Future teammates put on show
for New Trier, Glenbrook South
Villanova recruits Weaver, Stadler make a statement in 1-1 tie
By Patrick Z. McGavin
NORTHFIELD -- Their manner and styles of play echo and mirror each other, conjuring a shared sense of recognition. The positional similarities and dynamic qualities are also easy to see and compare.
At the same time their individualities also create a particular and eerie sense of separation.
As Glenbrook South and New Trier battled over every loose ball or possession, the Titans’ Makayla Stadler and Trevians’ Emma Weaver acted as the supreme commander of their respective teams. They were the grand actors who shaped the action and defined the perspective of everybody else on the field.
“We are both extremely competitive,” Stadler said. “I love playing against her. I think her competitiveness brings forth the best soccer player I can be.”
Stadler is an attacking midfielder at Glenbrook South and the soul of her team. Weaver is her equivalent at New Trier, a dynamic and thrilling player who turns every action into a heart-stopping moment.
They are the two best players on the North Shore. Stadler, a senior, is a three-time Chicagoland Soccer all-state player; Weaver, a junior, is a two-time honoree. The only difference between them is their age.
The future belongs to them. Both are committed to play at Villanova -- Stadler in the fall and Weaver a year later.
In a riveting encounter of two of the state’s best teams, the stars effectively cancelled each other out and proved what makes them so formidable.
Weaver’s first half free kick provided the Trevians, rnaked third in the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25, with the lead, That only gave Stadler the opportunity to create the equalizer with a breathtaking assist in the 46th minute for the no. 4 Titans. The game ended in a 1-1 tie in Central Suburban League South Division play Wednesday night.
For their achievements, Makayla Stadler and Emma Weaver shared the Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match honor.
“Anytime you play New Trier, it’s always a big game,” Stadler said. “I think in the first half, we were a little frantic and a bit on our toes. We have been looking forward to this game all season. We knew in the second half we were not going to let them beat us 1-0, or 2-0.
“We put our heads down, and we were ready to go.”
Stadler nearly created the game-winner in the 53rd minute when her left-footed blast from about 19 yards smashed off the crossbar.
The Titans (9-0-1, 1-0-1) were playing their third game in three nights. New Trier (4-0-5, 1-0-1) was in the second night of a back-to-back and played its fourth game in six days.
The level of play was still spellbinding. The dynamic competitiveness between Stadler and Weaver radiated out in multiple directions and touched all sides.
“She is a great player, obviously,” Weaver said. “I am really excited to play with her at Villanova. I think us together could be a really good combination. She is amazing.”
New Trier clearly had the upper hand in the first half. The Trevians dictated the pace and early rhythm. A day after enduring a scoreless tie against St. Ignatius, the Trevians were wired at the start, building from the back and proving especially dangerous.
Heidi Bianucci, a junior defender back after a sabbatical playing club, is a physical talent with a powerful leg who created repeated opportunities with her booming free kicks. Twice Weaver made long runs to connect on her kicks that forced Titans’ keeper Libbie Vanderveen into making a dramatic saves or snaring the ball out of the air.
New Trier midfielder Lily Conley, the team’s other experienced star, also created pressure in the opening 15 minutes. These were positive signs for their coach.
“The kids are grinding it out and putting in a lot of big minutes,” New Trier’s Jim Burnside said. “We changed things up a little bit. I thought we played with a lot of heart, and we were dangerous. We had some chances. We just have to put it together and finish a little better. I am proud of our girls.”
Throughout the first half New Trier gave the impression of being on the cusp of something major. In the 35th minute the activity finally led to a significant movement. On the right wing, Weaver blasted a free kick from about 24 yards that handcuffed Vanderveen and deflected off a Titans’ defender for the opening goal.
Weaver earned her 10th goal. After her team was shut out in of two of the three previous games, the moment was a tonic.
