Halloween week became an even better treat this year for Lyons Township High School senior girls cross country runner Mya Coglianese.
Coglianese not only qualified again for the Class 3A state meet but earned all-sectional honors by taking ninth at the Hinsdale Central Sectional Saturday and equaling her best time (18:12.04 for 3.0 miles).
“I did not know where I was during the race because after that start, I was getting boxed in,” Coglianese said. “I was definitely surprised of where I finished. I did not think I was able to get top 10.”
Coglianese again qualified as an individual by being among the top 10 individuals not among the seven advancing teams. The Lions were 12th (299 points).
In 2024, Coglianese was coming off an Achilles injury entering sectionals yet qualified by taking 32nd in 18:20.3 for 2.99 miles. Saturday’s time was comparable to her all-regional third-place 18:12.1 at the Lyons Township Regional Oct. 25.
“I was definitely in much better shape this year,” Coglianese said. “I’d kind of like to break 18:00 (at state).”
Last year, Coglianese also awoke extremely early two mornings before sectionals to join her family on WGN-TV Morning News. Their LaGrange Park house was featured for annually being decorated elaborately for Halloween, although Coglianese said she probably contributes least to the project.
“I’m more, I’d say, a critic. Some suggestions or ideas (for my family),” Coglianese said. “When I’m coming home, there’s random people in front of my house. But it’s fun to see the kids and how they’re having fun.”
The LTHS boys (299) were 12th with no qualifiers. Senior Tyler Gantt was 34th (15:33.65), followed by sophomore Benjamin Radtke (51st, 15:58.23), junior Collin Shea (64th, 16:08.71), seniors Sean Tilles (84th, 16:35.08), Patrick Collins (88th, 16:37.73) and Austin Best (93rd, 16:47.44) and sophomore Henry James (97th, 17:01.11).
Other LTHS girls finishers were freshman Naomi O’Hare (64th, 19:08.96), juniors Amelia Ludden (61st, 19:25.07), senior Jenna Lally (66th, 19:28.77), sophomore Sarah Edell (71st, 18:40.66), freshman Abigail O’Toole (100th, 20:28.65) and sophomore Ruby Radamaker (105th, 20:34.85).
The LTHS boys were hindered by key injuries to sophomore Brennan Monohan, a returning state competitor, and sophomore Evan Ruse in September. The girls lost senior No. 2 runner Addie Powers to injury and sophomore Lucinda Martinez, their No. 2 regional finisher (11th), was out of town for sectionals.
LTHS/RBHS volleyball
Senior defensive specialist Kate Heatherly and her Lyons Township volleyball teammates couldn’t be stopped from regaining a Class 3A regional title Thursday.
After the Lions won one key point in the second set against York, the 5-foot-7 Heatherly was so enthused that she chest bumped 6-foot Taylor Carroll to the ground after another of her team-high 12 kills.
“Those are honestly just the best plays with the most momentum,” Heatherly said. “Winning those helps our energy.”
The Lions’ all-around effort resulted in a 25-23, 25-20 victory over York for the 4A York Regional title.
LTHS (24-12), the No. 4 seed in the Lyons Township Sectional, played No. 1 Oak Park and River Forest (24-7) in Tuesday’s sectional semifinals with the winner playing No. 2 Downers Grove North (26-11) or No. 3 Downers Grove South (29-8) in Thursday’s 6 p.m. sectional final. The Hinsdale Central Super-Sectional is Monday, Nov. 10.
Last season, the Lions lost the regional final to OPRF after winning their regular-season meeting.
he Lions edged No. 6 York (24-13) Oct. 14 24-26, 25-15, 25-23 with Thursday becoming the first time since 2021 that the Lions did not win their match by two points in a third set.
“We knew it could go either way (with York) so to see everyone execute was a really good feeling, compared to last year. Glad it did not go three (sets),” Heatherly said.
Heatherly had seven digs and three aces. Senior Emma O’Brien and freshman Olivia Pora each had five kills while other stats leaders included Colleen Chambers (22 assists), Avery Lee (5 digs, 5 service points) and Julia Ahrens (5 digs).
Nine blocks for points certainly helped. Kate Potter and Madison Jones had four total blocks and Carroll and O’Brien three each.
“They (York) play with heart. We did come out blocking, which was a beautiful thing,” LTHS coach Jill Bober said. “We had the energy, momentum and intensity behind us to continue finding those swings.”
Bober complimented O’Brien, the 6-1 Cornell basketball recruit, especially for kills and blocks that helped sustain momentum between the end of the first set and start of the second.
“I just feel a lot more comfortable in my position. Last year, I was a little iffy,” O’Brien said. “I feel like I have a really different role in volleyball. It just helps me be more relaxed when I’m playing, not as much pressure.”
No. 10 RBHS (20-15) lost to York 25-21, 21-25, 25-21 in the Oct. 28 regional semifinals.
Lucy Boyle (10 kills, 14 digs, 3 aces, 26 serve receives), Claire Cameron (36 assists, 10 digs, 2 aces), Mackenzie Sloger (12 kills, 10 digs), Asha Ponnappan (7 kills, 2 aces), Ashlee Wudi (13 digs) and Kate Zobel (6 kills) were among several strong efforts.
