Wirtz made major 'state'-ment at Lyons
By Dave Owen
Olivia Wirtz provided a magic moment in Lyons Township girls soccer history that was unmatched in the last 22 years.
And while the 2020 season’s cancellation due to the COVID-19 virus was unmatched in another, tougher way, the 2019 campaign was stuffed with a high school career’s worth of unforgettable moments.
The Lions’ run to fourth place in Class 3A marked the program’s first state trip since also taking fourth in 2007.
And in a state weekend thousands of players dream of, Wirtz was front and center in Lyons’ greatest moment.
In the 3A semifinals against Naperville North, her header off an Ava Dallavo corner kick send into a crowd at the near post in the 38th minute gave the Lions a 1-0 halftime lead.
“When I scored that goal, at first I wasn’t sure how the ball got into the net,” recalled Wirtz, who had five goals in 2019 to rank fourth on the Lions.
“I knew that I had contacted the ball when I jumped up to head it, but I thought one of my teammates had gotten the rebound to finish it.”
Instead, it was Wirtz who had fashioned the putaway off a mad scramble in front.
Historically, it marked the first time since 1997 that a Lyons player had scored a goal in the state semifinals or later.
That long ago season, future University of Iowa standout Kate Walse scored two goals and Amy Cibula one in LT’s 3-2 semifinal win over New Trier.
The Lions were then shut out in the 1997 finals by St. Charles, and state semifinal appearances in 2003 and 2006 resulted in two straight shutout losses (semis and third place matches) each season.
Far beyond that historical trivia, the magnitude of the match and her comeback from injury made it a moment beyond compare for Wirtz.
“All of my teammates were screaming at me and hugging me,” Wirtz said, “and in that moment I realized I was the one who scored.
“It was such a huge game for us, and the fact that I had come back from a concussion earlier that season made that goal so much more worth it. I felt so proud to be able to make that difference for my team.”
The Huskies would rally to tie the game 1-1, then win the game on penalty kicks en route to the eventual 3A state title.
Even before her moment of glory, Wirtz knew the state semifinal match was going to be a unique experience.
“Going into the state tournament (final weekend) last year,” she said, “I honestly had no expectations – other than the games were going to get 10 times more difficult, and would demand 110% effort from every player on our team.
“But when we first got out on the field, the whole atmosphere was different. We were given IHSA tags to go on our backpacks to show we were official players, there were lots of IHSA officials around, and when warmups began more and more fans poured into the stands. The amount of people that showed up was nothing like I had seen before.”
And considering the Lions had survived season-ending injuries to star goalkeeper Sophie Grabis and key defender Grace Truax to make their postseason run, stepping onto the North Central College stadium field was that much more surreal.
“Last year definitely an interesting year to say the least,” Wirtz said. “We had an overwhelming number of injuries that for sure influenced the dynamic on the field, but we found ways to get through them.”
Add in Wirtz’s concussion earlier in the year and missed time with injuries also by Izzy Alvarado, Peri Kracker, Nora Blake, Bella Dziak and Mikayla Aurienne, and LT’s 18-3-1 record was no small feat.
“A lot of players stepped up to the challenge to cover for individuals who were injured, and that made a huge difference for us.”
Star midfielder Eileen Murphy was a difference maker in every game, particularly with two incredible goals to rally Lyons to a 2-1 sectional final win over Young.
But as fighting off the persistent injury bug proved, the run took more than a few top players to happen.
“Something that was key to our state trip was being able to bond and relate to one another off the field,” Wirtz said, “which helped us work together even better during games.
“It showed that we all have each others’ backs on and off the field.
“The girls on last year’s team were all so fun,” Wirtz added, “and we were able to include one another, which is an important part of being able to play well. Although we had lots of fun at practice and pasta parties, we also knew when it was time to get our head in the game and put our best efforts into practice and games.”
But as Wirtz looks back on her Lions career, the experience was far more sweet than just the special end to 2019.
