Strong senior group tries to bring LTHS to another level

Senior Emma Dwyer was among the anchors of a strong defense for the Lyons Township High School girls lacrosse team last season.

That included celebrating her 100th career ground ball during the victory over Glenbard West last April 30 for gaining possession of loose balls on the field. 

“As my team’s backer, I am looking to help my team by getting as many turnovers and ground balls as I can to improve our play and decrease the amount of goals against us,” Dwyer responded.

“Last year, our defense was one of the strongest part of our game. With that in mind, we tried not to change the backbone of how we played our defense and kept with the same plays.” 

The Lions bring experience and many strengths as they look to improve upon their 11-10 record and 2-4 fifth-place finish in the West Suburban Conference behind four top-16 ranked teams. The Lions lost to St. Ignatius 20-7 in the Reavis Sectional quarterfinals.

Senior midfielder Ashley Culin and Dwyer earned 2024 all-sectional honors. They and sophomore midfielder Peyton Johnson were All-WSC selections. 

Senior midfielders Grainne Kristufek and Kaelyn Roth, senior attack Anna Murphy and junior midfielder Lauren Zulanas also are returning starters.

Culin (Eastern Michigan) and Kristufek (Rockhurst) will play collegiately next season. 

The Lions are 2-0, beating Conant 12-4 in the March 18 opener and St. Laurence 16-5 Saturday.

“We have strong returnees who have already made our team a close-knit group. They take the lead and have brought our multiple underclassmen under their wings,” second-year LTHS coach Morgan Gallagher responded. 

“We have a great group of girls who are hungry to learn and improve. Practice is a battle every day with desire to push one another.” 

Key newcomers include senior defender Hailey Johnson, Peyton’s sister, junior defender Mary Kemnitz, sophomore midfielder Amelia Ludden and two freshmen – goalie Aine Charlton and midfielder Chloe DeNaut. Other contributors will be juniors Callie Flanagan, Betty Johnston and Grace Townsend at defense, senior Madison Krause and freshman Halle Sommerfeld at midfielder and juniors Hailey Hallman, Grace Liston, Tess Mulvenna, Maddie O’Malley and Laken Wolf and sophomore Brynn Kudia at attack.

“Our team this year is very close and because of that I feel our connection on the field and during practice is a lot stronger and we all want to do our best for the team,” Dwyer responded.

“If these kids continue to play with heart and grit, we will be successful,” Gallagher added.

Dwyer plans to continue playing lacrosse on the club level at Michigan State as she studies accounting.

“Having fun is definitely my goal this year, soaking up the last year of competitive lacrosse,” Dwyer responded. “Of course, winning is always nice but I am more looking to have fun with my team and just playing.” 

RBHS girls lacrosse

The Bulldogs have a new head coach in Elise Husemann but several familiar faces led by fourth-year senior team members Ele Caballero, Olivia Denson, Samantha Gibbs, Senia Johnson and Lucy Storandt.

Caballero, Gibbs, Denson and Johnson also are multiple-year starters, along with seniors Kaitlyn Cline and Zoe Tran, who joined the team in 2024, juniors Maggie Porter and Tali Schultz, standouts since their freshman year, and sophomore Sophie May, who split time in goal with Johnson.

Other team members are seniors Nia Banks, Ava Gomez, Salma Gonzalez and Aaliyah Ross, juniors Claire Burdett, Zoe Jeffcoat, Sophia Suarez and Ava Sweeney, and sophomores Samantha Daun, Madison Myslinski, Brooke Zavorski and Paige Zavorski. 

Sweeney enters her third season and all others their second. Freshmen are Allie Ferguson, Eva Hummel, Cece Mooney, Cora Rosenfeld and Mia Wichmanowski.

Last season, the Bulldogs were 1-13 and lost their Reavis Sectional opener to St. Laurence 15-8. Their graduates included all-sectional Maggie Durkin.