Simple approach benefits Wheaton North
Sophomore Atkinson leads Falcons to 3rd-staight win
By Matt Le Cren
WEST CHICAGO – One of the many acronyms to come out of the military is the KISS principle.
It stands for: Keep it simple, stupid.
That’s what Wheaton North’s coaching staff has decided to do, and it is paying dividends.
The Falcons won their third-straight game Friday night, knocking off Herscher 4-1 on the opening night of the Wheaton Invitational at Wheaton Academy.
“We’ve tried to simplify things since we were at Lockport (a 3-1 loss on April 13) for the kids,” Wheaton North coach Tim McEvilly said. “I think we were maybe asking a little bit too much of them. So we’ve made the roles a lot simpler. And I think with that, they’ve been able to focus not as much on the whole game -- like what is my defensive responsibility.
“They are able to be more creative offensively. So we’ve done a really good job spreading the ball and as a result of that, attacking more effectively.”
The Falcons (6-6-0) dominated Herscher in the first half, outshooting the Tigers 12-0 in taking a 3-0 lead.
Wheaton North did it by swinging the ball out wide to open up the middle, and the attacks came from every direction.
Senior Margaret Hupp and sophomore Abby Atkinson set the tone early, scoring 44 seconds apart to give the Falcons an early two-goal advantage.
The first goal came with 34:51 left in the first half when Atkinson and Rose Quinn connected passes up the middle, springing Hupp into the box. A Herscher defender stepped in to try and poke the ball away from Hupp but missed it, allowing Hupp to roll a 15-yard shot under onrushing goalkeeper Abbie Kukuck.
Atkinson, who finished with a goal and two assists to earn Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match honors, stunned the Tigers when she lofted an 18-yard shot from the left of Kukuck inside the far post to make it 2-0. Anna Warfield got the assist on Atkinson’s first goal of the season.
“Abby is trying to adjust to a new role, and I think she did a really good job today, especially on the left-hand side,” McEvilly said. “She enjoys attacking, coming in and trying to find that shot off the left-hand side with her right foot.
“If she beats you a few times down the line, that opens up the middle of the field, and she did a great job of that tonight.”
Atkinson is performing well in her new role.
“I’ve been playing more of a center mid position, but he’s moved me towards the outside the past couple games,” Atkinson said. “I’ve really liked it so far.”
The Falcons certainly liked the fast start, which sparked an energy surge that had the Tigers (5-8-0) on their heels the rest of the half.
“I think it definitely gave us an urge to just play harder,” Atkinson said. “We definitely were connecting the whole game, but I think that (start) gave us the push to just work together as a team more.”
Junior defender Hannah Swider extended the lead to 3-0 by heading home a Hupp corner kick with 12:39 remaining.
The Falcons would have had more if not for the tenacious defense of the Tigers, who won a Class 1A sectional last season. They fended off six other corner kicks, and Kukuck recorded five of her eight saves before intermission.
Herscher came out firing out of the break. Madelyn Brown got loose at the top of the 18 but her shot sailed just over the crossbar in the first 30 seconds.
Five minutes later, Brown sent a lead pass to Mikaela Basham, who toe-poked a 15-yard shot with spin that gave Wheaton North goalie Katie Sullivan trouble. Sullivan dove to catch the ball, bobbled it and then covered it up.
“Herscher did a good job in the second half,” McEvilly said. “They changed things a little bit. It gave them a little bit more numbers behind the ball, but they were able to attack out of it.
“I told the kids at halftime this team is not used to winning. They’re maybe not used to playing at the speed we play at all the time, but they were going to adjust after those first 40 minutes, and they did a much better job of it during the second half.”
But the Falcons kept the pressure on. Kate Kortenhoeven volleyed a cross from Quinn off the crossbar at the 33:35 mark, and Kukuck stopped Kortenhoeven off a Hupp corner kick shortly after that.
Wheaton North's shutout bid went by the wayside with 15:37 left when Cassidy Walter broke free in the box and beat the charging Sullivan to make it 3-1.
That turned out to be the Tigers’ final shot of the game, however, and the Falcons retaliated with a beautiful goal of their own at the 7:33 mark. Atkinson played a long ball over the top to Quinn, who raced in and expertly finished the breakaway.
Wheaton North, which can earn a shot at the tournament championship by beating South Elgin on Saturday, seems to be coming together after a period of adjustment.
“It is just a lot of motivation,” Wheaton North senior Christina Crochet said. “We connect together.
“It’s nice to have a group of girls that can get mentally ready with each other.”
The midfield group, which struggled at times earlier in the season, has solidified impressively. Crochet, who is playing high school for the first time after three seasons in club ball, has been a big if unheralded reason for that.
“Crochet is one of the most technically gifted, if not the most technically gifted player we’ve got,” McEvilly said. “When she is on, she can beat people in tight spaces.
“She can find a ball to a teammate that most players can’t find. So her creativity is something we really need.”
Starting lineups
Wheaton North
GK Katie Sullivan
D Cammy Carrico
D Jaden Trometer
D Morghin Klein
D Anna Warfield
M Christina Crochet
M Abby Atkinson
M Katie Goebel
F Rose Quinn
F Margaret Hupp
F Kate Kortenhoeven
Herscher
GK Abbie Kukuck
D Leighann Allison
D Kylie Salm
D Olivia Schultz
D Taylor Ostrowski
M Chloe Chavers
M Jillian Milton
M Ashley Schuldt
M Mikaela Basham
F Cassidy Walter
F Madelyn Brown
Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match – Abby Atkinson, so., MF, Wheaton North.
