Three days after one of his hardest soccer losses, Lyons Township High School senior Ryland Avants experienced his greatest football moment Friday. Playing high school football for the first time this season, Avants kicked a 20-yard field goal as time expired to give the Lions a 24-21 victory over rival York in the first round of the Class 8A playoffs in Western Springs.
“That’s got to be a top-five life moment for me, for sure,” said Avants, the IHSSCA all-state midfielder for the Lions and club soccer player with Chicago FC United. “The closest thing for me was (reaching this summer’s semifinals) at club soccer nationals, but that’s the closest I’ve been to that feeling.”
The Lions (8-2), the No. 13 seed, visit No. 4 Fremd (9-1) at 7:30 p.m. Friday. The Vikings have beaten five playoffs teams and lost 23-7 Oct. 10 to No. 2 Barrington (9-1).
For the Lions, beating talented No. 20 York (6-4) for the second straight week was yet another dramatic comeback and TD drive. In the regular-season finale Oct. 24, LTHS beat the Dukes 34-26 after trailing 14-0. Last year, the Dukes lost to Loyola 35-14 in the 8A state championship game.
“That’s a very good football team. I’m really proud of our kids being able to play well when they needed to play well,” LTHS coach Jon Beutjer said. “It’s tough because we had to play York (again) six days later. That’s a testament to our coaches and players (to win again). You want to continue to get better and peak at the right time. You want to peak once you get into the playoffs.”
Avants had three of his seven field goals this season Friday, starting with a season-long 40-yarder and 25-yarder for the Lions’ first six points.
His game-winning field goal came after senior Anthony Pearson’s interception in the end zone with 6:56 to go.
“(Converting the kick) was awesome. I had really high confidence in the team. I knew they were going to get close to field-goal range for me. I thought they were actually going to score,” Avants said. “Throughout every play, every yard they gained, I was getting more and more comfortable so the confidence was there.”
York’s Noah Zmrhal (23) tackles Lyons Township’s Grant Smith (15) after his reception during a Class 8A first round playoff game Friday, Oct. 31, 2025 in Western Springs, IL. (Steve Johnston/Riverside-Brookfield Landmark) 
Lyons Township’s Brady Rusk (7) picks up yards after his catch against York’s Will Bute (21) during a Class 8A first round playoff game Friday, Oct. 31, 2025 in Western Springs, IL. (Steve Johnston/Riverside-Brookfield Landmark) 
York’s Henry Duda (26) tries to get past Lyons Township’s Ian Collins (24) during a Class 8A first round playoff game Friday, Oct. 31, 2025 in Western Springs, IL. (Steve Johnston/Riverside-Brookfield Landmark)
“We want to thank (LTHS soccer coach Paul Labbato) for allowing Ryland and Wolfie (Ketterling) to kick for us. They’ve bought into both programs, which speaks very highly of them,” Beutjer said. “Ryland’s a varsity soccer player and a very good one so when he’s in those (pressure) situations, he doesn’t get rattled. You sense he wants to go out there and kick and the game-winning field goal.”
Avants and sophomore soccer teammate Ketterling attended football practice a couple of times weekly before their soccer obligations. The soccer season ended Oct. 28 when the Lions lost 1-0 in the Hinsdale Central Sectional semifinals to St. Laurence, which on Monday advanced to the 3A state semifinals.
“That wasn’t really us (at sectionals). We didn’t play very well, weren’t combining well,” Avants said. “(But) I’m really excited for this football team. I’m really expecting us to make a run.”
The Dukes tied the game 21-21 on a 75-yard TD run with 11:29 left and were driving again until Pearson’s fifth interception this season. The Lions got the ball at their 20 and methodically worked down the field while consuming time.
“We had been working with the wide receivers on breaks and seeing the ball and being at the right spot,” Pearson said. “I was just in the right place. I just went down immediately (in the end zone) because I knew the offense would drive it down the field.”
The key gain on the winning drive was a 27–yard pass from quarterback Jack Slightom to senior Brady Rusk to the 5-yard line. After losing 9 yards the next two plays, Avants converted with the snap from junior Cole Harris and hold by Slightom.
“It felt just as good (beating York Friday), if not better. Winning in the playoffs like that is awesome,” said Rusk, whose 44-yard TD reception the previous week was the Lions’ first score. “(Friday’s catch) was a very similar play. The same concept, just disguised a little bit differently. The only reason plays like that work is because we’re able to pound the ball up front. To keep getting first downs like that is demoralizing for defenses.”
Pearson was part of the defensive success after York opened with a 74-yard TD run in the opening minute. Leading tacklers were Harris (11), Lou Ratcliffe (8) and Roman Sosnovyy (7). Slightom was 14 for 24 passing for 166 yards with perhaps the biggest TD, a 12–yard pass to Tyler Stamm only 37 seconds before halftime to close to 14-13 right after York’s TD on a 5-yard run. In the third quarter, LTHS went ahead 21-14 on a 2-yard run by EJ Kuhlman (150 yards on 32 carries) followed by Slightom’s two-point conversion run.
The victory was perhaps poetic justice for the Lions, who lost to York 17-14 at home in the 2023 8A quarterfinals on, ironically, a field goal to end the game.
“(Slightom and I) were on the sidelines when they kicked that field goal. It was a super sad moment for LT football,” Rusk said. “We kind of looked at each other and said, ‘This can’t be us. We can’t let this happen when we’re seniors.’ They way fate is, it turned out that way. We did come out on top and it actually was York.”
Pearson also remembered being on the sidelines in 2023 and Avants kicking for one year in youth football as an eighth-grader. Avants watched the playoff loss from the stands.
“It felt a little bit like déjà vu from (2023),” Pearson said. “I’ve known (Avants) from when he was younger. I really knew he was going to be automatic whenever he was on the field.”
Nazareth/Fenwick football
In Class 6A playoff action, Nazareth Academy (9-1), a No. 1 seed in its bracket half, defeated No. 16 Rockton Hononegah 42-13 and No. 11 Fenwick (7-3) defeated No. 6 Kennedy 42-6. The Roadrunners visit No. 9 Wheaton Warrenville South (7-3) at 4:30 p.m. Saturday. The Friars play host to No. 14 Rolling Meadows (7-3) at 1 p.m. Saturday.
Nazareth led 42-0 at the half. Quarterback Jackson Failla was 8 for 11 passing for 201 yards to surpass 1,700 for the season with TDs of 58 yards to Jake Cestone and 42 yards to Edward McClain Jr. (3 catches, 92 yards). Charles Calhoun rushed for 71 yards and three TDs.
Chris Kasky returned a punt 34 yards for a TD and blocked a punt. Frankie Nichols, Cash Coleman, Seamus O’Meara and Charles Hack added interceptions.