Loyola discards New Trier on quest to retake state crown

Possession is called nine-tenths of the law, but on Tuesday night it was the whole case for Loyola Academy.

The Ramblers owned the draw circle from the opening whistle, suffocating New Trier with their relentless control of possession en route to a commanding 14-5 win over the Trevians on June 2 at Lake Forest High School in a supersectional matchup of perennial powerhouses.

Leading the way for Loyola was junior Chole Mangel, whose dominant draw control, paired with the exceptional work inside the circle from Jillian Rocchio and Molly Dwyer, gave the Ramblers a stranglehold on possession for which New Trier couldn’t find an answer.

The trio combined to tilt the field decidedly in Loyola’s favor, limiting the Trevians’ opportunities on offense and allowing the Ramblers’ offense to operate with a rhythm and pace that proved near impossible to contain over four quarters.

“Possession of the game dictates how the game is going to go,” Mangel said. “We did spend a lot of time in practice going over situations, the scenarios and players we could see in the circle tonight. I give a lot of credit to our girls in the circle. It’s a lot of communication, but we spend a lot of time together and we have great chemistry together.”

Supporting Loyola’s midfield mastery was an equally impressive evening from the Ramblers defense, a unit that’s also been a calling card of this year’s squad.

Heading into the showdown against New Trier, the Ramblers had allowed just two opposing goals over their last four games.

“All of our offensive weapons played great, but our defense played amazing,” Loyola head coach John Dwyer said. “It was just phenomenal defense.”

“Lacrosse is a game of runs, and today we prevented them from getting any runs,” he added.

The Ramblers started the game with a pair of quick strikes to set the tone. Molly Dwyer, the coach’s granddaughter, scored the opening salvo 30 seconds into the contest on Loyola’s first possession.

Only a few moments later, Mangel ripped home a shot to make the score 2-0.

Yet, New Trier looked ready to trade blows with the Ramblers, answering with a pair of goals — both from senior Avery Anderson — to tie things up at two.

But Loyola took complete control from there, rattling off a ferocious 90 seconds of play to end the quarter that resulted in four goals — two from Dwyer, one from Ev Gallios and one from Kathleen Devine — to put the Trevs on their heels.

Anderson found the back of the net once more in the second to bring the Trevians to within five but the Ramblers had another push in them to close the half.

A pair of goals from Rocchio and one each from Mia Chupaila and sophomore Mae Daverman gave Loyola an 11-3 lead after two quarters.

Devine, Rocchio and Gallios added goals in the second half for the Ramblers, while senior Riley Nolan scored a pair for the Trevians.

The superb play of New Trier’s goaltender, Meg Gallagher, who had upward of 15 saves, kept the Trevs’ hopes alive for much of the night.

Loyola’s supersectional conquest avenges last season’s overtime loss to New Trier that came in the state championship game. Last year’s title matchup was the first between the state’s two most elite programs since the IHSA began hosting the state series in 2018.

Prior to this year’s game, the past four seasons the two powers met in the sectional championship, and the two meetings before 2025 went to the Ramblers, who eventually won the state title each year.

“I think last year it wasn’t really a reality for us that something could be taken,” said Chupaila, one of the Ramblers’ senior captains. “I think we realized that everything needs to be earned and you need to work for it and if you don’t work for it then you’re not going to get it, so we worked really hard this season and now we are where we are.”

For New Trier, the loss brings an end to the defense of its state title, which was the program’s first since 2022. One of the challenges for the group this year was replacing the heavy senior class that helped the team hoist 2025’s ultimate prize.

But all season long the Trevs fought with the heart of a champion — and Tuesday was no different.

“I’m so proud of this team,” New Trier head coach Pete Collins said. “Every team circled our game as the Super Bowl this season, and they embraced that and it’s amazing how much they’ve improved and grown over the year.

“This is a team that is so close and so tight. This team never quit … and they do everything we as a coaching staff ask of them.”

The Ramblers now shift their focus to Barrington, who they’ll face off with in the state semifinal at 1 p.m. on Thursday, June 4. The rivalry win was a “big one,” coach Dwyer said, but the team’s focus is still on its main goal.

“We did not win a state championship today; we took a big step toward the state championship,” he said. “But we did not win it, so we’ve got a lot more work to do.”

The team’s leaders understand that message and know there’s still work left to do.

“It’s five more days — it’s been a long offseason, it’s been a long normal season and I think we just take into account all the hard work and all the hard practices and realize that if we don’t finish it on Saturday, then it all kind of seems not worth it,” Chupaila said. “We don’t want to let that happen.”

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