Bartlett shuts door on
West Chicago in regional opener
Dombrowski nets pair to pace hot Hawks to 3-0 win
By Ken Keenan
WEST CHICAGO -- Home field advantage or not, West Chicago head coach J. Cesar Gomez knew the deck was stacked against his Wildcats heading into a first-round regional matchup with Upstate Eight Conference Valley Division foe Bartlett.
The Hawks, seeded no. 6 in the loaded IHSA Class 3A Hoffman Estates Sectional, entered the match on a 6-2-3 run after snapping a 4-game losing streak April 13 with a 2-0 win over Downers Grove South. The solid stretch included a 1-1 tie against West Chicago only 15 days prior.
Bartlett led in that game 1-0 before West Chicago -- despite being outshot 22-2 on goal -- scored late to spoil what looked like a sure win for the eventual 2017 conference champs.
"That's the beauty of soccer -- the best team doesn't always win," said Gomez,
Unfortunately for the Wildcats that wasn't the case Wednesday.
Sixth-seeded Bartlett (11-7-4) stormed to a commanding 3-0 victory over the no. 12-seeded Wildcats in the state playoff opener for both teams Wednesday night.
"We recognize that Bartlett is better than us," said Gomez, who saw his club finish the season at 8-12-3. "We probably don't have the same athleticism as some of the Bartlett kids. Plus, we knew they'd come at us aggressively after that 1-1 tie. They had something to prove, and they came ready to compete.
"But we played all the way to the last second. I'm so proud of our effort."
Bartlett head coach Vince DiNuzzo said his team carefully reviewed video of the draw in preparation for the rematch, and took the pitch determined to finish its chances the second time around against the Wildcats.
"That tie in the regular season did us well," DiNuzzo said. "Being able to look at that -- 27 shots off, 22 shots on -- the focus was on finishing. We spoke about that, and we did a good job taking advantage of our opportunities (Wednesday night)."
Playing with a gale-force wind behind its back in the first half, Bartlett took a 1-0 lead in the 5th minute on the first of two goals by junior midfielder Jenna Dombrowski, Chicagoland Soccer's MVP of the Match.
Looking to set up a teammate in front, Dombrowski sent a cross through the box along the goal line, and then watched as West Chicago senior goalkeeper Emma Gaggioli fumbled the wind-aided ball between the wickets and into the back of the net.
"I was just trying to slot a ball through," said Dombrowski, who agreed that her team had extra motivation heading into the match. "That 1-1 tie was definitely a disappointing result, so we wanted to get as many goals as possible (Wednesday). We wanted to demolish this team."
The Hawks, who kept the Wildcats on their heels most of the match with a disciplined approach in the wind-swept affair, increased the lead to 2-0 with 2:12 remaining in the first half. After tracking a West Chicago goal kick, Bartlett junior defender Alyssa Modugno found sophomore forward Tabitha Evans, who rifled a wind-affected, 25-yard shot inside the left post.
Dombrowski concluded the scoring in the 66th minute with a sneaky strike from in close on the right side, beating Gaggioli low left. Bartlett had a slew of opportunities between goals, while Hawks' sophomore goalkeeper Teagan Noesen and senior keeper Nykia Wetterman (inserted in the 68th minute) were tested infrequently in combining for the shutout.
"The wind was definitely a huge factor -- whichever side had the wind -- but we did a good job keeping intensity the whole game," Dombrowski said. "We really controlled the match."
DiNuzzo said, "I like that we had the wind the first half. At halftime, we talked about keeping the ball low and on the ground. Give the girls credit. I thought we played well the whole game. We didn't stop attacking until the final whistle."
Gaggioli kept the match close with six strong saves in the first half, including a stop on a 20-yard try by Hawks' senior forward Brooke Bednarke with 31:15 to go, followed by a 35-yard low blast off the foot of freshman forward Maddie Donnelly three minutes later.
The Wildcats' keeper also snared a quick 25-yard strike by junior mid Jessica Mirsky in the 14th minute, and did the same on a 10-yard Bednarke rocket with 25:10 left before the break. In the 24th minute, Bartlett senior forward Sarah Jurek was robbed in spectacular fashion on a one-timer in front.
Eleven minutes into the second half, Hawks sophomore mid Mikayla Brown banged a shot off the crossbar after settling a pass from Dombrowski.
West Chicago had a great look with 30 minutes remaining in regulation when all-conference sophomore midfielder/forward Barbie Castellanos and shifty freshman forward Giselle Navejas charged ahead on a 2-on-1 break, but Noesen had the answer for the latter's hard shot from 20 yards.
Less than two minutes later, Noesen grabbed a tricky, 40-yard wind-blown shot by Wildcats' junior defender Tonantzi Herrera. Noesen also made a diving save to foil a 10-yard try by Navejas with 24:30 left in the match.
