Comeback squared leads
St. Charles N. over Waubonsie V.
Stitz save gives North 1st Upstate 8 title in coach's league finale
By Steve Nemeth
ST. CHARLES -- Shelby Stitz had the ultimate save in Tuesday’s Upstate Eight Conference championship game that featured more story lines than goals.
It was a classic heart-tugger that came down to the last attempt in a penalty kick shootout that finally gave St. Charles North a 3-2 triumph over Waubonsie Valley.
The North Star senior goalie successfully blocked the Warriors’ fifth attempt for a 3-2 shootout advantage as host North rallied for the second time to give coach Ruth
Vostal another highlight triumph before the program’s first-and-only coach steps down from St. Charles North helm after this season.
Vostal’s decision was shared the night before during an emotional team dinner at the Stitz home. That family atmosphere is part of the North Stars legacy that Vostal created and will pass on. It showed itself in the form of a tough-love halftime talk when Waubonsie Valley led 2-0 and appeared to be in the driver’s seat for a third-straight UEC crown with North as its third-consecutive victim.
“I told them at the end of the game, it’s all about learning; whether you’re up a goal, down a goal, or down two, in regulation or in this case even a shootout,” Vostal said. “We chuckled some at how this game involved just about every lesson you need to learn.”
Resolve is certainly one tenet the North Stars have down pat as sophomore Amanda Czerniak said when asked if she could imagine overcoming the halftime deficit or the minus-two scenario in the PK shootout.
“I did believe in us being able because I’ve seen us come back before,” Czerniak insisted after converting the fifth attempt for St. Charles North and creating a 3-2 lead that set the stage for Stitz to cement her status as Chicagoland Soccer’s MVP of the Match.
North standout Hanna Durocher surprisingly missed to her left to begin the shootout necessitated by a 2-2 regulation draw that remained through two, five-minute overtime sessions.
Waubonsie Valley’s Morgan Kemmerling went to her right to get by Stitz for a 1-0 lead.
Warrior goalie Emma Rigby dove correctly to cover the second North attempt by Lizzie Parrilli. Stitz got one hand on the next try, however Paige Fillipek’s boot had the velocity to still enter the back of the net for a 2-0 edge.
That’s when Katy Kusswurm began North’s second comeback with a shot sailing inside right followed by Stitz diving to her right to tip Cici Gazder’s shot wide.
“Normally I don’t shoot PKs, so I was a little ‘iffy’ stepping up there,” Kusswurm admitted. “I just try to look only at the ball and drive it cleanly; when it hit the back of the net that was a great moment of both relief and joy.”
The North Star hopes gained momentum as Morgan Rerko converted to her left followed by Waubonsie’s Sarah Griffith’s attempt that caromed off the left post.
“Obviously I’m happy we won but also happy to have contributed (the key kick),” Czerniak said. “In practice we pick a spot and go for it. Ideally our (PKs) should be executed well enough even if the (opposing) keeper guesses correctly.”
Without revealing too much, Stitz hinted at more than guesswork when she dove to her left to thwart Sam Maul’s try for a Waubonsie equalizer.
“I get in my own little world during shootouts,” Stitz explained. “Goalkeepers read players, either their approach, the plant of their foot. In some respects shootouts are easier to read because they’re coming at a still ball.”
That wasn’t the case early in the evening as the Warriors --- now 12-3-3 with only a second loss in their last-nine outings – took a lead just 1:18 after the opening whistle. Tori Christiansen notched her fifth assist of the year with a corner kick that Maggie Roe parked from seven yards out for her sixth goal of the season.
Just after Rigby raced out to clear a Waubonsie missed feed, the Warriors doubled their lead at 9:30. That’s when Griffith’s team-best 11th assist led to a strike by Fillipek. That was the WV senior’s 27th goal for the year and hinted at another starring effort in the UEC championship series.
In the inaugural UEC championship game in 2013, also played at North, Fillipek sandwiched goals around an assist to fuel Waubonsie Valley’s 3-0 win triumph. Last year, the Warriors were 2-1 victors as game hosts.
Technically, Waubonsie Valley and Neuqua Valley are 2015 UEC Valley Division co-champions having finished with identical 6-0-1 records. However, the Warriors plus-28 goal differential was three better than Neuqua’s tally.
St. Charles North became the River Division representative with a little luck after having also finished as a division co-champion with rival St. Charles East. In addition to identical 6-0-1 River ledgers, the two had the same plus-30 goal differential which then required the last tiebreaker criteria: a coin flip. Thankfully,
Vostal correctly called “heads” and the North Stars advanced.
North wasn’t without notable attempts to negate the two-goal deficit in the opening half as Waubonsie Valley’s Roe had a major defensive clear prior to the North Stars’ Durocher putting a shot off the crossbar midway toward halftime. Four minutes later, Parrilli did the same with a 28-yard bomb that rattled the crossbar. Three minutes after that, the Warriors’ Maddie Pokora headed a potential goal try clear.
“The first half we had some quality chances but didn’t finish them,” Vostal said. “The wind was a factor, and we were facing a great goalie. So we talked about making some adjustments like keeping the ball low.”
