Wheaton North's sharp effort
brings stop to losing streak
Falcons upset Oswego East in emotional game
By Matt LeCren
WHEATON – Things were starting to go south for Wheaton North, which entered its Saturday PepsiCo Showdown consolation pool match with Oswego East on a three-game losing streak.
The seventh-seeded Falcons’ fortunes turned around in a big way against second-seeded Oswego East.
Four different players scored goals, all on spectacular plays, and Wheaton North pulled off an emotional 4-2 upset at Rexilius Field just hours after attending funeral services for the mother of sophomore forward Leila Parente.
“We played for her,” Wheaton North senior Margaret Hupp said. “It was a heck of a game. Everyone played really well.”
Hupp had a goal and an assist to earn Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match honors, while Parente, Sammy Schomig and Rose Quinn also found the back of the net.
Parente, whose mother, Kimberly, died of cancer recently, scored just nine seconds into the second half to give the Falcons (4-6-0) a 3-0 lead. Attacking directly from the kickoff, the Falcons got the ball to Kate Kortenhoeven, who took the ball down the right wing and fired a cross in tight to Parente, who volleyed it home.
“Her mom had been battling cancer for a couple years, and we were all at the service this afternoon. So for her to be able to come out and play today, I was very emotional,” Wheaton North coach Tim McEvilly said. “I think this has become her escape.”
The Falcons needed a confidence-boosting win, but they didn’t figure to get it against Oswego East, which came into the match with a powerful offense and a 7-3-0 record.
The Wolves flashed some of that explosiveness in the early going, but Wheaton North goalkeeper Katie Sullivan came up with three spectacular saves in the first 13 minutes to keep the game scoreless.
Sullivan, who finished with five saves, first fully extended to tip a 15-yard shot by Kara Blasingame around the right post in the fifth minute.
Four minutes later, the senior jumped to tip a point-blank shot from a wide-open Sydney Conway over the crossbar. Conway was denied again three minutes later on a shot from Sullivan’s left.
Then it was Hupp’s time.
First, she sent a dangerous ball into the box from the right side to Parente cutting across from the left. Parente got a foot on it but her shot deflected off the outside of the right post as Wolves goalie Reagan Sanders collided with her.
Five minutes later, Hupp broke through, stealing the ball from a defender and rushing to the top of the box before firing a shot in between Sanders and the left post to open the scoring at the 20:38 mark.
“I was just kind of cherry-picking there,” Hupp said of her fourth goal of the season. “We came out Thursday ready (in a 3-1 loss at Lockport) and, not to blame it on grass, but I guess we weren’t prepared for that.
“(Friday) we practiced in the morning, and we got a really good practice in. Just knowing that we have each other’s backs, we came out here today and played our best.”
The Falcons made it 2-0 with 14:51 left in the first half on another great hustle play. Kate Kortenhoeven saved a ball at midfield that appeared headed out of bounds and quickly played a through-ball up the left wing to junior Sammy Schomig, who attacked one-on-two and ripped a rocket off the inside of the right post and in.
“Oswego did a really good job in the second half trying to pick up the intensity and putting pressure on us,” McEvilly said. “I think what we did do well, even though we gave up a couple goals, is what we didn’t see at Lockport; that fight for 50-50 balls in the box, getting a body in the way, clearing a ball with 100 percent intensity.
“Those kinds of things make a huge difference, and then having the confidence to take a shot. We talked about that a lot.
“Kids want to pass that responsibility off to somebody else. Somebody has got to want to be the difference-maker, and Margaret started us off with great pressure. Sammy Schomig did the same thing with the second goal.”
Oswego East didn’t back down and outshot the Falcons 8-6 in the first half. Blasingame’s open shot from the left side of the box hit the crossbar with 3:05 left.
But Parente’s strike to start the second half appeared to put the game out of reach.
However, Oswego East said not so fast. The Wolves answered right back when Taylor Peck scored with 38:08 to go.
Next they pulled within 3-2 on Maddie Lambert’s rebound goal with 12:24 left and the pressure was suddenly on the Falcons.
