January 14, 2025
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All-state WR Blaise LaVista announces intention to play senior season at Lincoln-Way East

As junior at Libertyville, racked up 1,447 receiving yards, 24 TDs

By J.T. Pedelty
Libertyville’s Blaise LaVista, left, fights off a tackle by Warren’s Justice Humphreys during Friday’s game in Libertyville.

Libertyville’s Blaise LaVista (4) fights off a tackle by Warren’s Justice Humphreys during a 2024 game in Libertyville. (Joe Lewnard/jlewnard@dailyherald/Joe Lewnard/jlewnard@dailyherald)

Led by junior all-state quarterback Jonas Williams, Lincoln-Way East put up 516 points over 12 games played during the 2024 season, an average of 43 points per game with 10 contests scoring 38 or more during a 12-1, Class 8A state semifinalist campaign.

Believe it or not, the Griffins may have just gotten more dangerous.

On Sunday, all-state receiver Blaise LaVista – a 6-foot-2, 190-pound junior from Libertyville receiving Division I FBS interest – announced via his X (formerly Twitter) account his intention to transfer to Lincoln-Way East and play his senior season for the Griffins.

As a junior at Libertyville, LaVista totaled 60 receptions for 1,447 yards and 24 touchdowns for the 9-2 Wildcats.

“After consideration, I will be leaving Libertyville and spending my final year of high school at Lincoln-Way East,” LaVista posted Sunday afternoon. “I want to thank everyone at Libertyville for the past 11 years of football, and Coach Shack [Libertyville offensive coordinator Danny Schaechter] for being a prominent figure in my life.

“Libertyville will always be home.”

Libertyville made the second round of the Class 6A playoffs last season led by LaVista and senior quarterback/Division I baseball signee Quinn Schambow.

Lincoln-Way East – led by Oregon-commit/Herald-News Football Player of the Year Williams and his 2,926 passing yards with 42 touchdowns – lost by three points to eventual state champion Loyola Academy in last year’s 8A semifinals. Prior to that and Williams' transfer to L-W East from Bolingbrook, the Griffins were state runners-up in Class 8A in 2022 and 2023.

Lincoln-Way East has made it to at least the 8A quarterfinals each of the past eight IHSA postseasons, winning state championships during that span in 2017 and 2019.

The addition of LaVista will help mitigate the loss to graduation of three of Williams' favorite targets from 2024, wide receivers Keagan Ruane-Martino and Talan White along with tight end Trey Zvonar.