Seniors Audrey Cavaliere and Ella Jean Kelly agree the biggest challenge for the Lyons Township High School girls swimming and diving team this season might be putting together the lineup.
The Lions have eight returnees from last year’s state group that finished fourth, with several newcomers eager to overcome the two who graduated. Cavaliere (Illinois) and Kelly (Iowa) have verbally committed to compete in college.
“It’s very exciting that we have depth, and I think that also creates healthy competition within our team,” Cavaliere said.
“I would say [LTHS swim coach Scott Walker] is going to have a lot of tough decisions. We have a lot of girls who are very capable. We could have a 400 breast stroke relay. We have so many girls that could swim so many of our events.”
Lyons Township’s Maeve Collins swims the 200 Yard Medley Relay during Hinsdale Central’s KP Invitational at FMC Natatorium Saturday, August 31, 2024 in Wesmont. | Steve Johnston 
Lyons Township’s Audrey Cavaliere checks her team’s time after swimming the 200 Yard Medley Relay during Hinsdale Central’s KP Invitational at FMC Natatorium Saturday, August 31, 2024 in Wesmont. | Steve Johnston 
Lyons Township’s Dylan Jorgensen swims the 200 Yard IM during Hinsdale Central’s KP Invitational at FMC Natatorium Saturday, August 31, 2024 in Wesmont. | Steve Johnston
Fueled by 2023 state competitors Cavaliere, Kelly, senior Lauren Jablonski, juniors Maeve Collins, Kylie Thompson, Lindsay Forebaugh and Dylan Jorgensen, along with sophomore diver Brynn Krantz, the Lions very well could challenge for only their second top-three state trophy.
The Lions were third in 1995. Last year marked their fifth 4th-place finish and first since 2009. The 2023 Lions (156.5 points) finished behind champion Rosary (243), New Trier (203.5) and Stevenson (182.5), with senior Libby Langan and diver Tess Walker the lone competing seniors.
Adding to this year’s lineup are Olivia Chavez, Claire Collins, Claire Crimmins, Kaitlin Duffy, Grace Karan, Anna Pansing and Abby Thompson and freshman divers Maeve Comes and Abby Rehor. Walker said Pansing has improved significantly.
“A bunch of girls even during the offseason, during club, got a lot better. We lost Libby, but there’s a bunch of girls who are really good, too,” Kelly said.
“I would love to get top three. I know the teams that got top three last year had some new girls who are really good. But I think we can push to get third, definitely a competitor.”
Last year’s state team achieved six top-eight, first-team all-state honors and set four school records in the finals or prelims.
The 200 free relay with Cavaliere, Collins and Kelly was second (1:33.93). The 400 free relay with Cavaliere, Thompson and Kelly (3:27.54) and the 200 medley relay with Thompson, Jablonski, Collins and Cavaliere (1:44.34) were fourth. Collins (100 butterfly in school-record 55.06), Cavaliere (100 free in 51.40) and Kelly (50 free in 23.57) were seventh.
In the consolation finals, Kelly (100 breast in 1:04.17) was ninth and Forebaugh was 10th in the 500 free (5:03.41) and tied for 10th in the 100 fly (56.38).
In prelims, school records came from the 200 free relay (1:33.75), Cavaliere (100 free in 50.77) and Kelly (50 free in 23.33). Other state qualifiers were Jablonski (100 breast), Jorgensen (200 individual medley), Thompson (500 free) and Krantz (diving).
At the Hinsdale Central Invite, Aug. 31, at the FMC Natatorium in Westmont (site for the state meet), seven LTHS entries, including all three relays, already swam under the state cuts.
“They’re excited. It’s going to be a challenging season for us, but it’s going to keep us honest,” Walker said.
“They just want more of that and they want to be faster. The important thing is that we’re having fun doing it. If you can compete at the level they’re competing at but having fun doing it, it’s the perfect recipe.”
On Saturday, the Lions won their eight-team home invitational 342-326 over Rosary. First places came from the 200 medley relay (Thompson, Jablonski, Forebaugh, Cavaliere in 1:49.11), 200 free relay (Cavaliere, Jablonski, Pansing, Kelly in 1:37.58), 400 free relay (Cavaliere, Pansing, Thompson, Kelly in 3:31.93), 500 free relay (Crimmins, Jorgensen, Forebaugh, Pansing in 4:44.61) and diving (419.70 combined points by Comes and Krantz).