The Lyons Township competitive cheerleading team earned its fourth straight trip to the state meet in Bloomington after delivering a season-high 93.07 Saturday for third place in their Coed Division at the Buffalo Grove Sectional.
Needing a top-five sectional finish to advance, the Lions built off their then-best 92.08 that defended their West Suburban Conference title, Jan. 20, at Hinsdale South.
Team members are seniors Maddie Brennan, Meg Gray, Grace Lannon, Devon Mackenzie, Marquez, Annie Sarno and Katie Villarreal, juniors Erin Gugliuzza, Skyla Hendrix, Sophia Horwath, Vivi Koppel (manager), Aracely McNamara, Ryan Renderman, Maggie Sammon and Bridget Waight, sophomores Averie Grigus, Hayden Livingston, Ashlynn Monckton, Gloria Podolner, Kennedi Ross, Olivia Van Wyck, Audreya Wilkins and Aleigh Zeman and freshman Aylee Holguin.
The Lions are coached by Sharon Lupo and Ana Samaniego. Marquez, Mackenzie and Gray are Brookfield residents.
These are the only four state berths in program history.
“These athletes had a bumpy start to the season, but they knew they had to work hard and improve to meet their goals. They 100 percent have done that,” Lupo responded.
Top-10 finishers at state Friday advance to Saturday’s finals. Last season, the Lions finished a program-best 16th (88.86) after taking 22nd in both 2022 and 2021.
“Their first goal was winning conference. Their next goal was getting a bid to state,” Lupo responded. “Their next goal is making it to day two of state. I love this team and I know they can achieve that.”
RBHS/Nazareth cheerleading
The Bulldogs’ solid performance Saturday earned 11th in their Large Division at the Joliet West Sectional with an 83.30. RBHS had no routine deductions and came close to its regular-season high of 84 after losing 10 seniors from 2024.
“(It’s) a significant accomplishment for a relatively new team,” RBHS head coach Lauren Vara said. “Overall, I know we ended this season happy with our sectional performance. I am so incredibly proud to have coached this team and to have watched them come together. That’s the real win for the season.”
Vara praised the leadership of seniors Mikayla Biggerstaff, Olivia Denson and Natalie Torres. At their first Upstate Eight Conference Meet Jan. 22 at Bartlett, the Bullodgs took fourth and the junior varsity was seventh.
“This year’s team has forged an incredible bond. Their commitment and determination have been outstanding,” Vara said. “This young team gained valuable experience. We got a taste of the competition and are already hungry for more.”
Nazareth Academy was 12th (78.03) in the Medium Division at the Buffalo Grove Sectional.
Girls wrestling
Senior trailblazer Avi Gonzalez once again added to the history of Lyons Township High School girls wrestling Saturday. Gonzalez made her third trip to sectionals the best after becoming the program’s first regional champion at the Hinsdale South Regional Saturday.
A program member since the start, Gonzalez (17-4) won the championship at 110 pounds as the No. 2 seed, pinning top-seeded Lockport sophomore Veronica Skibicki (34-13) just before the end of the first period.
“It means a lot to me. I started wrestling since my sophomore year and I’ve only made so much progress from here,” said Gonzalez, 4-0 at regionals with four first-period pins.
“Honestly I thought wrestling was something I’d do on the side but never thought it would be something that means so much to me.”
Riverside Brookfield junior Danely Villagomez (22-7) also earned a return trip to sectionals with a top-four finish by taking third at 155 with a 4-1 record and four first-period pins.
Top-four finishers at the Schaumburg Sectional Feb. 14-15 advance to the state meet.
Villagomez qualified for state in 2023 at 135.
Gonzalez is going after her first state berth – and her first sectional victories — after going 0-2 at sectionals the past two years. Last season, Gonzalez suffered her first loss at regionals by taking second after an undefeated regular season.
“That’s the plan (to reach state),” Gonzalez said. “Coming into this year, I knew it was going to be harder competition because girls wrestling has grown so fast. I wasn’t undefeated this year (in the regular season) but what matters most is I’m pushing my hardest every match.”
Gonzalez said she had no concerns after missing the West Suburban Conference Meet with illness. Her dramatic regional championship pin just as the buzzer sounded followed pins in 1:35, 1:50 and 56 seconds in the semifinals.
“It was awesome. She just wrestled one match at a time and wrestled tough the whole weekend,” LTHS coach Darwin DePina said.
RBHS sophomore Emily Anaya (18-13 at 135) and LTHS juniors Sofia Turek (16-7 at 135) and Ashley Uhler (13-8 at 115) and freshman Jhania Wickert-Harris (15-7 at 100) went 2-2 and came two consolation victories from top-four finishes. RBHS senior Frankie Abasta (15-11 at 125) also was 2-2, winning her first two matches with pins.
LTHS boys bowling
Lyons Township senior Nolan Deines finished 121st Friday at the boys bowling state meet in O’Fallon with a six-game series of 1,033 (172.2-pin average) with a 204 high game.
“The lanes didn’t play like practice,” Deines responded.
Deines was the last individual qualifier at the Naperville Central Sectional Jan. 25 with a personal-best 1,231 (205.2 average). In 2024, Deines bowled one game at state when the Lions made their third straight state appearance as a team.
“Outside of my bowling performance (Friday), I really enjoyed the experience,” Deines responded. “I was able to bring a few teammates and we had a lot of quality bonding.”