Batavia plays long ball to best Bartlett
Bulldogs score from distance to claim 1st regional title in 4 years
By Dave Owen
WEST CHICAGO -- A strange bounce, a great strike and a superlative goalkeeper were a winning combination for Batavia in its 2-0 win over Bartlett on Friday in the West Chicago Regional final.
Gracey DiBiase’s 42-yard free kick that took a wild high hop off the wet turf and into the net with 11:11 left in the first half started the scoring.
Keegan Maris followed less than 90 seconds later with a beautiful 25-yard shot just under the crossbar for a 2-0 lead.
Then Batavia goalkeeper Jenny Scara dominated the second half, foiling well-struck free kicks by Bartlett’s Alyssa Modugno with incredible leaping plays at the crossbar to seal the shutout win.
The Lady Bulldogs next face St. Charles North in the sectional semifinals, and celebrate their first regional title in four years.
“Since I’ve taken over we’ve been in regional finals all six years, though this is the second win,” Batavia coach Mark Gianfrancesco said. “It means a lot. The girls are very gritty, and we want to continue that hard work.
“They could have folded on a lot of those opportunities, and Jenny came up with some huge saves down the wire there that kind of saved our bacon, and other girls stepped up.
“We were very composed the last five or eight minutes – and we saw them kind of run out of a little steam after Jenny saved those.”
Scara’s saves came in almost duplicate fashion.
The first came with 36:05 left in the match. On a Modugno 25-yard free kick from the right side, Scara leaped to tip the shot off and then over the crossbar.
History repeated with 21:05 to go. After Bartlett’s Jenna Dombrowski was fouled, Scara soared to bat another Modugno 24-yard free kick over the crossbar.
“Wow they had a great keeper,” Modugno said. “I wish those would have gone in, but unfortunately they didn’t.”
Said Scara: “I just look at the ball, and then I need to save it. I gauge it whether I have to go forward for it or back. But it all happens really quickly – honestly it just kind of happens.”
It all happened less dramatically again with 13:05 to play, when a Modugno 20-yard free kick from the right side was nabbed on a leaping grab at the far post by Scara.
And then as the final heartbreak for Bartlett, Modugno sent another 32-yard right side free kick off the crossbar.
“She’s just the ultimate teammate start to finish,” Maris said. “She’s talented, plays for the team, she always has our backs. We can make mistakes, and she’ll always be there for us.
“We have so much confidence in her. Every day in practice she’s the hardest worker. It’s so much fun to play with her, and for her too.”
Scara could barely contain her excitement over being a regional champion.
“It’s been four long years, and it finally happened,” she said. “I’m very happy. I can’t even put it into words – it’s just a regional, but it’s very special to us.
“This group has become some of my best friends. They never stop working. Every day in practice everyone is going hard.
“We do have fun,” Scara added, “but at the end of the day we get the job done. I couldn’t be more thankful for the group that we have this year.”
Bartlett started the game strong and had the first great chance -- a Jessica Mirsky shot that was denied on a diving save by Scara in the 15th minute.
Batavia responded. After two DiBiase free kicks from beyond 35 yards were denied, she had the right touch and luck on her third try. The high 42-yard send somehow took a huge hop over helpless Bartlett goalkeeper Teagan Noesen and into the net.
“It was luck,” she said. “I was trying to hit it front post for someone to run onto it, but it took that bounce and went right over the goalie’s head. I was very lucky on that one. It was great.”
Maris followed quickly with a calm maneuver. Off a Cam Hindel pass, she opened space in the middle, then lined a 25-yard rocket under the crossbar to the right.
“We had struggled early in the game,” Maris said, “then Gracey got one in, and we were able to get our motivation and momentum up. Cam dished it out to me, I put it in, and we just kept up with it.
“We were definitely getting nervous (0-0 after 28 minutes) because last year we played Bartlett, and we ended up going to PKs and losing it. So we did not want to go to PKs again. We knew we had to score. Then Gracey had a really nice kick and got a lucky bounce on it.”
Bartlett’s defensive four of Modugno, Miranda Hideen, Paige Bednarke and Makenna Hughes has been a strong suit all spring and delivered again Friday.
“To be honest I don’t know of many high school teams that play as well out of their back as we do,” Bartlett coach Vince DiNuzzo said. “I am so proud of our back four and our keeper and how they work the ball. If there was an MVP for us it would be the defensive group core.
“I was proud of Teagan and Nykia (Wetterman) our two keepers. And our three center mids Jenna Dombrowski, Jessie (Mirsky) and Maddie (Donnelly) a freshman coming in – it’s not easy as a freshman to step up and come into that role. I was proud of her for that – for a newcomer that was very good.”
Batavia’s defense continued to thrive despite the early-season loss of senior starter Brooke Polignone to a torn ACL.
“We used to play four back, but now with less defensive players we’ve transitioned to a three back,” DiBiase said. “We’ve picked that up, and I think done very well doing that.
“We miss Brooke a lot – she was very strong in back. But we knew what we had to do, and everyone’s been helping out.
