Kaplan scores, creates to lead Jones
Junior contributes brace, assist in 4-0 win over Back of the Yards
By Patrick Z. McGavin
CHICAGO -- Avery Kaplan had every reason to feel subdued or out of her normal rhythm. It was a natural emotional byproduct of shifting focus of playing an emerging Chicago Public League program after enduring a physical and rugged game with one of the best teams in the Chicago Catholic League.
A day after playing St. Ignatius to a 2-2 draw, Jones hosted Back of the Yards, a five-year old school that has played varsity soccer for only four years. Several prominent Eagles’ players got banged up against the Wolfpack, most significantly four-year back Gabriela Baxtrom and starting senior forward Gillian Miller.
Kaplan took a very unsentimental view.
“I think it was a big change mentally coming off a team that we wanted to have a statement game against and to come back out really hard today,” she said. “We had to come out strong and get business done in order to have success. Every game is similar that way. It’s about going up early and staying up.”
Kaplan ripped to shreds any notion of negative spillover by scoring in the sixth minute and adding an assist and second goal in a command performance that sparked the Eagles’ 4-0 home victory over the Bobcats on Friday night.
Kaplan earned the Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match honor for her strong play. She and Lauren Nichols, another junior forward, are now the faces of a program eager to build off the historic strides of last year’s team.
Led in 2017 by Chicagoland Soccer all-stater Zoe Wright and the explosively fast Janai Cedeno, the Eagles finished second in the Premier Division and reached the city title game for the first time in program history.
“It’s hard losing so many key players like we did,” Kaplan said. “We relied on five or six people that we always tried to get the ball to. People knew that when you play Jones, you know we were always going to try and play the ball to those people.
“This year we have a lot of talent coming back, and we have a lot of talent that is developing. It’s more of a deep team. You can’t really pick out just one. If you pick one, the 10 around them are just going to be twice as strong.”
Jones (2-0-1) generated a 23-1 advantage in shots on goal. Sophomore midfielder Martina Bianchi set the early tone. Driving the ball down the left edge, she hammered a shot that Bobcats’ keeper Janelly Ortiz broke up. The proper attitude was put in place. Jones was not feeling sorry for itself.
Jones maintained its forward thrust. In the sixth minute, Nichols worked through the Bobcats’ interior and slotted a ball on the left wing that Kaplan hammered inside the far post for the early goal.
“I think this is the kind of team you need to run out and tire out as quickly as possible,” Nichols said. “We played Kenwood (an 8-0 victory) earlier in the week and we had the same mentality. The first five minutes was really important to come out and have a lot of energy and have a full force push.”
The Bobcats (0-2-1) are coached by Colin Rook, a 2010 Naperville Central graduate who played for Jay Conrad. Under his development of the program, the school has steadily climbed upward. It has won back-to-back lower division leagues and jumped up a competitive level. Now the Bobcats play in the south division of First Division.
“I think our defense grew this week,” Rook said. “Even though we let in four goals, I was pleased. We had a lot of good defensive stops. The goalkeeper came up big on a few of those. Jones is a great program, and I love coming over here and playing them. We had another good game. I am hoping to improve our offensive opportunities going forward to get us some more shots on goal.”
Ortiz, a junior, kept the game respectable. She withstood a near constant onslaught from the Eagles. She recorded 15 saves, nine in the first half.
“I tried to save as many as I could for my team because I know we are really passionate about soccer,” Ortiz said. “I really wanted to do it for my teammates, and I think we did okay, despite all of the goals that were scored.”
The early goal held up for the balance of the first half.
“I’m trying to communicate with them as much as possible to help them see the field more and help them with their roles on the field,” Ortiz said. “I want them to help them defend their own players and see the field better. Last year’s team kept the team going, and this year we intend to do the same thing.”
Bianchi, a tall, rangy and physically skilled player, smashed home her own rebound in the 36th minute for the Eagles’ 2-0 advantage at the break.
Kaplan and Nichols are getting more relaxed and comfortable in taking on expanded roles. No longer specialist or situational players, they are now the hub of the team’s offensive attack. In the 56th minute, Kaplan facilitated Nichols’ goal by leaving a ball for her from about 14 yards out that she made a decisive one-touch ball that beat Ortiz to the inside corner.
Kaplan punctuated her standout performance with a rocket shot off a pass from freshman midfielder Parker Ellis in the 63rd minute.
“Everyone has to pick it up this year,” she said. “We have to iron out the kinks faster. We have to get a couple of statement wins, so that everyone thinks we we are coming back even stronger. We want to get back into that mentality of we’re the people to beat; we are the ones people are going to be coming after.