With only 3:20 left, Castellanos broke free for a try in close on the left side, but her shot hit the side of the net. Castellanos grabbed her head with both hands in frustration as the ball rolled harmlessly out of bounds.
"I definitely expected that shot to go in," Castellanos said. "We had a few chances, but Bartlett didn't loosen up at all. They came in to win the regional, and I don't know if we were mentally prepared to win. We felt we did what we could."
Added Navejas: "Sometimes we may have doubts, but we never give up. We always give it our all."
Aware that Castellanos would be doing just that all night, DiNuzzo was pleased that his troops kept the talented Wildcat off the scoreboard.
"Especially (junior defender) Miranda (Hedeen)," Di Nuzzo said. "She did an excellent job on Barbie."
Hedeen said, "We scouted (Castellanos). We had to make sure we knew where she was ... had to be aware of her ability."
The same should be true in 2018, with Castellanos leading the way for team that featured only three seniors this season: Gaggioli, and midfielders Grace Pointner and Jazmine Mendoza.
"Next year is gonna be fun," Gomez said. "If we have the same mentality we showed this season -- the passion in our hearts -- the future looks awesome. We're moving in the right direction. The future is bright for our program."
Notes
Dombrowski has committed to continuing her soccer career at Ball State University upon graduation in 2018.
"She was all over the place (vs. West Chicago), creating chances for herself and others," Di Nuzzo said. "She also does a lot that doesn't show up the stat sheet. She does a nice job all the way around."
Bartlett will face Batavia in the West Chicago Regional final on Friday. The Bulldogs, ranked 15th in the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25, pasted Hoffman Estates 7-1 in a regional semifinal game Wednesday.
Starting lineups
West Chicago
G: Emma Gaggioli
D: Alexandra Alcantar
D: Maribel Gonzalez
D: Vanesa Montenegro
D: Odalis Martinez
M: Barbie Castellanos
M: Grace Pointner
M: Jasmine Mendoza
M: Genesis Garcia
M: Kayla Schwarz
F: Giselle Navejas
Bartlett
G: Teagan Noesen
D: Alyssa Modugno
D: Miranda Hedeen
D: Paige Bednarke
D: Makenna Hughes
M: Maddie Donnelly
M: Jenna Dombrowski
M: Jessica Mirsky
F: Brooke Bednarke
F: Carrigan Sablik
F: Tabitha Evans
Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match: Jenna Dombrowski, jr., MF, Bartlett
West Chicago in regional opener
Dombrowski nets pair to pace hot Hawks to 3-0 win
By Ken Keenan
WEST CHICAGO -- Home field advantage or not, West Chicago head coach J. Cesar Gomez knew the deck was stacked against his Wildcats heading into a first-round regional matchup with Upstate Eight Conference Valley Division foe Bartlett.
The Hawks, seeded no. 6 in the loaded IHSA Class 3A Hoffman Estates Sectional, entered the match on a 6-2-3 run after snapping a 4-game losing streak April 13 with a 2-0 win over Downers Grove South. The solid stretch included a 1-1 tie against West Chicago only 15 days prior.
Bartlett led in that game 1-0 before West Chicago -- despite being outshot 22-2 on goal -- scored late to spoil what looked like a sure win for the eventual 2017 conference champs.
"That's the beauty of soccer -- the best team doesn't always win," said Gomez,
Unfortunately for the Wildcats that wasn't the case Wednesday.
Sixth-seeded Bartlett (11-7-4) stormed to a commanding 3-0 victory over the no. 12-seeded Wildcats in the state playoff opener for both teams Wednesday night.
"We recognize that Bartlett is better than us," said Gomez, who saw his club finish the season at 8-12-3. "We probably don't have the same athleticism as some of the Bartlett kids. Plus, we knew they'd come at us aggressively after that 1-1 tie. They had something to prove, and they came ready to compete.
"But we played all the way to the last second. I'm so proud of our effort."
Bartlett head coach Vince DiNuzzo said his team carefully reviewed video of the draw in preparation for the rematch, and took the pitch determined to finish its chances the second time around against the Wildcats.
"That tie in the regular season did us well," DiNuzzo said. "Being able to look at that -- 27 shots off, 22 shots on -- the focus was on finishing. We spoke about that, and we did a good job taking advantage of our opportunities (Wednesday night)."
Playing with a gale-force wind behind its back in the first half, Bartlett took a 1-0 lead in the 5th minute on the first of two goals by junior midfielder Jenna Dombrowski, Chicagoland Soccer's MVP of the Match.
Looking to set up a teammate in front, Dombrowski sent a cross through the box along the goal line, and then watched as West Chicago senior goalkeeper Emma Gaggioli fumbled the wind-aided ball between the wickets and into the back of the net.
