The battle of homecoming

Preceding the homecoming dance Oct. 1, the varsity football team along with other LT athletics will be competing in front of larger crowds at invitational meets and bug games

Adam Janicki, Greta Markey and Luke Lusson, Sports Editor, Copy Editor and Reporter

 

As the season winds down and the adrenaline of conference and state builds, varsity girls cross-country runner Megan Ng ‘17 and the rest of the team prepare for one of their last meets, the Saint Charles North Invitational on Oct. 1.

“This meet will prepare us for state by allowing us to compete with some of the top teams,” Ng said. “Batavia and Hinsdale always have strong teams as well as Geneva and Downers Grove North.”

Last year, the varsity team placed second behind Batavia, while JV and frosh/soph both finished first. The three-mile course involves weaving through a forest preserve and running up six to seven tough, mini-hills, Ng said.

“I am very excited for this race because each one presents a new opportunity to try and run a personal best,” Ng said. “And we get to run against some teams that aren’t in our conference.”

Ever since Joie Reisch ’18 was 4 years old, she has been playing tennis with her four older sisters. Following in their footsteps, she has been competing on the LT girls varsity tennis team since freshman year.

Reisch typically practices tennis three to four hours a day plus one hour of conditioning to stay in top shape. She feels confident that LT can win it’s match at Naperville North High School on Oct. 1.

“I go into a match with a calm and focused mindset, not thinking of the person I am playing,” Reisch said. “I try not to overthink when I play, and I try to think of my matches as practice, playing for fun.”

After defeating Naperville North in a quad match earlier this season, the team hopes to repeat that victory in this upcoming homecoming weekend.

While excitement fills the halls of LT throughout homecoming week, the LT varsity football team is just going about its business as if it is any other week of the season. 

“For us as a football team, it’s not that much different than any other game,” Head Coach Kurt Weinberg said. “It’s a fun thing for the school and alumni, but for the team it’s just about preparing for another game.” 

LT is set to face the Downers Grove North Trojans on Saturday, Oct. 1, at 1:30 p.m. on Bennett Field. The homecoming atmosphere is one the players love to play in year after year. 

“It’s pretty amazing,” defensive tackle Ryan Buhle ’17 said. “With all the people that come out to watch it should be a very fun atmosphere.” 

The Lions are coming in with a talented and experienced group that has shown good execution so far this season, Weinberg said. They have a 3-0 record with away victories against Warren and Morton. 

“We have handled several situations well so far this year,” Weinberg said. “That speaks to the experience of this team.”  

Running back Reggie Terrell ’17 is also excited about this year’s team and thinks there is plenty to accomplish with this group.

“We have a lot of guys who can make plays when they touch the ball,” Terrell said. “Since we play in a very hard conference, winning conference would be special.” 

Whether they win conference or not, the homecoming game is one that the team hopes to have won when it is all said and done. 

“We definitely want to get a win,” Terrell said. “We want to celebrate the night with a win and have fun at the homecoming dance.” 

The Lions will face a Downers Grove North team that enters the game with a 1-1 record. However, it is not the opponent, but rather themselves that the Lions are concentrated on going into this matchup. 

“We will need to play hard, physical and fast,” Terrell said. “As long as we keep doing what we’re doing, the win will fall into place.” 

After multiple successful matches versus conference teams and tough weekend meets, the varsity boys golf team expects to take first at this year’s LaSalle-Peru Invitational on Oct. 1.

“The competition at the LaSalle-Peru invite isn’t the best,” varsity golfer Bryce Mitchell ’17 said. “The team got second place last year, but I think our team is going to take the ‘W’ this year.”

In his second year on the varsity golf team, Griffin Wasz ’17 is excited for the LaSalle-Peru Invite, as are other teammates, Wasz said. Even though Coach Brian Kopecky has yet to release the official roster for the invite , focus and camaraderie will be crucial to the team’s performance.

“I’m pretty excited for the invite because I really like that course,” Wasz said. “The only other time we get to play on it is in the summer at the U.S Junior Qualifier, but if I get the opportunity to go back and play that course again, I’d really like to improve how I played there before.”

After finishing in the bottom, bronze bracket in last year’s Asics Mother McCauley tournament, LT girls varsity volleyball hopes to use their improved team chemistry and strong defense to perform better.

“This year we have four returning starters that played in last year’s tournament,” team leader Abby Vulich ’17 said. “We are coming in this year with more experience and background on this tournament than some of the other teams.”

The tournament is located at Mother McCauley High School and includes teams from Florida, New York and Chicago.

“We have been working on our defense and have developed some really good hitters,” Vulich said. “But we realize that the biggest advantage we can have is a positive attitude. The minute our team starts getting down on each other, all of our hard work goes to waste.”

The team is preparing to compete on Oct. 1 and is hoping to finish in a higher bracket than last year.