Riverside Brookfield High School athlete Maya Tennicott had the worst luck this past girls basketball season. Receiving a platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injection for her injured left ankle, Tennicott was unable to play her entire senior season.
“I like being active so sitting out basketball season was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done,” Tennicott said.
Now it’s girls soccer season and the 5-foot-11 Tennicott once again is standing tall as starting goalie. On April 21, she went the entire 80 minutes in the Bulldogs’ 1-0 home victory over Glenbard East in a pivotal Upstate Eight Conference East Division matchup.
“I got (medically) cleared the first day of tryouts,” Tennicott said. “I kind of assumed I was going to be back just because of the recovery time from the shot. It lined up with the season. It feels good to be back. I like being back there (in goal).”
Senior Mia Rodriguez scored for the Bulldogs (5-4-1, 2-0 in UEC East) with 9:54 left in the first half after senior Sofia Sanchez’s free kick from 34 yards out was bobbled by the goalie and numerous players converged on the rebound. With the victory, the Bulldogs not only are close to last year’s victory total but recorded their third shutout and avenged the 2-1 loss at Glenbard East in 2025.
“This is a really big win. We lost to them last year, so going into the game we really wanted to win,” said RBHS senior defender Audrey Raymond, who will play Division III soccer at Millikin. “We’ve been kind of on a streak, winning a lot of games.”
Several returnees are helping the significant strides from last year’s lineup that finished 6-14-1. That record includes one penalty-kick victory over Fenton because UEC East games require winners even if the game remains tied after overtime.
“A solid win against a great program (Glenbard East). It was a fight from the start,” RBHS coach Ivek Halic said. “They were very physical and we brought the intensity. We matched the energy and capitalized on that opportunity.”
Raymond and senior Abby Ford form a solid central defensive line with senior Mariana Giron and junior Jaelyne Manjarrez starting on the outsides. As part of her comeback, Tennicott has shared time in goal with senior Riise Nall, last year’s junior varsity starter. Tennicott said she initially hurt her ankle during last season but kept playing. Physical therapy wasn’t helping her recover.
RBHS still must play fellow UEC East frontrunners Glenbard South (3-6-3, 2-1-1) and West Chicago (10-3, 3-0). Glenbard East (1-9-2, 0-1-1) lost to Glenbard South on penalty kicks.
“I think this year the team connection and chemistry is way better,” Ford said. “We’re a lot closer as friends and that definitely helps our chemistry on the field and for us to connect. The communication on the field helps.”
The Bulldogs are undefeated in all six games in which they have scored a goal. They tied Niles West 1-1 April 14 on senior Michelle Panduro’s goal with 3:04 remaining.
Other top offensive players include juniors Ruby Boyle (2 goals, 3 assists) and Jocelyn Jaimes (4 assists), sophomore Charlotte Pinnick (3 goals, assist) and senior Aylin Romero and Sanchez (2 goals, assist each).
“Last year we were a little shaky but I think this year we’re way better. As a whole we’re better,” Panduro said. “I think (Glenbard East) this is one of the biggest wins. I feel like we can have more wins.”
LTHS girls soccer
After recording five straight shutouts, the Lyons Township girls soccer team was victim of a scoring barrage Friday. The Lions, ranked No. 12 by the Chicagoland Soccer website, lost at undefeated No. 2 Naperville Central 5-0 as part of the Naperville Invitational.
“Five goals is a lot but we let in goals that I feel we could have prevented,” said LTHS senior defensive center midfielder Avery Lusk. “They were very good. They were playing the ball very fast and I feel like we were pretty slow to anticipate the passes they were making.”
The shutout streak by the Lions (7-2-3, 2-0 in West Suburban Conference Silver Division) included beating Minooka 6-0, Downers Grove North 3-0 and both No. 14 Loyola and Lake Forest 2-0 with a scoreless tie against No. 8 Naperville North, already their second 0-0 result. The Lions also have 3-1 a Silver victory over York April 6 with their other loss to No. 6 Libertyville 1-0 April 11.
Lyons Township’s Maura Schneider (23) tries to send a pass against Downers Grove North during a West Suburban Conference game Tuesday, April 21, 2026 in Western Springs, IL. (Steve Johnston/Riverside-Brookfield Landmark) 
Lyons Township’s Fiona Fay (21) heads the ball away from Downers Grove North during a West Suburban Conference game Tuesday, April 21, 2026 in Western Springs, IL. (Steve Johnston/Riverside-Brookfield Landmark) 
Lyons Township’s Lila Tower (14) works up field against Downers Grove North during a West Suburban Conference game Tuesday, April 21, 2026 in Western Springs, IL. (Steve Johnston/Riverside-Brookfield Landmark) 
Lyons Township’s Lauren Salvino (17) battles with Downers Grove North’s Grace Watland (13) for control of the ball during a West Suburban Conference game Tuesday, April 21, 2026 in Western Springs, IL. (Steve Johnston/Riverside-Brookfield Landmark) 
Lyons Township’s Zibby Michaelson (15) sends the ball up field against Downers Grove North during a West Suburban Conference game Tuesday, April 21, 2026 in Western Springs, IL. (Steve Johnston/Riverside-Brookfield Landmark)
Senior goalie and Loyola recruit Anna Bigenwald and junior central defender Claire Mortonson are veterans of a defense with senior Audrey McCarty, junior Grace Chevalier and freshman Lena Giustini. The Lions have eight shutouts overall and have allowed just eight goals even with Friday’s result.
“If the other team ever has a breakaway, we’ve been doing really good on the recovery, making sure they don’t get a shot or cross off,” Lusk said. “If the ball is in the corner, we’ve been really good at forcing them back or kicking it out of bounds.”
Seniors Zibby Michaelson (9 goals, 3 assists) and Carolina Capizzi (6 goals, 7 assists) are top scorers along with sophomore Lauren Salvino (5 goals, 2 assists), senior Quinn Conway and freshman Abby McKenna (2 goals each) and Lusk (2 assists). Capizzi sat out Friday with an ankle injury.
“What we’re doing in the attacking third has been working really well,” Lusk said. “We have been creating a lot of offensive pressure. Zibby shoots from wherever and manages always to be super close to the goal. Also we’ve been really good on the 1v1s on the wings.”