Wheaton North defends turf,
tops WWS for regional title
Falcons put away crosstown rivals
By Alison Moran
WHEATON -- Crosstown rivalries are, by design, intense, driven, and ultimately heartbreaking for one of the teams.
Playing without star midfielder Erin Madigan, sixth-seeded Wheaton Warrenville South (11-8-2) put up a tremendous fight and controlled the ball much of the game, but fell apart on the goal line and ended up being shut out 4-0 by second-seeded Wheaton North (16-2-3) on the winner's Jim Rexilius Field in the Wheaton North Regional final.
"It wasn't pretty, or glamorous," admitted Wheaton North Coach Tim McEvilly, "But the first two goals were scored by kids who were committed to win the game."
Indeed, North forward Hannah Atkinson, who earned the night's MVP of the Match honor for playing solid defense and launching a ferocious attack against the Tigers, had broken her finger in Tuesday's 2-1 semifinal victory against Schaumburg.
A black, elbow-high cast that immobilized her finger and arm didn't stop Atkinson from scoring the game's first goal with 19:28 left in the first half. The goal came from straight on against Wheaton Warrenville South goalkeeper Nell Rosenthal.
Wheaton North's second goal started with a high cross from defender Kailee Sowers that Falcon forward Margaret Hupp headed on goal. The shot hit the crossbar first and then went into the net with just over 16:00 left in the first half. Some observers thought the shot hit the yellow crossbar on the football goalpost, but no flags or rulings from the referees transpired.
Hupp played on a sprained ankle that was wrapped in ice after the game.
"Sometimes, I lose circulation," she said matter-of-factly. "That's why I have to ice it. It'll be fine."
Wheaton Warrenville South coach Guy Callipari talked with referee David Holbrook at halftime.
"It was a simple discussion regarding tackles from behind with at least a verbal warning- It certainly wasn't the official's fault we were down 2-0. LOL. " he said in a post-game email.
The first half ended as it do for the Falcons' in the regional semifinal Tuesday -- up 2-0. Perhaps remembering how they let Schaumburg back in the game in the second half, the Falcons redoubled their attack on the Tigers.
With their season hanging in the balance, Wheaton Warrenville South mounted a ferocious defense. The Tigers used forward Anna Fank, who scored four goals in Tuesday's 5-1 victory over West Chicago, against Wheaton North midfielder Gwyneth Phillips. Fank's teammate, defender Rachel Conrady, marked up against the Falcons three-time MVP of the Match Lexi Pelafas.
Though Wheaton Warrenville South drove downfield numerous times in the second half, their shots went straight into the waiting arms of freshman goatender Zoe Welsh.
Meanwhile, the Falcons put two more goals on the scoreboard to put the game away. Pelafas earned one after a pass from Sowers. Midfielder Maggie Liechte scored the final goal after a pass from defender Cara Maxwell.
"We knew coming into this it was anyone's game, " said Atkinson. "We knew it was going to be who wanted it most."
After the game, several players from Wheaton Warrenville South burst into tears with the realization that their season, and for some of them their high school careers, had come to an end.
"We worked really, really hard, " said Tigers defender Kelly Kern, choking up. "I mean, we worked our hearts out. It's really devastating."
Midfielder Sarah Burns agreed.
"It's just really heartbreaking. We were playing every minute, against our crosstown rival. We put in our best effort, and having it turn out this way ...,"
Callipari made a plain-and-simple summation of his team's lack of scoring.
"We had some good looks at goal but failed to test the keeper and make use of our chances," he said.
But the veteran coach remained 'Tiger-Proud' of his players.
"The girls played through much adversity with injuries all season, but came together in the end with a string of well-played matches," he said. "The seniors showed great poise and leadership throughout the campaign and deserve much of the credit for our success."
Wheaton North, ranked fifth in the Chicagoland Soccer Top 20 advances to the Schaumburg Sectional. There the Falcons will face no. 3 seed, and sixth-ranked, St. Charles North. The North Stars took the Geneva Regional with a 3-1 win over the hosts Saturday.
Starting lineups
Wheaton Warrenville South
GK: Nell Rosenthal
D: Rachel Conrady
D: Ava Fickle
D: Julia Hildenbrand
D: Allie Harvey
MF: Tori Adomshock
MF: Alexis Jackuszewski
MF: Rachel Deeman
MF: Julia Martz
MF: Nikki Molino
F: Anna Fank
Wheaton North
GK: Zoe Welsh
D: Kailee Sowers
D: Niamh Kane
D: Karen Trometer
D: Morghin Klein
MF: Bailey Gates
MF: Becca Kouwe
MF: Gwyneth Phillips
F: Hannah Atkinson
F: Margaret Hupp
F: Lexi Pelafas
MVP of the Match: Hannah Atkinson, F, Wheaton North
Officials: Dave Rubini, John Flynn, David Holbrook.
tops WWS for regional title
Falcons put away crosstown rivals
By Alison Moran
WHEATON -- Crosstown rivalries are, by design, intense, driven, and ultimately heartbreaking for one of the teams.
