Lyons Township High School sophomore Aylee Holguin of Brookfield is going to her second competitive cheerleading state meet with a lot more understanding and even more motivation after the team’s program-best 10th-place finish in 2025.
“I feel like this year I’m a lot more aware of what it took to get to state,” she said. “Honestly, [2025 state] was emotional in a good way. I cried because it was such a big accomplishment for my freshman year and the team as a whole. We worked hard all season and I think that really showed.”
The Lions earned their fifth consecutive state berth Saturday by taking fourth in their Coed Division (91.32 points) at the Reavis Sectional to advance with a top-five finish to the state meet Friday and Saturday, Feb. 6-7, in Normal.
Team members are seniors Abril Aguilar, Erin Gugliuzza, Sophia Horwath, Aracely McNamara, Ryan Renderman, Maggie Sammon and Bridget Waight; juniors Averie Grigus, Brandon Harris, Hayden Livingston, Ashlynn Monckton, Gloria Podolner, Annika Rebolledo, Kennedi Ross, Olivia Van Wyck, Audreya Wilkins and Aleigh Zeman; sophomores Nicky Gatto Aylee Holguin, and Madison Southfield; and freshmen Ava Malinowski, Caley Spain and Alyse Strayerr.
The Lions are coached by Sharon Lupo and Ana Samaniego. Malinowski and Rebolledo also are Brookfield residents.
These are the only five state berths in program history. Last season, the Lions reached the 10-team finals for the first time based on Friday’s preliminaries and now hope to repeat that.
“A 100 percent viable goal. We can totally make it to day two,” LTHS coach Sharon Lupo said.
“They’ve done better and hopefully they show that at state. I’m proud of them. Obviously, getting to state is a huge accomplishment. They know how hard it is to do this and they’ve put so much work into this.”
The Lions’ routine involves 18 cheerleaders. In the Coed Division, teams can have as many as 20 cheerleaders on the floor with at least two boys. At the West Suburban Conference Silver Division Meet, Jan. 19, at Hinsdale South, the Lions (93.03) captured a third consecutive title, their only ones ever. This was the first year the WSC had champions for both divisions.
Renderman said the WSC Silver Meet and the Joliet West Invite, Dec. 21, have been the Lions’ best performances so far. Holguin said Lions’ pyramid was the highlight of Saturday’s routine.
“I think that we have so much potential to do even better than we did last year (at state),” Renderman said. “We’re going to have to push really hard (at practice) to make it to day two because every team has gotten so much better.”
Riverside Brookfield was 10th (81.80) in its Coed Division at the Buffalo Grove Sectional. The Bulldogs’ roster is seniors Sam Bohrer, Mariella Hutar and Tali Schultz; juniors Samantha Daun, Brooklyn Delgado, Nora Evans, Averie Gizewski, Chloe Gonzalez, Jonathan Gutierrez, Alexa Maciejewski, Olivia Madera and Juniper Wendel; and sophomores Sienna Giampietro, Alyssa Norman, Avery Strobel, Isabella Taliferro and Anabel Wzorek.
Nazareth Academy was eighth (86.60) in the Class 2A Reavis Sectional. The Roadrunners’ winter competition roster includes freshman Leah Halmon of Brookfield.
Boys bowling
Lyons Township junior Anthony Bonilla of Brookfield again reached the second day of the boys bowling state finals. Unfortunately for the Lions, he was their only second-day bowler after they finished 24th (5,587 for 6 games) after Friday’s action in Rockford.
Bonilla finished 49th with a 2,444 for 12 games (1,261 Friday and 1,183 Saturday) and 257 and 255 high games. In 2024, Bonilla was 62nd (2,292) with the Lions’ last team state qualifier.
“I performed better this time (at state), placed higher. It’s a great feeling, knowing even though we didn’t make it (to Saturday), I could represent LT, doing the best I could,” Bonilla said. “I’d say it was probably one of the better experiences I’ve had since I went freshman year. I felt our chemistry was better and I had a good time being with the boys.”
This was the Lions’ fourth state trip in five seasons but everyone else made their state debuts. Seniors Logan Allison (1,175, 276 high game), and James Praser (1,114, 214 high game) also bowled six games Friday and junior Wyatt Knutson (734 for 4 games), senior Kyle Mycek (661) and sophomore Kai Lan Strong (642) four apiece.