“I think we are improving as a team and learning about each other,” Weaver said. “The goals are going to come if we have the possession and the momentum, especially a lot of these new players who are getting the experience and the playing time and starting to understand the team more.”
New Trier senior keeper Meghan Dwyer continued to impress with her athleticism and aggressive style. She moved off her line when necessary, like jumping out to snare a corner from Challen Flaws in the early going. Dwyer also made a great diving stop, one of six saves, off a Stadler left-footed blast in the 37th minute.
The Titans got untracked and found their legs in the second half.
“In the first half I thought we played a little hesitant,” Glenbrook South coach Mark Daniels said. “In the second half I thought we were much more assertive as far as going to the ball. The girls worked hard to fight back and earn the tie, and get a nice quality goal. That is how we like to play, service the ball and cross it in.”
In the 46th minute, with her back to the goal, Stadler shielded her defender and made a quick turn and served a left-footed ball that senior forward Katie Weiss elevated and made a quick half volley that eluded Dwyer inside the far post for a breathtaking goal.
“It was an amazing finish,” Stadler said. “They were defending me really well, and luckily I got open. I saw Katie making the run to the goal, and I knew I had to get her the ball.”
Daniels sometimes thinks Stadler is too unselfish for her own good and that of the team. “She is so selfless, but sometimes I want her to go to the goal all the time,” he said.
Weiss scored her seventh goal of the year.
“Honestly, Makayla has that famous move she makes,” Weiss said. “She gets the ball, turns on the defender and is always able to make that run down the line, so I make sure I have to keep an eye on her. I made sure I got to the goal quick enough to get a foot on it.
“She did all the heavy work.”
The Stadler ball that hit off the crossbar illustrated the closeness of everything, how little the teams were separated and how an inch or two changes the outcome of the game.
“I thought we did a nice job, we just need to get more comfortable possessing the ball under pressure,” Burnside said. “We are building our experience now. It’s not like we are coming onto the field with a ton of on-field varsity experience. It’s been good. I have been impressed with how we have played.”
Three weeks into the season and the Trevians are in a somewhat strange place in having accumulated as many ties as victories. New Trier has put itself in an elevated and irreproachable space after five-consecutive Class 3A state championship game appearances.
This year’s team is packed with promise, but it needs time to find itself.
“Not as long as we are getting better,” Burnside said, when asked if he is frustrated by the frequency of ties early on.
“It’s three shots away from being three wins and then we are 8-0-1, or we are three shots away from being 4-3-2. A tie is frustrating when you feel you should have won and played better. A tie is not frustrating when you battle against a great team to a draw.”
These results have played out against top-rated competition. The reality is, New Trier is still undefeated in the regular season the last two years.
“There have been some frustrating ties, and there have been some ties you are okay with,” Burnside said. “There’s a big difference between a tie and a loss. It’s not a win, but it is closer on the spectrum to a win than a loss. That’s my opinion. Do I like tying? No. Do I like losing? No. Do I like winning? Yes.
“That is where the spectrum lies.”
Starting lineups
Glenbrook South
GK: Libbie Vanderveen
D: Katie Sullivan
D: Christie Chrones
D: Katie Gates
D: Grace O’Brien
MF: Julia DiSano
MF: Challen Flaws
MF: Makayla Stadler
MF: Sydney Boland
MF: Dana Steffen
F: Katie Weiss
New Trier
GK: Meghan Dwyer
D: Josie Crumley
D: Ava Shah
D: Julia Goldish
D: Heidi Bianucci
MF: Lily Conley
MF: Emma Weaver
MF: Kate Sawdey
F: Mia Sedgwick
F: Alex Wirth
F: Fallon Warshauer
Chicagoland Soccer MVPs of the Match: Emma Weaver, jr., MF, New Trier
Makayla Stadler, sr., MF, Glenbrook South;
Scoring summary
First half
New Trier—Emma Weaver (unassisted), 35th minute
Second half
Glenbrook South—Katie Weiss (Makayla Stadler), 46th minute
for New Trier, Glenbrook South
Villanova recruits Weaver, Stadler make a statement in 1-1 tie
By Patrick Z. McGavin
NORTHFIELD -- Their manner and styles of play echo and mirror each other, conjuring a shared sense of recognition. The positional similarities and dynamic qualities are also easy to see and compare.