Playing without star midfielder Erin Madigan, sixth-seeded Wheaton Warrenville South (11-8-2) put up a tremendous fight and controlled the ball much of the game, but fell apart on the goal line and ended up being shut out 4-0 by second-seeded Wheaton North (16-2-3) on the winner's Jim Rexilius Field in the Wheaton North Regional final.
"It wasn't pretty, or glamorous," admitted Wheaton North Coach Tim McEvilly, "But the first two goals were scored by kids who were committed to win the game."
Indeed, North forward Hannah Atkinson, who earned the night's MVP of the Match honor for playing solid defense and launching a ferocious attack against the Tigers, had broken her finger in Tuesday's 2-1 semifinal victory against Schaumburg.
A black, elbow-high cast that immobilized her finger and arm didn't stop Atkinson from scoring the game's first goal with 19:28 left in the first half. The goal came from straight on against Wheaton Warrenville South goalkeeper Nell Rosenthal.
Wheaton North's second goal started with a high cross from defender Kailee Sowers that Falcon forward Margaret Hupp headed on goal. The shot hit the crossbar first and then went into the net with just over 16:00 left in the first half. Some observers thought the shot hit the yellow crossbar on the football goalpost, but no flags or rulings from the referees transpired.
Hupp played on a sprained ankle that was wrapped in ice after the game.
"Sometimes, I lose circulation," she said matter-of-factly. "That's why I have to ice it. It'll be fine."
Wheaton Warrenville South coach Guy Callipari talked with referee David Holbrook at halftime.
"It was a simple discussion regarding tackles from behind with at least a verbal warning- It certainly wasn't the official's fault we were down 2-0. LOL. " he said in a post-game email.
The first half ended as it do for the Falcons' in the regional semifinal Tuesday -- up 2-0. Perhaps remembering how they let Schaumburg back in the game in the second half, the Falcons redoubled their attack on the Tigers.
With their season hanging in the balance, Wheaton Warrenville South mounted a ferocious defense. The Tigers used forward Anna Fank, who scored four goals in Tuesday's 5-1 victory over West Chicago, against Wheaton North midfielder Gwyneth Phillips. Fank's teammate, defender Rachel Conrady, marked up against the Falcons three-time MVP of the Match Lexi Pelafas.
Though Wheaton Warrenville South drove downfield numerous times in the second half, their shots went straight into the waiting arms of freshman goatender Zoe Welsh.
Meanwhile, the Falcons put two more goals on the scoreboard to put the game away. Pelafas earned one after a pass from Sowers. Midfielder Maggie Liechte scored the final goal after a pass from defender Cara Maxwell.
"We knew coming into this it was anyone's game, " said Atkinson. "We knew it was going to be who wanted it most."
After the game, several players from Wheaton Warrenville South burst into tears with the realization that their season, and for some of them their high school careers, had come to an end.
"We worked really, really hard, " said Tigers defender Kelly Kern, choking up. "I mean, we worked our hearts out. It's really devastating."
Midfielder Sarah Burns agreed.
"It's just really heartbreaking. We were playing every minute, against our crosstown rival. We put in our best effort, and having it turn out this way ...,"
Callipari made a plain-and-simple summation of his team's lack of scoring.
"We had some good looks at goal but failed to test the keeper and make use of our chances," he said.
But the veteran coach remained 'Tiger-Proud' of his players.
"The girls played through much adversity with injuries all season, but came together in the end with a string of well-played matches," he said. "The seniors showed great poise and leadership throughout the campaign and deserve much of the credit for our success."
Wheaton North, ranked fifth in the Chicagoland Soccer Top 20 advances to the Schaumburg Sectional. There the Falcons will face no. 3 seed, and sixth-ranked, St. Charles North. The North Stars took the Geneva Regional with a 3-1 win over the hosts Saturday.
Starting lineups
Wheaton Warrenville South
GK: Nell Rosenthal
D: Rachel Conrady
D: Ava Fickle
D: Julia Hildenbrand
D: Allie Harvey
MF: Tori Adomshock
MF: Alexis Jackuszewski
MF: Rachel Deeman
MF: Julia Martz
MF: Nikki Molino
F: Anna Fank
Wheaton North
GK: Zoe Welsh
D: Kailee Sowers
D: Niamh Kane
D: Karen Trometer
D: Morghin Klein
MF: Bailey Gates
MF: Becca Kouwe
MF: Gwyneth Phillips
F: Hannah Atkinson
F: Margaret Hupp
F: Lexi Pelafas
MVP of the Match: Hannah Atkinson, F, Wheaton North
Officials: Dave Rubini, John Flynn, David Holbrook.