“I am very pleased with the overall match. We worked really hard, followed the game plan and met my expectations,” RBHS coach Caitlin Staib-Lipinski said.
“This year we were a fighting team. We didn’t let things bother us. I knew we could win the second set and the girls did too. In between the sets, we refocused on how we could perform better on our side and always thought two steps ahead of what the play would be so we could expect it more.”
In the third set, Sloger’s kill put RBHS ahead 21-20. The Dukes scored the last five points with a service error, three kills and a reversed call that would have given the Bulldogs the serve trailing 23-22.
RBHS had a season-high 15 service errors.
“Although we had nine aces, which is still great, the 15 missed serves really hurt us,” Staib-Lipinski said.
Cameron, promoted to varsity during her freshman year, set program records this season for assists in a career after the regional (1,720) and match (41 against Fenwick Oct. 14).
“I think we wanted to win it, be strong and confident and we really worked as a team,” Cameron said. “At the end of the season, that’s when your team really starts to form. It was really fun. It just sucks that we lost.”
RBHS/LTHS swimming and diving
RBHS and three-year West Suburban Conference Silver champions LTHS compete at the girls swimming and diving Hinsdale Central Sectional Saturday, Nov. 8.
Sectional champions and those that achieve at-large cuts at the sectional advance to the Nov. 14-15 state meet.
RBHS junior Paige Phelan won diving (369.40 points for 11 dives) at the Upstate Eight Conference Meet Oct. 24 at RBHS. The Bulldogs were third (216 points).
Phelan and junior Brynn Gizewski (339.55) swept the top two spots among the three entries but, more important, achieved among their best scores going into sectionals. Phelan was last year’s UEC junior varsity champion.
“I am proud that (we) won conference and got our scores up from our last 11-dive meet,” Phelan said. “I feel like conference was one of my better 11-dive meets because we have been changing some of the difficulty on my dives.”
RBHS diving coach Amy Phillips agreed Phelan’s series was a highlight heading into sectionals.
“We were both very happy with how she performed. We had a newer dive, (forward 2 1/2 somersaults), which she was a bit nervous about, but performed it well,” Phillips said. “Her diving this season has been very consistent, which really showed at this meet.”
Maggie McCoy was third in the 200-yard freestyle (2:04.26) and 100 free (57.54) and was part of the third-place 400 free relay with Bea Ryan, Lizzie Ryan and Charlene Wang (1:49.30). Senior Maria Ellis, the team’s closest swimming individual to state qualifying, missed the meet with illness.
The Lions, meanwhile, roared to a third straight outright overall WSC Silver title at Downers Grove North Oct. 24 (318 points) after going 5-0 in duals.
Silver champions were senior Kylie Thompson in the 100 free (1:54.69) and 500 free (5:07.35), senior Maeve Collins (100 butterfly in 57.19), junior diver Brynn Krantz (419.05 points), freshman Livia Joern (100 breast stroke in 1:08.06) and the 400 free relay of Anna Pansing, Olivia Chavez, Collins and Thompson (1:33.85) by .11 over Hinsdale Central.
“Being that close to Hinsdale and then ultimately out-touching them in that final last 25 (yards) was something really cool,” said anchor Thompson.
These were the first individual conference titles for Thompson, a four-year varsity standout.
“I think just the overall energy at conference is something I look forward to,” Thompson said. “A cool experience, definitely something I’ll remember for my high school career. Looking forward to sectionals and state now.”
A two-time state diving qualifier, Krantz defended her title.
“I dove really well. I feel like the last couple of meets have been a little shaky but I just went in really confident and was really relaxed,” Krantz said. “I feel like when I’m relaxed, I dive better.”
LTHS soccer
The Lions (17-5-2) had another strong season end all too soon with a 1-0 loss to St. Laurence in the 3A Hinsdale Central Sectional semifinals Oct. 28.
Juan Hernandez scored for St. Laurence (23-2-4) with 14:19 left. His teammate fell as he was double-teamed yet managed to toe the ball ahead to Hernandez, who maneuvered around a defender 15 yards out.
“Credit to the kid who had two guys defending him,” LTHS coach Paul Labbato said. “We had plenty of opportunities around the goal. We just did not connect on anything.”
The No. 2-seed Lions had perhaps their best chance with under three minutes left as Owen Kachmarik’s left-side throw-in was slipped through the crease for a solid shot wide left. In the final seconds, the Lions stormed the goal for a right-side throw-in, including goalie Joe Ratcliffe, but the ball was cleared.
Nick Reilly (11 goals, 6 assists), all-stater Ryland Avants (8 goals, 5 assists), Jackson Lesner (7 goals, 3 assists) and Victor Sklaryk (4 goals, 5 assists) were among the Lions’ scoring leaders.
The defense was exceptional with 16 shutouts, led by Ari Chen, Harrison Kittridge, Gavin Sullivan, Marty Svelnis and Kachmarik on the back line and defensive center midfielder Ryan Keenan.
“That’s certainly a key to our success,” Labbato said.
“Our seniors’ leadership helped. We had some really strong leaders and really talented juniors. It’s a great core coming back.”
No. 3-seed St. Laurence beat top-seeded Morton 1-0 in Saturday’s sectional final and Lincoln-Way Central 2-1 in overtime Monday to advance to the state semifinals.