Lake Forest starts in good form
Defending Class 2A champs top Hersey
By Rusty Silber
MUNDELEIN -- Lake Forest started the season just like they finished in 2014 -- with a victory.
The reigning Class 2A state champion Scouts opened play with a 2-0 win over Hersey in the Carmel quad Monday in Mundelein.
The result was an 180-degree turn from Lake Forest's 2-0 loss to the Huskies in the opener last season at Carmel.
"I was surprised that we executed very well," Lake Forest coach Ty Stuckslager said. "It didn't seem like a first game at all."
The Scouts haven't even had much practice time on the field -- just a practice on a half field when they scrimmaged.
But their play against Hersey belied the lack of outdoor time.
"It was one of those that the score could've of gone either way," Stuckslager said. "We could've lost 2-0 or it could've been 1-1."
Midfielder Paige Bourne was a big reason the game ended in Lake Forest's win column. Going back to last season, it was the 10th-straight triumph for the Scouts.
"Some of my strengths are the balls that I play in on the corner kicks, shots and far distances," Bourne said. "Moving the ball is the main thing. I really look for the long ball over the defense, and it's a big strength of mine."
The junior also has a knack of contributing back on defense, which is a big help for the Scouts.
"I do read the ball pretty well," Bourne added. "I can see all around the field. I help out with the passes on the attack."
Bourne set up the first goal in the 30th minute. She sent a long free kick from 45 yards out. It deflected off a Hersey player and the crossbar. Alert freshman Kylie Murray knocked it forward with her body for a 1-0 Lake Forest lead.
The Scouts added another goal in the 65th minute. Kendall Hoke sent a throw-in that took a couple of bounces. The ball contacted a Hersey player in the box before Sheridan Bufe knocked it into the goal.
"I usually do the throws inside the 18," Hoke said. " I have a longer throw, and it seems to be useful. It definitely helps the team."
As for the effort for the opening game, there's a lot to take out of a game like this one.
"Starting out with a win like that," Hoke added. "We lost a lot of key players from last year. But, I think this team can really do well. We seem to do work well together, and that's good."
Defensively, Lake Forest held their own in the back. Scouts' defender Bailey Ehrens made a save off the goal line that could've put Hersey in front in the 24th minute.
The defense of Adrian Walker, Gwen Walker. Bailey Ehrens and Kendall Hoke stood up in supporting the Scouts' clean sheet effort. Freshman goalkeeper Cassidy Shaul did her part with seven saves in the shutout.
"I thought they held things together well," Stuckslager said. "Hersey had some opportunities but not many in the box. Hersey will be a good team and their defense was solid."
The Huskies had their chances and opportunities of getting the ball into the back of the net. But the ball didn't bounce their way.
"I thought I had the one, but she saved it off the line," said Huskies senior forward Jessica Schmidt. "I thought I had it, and I thought it was going in. I thought we had a lot of other chances. But we've got a lot of younger girls coming up. I thought it was a good first game for us. We should get better and improve."
The Huskies graduated four key players from last year and will need to use the early season to find their way.
"We really haven't figured out our front line yet," Hersey coach Darren Llewellyn said. "We had some chances. But Lake Forest was very aggressive and very physical. Their touch was pretty pure, and we were late to the ball. So when you have a team controlling a ball like that ... . Then we were not flowing. Then we had to play it to win it.
"We didn't really have breakdowns. We just got scored on some stupid stuff. It's early in the season, and I'll take it."
The quad continues Tuesday. Carmel hosts Lake Forest at 5:15 p.m. and Prairie Ridge takes on Hersey at 6:45 p.m.
The four-team round-robin tournament finishes Thursday when Carmel meets Hersey at 4:30 and Prairie Ridge faces Lake Forest at 6:45.
Starting line-ups
Lake Forest
GK: Cassidy Shaul
D: Adrian Walker
D: Gwen Walker
D: Kendall Hoke
D: Bailey Ehrens
MF: Sheridan Bufe
MF: Paige Bourne
F: Jenny McKendry
F: Delaney Williams
F: Brooke Green
MF: Carly Hoke
Hersey
GK: Claire Gritt
D: Carly Cooper
D: Annie Korff
D: Claire Niemczyk
D: Susan Lindstrom
MF: Emma Slosar
MF: Grace Kozurek
MF: Abby Wendell
MF: Kelly Weyhrich
F: Sara Magnuson
F: Jessica Schmidt
Officials: Alex Mavros (center); Nahund Escobar; and V.J. Kuman.
