Ryland Avants was gearing up for his senior soccer season at Lyons when a couple football players, Roman Sosnovyy and Jimmy Hillman, reached out via text.
“They said they needed a kicker, so I came out,” Avants said.
The Lions’ soccer season ended with a sectional semifinal loss on Tuesday, but Avants made sure his football season would go on.
The senior’s third field goal of the game, a 31-yarder as time expired, lifted No. 17 Lyons past No. 20 York 24-21 in a Class 8A opener in Western Springs.
Avants also kicked a 25-yarder and a 40-yarder in the first half for the Lions (8-2), who beat their West Suburban Silver rival at home for the second straight week. EJ Kuhlman, who set a program record with 246 rushing yards last week, ran 29 times for 146 yards and a touchdown on Friday. Jack Slightom passed for 153 yards and a TD to Travis Stamm.
But it all came down to Avants, whom York tried to ice by calling its last timeout before his game-winner.
Was he nervous?
“Not really,” said Avants, who hadn’t kicked in high school until this year. “I’m used to that kind of stuff when it comes to playing soccer and [taking] penalty kicks. So I’m able to keep my composure in those moments.”
That didn’t surprise Lyons senior Anthony Pearson, whose end-zone interception gave the Lions the ball to start the game-winning drive with 6:56 left.
“Ryland used to kick back in eighth grade on my youth team, so when we brought him up, I was always confident in him,” Pearson said. “Never a doubt in him. He’s one of the only people I know that can kick a 50-yarder or a game-winner and be as composed as he is.”
Lyons coach Jon Beutjer had faith in Avants, too.
“He’s got a really, really strong leg,” Beutjer said. “… He comes to our practice once or twice a week, kicks for 15-20 minutes and he’ll go to soccer practice. Coach [Paul] Labbato has been very nice in letting soccer players come and kick.”
York (6-4) had two long touchdown runs from Henry Duda, one of the returners from the Dukes’ Class 8A runner-up last season.
Duda raced 73 yards down the left sideline of the game’s first play from scrimmage. Then his 75-yard TD on the first play from scrimmage of the fourth quarter pulled the Dukes into a 21-21 tie. The senior also had a five-yard TD in the second quarter and finished with 31 carries for 272 yards.
In the past two weeks, Duda ran for five touchdowns and more than 500 yards against Lyons — which still managed to win both games.
“We’ve seen it all year in games, practice — everything,” York coach Don Gelsomino said. “He’s incredible. I love that kid. … He’s gonna go on to do a lot of great things.”
Lyons, meanwhile, goes on to play at Fremd (9-1) next week in the second round. The Vikings eliminated Huntley 41-14.
With two ranked teams playing at a high level — there was just one turnover and only five penalties — the game felt more like a late-round matchup. But it wasn’t because of an IHSA seeding formula that prioritizes total wins — no matter who they’re against — over strength of schedule.
“I’m probably biased for saying it myself, but those are two of the best teams in 8A battling it out two weeks in a row … and that’s what you get,” Gelsomino said.
“Their kids played hard, they’re physical and they have a really good program over there,” Beutjer said. “But … our kids [were] really resilient. Proud of their grit, their fight.”