At the same time their individualities also create a particular and eerie sense of separation.
As Glenbrook South and New Trier battled over every loose ball or possession, the Titans’ Makayla Stadler and Trevians’ Emma Weaver acted as the supreme commander of their respective teams. They were the grand actors who shaped the action and defined the perspective of everybody else on the field.
“We are both extremely competitive,” Stadler said. “I love playing against her. I think her competitiveness brings forth the best soccer player I can be.”
Stadler is an attacking midfielder at Glenbrook South and the soul of her team. Weaver is her equivalent at New Trier, a dynamic and thrilling player who turns every action into a heart-stopping moment.
They are the two best players on the North Shore. Stadler, a senior, is a three-time Chicagoland Soccer all-state player; Weaver, a junior, is a two-time honoree. The only difference between them is their age.
The future belongs to them. Both are committed to play at Villanova -- Stadler in the fall and Weaver a year later.
In a riveting encounter of two of the state’s best teams, the stars effectively cancelled each other out and proved what makes them so formidable.
Weaver’s first half free kick provided the Trevians, rnaked third in the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25, with the lead, That only gave Stadler the opportunity to create the equalizer with a breathtaking assist in the 46th minute for the no. 4 Titans. The game ended in a 1-1 tie in Central Suburban League South Division play Wednesday night.
For their achievements, Makayla Stadler and Emma Weaver shared the Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match honor.
“Anytime you play New Trier, it’s always a big game,” Stadler said. “I think in the first half, we were a little frantic and a bit on our toes. We have been looking forward to this game all season. We knew in the second half we were not going to let them beat us 1-0, or 2-0.
“We put our heads down, and we were ready to go.”
Stadler nearly created the game-winner in the 53rd minute when her left-footed blast from about 19 yards smashed off the crossbar.
The Titans (9-0-1, 1-0-1) were playing their third game in three nights. New Trier (4-0-5, 1-0-1) was in the second night of a back-to-back and played its fourth game in six days.
The level of play was still spellbinding. The dynamic competitiveness between Stadler and Weaver radiated out in multiple directions and touched all sides.
“She is a great player, obviously,” Weaver said. “I am really excited to play with her at Villanova. I think us together could be a really good combination. She is amazing.”
New Trier clearly had the upper hand in the first half. The Trevians dictated the pace and early rhythm. A day after enduring a scoreless tie against St. Ignatius, the Trevians were wired at the start, building from the back and proving especially dangerous.
Heidi Bianucci, a junior defender back after a sabbatical playing club, is a physical talent with a powerful leg who created repeated opportunities with her booming free kicks. Twice Weaver made long runs to connect on her kicks that forced Titans’ keeper Libbie Vanderveen into making a dramatic saves or snaring the ball out of the air.
New Trier midfielder Lily Conley, the team’s other experienced star, also created pressure in the opening 15 minutes. These were positive signs for their coach.
“The kids are grinding it out and putting in a lot of big minutes,” New Trier’s Jim Burnside said. “We changed things up a little bit. I thought we played with a lot of heart, and we were dangerous. We had some chances. We just have to put it together and finish a little better. I am proud of our girls.”
Throughout the first half New Trier gave the impression of being on the cusp of something major. In the 35th minute the activity finally led to a significant movement. On the right wing, Weaver blasted a free kick from about 24 yards that handcuffed Vanderveen and deflected off a Titans’ defender for the opening goal.
Weaver earned her 10th goal. After her team was shut out in of two of the three previous games, the moment was a tonic.
