With a multitude of sports now being pushed into the summer months due to COVID restrictions and delays, athletes are finding ways to adjust to their new seasons. Girls soccer, boys tennis, softball and baseball, boys and girls lacrosse, boys and girls track and field, boys volleyball, and wrestling all are looking forward to different yet exciting seasons.

Girls Soccer 

The Girls Soccer Season kicked off their season with a winning game against Lakes on April 13 that ended with a close 1-2 score. They then faced New Trier in a heated game that ended with a win for the Lake Zurich girls as well.

“I can definitely tell that chemistry is strong and that working well as a unit is going to be a key part of our game this season,” Karlee Walsh, junior said. “I’m really pumped to play Stevenson because they’re always a big rival, a very strong competitor, and have very familiar faces.”

Boys Tennis

The boys’ tennis team is swinging into their season with their first match on April 20 against Palatine. This precedes back-to-back matches on April 21 and 22 against Mundelein and Grayslake North respectively. Trevor Tognetti, senior, says he feels excited for what the season has in store, but is also frustrated with the delayed season time.

“COVID has caused the season to be pushed back a month which I am not very happy about, but I’m excited that, at least, there will be a season,” Tognetti said. “I feel really excited going into tennis as a senior because I’m genuinely ready to be a leader and set an example this year.”

Softball and Baseball

The Girls Softball team already has had an intense season with losses against Fremd, Vernon Hills, and Barrington early on in the season. Despite the rocky start, they’re looking forward to playing against Warren on April 20 and Zion-Benton on April 26 according to Maura Ginn, senior.

“COVID shortened our pre-season and limited some of the stuff we usually do to prepare for the actual season so we are just going to have to work a little harder to get back into shape for the season,” Ginn said. “Being a senior, I am going into the season super optimistic because our team is almost entirely new since the last time we played as a team. We have a lot of talent and I think we are going to work really well together as a team.”

The Boys Baseball team wrapped up tryouts on April 7 and are now leading the conference with a win against Deerfield as the first game of the season with a score of 4-3. They then came back for a home game against Libertyville on April 19.

Boys Lacrosse and Girls Lacrosse 

The Boys Lacrosse team has their first game on home turf against Fremd on April 19. They will face strong competitors as they will battle against Carmel, Maine South, and Lake Forest early in the season.

The Girls Lacrosse team started their season a little earlier than the boys and had their first match on April 17 against Schaumburg and lost with a score of  14-6. The team is excited to face their rivals, Stevenson, on May 12, according to Jaida Martin, senior.

 “During practices, we need to keep a distance so we try to do as much man-to-man playing as possible with the restrictions set in place,” Martin said. “It’s also important to train and condition with our masks on so we’re accustomed to them during our high-speed games.”

Boys Track and Field and Girls Track and Field

The Boys Track and Field team will run into their season with an away meet at Lake Forest on April 26. They have been preparing all winter for the start of their season and are looking long-term at their championship meets, such as conference on June 3. Although the dates for Sectionals and State are undetermined, the team remains optimistic for the season ahead.

While the boys’ team continues to prepare, The Girls Track and Field team had their first outdoor meet in over two years on the home track.  The April 16, “Friday Night Fight” quad faced Grayslake Central, Grayslake North, and Lakes. Lake Zurich ran valiantly, with both varsity and junior varsity scoring first against competitors. They are looking forward to the conference on May 27.

“As a freshman, I’m super excited for my first high school season of track,” Olivia Verden, freshman, said. “Although COVID has impacted this season since the meets and practices won’t be the same as years in the past, I don’t have any concerns.”

Boys Volleyball

The Lake Zurich Boys Volleyball team had their first match of the season against Grays Lake Central on April 15. Although the score ended 2-1, with the win going to Grays Lake Central, they hope to come back April 21 against Libertyville who is currently 1-0 in their games.

Wrestling

Wrestling starts their season later than the rest, with their first meet being April 30 against Waukegan. Although their meet schedule is still being finalized, athletes, such as George Gonzalez, senior, says that he is “especially looking forward to senior night this season as it’s a match that we finally get to wrestle under the lights for.”