The seniors of the Lyons Township High School football team were determined to achieve a memorable season. Although their run ended sooner than hoped Friday in the Class 8A quarterfinals, the Lions (11-1) the season produced historic results, beginning with the most victories of any season dating back to 1917.
“We did something we haven’t done in 108 years. We won an outright conference title, undefeated [regular] season,” senior two-way starting lineman Cooper Komsthoeft said.
“This is the greatest LT team ever. I truly believe that there’s no team that did [what] we’ve done. We won conference. We beat teams that we haven’t beaten in so many years.”
The Lions also wanted to become the first to reach an IHSA state semifinal but lost 24-7 to Naperville Central in Western Springs. LTHS and the Redhawks (11-1), who meet York in the semifinals, were respectively ranked No. 3 and 2 in the final Associated Press 8A poll after the regular season.
“We got a rough draw, getting them [in the quarterfinals], but the draw doesn’t mean anything,” Komsthoeft said. “Today, they performed. We didn’t. If we play 10 times, you never know what will happen, but today they beat us.”
Lyons Township’s Cooper Komsthoeft (64) and Ayman Soltan (78) gang tackle Naperville Central’s Aiden Clark (13) during the Class 8A state quarterfinal Friday, Nov. 15, 2024 in Western Springs. | Steve Johnston 
Lyons Township’s Mack Long (1) pulls down a catch against Naperville Central’s Gavin Wade (18) during the Class 8A state quarterfinal Friday, Nov. 15, 2024 in Western Springs. | Steve Johnston 
Lyons Township’s Dom Pisciotti (12) escapes the rush from Naperville Central’s Troy Kashul (52) during the Class 8A state quarterfinal Friday, Nov. 15, 2024 in Western Springs. | Steve Johnston
Several seniors were among the 2022 lineup that also reached the 8A quarterfinals. That playoff run began with a 26-17 home victory over Naperville Central, then the Lions’ first playoff win since 2016.
The emotion after Friday’s loss showed how much the Lions have progressed since that previous meeting with the Redhawks. Just like that 2022 victory and this season’s playoff opener, LTHS captains Tyler Chambers, Shane Harris, Travis Stamm and Komsthoeft agreed that the team should wear its all-yellow uniforms for good fortune.
“We had a positive outcome, so we thought why not do it again? It didn’t turn out how we wanted,” Harris said. “I’m really proud of how we held ourselves the entire season. When we faced adversity, we responded. We are a brotherhood and we fought. We fought every single game all the way until the end.”
Such was the case Friday. Naperville Central executed 51- and 42-yard touchdown pass plays on its first two possessions for a 14-0 lead but the Lions gained momentum on a 25-yard TD run by senior Danny Carroll, 5:29 before halftime.
The Redhawks, however, made a 42-yard field goal to end the first half, after a missed attempt at 47 generated a second attempt following a roughing-the-kicker penalty against LTHS.
Naperville Central opened the third quarter with 15-play, 80-yard TD drive that consumed 7:46 and re-established control. The drive was aided by a defensive holding penalty and a key fourth-and-3 pass for 7 yards to the 3.
“That’s what’s so hard about tonight because we really believe we could have beaten them and gotten a win next week. We’re so close, but just so proud of this senior group,” LTHS coach Jon Beutjer said.
“To go 11-0 and win the conference outright, we’re trying to focus on those things right now. Even though they were up, our kids kept battling. What stings is they felt they could have beaten them. We didn’t play that well tonight and when you don’t play well in the playoffs against a good team, it’s hard to be successful.”
After graduating a talented senior class, the Lions earned their first West Suburban Conference Silver Division title since 2010 and first outright since 1987. Their first 9-0 regular season since 1943 included huge victories over York (10-2) and Downers Grove North (10-2), a 7A quarterfinalist.
“The whole offseason we believed. No one really believed in us but we knew we were going to be something special and that’s all we needed,” said Chambers, who will play at Northern Illinois.
“I just hope we showed the whole community, the whole conference, we were the toughest. We were the most physical. We were the best team. We want people to be afraid going up against us.”
The Lions were strong defensively even after losing junior middle linebacker Pat Cheney to a left knee injury during the regular-season finale against Proviso West.
Offensively, four-year starter and Illinois State recruit Stamm graduates as arguably the Lions’ greatest wide receiver with numerous career and single-game records. Senior Dom Pisciotti took over at quarterback this season and passed for a single-game school-record 323 yards in the second-round playoff victory over Downers Grove South.
“Honestly, the stats don’t really mean much to me. Everything that we were able to do here meant a lot more,” Stamm said.
“The things that we did together as a team echoed more praise than anyone could ever give. I would never be in position to do anything if it wasn’t for them. We’ve been a great team and that’s what we are, a team and a family.”
The seniors hope this season remains a breakthrough template for maintaining and increasing success.
“I think we really set in stone that LT’s a team that wins,” Komsthoeft said. “We had one loss to end it all, but other than that, we won. We were setting the precedent for future teams. We’ve done it and LT’s here. LT’s back.”