Sophomore Atkinson leads Falcons to 3rd-staight win
By Matt Le Cren
WEST CHICAGO – One of the many acronyms to come out of the military is the KISS principle.
It stands for: Keep it simple, stupid.
That’s what Wheaton North’s coaching staff has decided to do, and it is paying dividends.
The Falcons won their third-straight game Friday night, knocking off Herscher 4-1 on the opening night of the Wheaton Invitational at Wheaton Academy.
“We’ve tried to simplify things since we were at Lockport (a 3-1 loss on April 13) for the kids,” Wheaton North coach Tim McEvilly said. “I think we were maybe asking a little bit too much of them. So we’ve made the roles a lot simpler. And I think with that, they’ve been able to focus not as much on the whole game -- like what is my defensive responsibility.
“They are able to be more creative offensively. So we’ve done a really good job spreading the ball and as a result of that, attacking more effectively.”
The Falcons (6-6-0) dominated Herscher in the first half, outshooting the Tigers 12-0 in taking a 3-0 lead.
Wheaton North did it by swinging the ball out wide to open up the middle, and the attacks came from every direction.
Senior Margaret Hupp and sophomore Abby Atkinson set the tone early, scoring 44 seconds apart to give the Falcons an early two-goal advantage.
The first goal came with 34:51 left in the first half when Atkinson and Rose Quinn connected passes up the middle, springing Hupp into the box. A Herscher defender stepped in to try and poke the ball away from Hupp but missed it, allowing Hupp to roll a 15-yard shot under onrushing goalkeeper Abbie Kukuck.
Atkinson, who finished with a goal and two assists to earn Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match honors, stunned the Tigers when she lofted an 18-yard shot from the left of Kukuck inside the far post to make it 2-0. Anna Warfield got the assist on Atkinson’s first goal of the season.
“Abby is trying to adjust to a new role, and I think she did a really good job today, especially on the left-hand side,” McEvilly said. “She enjoys attacking, coming in and trying to find that shot off the left-hand side with her right foot.
“If she beats you a few times down the line, that opens up the middle of the field, and she did a great job of that tonight.”
Atkinson is performing well in her new role.
“I’ve been playing more of a center mid position, but he’s moved me towards the outside the past couple games,” Atkinson said. “I’ve really liked it so far.”
The Falcons certainly liked the fast start, which sparked an energy surge that had the Tigers (5-8-0) on their heels the rest of the half.
“I think it definitely gave us an urge to just play harder,” Atkinson said. “We definitely were connecting the whole game, but I think that (start) gave us the push to just work together as a team more.”
Junior defender Hannah Swider extended the lead to 3-0 by heading home a Hupp corner kick with 12:39 remaining.
The Falcons would have had more if not for the tenacious defense of the Tigers, who won a Class 1A sectional last season. They fended off six other corner kicks, and Kukuck recorded five of her eight saves before intermission.
Herscher came out firing out of the break. Madelyn Brown got loose at the top of the 18 but her shot sailed just over the crossbar in the first 30 seconds.
Five minutes later, Brown sent a lead pass to Mikaela Basham, who toe-poked a 15-yard shot with spin that gave Wheaton North goalie Katie Sullivan trouble. Sullivan dove to catch the ball, bobbled it and then covered it up.
“Herscher did a good job in the second half,” McEvilly said. “They changed things a little bit. It gave them a little bit more numbers behind the ball, but they were able to attack out of it.
“I told the kids at halftime this team is not used to winning. They’re maybe not used to playing at the speed we play at all the time, but they were going to adjust after those first 40 minutes, and they did a much better job of it during the second half.”
But the Falcons kept the pressure on. Kate Kortenhoeven volleyed a cross from Quinn off the crossbar at the 33:35 mark, and Kukuck stopped Kortenhoeven off a Hupp corner kick shortly after that.
Wheaton North's shutout bid went by the wayside with 15:37 left when Cassidy Walter broke free in the box and beat the charging Sullivan to make it 3-1.
That turned out to be the Tigers’ final shot of the game, however, and the Falcons retaliated with a beautiful goal of their own at the 7:33 mark. Atkinson played a long ball over the top to Quinn, who raced in and expertly finished the breakaway.
Wheaton North, which can earn a shot at the tournament championship by beating South Elgin on Saturday, seems to be coming together after a period of adjustment.
“It is just a lot of motivation,” Wheaton North senior Christina Crochet said. “We connect together.
“It’s nice to have a group of girls that can get mentally ready with each other.”
The midfield group, which struggled at times earlier in the season, has solidified impressively. Crochet, who is playing high school for the first time after three seasons in club ball, has been a big if unheralded reason for that.
“Crochet is one of the most technically gifted, if not the most technically gifted player we’ve got,” McEvilly said. “When she is on, she can beat people in tight spaces.
“She can find a ball to a teammate that most players can’t find. So her creativity is something we really need.”
Starting lineups
Wheaton North
GK Katie Sullivan
D Cammy Carrico
D Jaden Trometer
D Morghin Klein
D Anna Warfield
M Christina Crochet
M Abby Atkinson
M Katie Goebel
F Rose Quinn
F Margaret Hupp
F Kate Kortenhoeven
Herscher
GK Abbie Kukuck
D Leighann Allison
D Kylie Salm
D Olivia Schultz
D Taylor Ostrowski
M Chloe Chavers
M Jillian Milton
M Ashley Schuldt
M Mikaela Basham
F Cassidy Walter
F Madelyn Brown
Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match – Abby Atkinson, so., MF, Wheaton North.