The hosts breathed a sigh of relief when the visitors hit an open shot over the crossbar with 54 seconds remaining.
Rather than sit back, the Falcons attacked. Hupp got the ball on the left side of midfield and sent a great diagonal pass to Quinn racing up the right wing.
She took one touch and roofed an emphatic shot with 18 seconds remaining to put an exclamation point on the victory. It was the first career varsity goal for Quinn, a junior who missed last year with an injury.
“I just saw my teammate had busted her butt, won the ball, and I knew we needed a little bit of a confidence booster,” Quinn said. “As soon as she got the ball I just tried to work my way forward, and she played a great ball, and I was just able to finish it off.”
Hupp admired her teammate's work.
“It was a great first touch and a great shot,” she said.
Quinn’s play was a great example of what McEvilly has been looking for.
“A lot of times this year when we get behind people we look to cut the ball back, waiting for help to come,” McEvilly said. “You’ve got to feel like you’re a goal-scorer and go to goal.
“Same thing with Rose’s (goal). If we had stayed onside a little bit more we should have had a few more of those, but it’s nice to get those.”
Any type of win is nice, but the Falcons were especially happy to get one against a quality opponent.
“We were on a three-game skid,” Quinn said. “I think it really helped that we came out and played for each other.
“We all just stepped up and played our best, and I think it really came together. It is a big confidence booster especially with a couple of conference games coming up.”
Starting lineups
Oswego East
GK Reagan Sanders
Haley Lewis
Kara Blasingame
Rachel Mieritz
Sydney Conway
Maddy Lambert
Taylor Peck
Katlyn Selvig
Alexe Anderson
Madison Frazer
Stephanie Mieritz
Wheaton North
GK Katie Sullivan
D Naimh Kane
D Cammy Carrico
D Morghin Klein
D Anna Warfield
M Rose Quinn
M Jaden Trometer
M Addy Atkinson
M Christina Crochet
F Leila Parente
F Margaret Hupp
F Kate Kortenhoeven
Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match – Margaret Hupp, sr., F, Wheaton North
brings stop to losing streak
Falcons upset Oswego East in emotional game
By Matt LeCren
WHEATON – Things were starting to go south for Wheaton North, which entered its Saturday PepsiCo Showdown consolation pool match with Oswego East on a three-game losing streak.
The seventh-seeded Falcons’ fortunes turned around in a big way against second-seeded Oswego East.
Four different players scored goals, all on spectacular plays, and Wheaton North pulled off an emotional 4-2 upset at Rexilius Field just hours after attending funeral services for the mother of sophomore forward Leila Parente.
“We played for her,” Wheaton North senior Margaret Hupp said. “It was a heck of a game. Everyone played really well.”
Hupp had a goal and an assist to earn Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match honors, while Parente, Sammy Schomig and Rose Quinn also found the back of the net.
Parente, whose mother, Kimberly, died of cancer recently, scored just nine seconds into the second half to give the Falcons (4-6-0) a 3-0 lead. Attacking directly from the kickoff, the Falcons got the ball to Kate Kortenhoeven, who took the ball down the right wing and fired a cross in tight to Parente, who volleyed it home.
“Her mom had been battling cancer for a couple years, and we were all at the service this afternoon. So for her to be able to come out and play today, I was very emotional,” Wheaton North coach Tim McEvilly said. “I think this has become her escape.”
The Falcons needed a confidence-boosting win, but they didn’t figure to get it against Oswego East, which came into the match with a powerful offense and a 7-3-0 record.
The Wolves flashed some of that explosiveness in the early going, but Wheaton North goalkeeper Katie Sullivan came up with three spectacular saves in the first 13 minutes to keep the game scoreless.
Sullivan, who finished with five saves, first fully extended to tip a 15-yard shot by Kara Blasingame around the right post in the fifth minute.
Four minutes later, the senior jumped to tip a point-blank shot from a wide-open Sydney Conway over the crossbar. Conway was denied again three minutes later on a shot from Sullivan’s left.
Then it was Hupp’s time.