MVP of the Match - Paige Bourne, MF, Lake Forest
Defending Class 2A champs top Hersey
By Rusty Silber
MUNDELEIN -- Lake Forest started the season just like they finished in 2014 -- with a victory.
The reigning Class 2A state champion Scouts opened play with a 2-0 win over Hersey in the Carmel quad Monday in Mundelein.
The result was an 180-degree turn from Lake Forest's 2-0 loss to the Huskies in the opener last season at Carmel.
"I was surprised that we executed very well," Lake Forest coach Ty Stuckslager said. "It didn't seem like a first game at all."
The Scouts haven't even had much practice time on the field -- just a practice on a half field when they scrimmaged.
But their play against Hersey belied the lack of outdoor time.
"It was one of those that the score could've of gone either way," Stuckslager said. "We could've lost 2-0 or it could've been 1-1."
Midfielder Paige Bourne was a big reason the game ended in Lake Forest's win column. Going back to last season, it was the 10th-straight triumph for the Scouts.
"Some of my strengths are the balls that I play in on the corner kicks, shots and far distances," Bourne said. "Moving the ball is the main thing. I really look for the long ball over the defense, and it's a big strength of mine."
The junior also has a knack of contributing back on defense, which is a big help for the Scouts.
"I do read the ball pretty well," Bourne added. "I can see all around the field. I help out with the passes on the attack."
Bourne set up the first goal in the 30th minute. She sent a long free kick from 45 yards out. It deflected off a Hersey player and the crossbar. Alert freshman Kylie Murray knocked it forward with her body for a 1-0 Lake Forest lead.
The Scouts added another goal in the 65th minute. Kendall Hoke sent a throw-in that took a couple of bounces. The ball contacted a Hersey player in the box before Sheridan Bufe knocked it into the goal.
"I usually do the throws inside the 18," Hoke said. " I have a longer throw, and it seems to be useful. It definitely helps the team."
As for the effort for the opening game, there's a lot to take out of a game like this one.
"Starting out with a win like that," Hoke added. "We lost a lot of key players from last year. But, I think this team can really do well. We seem to do work well together, and that's good."
Defensively, Lake Forest held their own in the back. Scouts' defender Bailey Ehrens made a save off the goal line that could've put Hersey in front in the 24th minute.
The defense of Adrian Walker, Gwen Walker. Bailey Ehrens and Kendall Hoke stood up in supporting the Scouts' clean sheet effort. Freshman goalkeeper Cassidy Shaul did her part with seven saves in the shutout.
"I thought they held things together well," Stuckslager said. "Hersey had some opportunities but not many in the box. Hersey will be a good team and their defense was solid."
The Huskies had their chances and opportunities of getting the ball into the back of the net. But the ball didn't bounce their way.
"I thought I had the one, but she saved it off the line," said Huskies senior forward Jessica Schmidt. "I thought I had it, and I thought it was going in. I thought we had a lot of other chances. But we've got a lot of younger girls coming up. I thought it was a good first game for us. We should get better and improve."
The Huskies graduated four key players from last year and will need to use the early season to find their way.
"We really haven't figured out our front line yet," Hersey coach Darren Llewellyn said. "We had some chances. But Lake Forest was very aggressive and very physical. Their touch was pretty pure, and we were late to the ball. So when you have a team controlling a ball like that ... . Then we were not flowing. Then we had to play it to win it.
"We didn't really have breakdowns. We just got scored on some stupid stuff. It's early in the season, and I'll take it."
The quad continues Tuesday. Carmel hosts Lake Forest at 5:15 p.m. and Prairie Ridge takes on Hersey at 6:45 p.m.
The four-team round-robin tournament finishes Thursday when Carmel meets Hersey at 4:30 and Prairie Ridge faces Lake Forest at 6:45.
Starting line-ups
Lake Forest
GK: Cassidy Shaul
D: Adrian Walker
D: Gwen Walker
D: Kendall Hoke
D: Bailey Ehrens
MF: Sheridan Bufe
MF: Paige Bourne
F: Jenny McKendry
F: Delaney Williams
F: Brooke Green
MF: Carly Hoke
Hersey
GK: Claire Gritt
D: Carly Cooper
D: Annie Korff
D: Claire Niemczyk
D: Susan Lindstrom
MF: Emma Slosar
MF: Grace Kozurek
MF: Abby Wendell
MF: Kelly Weyhrich
F: Sara Magnuson
F: Jessica Schmidt
Officials: Alex Mavros (center); Nahund Escobar; and V.J. Kuman.
MVP of the Match - Paige Bourne, MF, Lake Forest