Team at a glance
Nickname Lions
Colors Blue and yellow
Stadium Bennett Field, 4900 S. Gilbert, Western Springs
Enrollment 3,876
Class 8A
Coach Jack Derning
2007 record 8-2
Conference 5-1, 1st

Top returners
Pat Thomas sr. DL
Matt Lakis sr. FS

Promising newcomers
Tim Stuart sr. LB
Brennan Cunningham sr. LB
Rafal Redlinnski sr. NT
Deonte Brown sr. RB
Dave Bellisario sr. QB
Ethan Guenther sr. K
Joe Soudan sr. L/LB
Mike Coombs sr. C
Jake Konovsky sr. DT/LB
Matt Polega sr. LB
Pat Hill sr. WR

Season schedule
Aug. 29 vs. Sandburg 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 5 at Proviso East 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 12 vs. Hinsdale Central 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 20 at OPRF 1:30 p.m.
Sept. 26 vs. York 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 4 at Proviso West 1:30 p.m.
Oct. 11 vs. Leyden 1:30 p.m.
Oct. 18 at Glenbard West 1:30 p.m.
Oct. 24 vs. Downers North 7:30 p.m.

Games to watch
Sept. 12 vs. Hinsdale Central Red Devils looking to continue dominance over LT after winning six of the last seven meetings
Sept. 26 vs. York Game pits last two West Suburban Silver champs against each other
Oct. 24 vs. Downers North Lions have won last two matchups, but the Trojans are looking to return to old times, when they won every game for a decade in the series

5-year trend
overall conference playoffs
‘07 8-2 5-1 1st Rd.
‘06 5-5 3-3 1st Rd.
‘05 5-5 4-2 1st Rd.
‘04 8-3 4-2 Quarters
‘03 6-4 3-3 1st Rd.

Better ending?
Lyons Township comes into this season needing to prove its 8-1 regular-season mark last year was no fluke. After winning the West Suburban Silver, the Lions fell 31-14 to Neuqua Valley in the first round of the playoffs. It continued a trend that has seen the Lions enjoy solid regular seasons only to stumble in the playoffs.
In 2005, LT started 5-2 only to lose its final three games. In 2003, LT started 5-0, then lost three of its next four and allowed 43 points in losing in the first round. In 2002, the Lions went 7-2 only to fall in the first round. In 2006, they won their final four games to reach the playoffs, but still fell in the first round. The only deviation was 2004 when LT went 7-2 in the regular season and reached the second round.

Growing up fast
If Lyons Township is going to have a successful season, its going to need its players to mature in a hurry. The Lions have just two varsity starters back from last year in senior defensive tackle Thomas and senior defensive back Lakis. Both were key players on last year’s WSS championship team, but both must step up as leaders this year, as well.
Brown returns with some experience from last year, getting in a couple of games at running back. His speed will be key on offense, where all 11 starters are different.
The Lions must be ready in a hurry, too, as their West Suburban Silver opener is against Hinsdale Central in Week 3 at home.

Silver trend
The Lions beat Downers Grove North for the second straight time last year, which has not happened in a long time. During the last five years, the Lions are 2-3 against the Trojans. The only team they have a worse mark against in the conference is Hinsdale Central, against which they are 1-4.
Of teams LT has played every year for the last five years, Leyden is the only team the Lions haven’t lost to. The Lions are 4-1 against Proviso West, Glenbard West, York and Oak Park-River Forest, though. In the last five years, the Lions have swept those four teams three times, going 1-4 against them in 2006. During that same span, LT has been swept by Hinsdale and Downers three times, including a sweep in 2006.

Starting gate
The first two weeks of the season could be considered a trial-and-error segment of the Lions’ year. Prior to their game with Hinsdale Central in Week 3, the Lions open with Sandburg and Proviso East, both of which were wins last year. In the past two years, the Lions have split with Sandburg, while last year was the team’s first in a two-year contract with Proviso East.
The Lions have enjoyed playing their crossover games, as in the last seven years they are 7-0 against Leyden, 2-0 against Morton and Willowbrook, 1-0 against Proviso East and 1-1 against Hinsdale South.
Unfortunately, in LT’s non-conference openers, the results haven’t been as solid. It is 1-1 against Sandburg, but went just 3-2 against Hersey.

SENIOR SAYS
Pat Thomas
You went 8-2 last year. What are the team’s expectations this year?
“We won conference last year, so we’d like to do that again because this class has been conference champs every year so far. That would make us 4 for 4 which would be nice. I think we’re expected to do it again, so that’s our expectation, as well as winning a state championship. Everyone wants what we have because we won conference, just like we were gunning for York the year before. We’re ready for that. We know we have a target on our backs.”

How do you buck that trend of falling in the first round of the playoffs?
“We have to build off last year. I think we got a tough draw last year (with Neuqua Valley). We know that LT has had trouble getting out of the first round and that’s a little disappointing for the program. That is one of our biggest goals, to at least make it out of the first round of the playoffs.”
You lost a lot of key players from last year. How do you replace them?
“We don’t feel that we have to replace anyone, we feel like we just have different guys who can step in and step up every year. I don’t think it’s going to be that hard of a transition for us.”

What kind of chemistry has this group built up considering you’ve been together for four years and have won conference every year?
“Pretty much everyone I know at LT, I know because of football. We’ve known each other for years now and have been here at 5 a.m. together and have gone through a lot of hell with each other. We’re a close bunch and everyone is working for each other out there.”

BY THE NUMBERS
2 Number of starters out of 22 that LT returns this year, none of whom are on offense, with just Matt Lakis and Pat Thomas returning

4 Shutouts LT’s defense recorded last year, tops in the West Suburban Silver

105, 54 Points for and against LT, respectively, in conference games last year, the third fewest for, but the fewest against