“We have to keep our heads up.”
The graduation losses have only created a new paradigm, Nichols said. The strong opening week play was crucial as the Eagles begin Premier play next week.
“I think with the absence of Zoe Wright and Janai Cedeno, our forwards, like me and Avery, have to figure out more ways to get the ball in the middle,” Nichols said. “Our dynamic is a little different. We have a lot of new freshmen, all super fast. Our play has just developed and changed.”
Jones coach Derek Bylsma is encouraged after three games.
“Increasingly I am happy with our effort,” he said. “I think we are consistently coming out and working harder each time. We struggled a little bit in the first half today. In the second half, we worked a lot harder. I think we’re dangerous up front. Avery and Lauren are very dangerous.”
The strong effort against St. Ignatius demonstrated how quickly the pieces are meshing, he said.
“We have four freshmen on varsity, and at one point in the Ignatius game yesterday, we had four freshmen and four sophomores out there. We’re good and young. Our older players are good and experienced. We have Rachel (Sohn, a midfielder) and those guys who help settle things down with the younger players.
“If our effort is there, we could be a really good team this year. If efforts lacks, we are not going to be nearly as good as we should be.”
Starting lineups
Back of the Yards
GK: Janelly Ortiz
D: Daisy Mendez
D: Irma Bahena
D: Camila Morales
MF: Lesly Sandoval
MF: Jaqueline Soto
MF: Marabella Gil
MF: Brianna Armenta
MF: Yesenia Luna
F: Jackie Castaneda
F: Nayeli Aranda
Jones
GK: Devin Barry
D: Shayna Ellis
D: Natalie Loos
D: Izzy Kamba
MF: Laura Rios
MF: Audrey Bruce
MF: Martina Bianchi
MF: Rachel Sohn
MF: Priya Charles
F: Avery Kaplan
F: Lauren Nichols
Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match: Avery Kaplan, jr., F, Jones
Scoring summary
First half
Jones—Avery Kaplan (Lauren Nichols), 6th minute
Jones—Martina Bianchi, 33rd minute
Second half
Jones—Nichols (Kaplan), 56th minute
Jones—Kaplan (Parker Ellis), 63rd minute
Junior contributes brace, assist in 4-0 win over Back of the Yards
By Patrick Z. McGavin
CHICAGO -- Avery Kaplan had every reason to feel subdued or out of her normal rhythm. It was a natural emotional byproduct of shifting focus of playing an emerging Chicago Public League program after enduring a physical and rugged game with one of the best teams in the Chicago Catholic League.
A day after playing St. Ignatius to a 2-2 draw, Jones hosted Back of the Yards, a five-year old school that has played varsity soccer for only four years. Several prominent Eagles’ players got banged up against the Wolfpack, most significantly four-year back Gabriela Baxtrom and starting senior forward Gillian Miller.
Kaplan took a very unsentimental view.
“I think it was a big change mentally coming off a team that we wanted to have a statement game against and to come back out really hard today,” she said. “We had to come out strong and get business done in order to have success. Every game is similar that way. It’s about going up early and staying up.”
Kaplan ripped to shreds any notion of negative spillover by scoring in the sixth minute and adding an assist and second goal in a command performance that sparked the Eagles’ 4-0 home victory over the Bobcats on Friday night.
Kaplan earned the Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match honor for her strong play. She and Lauren Nichols, another junior forward, are now the faces of a program eager to build off the historic strides of last year’s team.
Led in 2017 by Chicagoland Soccer all-stater Zoe Wright and the explosively fast Janai Cedeno, the Eagles finished second in the Premier Division and reached the city title game for the first time in program history.
“It’s hard losing so many key players like we did,” Kaplan said. “We relied on five or six people that we always tried to get the ball to. People knew that when you play Jones, you know we were always going to try and play the ball to those people.
“This year we have a lot of talent coming back, and we have a lot of talent that is developing. It’s more of a deep team. You can’t really pick out just one. If you pick one, the 10 around them are just going to be twice as strong.”
Jones (2-0-1) generated a 23-1 advantage in shots on goal. Sophomore midfielder Martina Bianchi set the early tone. Driving the ball down the left edge, she hammered a shot that Bobcats’ keeper Janelly Ortiz broke up. The proper attitude was put in place. Jones was not feeling sorry for itself.
Jones maintained its forward thrust. In the sixth minute, Nichols worked through the Bobcats’ interior and slotted a ball on the left wing that Kaplan hammered inside the far post for the early goal.
