 11 a.m. Saturday final, probably against No. 5 Brother Rice.
After starting 18-4, the Lions finished 2-7 and second in the West Suburban Silver at 12-6, losing their last five conference games to first-place Downers Grove North and two to Oak Park and River Forest. Three losses were by one run.
The Lions have beaten Brother Rice, St. Laurence and Providence and reached the final of the Steve Bajenski Memorial Tournament for the second straight year.
“It’s been a roller coaster of a season,” LTHS coach Kevin Diete said.
The Marist Sectional semifinals are May 29.
Boys tennis
Lyons Township’s undefeated seniors Jack McLane and Mason Mazzone and senior Luke Howell and sophomore Shay Sweigard finished first and second in doubles at the Lyons Township Sectional to advance to state with top-four finishes.
McLane and Mazzone (17-0) should likely get a No. 1-2 seed for state after finishing among the top 12 in 2023 to complete a 19-5 season.
They reached the No. 1 doubles finals of Hersey’s prestigious annual Pitchford Tournament but delays left the last match unable to be played.
In the sectional final, McLane and Mazzone won 7-5, 6-3 over Howell and Sweigard (15-4), who were No. 2 doubles finalists at Pitchford.
At state last year, Sweigard was 2-2 in singles and Howell and graduated Patrick Adams were 1-2 in doubles.
In singles, RBHS senior Nick Gilberto and LTHS sophomore Rohan Nagale won their first matches and came one victory from qualifying, both losing 6-0, 6-0 in the quarterfinals.