"I was just trying to slot a ball through," said Dombrowski, who agreed that her team had extra motivation heading into the match. "That 1-1 tie was definitely a disappointing result, so we wanted to get as many goals as possible (Wednesday). We wanted to demolish this team."
The Hawks, who kept the Wildcats on their heels most of the match with a disciplined approach in the wind-swept affair, increased the lead to 2-0 with 2:12 remaining in the first half. After tracking a West Chicago goal kick, Bartlett junior defender Alyssa Modugno found sophomore forward Tabitha Evans, who rifled a wind-affected, 25-yard shot inside the left post.
Dombrowski concluded the scoring in the 66th minute with a sneaky strike from in close on the right side, beating Gaggioli low left. Bartlett had a slew of opportunities between goals, while Hawks' sophomore goalkeeper Teagan Noesen and senior keeper Nykia Wetterman (inserted in the 68th minute) were tested infrequently in combining for the shutout.
"The wind was definitely a huge factor -- whichever side had the wind -- but we did a good job keeping intensity the whole game," Dombrowski said. "We really controlled the match."
DiNuzzo said, "I like that we had the wind the first half. At halftime, we talked about keeping the ball low and on the ground. Give the girls credit. I thought we played well the whole game. We didn't stop attacking until the final whistle."
Gaggioli kept the match close with six strong saves in the first half, including a stop on a 20-yard try by Hawks' senior forward Brooke Bednarke with 31:15 to go, followed by a 35-yard low blast off the foot of freshman forward Maddie Donnelly three minutes later.
The Wildcats' keeper also snared a quick 25-yard strike by junior mid Jessica Mirsky in the 14th minute, and did the same on a 10-yard Bednarke rocket with 25:10 left before the break. In the 24th minute, Bartlett senior forward Sarah Jurek was robbed in spectacular fashion on a one-timer in front.
Eleven minutes into the second half, Hawks sophomore mid Mikayla Brown banged a shot off the crossbar after settling a pass from Dombrowski.
West Chicago had a great look with 30 minutes remaining in regulation when all-conference sophomore midfielder/forward Barbie Castellanos and shifty freshman forward Giselle Navejas charged ahead on a 2-on-1 break, but Noesen had the answer for the latter's hard shot from 20 yards.
Less than two minutes later, Noesen grabbed a tricky, 40-yard wind-blown shot by Wildcats' junior defender Tonantzi Herrera. Noesen also made a diving save to foil a 10-yard try by Navejas with 24:30 left in the match.
With only 3:20 left, Castellanos broke free for a try in close on the left side, but her shot hit the side of the net. Castellanos grabbed her head with both hands in frustration as the ball rolled harmlessly out of bounds.
"I definitely expected that shot to go in," Castellanos said. "We had a few chances, but Bartlett didn't loosen up at all. They came in to win the regional, and I don't know if we were mentally prepared to win. We felt we did what we could."
Added Navejas: "Sometimes we may have doubts, but we never give up. We always give it our all."
Aware that Castellanos would be doing just that all night, DiNuzzo was pleased that his troops kept the talented Wildcat off the scoreboard.
"Especially (junior defender) Miranda (Hedeen)," Di Nuzzo said. "She did an excellent job on Barbie."
Hedeen said, "We scouted (Castellanos). We had to make sure we knew where she was ... had to be aware of her ability."
The same should be true in 2018, with Castellanos leading the way for team that featured only three seniors this season: Gaggioli, and midfielders Grace Pointner and Jazmine Mendoza.
"Next year is gonna be fun," Gomez said. "If we have the same mentality we showed this season -- the passion in our hearts -- the future looks awesome. We're moving in the right direction. The future is bright for our program."
Notes
Dombrowski has committed to continuing her soccer career at Ball State University upon graduation in 2018.
"She was all over the place (vs. West Chicago), creating chances for herself and others," Di Nuzzo said. "She also does a lot that doesn't show up the stat sheet. She does a nice job all the way around."
Bartlett will face Batavia in the West Chicago Regional final on Friday. The Bulldogs, ranked 15th in the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25, pasted Hoffman Estates 7-1 in a regional semifinal game Wednesday.
Starting lineups
West Chicago
G: Emma Gaggioli
D: Alexandra Alcantar
D: Maribel Gonzalez
D: Vanesa Montenegro
D: Odalis Martinez
M: Barbie Castellanos
M: Grace Pointner
M: Jasmine Mendoza
M: Genesis Garcia
M: Kayla Schwarz
F: Giselle Navejas
Bartlett
G: Teagan Noesen
D: Alyssa Modugno
D: Miranda Hedeen
D: Paige Bednarke
D: Makenna Hughes
M: Maddie Donnelly
M: Jenna Dombrowski
M: Jessica Mirsky
F: Brooke Bednarke
F: Carrigan Sablik
F: Tabitha Evans
Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match: Jenna Dombrowski, jr., MF, Bartlett