“I think this is the kind of team you need to run out and tire out as quickly as possible,” Nichols said. “We played Kenwood (an 8-0 victory) earlier in the week and we had the same mentality. The first five minutes was really important to come out and have a lot of energy and have a full force push.”
The Bobcats (0-2-1) are coached by Colin Rook, a 2010 Naperville Central graduate who played for Jay Conrad. Under his development of the program, the school has steadily climbed upward. It has won back-to-back lower division leagues and jumped up a competitive level. Now the Bobcats play in the south division of First Division.
“I think our defense grew this week,” Rook said. “Even though we let in four goals, I was pleased. We had a lot of good defensive stops. The goalkeeper came up big on a few of those. Jones is a great program, and I love coming over here and playing them. We had another good game. I am hoping to improve our offensive opportunities going forward to get us some more shots on goal.”
Ortiz, a junior, kept the game respectable. She withstood a near constant onslaught from the Eagles. She recorded 15 saves, nine in the first half.
“I tried to save as many as I could for my team because I know we are really passionate about soccer,” Ortiz said. “I really wanted to do it for my teammates, and I think we did okay, despite all of the goals that were scored.”
The early goal held up for the balance of the first half.
“I’m trying to communicate with them as much as possible to help them see the field more and help them with their roles on the field,” Ortiz said. “I want them to help them defend their own players and see the field better. Last year’s team kept the team going, and this year we intend to do the same thing.”
Bianchi, a tall, rangy and physically skilled player, smashed home her own rebound in the 36th minute for the Eagles’ 2-0 advantage at the break.
Kaplan and Nichols are getting more relaxed and comfortable in taking on expanded roles. No longer specialist or situational players, they are now the hub of the team’s offensive attack. In the 56th minute, Kaplan facilitated Nichols’ goal by leaving a ball for her from about 14 yards out that she made a decisive one-touch ball that beat Ortiz to the inside corner.
Kaplan punctuated her standout performance with a rocket shot off a pass from freshman midfielder Parker Ellis in the 63rd minute.
“Everyone has to pick it up this year,” she said. “We have to iron out the kinks faster. We have to get a couple of statement wins, so that everyone thinks we we are coming back even stronger. We want to get back into that mentality of we’re the people to beat; we are the ones people are going to be coming after.
“We have to keep our heads up.”
The graduation losses have only created a new paradigm, Nichols said. The strong opening week play was crucial as the Eagles begin Premier play next week.
“I think with the absence of Zoe Wright and Janai Cedeno, our forwards, like me and Avery, have to figure out more ways to get the ball in the middle,” Nichols said. “Our dynamic is a little different. We have a lot of new freshmen, all super fast. Our play has just developed and changed.”
Jones coach Derek Bylsma is encouraged after three games.
“Increasingly I am happy with our effort,” he said. “I think we are consistently coming out and working harder each time. We struggled a little bit in the first half today. In the second half, we worked a lot harder. I think we’re dangerous up front. Avery and Lauren are very dangerous.”
The strong effort against St. Ignatius demonstrated how quickly the pieces are meshing, he said.
“We have four freshmen on varsity, and at one point in the Ignatius game yesterday, we had four freshmen and four sophomores out there. We’re good and young. Our older players are good and experienced. We have Rachel (Sohn, a midfielder) and those guys who help settle things down with the younger players.
“If our effort is there, we could be a really good team this year. If efforts lacks, we are not going to be nearly as good as we should be.”
Starting lineups
Back of the Yards
GK: Janelly Ortiz
D: Daisy Mendez
D: Irma Bahena
D: Camila Morales
MF: Lesly Sandoval
MF: Jaqueline Soto
MF: Marabella Gil
MF: Brianna Armenta
MF: Yesenia Luna
F: Jackie Castaneda
F: Nayeli Aranda
Jones
GK: Devin Barry
D: Shayna Ellis
D: Natalie Loos
D: Izzy Kamba
MF: Laura Rios
MF: Audrey Bruce
MF: Martina Bianchi
MF: Rachel Sohn
MF: Priya Charles
F: Avery Kaplan
F: Lauren Nichols
Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match: Avery Kaplan, jr., F, Jones
Scoring summary
First half
Jones—Avery Kaplan (Lauren Nichols), 6th minute
Jones—Martina Bianchi, 33rd minute
Second half
Jones—Nichols (Kaplan), 56th minute
Jones—Kaplan (Parker Ellis), 63rd minute