First, she sent a dangerous ball into the box from the right side to Parente cutting across from the left. Parente got a foot on it but her shot deflected off the outside of the right post as Wolves goalie Reagan Sanders collided with her.
Five minutes later, Hupp broke through, stealing the ball from a defender and rushing to the top of the box before firing a shot in between Sanders and the left post to open the scoring at the 20:38 mark.
“I was just kind of cherry-picking there,” Hupp said of her fourth goal of the season. “We came out Thursday ready (in a 3-1 loss at Lockport) and, not to blame it on grass, but I guess we weren’t prepared for that.
“(Friday) we practiced in the morning, and we got a really good practice in. Just knowing that we have each other’s backs, we came out here today and played our best.”
The Falcons made it 2-0 with 14:51 left in the first half on another great hustle play. Kate Kortenhoeven saved a ball at midfield that appeared headed out of bounds and quickly played a through-ball up the left wing to junior Sammy Schomig, who attacked one-on-two and ripped a rocket off the inside of the right post and in.
“Oswego did a really good job in the second half trying to pick up the intensity and putting pressure on us,” McEvilly said. “I think what we did do well, even though we gave up a couple goals, is what we didn’t see at Lockport; that fight for 50-50 balls in the box, getting a body in the way, clearing a ball with 100 percent intensity.
“Those kinds of things make a huge difference, and then having the confidence to take a shot. We talked about that a lot.
“Kids want to pass that responsibility off to somebody else. Somebody has got to want to be the difference-maker, and Margaret started us off with great pressure. Sammy Schomig did the same thing with the second goal.”
Oswego East didn’t back down and outshot the Falcons 8-6 in the first half. Blasingame’s open shot from the left side of the box hit the crossbar with 3:05 left.
But Parente’s strike to start the second half appeared to put the game out of reach.
However, Oswego East said not so fast. The Wolves answered right back when Taylor Peck scored with 38:08 to go.
Next they pulled within 3-2 on Maddie Lambert’s rebound goal with 12:24 left and the pressure was suddenly on the Falcons.
The hosts breathed a sigh of relief when the visitors hit an open shot over the crossbar with 54 seconds remaining.
Rather than sit back, the Falcons attacked. Hupp got the ball on the left side of midfield and sent a great diagonal pass to Quinn racing up the right wing.
She took one touch and roofed an emphatic shot with 18 seconds remaining to put an exclamation point on the victory. It was the first career varsity goal for Quinn, a junior who missed last year with an injury.
“I just saw my teammate had busted her butt, won the ball, and I knew we needed a little bit of a confidence booster,” Quinn said. “As soon as she got the ball I just tried to work my way forward, and she played a great ball, and I was just able to finish it off.”
Hupp admired her teammate's work.
“It was a great first touch and a great shot,” she said.
Quinn’s play was a great example of what McEvilly has been looking for.
“A lot of times this year when we get behind people we look to cut the ball back, waiting for help to come,” McEvilly said. “You’ve got to feel like you’re a goal-scorer and go to goal.
“Same thing with Rose’s (goal). If we had stayed onside a little bit more we should have had a few more of those, but it’s nice to get those.”
Any type of win is nice, but the Falcons were especially happy to get one against a quality opponent.
“We were on a three-game skid,” Quinn said. “I think it really helped that we came out and played for each other.
“We all just stepped up and played our best, and I think it really came together. It is a big confidence booster especially with a couple of conference games coming up.”
Starting lineups
Oswego East
GK Reagan Sanders
Haley Lewis
Kara Blasingame
Rachel Mieritz
Sydney Conway
Maddy Lambert
Taylor Peck
Katlyn Selvig
Alexe Anderson
Madison Frazer
Stephanie Mieritz
Wheaton North
GK Katie Sullivan
D Naimh Kane
D Cammy Carrico
D Morghin Klein
D Anna Warfield
M Rose Quinn
M Jaden Trometer
M Addy Atkinson
M Christina Crochet
F Leila Parente
F Margaret Hupp
F Kate Kortenhoeven
Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match – Margaret Hupp, sr., F, Wheaton North