Four minutes into the second half, Waubonsie Valley dodged a bullet as Parrilli had a penalty kick opportunity go just wide of the left post – strangely foreshadowing the North Stars shootout start.
“We practice those a lot, so I was a little surprised that we missed three,” Vostal acknowledged.
But 8:38 in, there was no doubt on a 12-yard cannon shot by Parrilli. Hailey Rydberg’s initial assist enabled Parrilli to blast the ball well enough to score despite Rigby getting a hand on the try.
The two teams exchanged attacks before there was 13:50 left and Waubonsie Valley had two major efforts. The second of which ended with a highlight-reel worthy save by
Stitz which would have earned the loudest possible “big save” call from Blackhawks announcer Pat Foley.
“I saw that play developing and Shelby came up so big, just as she’s done time and time again for us,” Vostal said. “One of the players on the bench even said 'How does she do that?' In retrospect, her having missed two weeks (healing a back injury) may have been a blessing. Physically and mentally she got some rest.”
With 12:29 remaining, North got the equalizer with Parrilli’s seventh set-up of the year leading to Gia Wahlberg’s team-high 13th goal.
After a pair of Waubonsie attacks, Rerko put another North Star shot off the crossbar and Rydberg had a laser from left of center that Rigby knocked away. Precision-like passing between Emily Dickens, Griffith and finally Sam Stricker appeared to position Waubonsie Valley for a dagger with 1:39 left in regulation, but the shot sailed over the goal.
Both sides managed to avoid giving up a goal through the 10 minutes of overtime.
“The biggest lesson learned is that we can come back against the odds,” Czerniak noted. “Down 2-0 is a pretty big lead in high school soccer, but this proves to us to stay focused and keep attacking.”
Starting lineups
Waubonsie Valley
G Emma Rigby
D Maddie Pokora
D Emily Dickens
D Sam Stricker
D Tori Christiansen
M Cici Gazder
M Sarah Laws
M Morgan Kemmerling
M Sara Griffith
F Maggie Roe
F Paige Fillipek
St. Charles North
G Shelby Stitz
D Addy Ams
D Claire Barresi
D Lauren Neslund
D Morgan Rerko
M Lauren Willis
M Hanna Durocher
M Lizzi Parrilli
M Hailey Rydberg
F Gia Wahlberg
F Amanda Czerniak
MVP of the Match: Shelby Stitz, GK, St. Charles North
Referees: Thomas Fryc (center), Tim Jackson, Rick Blaisdell
St. Charles N. over Waubonsie V.
Stitz save gives North 1st Upstate 8 title in coach's league finale
By Steve Nemeth
ST. CHARLES -- Shelby Stitz had the ultimate save in Tuesday’s Upstate Eight Conference championship game that featured more story lines than goals.
It was a classic heart-tugger that came down to the last attempt in a penalty kick shootout that finally gave St. Charles North a 3-2 triumph over Waubonsie Valley.
The North Star senior goalie successfully blocked the Warriors’ fifth attempt for a 3-2 shootout advantage as host North rallied for the second time to give coach Ruth
Vostal another highlight triumph before the program’s first-and-only coach steps down from St. Charles North helm after this season.
Vostal’s decision was shared the night before during an emotional team dinner at the Stitz home. That family atmosphere is part of the North Stars legacy that Vostal created and will pass on. It showed itself in the form of a tough-love halftime talk when Waubonsie Valley led 2-0 and appeared to be in the driver’s seat for a third-straight UEC crown with North as its third-consecutive victim.
“I told them at the end of the game, it’s all about learning; whether you’re up a goal, down a goal, or down two, in regulation or in this case even a shootout,” Vostal said. “We chuckled some at how this game involved just about every lesson you need to learn.”
Resolve is certainly one tenet the North Stars have down pat as sophomore Amanda Czerniak said when asked if she could imagine overcoming the halftime deficit or the minus-two scenario in the PK shootout.
“I did believe in us being able because I’ve seen us come back before,” Czerniak insisted after converting the fifth attempt for St. Charles North and creating a 3-2 lead that set the stage for Stitz to cement her status as Chicagoland Soccer’s MVP of the Match.
North standout Hanna Durocher surprisingly missed to her left to begin the shootout necessitated by a 2-2 regulation draw that remained through two, five-minute overtime sessions.
Waubonsie Valley’s Morgan Kemmerling went to her right to get by Stitz for a 1-0 lead.
Warrior goalie Emma Rigby dove correctly to cover the second North attempt by Lizzie Parrilli. Stitz got one hand on the next try, however Paige Fillipek’s boot had the velocity to still enter the back of the net for a 2-0 edge.
That’s when Katy Kusswurm began North’s second comeback with a shot sailing inside right followed by Stitz diving to her right to tip Cici Gazder’s shot wide.
“Normally I don’t shoot PKs, so I was a little ‘iffy’ stepping up there,” Kusswurm admitted. “I just try to look only at the ball and drive it cleanly; when it hit the back of the net that was a great moment of both relief and joy.”