“Being a part of the LT soccer program is an experience unlike any other I’ve had,” she said. “Coming into my very first high school tryouts as a freshman, I had never been surrounded by so many talented players in my life, and that scared me. But all of the girls were so welcoming and supportive, and I was so happy to fit in with them.
“I didn’t make the varsity as a freshman, but I did the next year.” Wirtz added. “As a sophomore on varsity, it wasn’t a surprise that I was shy and nervous around the upperclassmen, but I was able to make new friends and learn from watching them play. It has made me a better player and person and that’s something I’ll never forget.”
That 2018 season was also packed with success. A 15-6-1 record included an undefeated run through the WSC Silver, and the Lions came about as close to their first sectional title since 2014 as is possible (losing to Downers Grove North on penalty kicks in the sectional final).
As for Wirtz, her early time of learning would eventually help her find a niche.
“I think it took her a little time to get used to a new position,” LT coach Bill Lanspeary said. “She had been a midfielder, and we tried her as an outside back before moving her to a target forward. And she had to get used to the speed of play at the varsity level.
“Probably about midway through her junior year, she started playing with confidence to be the player that we always saw her to be,” Lanspeary said. “She had an excellent second half of the season, and I'm sure was looking forward to playing an even bigger role on this year’s team.”
The loss of Murphy and 11 other seniors from the 2019 state team did create some uncertainty.
“To be completely honest,” Wirtz said, “going into tryouts this year I was a little nervous about how our team would be because we lost so many talented seniors last year.
“But as soon as tryouts started, all my worries were gone because I saw so many new and returning talented faces, and I was itching for the season to start.”
“With so many seniors leaving last year, it left a lot of availability for returning players to take charge and become leaders on the team,” Wirtz said. “Our seniors this year were all ready to take on the responsibilities as leaders from the first day of tryouts, myself included.”
Then came the COVID-19 concerns soon after practices began, and a delay until May 1 evolved into outright cancellation of the season.
“Through the delay we remained optimistic, and a lot of girls (early on) had organized practices on their own,” Wirtz said. “Eventually those had to be canceled due to the statewide lockdown and social distancing, but so many girls have taken it upon themselves to stay in shape and use the suggested workouts from our coaches.
“Staying in touch with one another through group chats and Zoom meetings also helped us to keep that connection between us, even if we weren’t able to do that on the field.”
But regardless of the ending of her time at Lyons, Wirtz will look back on so many great times way beyond the unforgettable state tournament run.
“Coach Lanspeary, (Lyons assistant) Coach (Andy) Newcomb and all the teammates I’ve had over the years have influenced me so much and allowed me to grow as the seasons went on,” she said.
“I learned to take criticism as encouragement for growth, rather than as a negative thing. I learned that making mistakes is OK because that means there’s room for improvement.
“I learned to always put forth my best effort in each and every game,” Wirtz added. “I learned that working together is something I will always need in my life, and the LT soccer program showed me exactly how to do that.”
Wirtz will take all those lessons into a new field this fall.
“My future plans include attending the University of Iowa as a direct admit to their nursing program, which I could not be more excited to start,” she said.
And Wirtz isn’t about to kick soccer to her past.
“I’m very excited to start a new chapter at Iowa through either a club or intramural team,” she said. “Though it will never be the same as playing for LT or my old club (LG Celtics).
“Soccer has been a main part of my life for 14 years. I know that I will miss playing competitive and high school level soccer. But the experiences I’ve had will be something I’ll remember and look back on forever.”
Especially what turned out to be that last, magical weekend at the state tournament.
“The postponing of this season is very sad for a lot of people,” Wirtz said, “especially the seniors because we will never get the chance to play high school soccer again.
“I think I speak for all of the seniors when I say that getting our senior season taken away from us is one of the most heartbreaking things that could’ve happened. And the fact that it is out of our control only made the situation worse.”
But while seniors may graduate, their memories and loyaties never do.
“I will certainly miss all my teammates so much,” Wirtz said, “but I know they will do amazing things in their future. And I can’t wait to come back from college to cheer on next year’s (LT) team as well.”