“I think we are improving as a team and learning about each other,” Weaver said. “The goals are going to come if we have the possession and the momentum, especially a lot of these new players who are getting the experience and the playing time and starting to understand the team more.”
New Trier senior keeper Meghan Dwyer continued to impress with her athleticism and aggressive style. She moved off her line when necessary, like jumping out to snare a corner from Challen Flaws in the early going. Dwyer also made a great diving stop, one of six saves, off a Stadler left-footed blast in the 37th minute.
The Titans got untracked and found their legs in the second half.
“In the first half I thought we played a little hesitant,” Glenbrook South coach Mark Daniels said. “In the second half I thought we were much more assertive as far as going to the ball. The girls worked hard to fight back and earn the tie, and get a nice quality goal. That is how we like to play, service the ball and cross it in.”
In the 46th minute, with her back to the goal, Stadler shielded her defender and made a quick turn and served a left-footed ball that senior forward Katie Weiss elevated and made a quick half volley that eluded Dwyer inside the far post for a breathtaking goal.
“It was an amazing finish,” Stadler said. “They were defending me really well, and luckily I got open. I saw Katie making the run to the goal, and I knew I had to get her the ball.”
Daniels sometimes thinks Stadler is too unselfish for her own good and that of the team. “She is so selfless, but sometimes I want her to go to the goal all the time,” he said.
Weiss scored her seventh goal of the year.
“Honestly, Makayla has that famous move she makes,” Weiss said. “She gets the ball, turns on the defender and is always able to make that run down the line, so I make sure I have to keep an eye on her. I made sure I got to the goal quick enough to get a foot on it.
“She did all the heavy work.”
The Stadler ball that hit off the crossbar illustrated the closeness of everything, how little the teams were separated and how an inch or two changes the outcome of the game.
“I thought we did a nice job, we just need to get more comfortable possessing the ball under pressure,” Burnside said. “We are building our experience now. It’s not like we are coming onto the field with a ton of on-field varsity experience. It’s been good. I have been impressed with how we have played.”
Three weeks into the season and the Trevians are in a somewhat strange place in having accumulated as many ties as victories. New Trier has put itself in an elevated and irreproachable space after five-consecutive Class 3A state championship game appearances.
This year’s team is packed with promise, but it needs time to find itself.
“Not as long as we are getting better,” Burnside said, when asked if he is frustrated by the frequency of ties early on.
“It’s three shots away from being three wins and then we are 8-0-1, or we are three shots away from being 4-3-2. A tie is frustrating when you feel you should have won and played better. A tie is not frustrating when you battle against a great team to a draw.”
These results have played out against top-rated competition. The reality is, New Trier is still undefeated in the regular season the last two years.
“There have been some frustrating ties, and there have been some ties you are okay with,” Burnside said. “There’s a big difference between a tie and a loss. It’s not a win, but it is closer on the spectrum to a win than a loss. That’s my opinion. Do I like tying? No. Do I like losing? No. Do I like winning? Yes.
“That is where the spectrum lies.”
Starting lineups
Glenbrook South
GK: Libbie Vanderveen
D: Katie Sullivan
D: Christie Chrones
D: Katie Gates
D: Grace O’Brien
MF: Julia DiSano
MF: Challen Flaws
MF: Makayla Stadler
MF: Sydney Boland
MF: Dana Steffen
F: Katie Weiss
New Trier
GK: Meghan Dwyer
D: Josie Crumley
D: Ava Shah
D: Julia Goldish
D: Heidi Bianucci
MF: Lily Conley
MF: Emma Weaver
MF: Kate Sawdey
F: Mia Sedgwick
F: Alex Wirth
F: Fallon Warshauer
Chicagoland Soccer MVPs of the Match: Emma Weaver, jr., MF, New Trier
Makayla Stadler, sr., MF, Glenbrook South;
Scoring summary
First half
New Trier—Emma Weaver (unassisted), 35th minute
Second half
Glenbrook South—Katie Weiss (Makayla Stadler), 46th minute