Libertyville's Boys Lacrosse Program

• The following is part of an ongoing series of articles in celebration of Libertyville High School's 100th anniversary.

Lacrosse is a popular sport at Libertyville High School. But until the fall of 1992 no one at LHS knew anything about it. That changed in the fall of 1992 when the Bertelson family moved to Libertyville. Linda (Farrington) Bertelson was an LHS 1968 grad. Her incoming freshman son Eric began playing lacrosse in sixth grade in Colorado and was disappointed to find out LHS didn't have a program.

Eric got a group of friends to begin playing in a Highland Park indoor facility that fall and winter. Thanks to Linda's urgings to the administration, LHS began a JV lacrosse team in the spring of 1993 with 32 players.

By the 1994 season they played a full varsity schedule and finished 6-7. They finished 10-9 in 1995, and 11-8 in 1996 while winning the consolation bracket of the Illinois Cup.

Bertelson was the team's high scorer all four years of his time in LHS Lacrosse, making the All-State First Team his senior year. He went on to Cornell University in New York, playing for their lacrosse team for a year. He graduated from Cornell with a business management degree.

By 2003 the LHS lacrosse program was reaching state elite status. They reached the semifinals in 2003. In 2004 they advanced to the championship game where it took a four overtime 6-5 loss to Loyola preventing LHS from winning the state title.

A couple of early LHS lacrosse players have come back to serve on the LHS coaching staff. Brady Sullivan, a 1998 grad, was a 10-year LHS head lacrosse coach, now in his second year as the freshmen coach. 1998 LHS classmate Brian Longly is in his 11th year as the JV coach.

Many LHS lacrosse players have benefitted from the Bertelson's early efforts. Steven Brooks earned 2002 All-State honors. He was recruited to play for Syracuse University. Playing for the 2004 and 2008 NCAA Champions, Steven earned all-American honors and was picked the nation's top midfielder his senior year. He was selected by the Chicago Machine sixth overall in the 2008 Major League Lacrosse Draft. A three-time MLL All-Star, Steven is currently playing for the Florida Launch where he serves as a team captain.

Another notable LHS lacrosse alum is Kevin Fontana, a 2004 graduate. He earned All-State lacrosse honors in 2003 while leading his team to the state semifinals. He was also an All-State running back for the football team. After trying to play both sports his freshman year at Illinois State, Kevin stuck to lacrosse his sophomore year and earned three All-Conference honors.