Postseason Roundup | Lyons boys gymnasts add to state trophy collection

By Jeff Vorva
Staff writer

Another year, another trophy.

The Lyons boys gymnastics team finished second at the IHSA state meet, held May 13 at Palatine High School.

This is the Lions seventh state trophy in program history. They placed first in 2021, took second in 2017, and finished third in 2002, 2014, 2018 and 2022.

The Lions finished with 156.2 points, second to Lake Park’s 162.95. They didn’t have any individual state champs but had a few high finishes.

Junior Roman Hanyuk was fifth in the pommel horse event with a 9.0. Senior Ryan Johnson claimed seventh in the high bar with an 8.65. Junior Will Taylor placed ninth in the rings with an 8.05.

Track stars state case
Area schools are sending a huge contingent of girls track standouts to the IHSA state meet, which starts May 18 at Eastern Illinois University in Charleston.

There were plenty of sectional champions to keep an eye on this weekend.

Lyons won the Class 3A Shepard Sectional with 127 points, 72 points ahead of runner-up Marist.

Lions champs were senior Rebecca Phillips on the 400 meter event (59.18), Madison Findley in the 800 (2:22.56), Charlotte Lange in the 1600 (5:07.89), Catherine Sommerfield in the 3200 (10:56.17),  the 800 relay team of Emma Kwak, Claire McVady, Jordyn Hoffenberg and Gwen Smith (1:47.76), the 1600 relay team of Phillips, Findley, McVady and Kristina Findley (4:05.03), and the 3200 relay team of Kristina Findley, Madison Findley, Sommerfield and Shannon Cranny (9:37.43).

Shepard sophomore Kyla Motley won the 100 hurdles in 15.38, and the long jump (18 feet, 9.25 inches) and triple jump (37 feet).

Morton sophomore Juliyah Dailey won the 100 with a 12.45. Richards junior Dior Nelson claimed the 200 with a 25.67Reavis senior Claudia Connor won the shot put (37 feet, 4 inches), Reavis senior Mercedes Herrera won the discus (128 feet, 8 inches), Marist’s Brenna Dunlap claimed the pole vault (10 feet, 2.75 inches).

At the Lockport Sectional, Stagg junior Amanda Pocica won the 800 with a 2:17.28

At the Class 2A Hillcrest Sectional, Evergreen Park’s 1600 relay team of Carmela Woods, Emani Johnson, Madison Morgan and Kristen Smith turned in a first-place time of 4:07.30.

At the St. Ignatius Sectional, De La Salle sophomore Samanta Soto won the 800 (2:38.11) and the 3200 relay team of Kaziah Burks, Mia Ligon, Keyaira Moore and Soto won with a 10:49.64.

In Class 1A, Chicago Christian junior Grace Mullin won the 1600 at the Seneca Sectional with a 5:19.49 and senior Anna Enderle won the 3200 in 11:56.99.

Badminton’s best
Lyons finished in a five-way tie for 21^st place with three points in the IHSA State Badminton Meet held May 12-13 at DeKalb High School.

Julia Senffner lost in the first round but won three straight consolation matches before bowing out. Aggie Driscoll-Elle Ownby finished 2-2, Safia Garcia-Mia Grazian went 1-2 and Audrey Shell lost her two matches.

Sandburg’s Maya Morris-Sara Elagha finished 1-2, while Alexa Petcu and Brooke Novosel each dropped their first two matches.

Oak Lawn’s Sandy Berg-Delilah Trujillo finished 2-2.

Stagg’s Ameli Sanchez-Genevieve Tobin lost their two matches.

Reavis’s Dania Amjad-Natalie Pirozek went 0-2.