By Dave Owen
Olivia Wirtz provided a magic moment in Lyons Township girls soccer history that was unmatched in the last 22 years.
And while the 2020 season’s cancellation due to the COVID-19 virus was unmatched in another, tougher way, the 2019 campaign was stuffed with a high school career’s worth of unforgettable moments.
The Lions’ run to fourth place in Class 3A marked the program’s first state trip since also taking fourth in 2007.
And in a state weekend thousands of players dream of, Wirtz was front and center in Lyons’ greatest moment.
In the 3A semifinals against Naperville North, her header off an Ava Dallavo corner kick send into a crowd at the near post in the 38th minute gave the Lions a 1-0 halftime lead.
“When I scored that goal, at first I wasn’t sure how the ball got into the net,” recalled Wirtz, who had five goals in 2019 to rank fourth on the Lions.
“I knew that I had contacted the ball when I jumped up to head it, but I thought one of my teammates had gotten the rebound to finish it.”
Instead, it was Wirtz who had fashioned the putaway off a mad scramble in front.
Historically, it marked the first time since 1997 that a Lyons player had scored a goal in the state semifinals or later.
That long ago season, future University of Iowa standout Kate Walse scored two goals and Amy Cibula one in LT’s 3-2 semifinal win over New Trier.
The Lions were then shut out in the 1997 finals by St. Charles, and state semifinal appearances in 2003 and 2006 resulted in two straight shutout losses (semis and third place matches) each season.
Far beyond that historical trivia, the magnitude of the match and her comeback from injury made it a moment beyond compare for Wirtz.
“All of my teammates were screaming at me and hugging me,” Wirtz said, “and in that moment I realized I was the one who scored.
“It was such a huge game for us, and the fact that I had come back from a concussion earlier that season made that goal so much more worth it. I felt so proud to be able to make that difference for my team.”
The Huskies would rally to tie the game 1-1, then win the game on penalty kicks en route to the eventual 3A state title.
Even before her moment of glory, Wirtz knew the state semifinal match was going to be a unique experience.
“Going into the state tournament (final weekend) last year,” she said, “I honestly had no expectations – other than the games were going to get 10 times more difficult, and would demand 110% effort from every player on our team.
“But when we first got out on the field, the whole atmosphere was different. We were given IHSA tags to go on our backpacks to show we were official players, there were lots of IHSA officials around, and when warmups began more and more fans poured into the stands. The amount of people that showed up was nothing like I had seen before.”
And considering the Lions had survived season-ending injuries to star goalkeeper Sophie Grabis and key defender Grace Truax to make their postseason run, stepping onto the North Central College stadium field was that much more surreal.
“Last year definitely an interesting year to say the least,” Wirtz said. “We had an overwhelming number of injuries that for sure influenced the dynamic on the field, but we found ways to get through them.”
Add in Wirtz’s concussion earlier in the year and missed time with injuries also by Izzy Alvarado, Peri Kracker, Nora Blake, Bella Dziak and Mikayla Aurienne, and LT’s 18-3-1 record was no small feat.
“A lot of players stepped up to the challenge to cover for individuals who were injured, and that made a huge difference for us.”
Star midfielder Eileen Murphy was a difference maker in every game, particularly with two incredible goals to rally Lyons to a 2-1 sectional final win over Young.
But as fighting off the persistent injury bug proved, the run took more than a few top players to happen.
“Something that was key to our state trip was being able to bond and relate to one another off the field,” Wirtz said, “which helped us work together even better during games.
“It showed that we all have each others’ backs on and off the field.
“The girls on last year’s team were all so fun,” Wirtz added, “and we were able to include one another, which is an important part of being able to play well. Although we had lots of fun at practice and pasta parties, we also knew when it was time to get our head in the game and put our best efforts into practice and games.”
But as Wirtz looks back on her Lions career, the experience was far more sweet than just the special end to 2019.
