While the Lyons Township High School football team prepares for its fifth straight appearance in the Class 8A state playoffs, senior linebacker Miko Zecevic and junior running back EJ Kuhlman couldn’t be more excited for their first as starters. Kuhlman set a single-game school rushing record with 246 yards on a personal-high 42 carries and Zecevic contributed to three of four turnovers as the Lions rallied past rival York 34-26 in Friday’s regular-season finale in Western Springs.

“It’s really a dream come true, to be honest,” said Zecevic, who caused a fumble, recovered a fumble and had an interception. “Nobody really looked at me as a starter coming into the season and I ended up getting the nod for Week 1. I’m very grateful for the year that I’m having. Hopefully I can continue it for the next game.” 

Interestingly enough, the playoff opener for the No. 13-seeded Lions (7-2) is against the same No. 20 Dukes (6-3) at 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 31 in Western Springs. 

With Friday’s victory, the Lions shared second in the West Suburban Conference Silver Division standings with York and Downers Grove North (7-2) at 4-2. The Dukes were denied a title share with Glenbard West (8-1, 5-1) after beating the Hilltoppers 21-20 the previous week. Downers North beat York 41-28 Oct. 10.

“It’s definitely going to be a challenge to beat a team [for the second straight week], but the whole program feels we can do it,” Kuhlman said. “It’s going to be a really good game against a really good team. You’ve got to go into the game expecting to give it your all and win.”

A workhorse this season, Kuhlman outdid himself Friday to break Leonard Ross’ 2014 record of 245 yards on 36 carries by just one yard while also rushing for three touchdowns. Kuhlman realized his record from assistant coach Brennan Quick during the postgame celebration.

“Shocking. I didn’t know I was around the record. I didn’t know what the record was. Quite a surprise,” Kuhlman said. “It was definitely a big workload.”

“We threw a saddle on him and let him run,” joked LTHS head coach Jon Beutjer. “He’s only a junior, too.”  

The Lions’ latest dramatic victory evolved from a 14-0 first-quarter deficit. The Lions pulled ahead 34-17 by the third quarter but then had to hold off the driving Dukes in the final moments with Zecevic’s fumble recovery. 

The previous game, the Lions edged Downers North 24-20 on Kuhlman’s 1-yard TD run with 15.1 seconds. The Trojans took a 20-17 lead with just 2:43 left by returning a blocked punt for a TD.

In 2024, the Lions (11-1) lost to Naperville Central in the 8A quarterfinals after an undefeated regular season.

“Two weeks in a row, I’m proud of the resilience of our kids and how they kept their composure. That [York] game could have easily gone the other way (down 14-0),” Beutjer said. “It’s a good lesson because in the playoffs that could happen. These last two games were playoff games. There was a lot of good stuff but there’s still a lot of stuff that we can improve on.” 

Zecevic was at the center of perhaps the biggest play of the game. After the Lions first scored on a 44-yard TD pass from quarterback Jack Slightom to Brady Rusk, Zecevic stripped the ball loose on the ensuing kickoff and LTHS kicker Dylan Wolf recovered the ball at the Dukes’ 44.

Slightom scored soon after from the 15 for a 14-14 tie.

“All season I’ve been really waiting for my moment. I feel like this was the first game I really stuck myself out there,” Zecevic said. “Thanks to the coaches for putting me in the right spots and just grateful for the game I had.”

Kuhlman scored the Lions’ next three TDs on runs of 15, 1 and 7 yards. He expressed gratitude to the starting offensive line of Roman Sosnovyy, Jakub Radecki, Charlie Harrington, Jimmy Hillmann and Liam Corrigan and tight ends Owen Matela and Rusk, the lead blocker for the game-winning TD against Downers North. 

The line set a program record, too, with a combined 41 hammers for putting defenders to the ground. 

“[That] was definitely a help and definitely a reason why I got the ball so many times, because the O-line was blocking so great,” Kuhlman said. 

Slightom was 8 for 14 passing for 175 yards with Rusk collecting 68 yards on three receptions. Tackle leaders were Lou Ratcliffe (12), Cole Harris (9) and Patrick Cheney (7), who also had an interception.

Nazareth/Fenwick

Nazareth Academy (8-1) is a No. 1 seed in the 6A playoffs and opens at home against No. 16 Rockton Hononegah at 1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 1. Brookfield seniors Johnny Colon (starting defensive line/linebacker), Jackson Failla (starting quarterback) and Christopher Kasky (starting defensive end) and junior Nathan Hill from Riverside (reserve wide receiver) are members of the Roadrunners, the Class 5A state champions for the past three seasons.

Fenwick (6-3) is a No. 11 seed in 6A that visits No. 6 Kennedy (7-2) at Winnemac Stadium at 1 p.m. Nov. 1.

Riverside seniors Luke Leone, Christopher Polston, Diego Robles, William Tomczak and Connor Wahl are members of the Friars, who could meet No. 3 Riverside Brookfield (8-1) in the second round.