“We’re staying more compact, composed together, and with lots of communication,” DiBiase added. “I think we worked very well together making sure we were connected, making sure we got the balls forward and just staying relaxed.”
Bartlett showed its own grit in the second half, with Modugno’s shots and a much improved attack into the wind.
“We told them you have 40 minutes to make it to the next round or you don’t,” DiNuzzo said. “But I told them they had the ability to do it. I wasn’t concerned being down two goals. We had the wind at our back in the second half -- clearly that was a factor. It didn’t cost us the goals, but it helped them keep possession. I think we possessed much better – we passed and moved very well.”
But Scara and Batavia wouldn’t waver.
“She’s a very good keeper,” DiNuzzo said. “And they have great players on their team. We knew who their players were, and knew a lot about them from the beginning of the match. I think our girls reacted well to what they do. But Batavia played really well tonight.”
Junior Modugno ended 2017 with spirited play and enjoyed the entire season.
“I had a great season, and our team is like a family,” she said. “I’m going to miss the seniors so much.
“We honestly probably could have played a little better in the first half, but in the second we came together. It was very unlucky (the first goal), but it’s part of soccer, it happens.”
For Batavia, the fun continues – albeit with the huge sectional semifinal challenge of St. Charles North.
“I’m very excited,” DiBiase said. “We just need to keep doing what we’re doing, push ourselves harder in practice. It all goes up from here – we just have to keep going.”
“Everyone on this team works their hardest and never stops. They put all effort in, all 80 minutes. We have had games with 60 minutes I would say, but we put forth effort all the time, win balls back when we lose them and never stop. I’m very proud of our team. We work together well as a unit.”
Maris and the seniors are ending their careers with style.
“The first (regional) for all of us in the program (now),” she said. “We’re so excited, so happy. We worked for it and earned it, and now we just hope to be able to continue to go on.
“We’re excited. We’re going to be ready for it.”
Starting lineups
Bartlett
GK- Teagan Noesen
D- Alyssa Modugno
D- Miranda Hideen
D- Paige Bednarke
D- Makenna Hughes
M- Jenna Dombrowski
M- Maddie Donnelly
M- Jessica Mirsky
F- Sarah Jurek
F- Tabitha Evans
F- Brooke Bednarke
Batavia
GK- Jenny Scara
D- Gracey DiBiase
D- Amy TenHaken
D- Jenna Nichols
D- Alex Piron
M- Anna Rakos
M- Mackenzie Foster
M- Cam Hindel
M- Morgan Wahlen
F- Keegan Maris
F- Avery Davis
Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match: Jenny Scara, sr., GK, Batavia
Bulldogs score from distance to claim 1st regional title in 4 years
By Dave Owen
WEST CHICAGO -- A strange bounce, a great strike and a superlative goalkeeper were a winning combination for Batavia in its 2-0 win over Bartlett on Friday in the West Chicago Regional final.
Gracey DiBiase’s 42-yard free kick that took a wild high hop off the wet turf and into the net with 11:11 left in the first half started the scoring.
Keegan Maris followed less than 90 seconds later with a beautiful 25-yard shot just under the crossbar for a 2-0 lead.
Then Batavia goalkeeper Jenny Scara dominated the second half, foiling well-struck free kicks by Bartlett’s Alyssa Modugno with incredible leaping plays at the crossbar to seal the shutout win.
The Lady Bulldogs next face St. Charles North in the sectional semifinals, and celebrate their first regional title in four years.
“Since I’ve taken over we’ve been in regional finals all six years, though this is the second win,” Batavia coach Mark Gianfrancesco said. “It means a lot. The girls are very gritty, and we want to continue that hard work.
“They could have folded on a lot of those opportunities, and Jenny came up with some huge saves down the wire there that kind of saved our bacon, and other girls stepped up.
“We were very composed the last five or eight minutes – and we saw them kind of run out of a little steam after Jenny saved those.”
Scara’s saves came in almost duplicate fashion.
The first came with 36:05 left in the match. On a Modugno 25-yard free kick from the right side, Scara leaped to tip the shot off and then over the crossbar.
History repeated with 21:05 to go. After Bartlett’s Jenna Dombrowski was fouled, Scara soared to bat another Modugno 24-yard free kick over the crossbar.
“Wow they had a great keeper,” Modugno said. “I wish those would have gone in, but unfortunately they didn’t.”
Said Scara: “I just look at the ball, and then I need to save it. I gauge it whether I have to go forward for it or back. But it all happens really quickly – honestly it just kind of happens.”
It all happened less dramatically again with 13:05 to play, when a Modugno 20-yard free kick from the right side was nabbed on a leaping grab at the far post by Scara.
And then as the final heartbreak for Bartlett, Modugno sent another 32-yard right side free kick off the crossbar.
“She’s just the ultimate teammate start to finish,” Maris said. “She’s talented, plays for the team, she always has our backs. We can make mistakes, and she’ll always be there for us.
“We have so much confidence in her. Every day in practice she’s the hardest worker. It’s so much fun to play with her, and for her too.”
Scara could barely contain her excitement over being a regional champion.
