The Ramblers live it up after winning their ninth straight state title at Northwestern University’s Lakeside Field. PHOTOGRAPHY BY GEORGE PFOERTNER
Two lacrosse sticks launched a ball straight up at Lakeside Field on Northwestern University’s campus last weekend.
The face-off in the first half of the Illinois High School Women’s Lacrosse Association state championship game had suddenly turned into a jump ball on June 2.
One of the sticks belonged to Loyola Academy senior middie Brennan Dwyer, who camped under the ball like an outfielder would. As soon as the ball nestled in the nylon pocket of her weapon of mass production, the Rambler exploded downfield, dodging one New Trier Trevian, then another, then two more.
Dwyer — who had entered her fourth state championship game with 132 goals in 29 games this spring — unleashed a shot five feet from the goalmouth.
The ball entered the cage with all kinds of urgency.
It was 4-3 Loyola Academy, just like that.
Dwyer turned, sprinted back toward midfield, accepting kudos from her mates along the way, and prepared for another face-off.
Ready for more.
It was Dwyer’s second goal of the night in what would become a breathless seven-goal performance in the Ramblers’ 15-9 victory.
“She’s a pretty determined kid,” said LA coach John Dwyer, also the kid’s father. “I’ve known, since Brennan was a little child, to never doubt the size of her heart.”
LA’s run of consecutive IHSWLA state championships grew to nine with the win on Brennan Dwyer’s future home lacrosse field. The women’s lacrosse program at NU captured its fifth straight NCAA championship in 2009 — the year when LA began its lengthy reign in Illinois.
“Fast, agile, able to use both hands so well, incredible,” Ramblers senior attack/middie Grace Clarke said of Dwyer, one of nine Ramblers named to the IHSWLA all-state team. “She gets around players so easily.”
Last weekend’s title tilt in Evanston wasn’t a facile one for LA (28-2). The Ramblers won six of the first seven face-offs against New Trier (22-4) but led only 7-6 at the half. The Trevians had poured in two goals — one from freshman middie Charley Meier, the other from sophomore attack Lucy Murray — in a 13-second span near the end of the first half.
“New Trier’s kids were ready for us, and they gave us their best shot,” said John Dwyer, whose squad defeated visiting New Trier 18-12 on April 26. “We beat a very good team, an incredibly well-coached team.”
It didn’t take long for LA to manifest its brilliance in the second half. John Dwyer’s potent bunch struck for five unanswered goals in a little more than six minutes to establish an ample 12-6 advantage, with Brennan Dwyer tallying two in the barrage. Butler University-bound Clarke and senior middies Madison Kane and Caroline Witkowski scored the other goals.
“We had so much confidence during halftime, because we’d been a strong second-half team all year,” said Witkowski, an all-state lacrosse and tennis player who intends to play lacrosse at the University of Michigan.
“We considered our team a family. Close — we are so close. One heart, one mind.”
Two severely injured knees galvanized LA’s girls lacrosse team in 2017. Senior attack/middie Mary Dooley and senior middie Katie Enrietto each suffered a left ACL tear on the Ramblers’ trip to Colorado in April. Each had scored a goal moments before the season-ending injury. Each would still earn all-state status.
Dooley got hurt on a Thursday.
“I injured my knee the next day,” Enrietto recalled.
The surgeon who operated on Enrietto operated on Dooley, too.
Dooley wore jersey No. 12, and Enrietto donned No. 31.
The Ramblers’ rallying cry for most the season: “12 and 31.”
Each — with a brace on her leg and a lacrosse stick in her hands — entered the championship game in the final 30 seconds.
“We all felt so badly for them,” Brennan Dwyer said after the state championship game. “We won this for them.”
Clarke finished with three goals, and Kane’s two tallies upped her season total to 71 goals, second among teammates to Dwyer’s 139. Seniors Colleen Huffman and Libby Germano also scored for the champions.
Winning goalie Delaney Oliveira allowed only three goals in the second half of her final prep game.
New Trier received a hat trick from senior middie Katherine Gjertsen and a pair of goals from junior attack Sophia King. Trevians Meier, Murray, Claire Gottreich and Courtney Kaskey contributed a goal apiece.
“I was excited — beyond excited — before the start of the game,” King said. “That first half, being down only one goal, we showed people how strong we are, what we’re capable of doing.”
New Trier’s theme this spring was “Legacy”. Trevians coach Pete Collins and his staff arranged for NT lacrosse alumni to speak to his players once a week.
Alumni reminisced and shared their insights on lacrosse and what it meant to be a Trevian.
Current players listened intently to alumni and then couldn’t wait to hit the field with added purpose.
“It was empowering,” King said.
Collins addressed his club’s overall effort and Loyola Academy’s surfeit of talent after the championship game.
He was impressed with both.
“Our kids played super hard, just like they had all season,” Collins said. “It’s the most dedicated team, and it’s selfless, with all of the girls accepting their roles. Such a tight group. They loved playing lacrosse, and they truly enjoyed playing together.
“That Loyola team — it never backed down tonight. You can’t give that team an inch. What they did to us early in the second half was hard to overcome. We had been doing a good job of sticking with our game plan of possession and taking smart shots, especially near the end of the first half.”
Notable: A combined 16 Loyola Academy and New Trier players earned IHSWLA all-state honors this spring. LA — Riley Dolan (defense), Mary Dooley (attack), Brennan Dwyer (middie), Katie Enrietto (middie), Colleen Huffman (attack), Madison Kane (middie), Delaney Oliveira (goalie), Brennan O’Malley (defense) and Caroline Witkowski (middie); NT — Katherine Gjertsen (attack), Courtney Kaskey (middie), Kyra LaMotte (defense); Lucy Murray (attack), Isabelle Sennett (middie) and Emma Tomlinson (defense). … Loyola Academy senior attack Libby Germano and New Trier freshman middie Charley Meier made the IHSWLA honorable mention all-state team. … NT coach Pete Collins, on Meier. “You put her in a room with other lacrosse players, and there’s usually a good chance she’s the player with the highest lacrosse IQ.” … LA senior attack/middie Grace Clarke, on teammate Brennan Dwyer: “A great player who’s also the sweetest girl. She’s always looking out for others and thinking of others.”
LA’s Brennan Dwyer (No. 3) races downfield ahead of New Trier’s Charley Meier. PHOTOGRAPHY BY GEORGE PFOERTNER
Kyra LaMotte (No. 5) of the Trevians breaks free. PHOTOGRAPHY BY GEORGE PFOERTNER
NT’s Katherine Gjertsen (right) tries to move past LA’s Brennan Dwyer. PHOTOGRAPHY BY GEORGE PFOERTNER
Loyola’s Madison Kane (No. 16) takes possession. PHOTOGRAPHY BY GEORGE PFOERTNER
NT’s Lucy Murray (No. 19) tries to slip past LA’s Lauryn Repp.
LA’s Grace Clar (No. 9) tries to track NT’s Emma Tomlinson. PHOTOGRAPHY BY GEORGE PFOERTNER
NT’s Katherine Gjertsen (No. 27) fires a shot past LA goalie Delaney Oliveira, while Brennan O’Malley (No. 11), Brennan Dwyer (No. 3) and Audrey Brett (No. 28) try to defend. PHOTOGRAPHY BY GEORGE PFOERTNER
The Ramblers pose for the camera. PHOTOGRAPHY BY GEORGE PFOERTNER
The Trevians gather around the state runner-up trophy. PHOTOGRAPHY BY GEORGE PFOERTNER