“Being a part of the LT soccer program is an experience unlike any other I’ve had,” she said. “Coming into my very first high school tryouts as a freshman, I had never been surrounded by so many talented players in my life, and that scared me. But all of the girls were so welcoming and supportive, and I was so happy to fit in with them.
“I didn’t make the varsity as a freshman, but I did the next year.” Wirtz added. “As a sophomore on varsity, it wasn’t a surprise that I was shy and nervous around the upperclassmen, but I was able to make new friends and learn from watching them play. It has made me a better player and person and that’s something I’ll never forget.”
That 2018 season was also packed with success. A 15-6-1 record included an undefeated run through the WSC Silver, and the Lions came about as close to their first sectional title since 2014 as is possible (losing to Downers Grove North on penalty kicks in the sectional final).
As for Wirtz, her early time of learning would eventually help her find a niche.
“I think it took her a little time to get used to a new position,” LT coach Bill Lanspeary said. “She had been a midfielder, and we tried her as an outside back before moving her to a target forward. And she had to get used to the speed of play at the varsity level.
“Probably about midway through her junior year, she started playing with confidence to be the player that we always saw her to be,” Lanspeary said. “She had an excellent second half of the season, and I'm sure was looking forward to playing an even bigger role on this year’s team.”
The loss of Murphy and 11 other seniors from the 2019 state team did create some uncertainty.
“To be completely honest,” Wirtz said, “going into tryouts this year I was a little nervous about how our team would be because we lost so many talented seniors last year.
“But as soon as tryouts started, all my worries were gone because I saw so many new and returning talented faces, and I was itching for the season to start.”
“With so many seniors leaving last year, it left a lot of availability for returning players to take charge and become leaders on the team,” Wirtz said. “Our seniors this year were all ready to take on the responsibilities as leaders from the first day of tryouts, myself included.”
Then came the COVID-19 concerns soon after practices began, and a delay until May 1 evolved into outright cancellation of the season.
“Through the delay we remained optimistic, and a lot of girls (early on) had organized practices on their own,” Wirtz said. “Eventually those had to be canceled due to the statewide lockdown and social distancing, but so many girls have taken it upon themselves to stay in shape and use the suggested workouts from our coaches.
“Staying in touch with one another through group chats and Zoom meetings also helped us to keep that connection between us, even if we weren’t able to do that on the field.”
But regardless of the ending of her time at Lyons, Wirtz will look back on so many great times way beyond the unforgettable state tournament run.
“Coach Lanspeary, (Lyons assistant) Coach (Andy) Newcomb and all the teammates I’ve had over the years have influenced me so much and allowed me to grow as the seasons went on,” she said.
“I learned to take criticism as encouragement for growth, rather than as a negative thing. I learned that making mistakes is OK because that means there’s room for improvement.
“I learned to always put forth my best effort in each and every game,” Wirtz added. “I learned that working together is something I will always need in my life, and the LT soccer program showed me exactly how to do that.”
Wirtz will take all those lessons into a new field this fall.
“My future plans include attending the University of Iowa as a direct admit to their nursing program, which I could not be more excited to start,” she said.
And Wirtz isn’t about to kick soccer to her past.
“I’m very excited to start a new chapter at Iowa through either a club or intramural team,” she said. “Though it will never be the same as playing for LT or my old club (LG Celtics).
“Soccer has been a main part of my life for 14 years. I know that I will miss playing competitive and high school level soccer. But the experiences I’ve had will be something I’ll remember and look back on forever.”
Especially what turned out to be that last, magical weekend at the state tournament.
“The postponing of this season is very sad for a lot of people,” Wirtz said, “especially the seniors because we will never get the chance to play high school soccer again.
“I think I speak for all of the seniors when I say that getting our senior season taken away from us is one of the most heartbreaking things that could’ve happened. And the fact that it is out of our control only made the situation worse.”
But while seniors may graduate, their memories and loyaties never do.
“I will certainly miss all my teammates so much,” Wirtz said, “but I know they will do amazing things in their future. And I can’t wait to come back from college to cheer on next year’s (LT) team as well.”