The North Star hopes gained momentum as Morgan Rerko converted to her left followed by Waubonsie’s Sarah Griffith’s attempt that caromed off the left post.
“Obviously I’m happy we won but also happy to have contributed (the key kick),” Czerniak said. “In practice we pick a spot and go for it. Ideally our (PKs) should be executed well enough even if the (opposing) keeper guesses correctly.”
Without revealing too much, Stitz hinted at more than guesswork when she dove to her left to thwart Sam Maul’s try for a Waubonsie equalizer.
“I get in my own little world during shootouts,” Stitz explained. “Goalkeepers read players, either their approach, the plant of their foot. In some respects shootouts are easier to read because they’re coming at a still ball.”
That wasn’t the case early in the evening as the Warriors --- now 12-3-3 with only a second loss in their last-nine outings – took a lead just 1:18 after the opening whistle. Tori Christiansen notched her fifth assist of the year with a corner kick that Maggie Roe parked from seven yards out for her sixth goal of the season.
Just after Rigby raced out to clear a Waubonsie missed feed, the Warriors doubled their lead at 9:30. That’s when Griffith’s team-best 11th assist led to a strike by Fillipek. That was the WV senior’s 27th goal for the year and hinted at another starring effort in the UEC championship series.
In the inaugural UEC championship game in 2013, also played at North, Fillipek sandwiched goals around an assist to fuel Waubonsie Valley’s 3-0 win triumph. Last year, the Warriors were 2-1 victors as game hosts.
Technically, Waubonsie Valley and Neuqua Valley are 2015 UEC Valley Division co-champions having finished with identical 6-0-1 records. However, the Warriors plus-28 goal differential was three better than Neuqua’s tally.
St. Charles North became the River Division representative with a little luck after having also finished as a division co-champion with rival St. Charles East. In addition to identical 6-0-1 River ledgers, the two had the same plus-30 goal differential which then required the last tiebreaker criteria: a coin flip. Thankfully,
Vostal correctly called “heads” and the North Stars advanced.
North wasn’t without notable attempts to negate the two-goal deficit in the opening half as Waubonsie Valley’s Roe had a major defensive clear prior to the North Stars’ Durocher putting a shot off the crossbar midway toward halftime. Four minutes later, Parrilli did the same with a 28-yard bomb that rattled the crossbar. Three minutes after that, the Warriors’ Maddie Pokora headed a potential goal try clear.
“The first half we had some quality chances but didn’t finish them,” Vostal said. “The wind was a factor, and we were facing a great goalie. So we talked about making some adjustments like keeping the ball low.”
Four minutes into the second half, Waubonsie Valley dodged a bullet as Parrilli had a penalty kick opportunity go just wide of the left post – strangely foreshadowing the North Stars shootout start.
“We practice those a lot, so I was a little surprised that we missed three,” Vostal acknowledged.
But 8:38 in, there was no doubt on a 12-yard cannon shot by Parrilli. Hailey Rydberg’s initial assist enabled Parrilli to blast the ball well enough to score despite Rigby getting a hand on the try.
The two teams exchanged attacks before there was 13:50 left and Waubonsie Valley had two major efforts. The second of which ended with a highlight-reel worthy save by
Stitz which would have earned the loudest possible “big save” call from Blackhawks announcer Pat Foley.
“I saw that play developing and Shelby came up so big, just as she’s done time and time again for us,” Vostal said. “One of the players on the bench even said 'How does she do that?' In retrospect, her having missed two weeks (healing a back injury) may have been a blessing. Physically and mentally she got some rest.”
With 12:29 remaining, North got the equalizer with Parrilli’s seventh set-up of the year leading to Gia Wahlberg’s team-high 13th goal.
After a pair of Waubonsie attacks, Rerko put another North Star shot off the crossbar and Rydberg had a laser from left of center that Rigby knocked away. Precision-like passing between Emily Dickens, Griffith and finally Sam Stricker appeared to position Waubonsie Valley for a dagger with 1:39 left in regulation, but the shot sailed over the goal.
Both sides managed to avoid giving up a goal through the 10 minutes of overtime.
“The biggest lesson learned is that we can come back against the odds,” Czerniak noted. “Down 2-0 is a pretty big lead in high school soccer, but this proves to us to stay focused and keep attacking.”
Starting lineups
Waubonsie Valley
G Emma Rigby
D Maddie Pokora
D Emily Dickens
D Sam Stricker
D Tori Christiansen
M Cici Gazder
M Sarah Laws
M Morgan Kemmerling
M Sara Griffith
F Maggie Roe
F Paige Fillipek
St. Charles North
G Shelby Stitz
D Addy Ams
D Claire Barresi
D Lauren Neslund
D Morgan Rerko
M Lauren Willis
M Hanna Durocher
M Lizzi Parrilli
M Hailey Rydberg
F Gia Wahlberg
F Amanda Czerniak
MVP of the Match: Shelby Stitz, GK, St. Charles North
Referees: Thomas Fryc (center), Tim Jackson, Rick Blaisdell