“It’s been four long years, and it finally happened,” she said. “I’m very happy. I can’t even put it into words – it’s just a regional, but it’s very special to us.
“This group has become some of my best friends. They never stop working. Every day in practice everyone is going hard.
“We do have fun,” Scara added, “but at the end of the day we get the job done. I couldn’t be more thankful for the group that we have this year.”
Bartlett started the game strong and had the first great chance -- a Jessica Mirsky shot that was denied on a diving save by Scara in the 15th minute.
Batavia responded. After two DiBiase free kicks from beyond 35 yards were denied, she had the right touch and luck on her third try. The high 42-yard send somehow took a huge hop over helpless Bartlett goalkeeper Teagan Noesen and into the net.
“It was luck,” she said. “I was trying to hit it front post for someone to run onto it, but it took that bounce and went right over the goalie’s head. I was very lucky on that one. It was great.”
Maris followed quickly with a calm maneuver. Off a Cam Hindel pass, she opened space in the middle, then lined a 25-yard rocket under the crossbar to the right.
“We had struggled early in the game,” Maris said, “then Gracey got one in, and we were able to get our motivation and momentum up. Cam dished it out to me, I put it in, and we just kept up with it.
“We were definitely getting nervous (0-0 after 28 minutes) because last year we played Bartlett, and we ended up going to PKs and losing it. So we did not want to go to PKs again. We knew we had to score. Then Gracey had a really nice kick and got a lucky bounce on it.”
Bartlett’s defensive four of Modugno, Miranda Hideen, Paige Bednarke and Makenna Hughes has been a strong suit all spring and delivered again Friday.
“To be honest I don’t know of many high school teams that play as well out of their back as we do,” Bartlett coach Vince DiNuzzo said. “I am so proud of our back four and our keeper and how they work the ball. If there was an MVP for us it would be the defensive group core.
“I was proud of Teagan and Nykia (Wetterman) our two keepers. And our three center mids Jenna Dombrowski, Jessie (Mirsky) and Maddie (Donnelly) a freshman coming in – it’s not easy as a freshman to step up and come into that role. I was proud of her for that – for a newcomer that was very good.”
Batavia’s defense continued to thrive despite the early-season loss of senior starter Brooke Polignone to a torn ACL.
“We used to play four back, but now with less defensive players we’ve transitioned to a three back,” DiBiase said. “We’ve picked that up, and I think done very well doing that.
“We miss Brooke a lot – she was very strong in back. But we knew what we had to do, and everyone’s been helping out.
“We’re staying more compact, composed together, and with lots of communication,” DiBiase added. “I think we worked very well together making sure we were connected, making sure we got the balls forward and just staying relaxed.”
Bartlett showed its own grit in the second half, with Modugno’s shots and a much improved attack into the wind.
“We told them you have 40 minutes to make it to the next round or you don’t,” DiNuzzo said. “But I told them they had the ability to do it. I wasn’t concerned being down two goals. We had the wind at our back in the second half -- clearly that was a factor. It didn’t cost us the goals, but it helped them keep possession. I think we possessed much better – we passed and moved very well.”
But Scara and Batavia wouldn’t waver.
“She’s a very good keeper,” DiNuzzo said. “And they have great players on their team. We knew who their players were, and knew a lot about them from the beginning of the match. I think our girls reacted well to what they do. But Batavia played really well tonight.”
Junior Modugno ended 2017 with spirited play and enjoyed the entire season.
“I had a great season, and our team is like a family,” she said. “I’m going to miss the seniors so much.
“We honestly probably could have played a little better in the first half, but in the second we came together. It was very unlucky (the first goal), but it’s part of soccer, it happens.”
For Batavia, the fun continues – albeit with the huge sectional semifinal challenge of St. Charles North.
“I’m very excited,” DiBiase said. “We just need to keep doing what we’re doing, push ourselves harder in practice. It all goes up from here – we just have to keep going.”
“Everyone on this team works their hardest and never stops. They put all effort in, all 80 minutes. We have had games with 60 minutes I would say, but we put forth effort all the time, win balls back when we lose them and never stop. I’m very proud of our team. We work together well as a unit.”
Maris and the seniors are ending their careers with style.
“The first (regional) for all of us in the program (now),” she said. “We’re so excited, so happy. We worked for it and earned it, and now we just hope to be able to continue to go on.
“We’re excited. We’re going to be ready for it.”
Starting lineups
Bartlett
GK- Teagan Noesen
D- Alyssa Modugno
D- Miranda Hideen
D- Paige Bednarke
D- Makenna Hughes
M- Jenna Dombrowski
M- Maddie Donnelly
M- Jessica Mirsky
F- Sarah Jurek
F- Tabitha Evans
F- Brooke Bednarke
Batavia
GK- Jenny Scara
D- Gracey DiBiase
D- Amy TenHaken
D- Jenna Nichols
D- Alex Piron
M- Anna Rakos
M- Mackenzie Foster
M- Cam Hindel
M- Morgan Wahlen
F- Keegan Maris
F- Avery Davis
Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match: Jenny Scara, sr., GK, Batavia