Deerfield nets payback,
big league win vs. Highland Park
Senior 'treasures' Schimanski, Deutsch power 3-0 victory
By Dave Owen
DEERFIELD -- On a night honoring the future of Deerfield High School soccer, the current Warriors looked back to their recent past for added inspiration to keep a strong 2022 season rolling.
After falling twice to neighboring rival Highland Park last spring, Deerfield (12-1-1, 3-0-0) grabbed a 1-0 lead midway through the first half of Monday’s Central Suburban League North Division game and never surrendered the momentum in an eventual 3-0 win over the Giants (6-6-1, 2-1-0).
“Last year we didn't come out as strong as we wanted to,” said Deerfield senior Riley Schimanski, who scored two goals Monday to help prevent a repeat. “We lost two games to them, and we wanted to change that. We didn't want to have a loss to Highland Park in our last game against them. We wanted revenge.
“Coming out with a 3-0 win was great, and everybody contributed. Offense. Defense. Midfield. Our goalie. It was a great, team win.”
After about 60 players from the Deerfield Pegasus FC youth soccer program were on hand for the pregame on-field activities and introductions, two high school teams very familiar with each other came out exchanging early shots.
Highland Park had a slight edge in early play, with two shots on goal in the opening eight minutes. A nice clear from in front of the net by Deerfield’s Emma Gassman repelled another chance in the 12th minutes.
Deerfield’s offense soon found its footing and the night’s first finish.
After Schimanski was narrowly denied in the 15th minute on a low 12-yard drive swatted wide by Highland Park goalkeeper Anna Chabot, the Chicagoland Soccer all-stater would not be denied 19:10 before halftime.
On a play initiated by an Emily Fox pass, Ally Linn touched a short pass at the upper left edge of the box to Schimanski. The top striker powered a 15-yarder into the upper corner of the net to put the Warriors up 1-0.
“I missed an early one before,” Schimanski said, “and I knew we needed to score to get the momentum and get more confidence with the team. So, it felt good for everyone and lifted a weight off everyone's shoulders.”
Having the tandem of Schimanski (17 goals this season) and Holly Deutsch (nine goals, 18 assists) in red and black has been worthy of praise from Deerfield fans, teammates and opponents.
“Riley was awesome last year,” Highland Park coach Kate Straka said, “and this year she's putting even more goals in. And obviously Holly is really amazing. Her speed on the outside is phenomenal.”
Deerfield senior defender and co-captain Katie Morgan offered her own succinct and priceless summation of her two teammates.
“They're treasures, man,” Morgan said.
By night’s end, both Schimanski and Deutsch would have multi-point nights to treasure as part of a key rivalry win. And Deerfield, which moved up two spots to no. 14 in the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25 this week, continued its offensive surge after going up 1-0.
In the 27th minute, a 21-yard Deerfield free kick was deflected off the crossbar by Chabot. The rebound off the bar was even more dangerous, but somehow Chabot reached up and got a hand up to deflect aside Linn’s point-blank shot from six yards at the left post.
As for the Deerfield defense, Morgan provided the best defensive hustle effort of the half. In the 34th minute, she sprinted back to reach a deflected ball bounding towards the end line to clear it out on the side and prevent a Highland Park corner kick.
And when the Giants did produce shot chances, Deerfield goalkeeper Lauren Gottlieb was up to the task. Gottlieb’s catch at the near post of a Taylor Singerman corner kick in the 35th minute was her biggest action of the first half.
Via key saves, good positioning or sheer hustle, the Warriors defense eventually posted its eighth shutout of 2022 and fourth in a row.
“Our backline, we're all really connected,” Morgan said. “We have a strong bond. We can almost read each others’ minds at this point. If one steps, we have an automatic cover. If one messes up, we’re ready to go and help. It's really working for us.”
And while the defense did its part, Deutsch’s table-setting talents turned a long-distance set piece early in the second half into a key second Deerfield goal.
On a 45-yard free kick from the left sideline with 36:42 to play, Deutsch’s strong send eventually caromed to Schimanski in the box. Her low 10-yard liner found the lower left corner of the net and Deerfield led 2-0.
“I'd like to say I'm a team player,” Deutsch said of her lofty 18-assist total. “I like setting people up. It makes me feel good. I just think it makes the game so fun, and I just love seeing everyone's reactions after (a goal).”
Deutsch can finish chances as well as set up others, and she provided the icing on the victory cake on another set piece with 4:16 left in the game.
Driving a 26-yard free kick from the right sideline, Deutsch put enough power and rise on the ball that it deflected high off the hands of a reaching Chabot and into the net to seal the 3-0 win.
“I don't really know how it went in,” Deutsch said. “I just kind of hoped for the best. Just with the power on the shot, sometimes it goes off the keeper’s hands.”
Said Morgan: “She had some force on that.”
Deerfield’s second half goals mixed with other great set piece chances. A Deutsch free kick 19 yards out with 24:15 left was caught at the post by Chabot; with 15:50 to go, a 20-yard shot by Fox was deflected over the crossbar by Chabot.
To Highland Park’s credit, each Deerfield score elicited a strong bid for an answer.
With the score 2-0 and 35:10 left, Avery Butler’s end line cross eluded Gottlieb and led to a Greta Ohlwein 12-yard drive that skimmed the top of the crossbar and went over the net.
Gottlieb and the Deerfield defense stood strong on a Giants corner kick with 19:50 remaining, as a redirect attempt near the crease was blocked away.
A Gottlieb catch save denied Emma Risko-Juarez’s 18-yard shot with 7:30 to play. And the shutout was finally secure with 25 seconds left, when a Katherine Ohlwein high 25-yarder was caught by Gottlieb at the right post.
“Against a quality opponent they kept their intensity,” Deerfield coach Rich Grady said of his team. “Mentally they were locked in, and when our girls attack the way we’re capable of attacking, we’re going to get at least a couple of goals.”
Along with the offensive attack and the defense’s latest clean sheet, Grady praised another key factor in the win.
“(Midfielder) Erin Emory has really stepped up this year,” he said. “She was not as consistent last year as she is now.
“The Highland Park game in particular last year wasn't her best, and I thought she did really, really well tonight. And she's been doing that basically all year. She wins tackles and is really hard to beat. She's been a key for us.”
Expecting a huge challenge in the neighborhood rivalry, Straka summed up the Giants’ night.
“With Deerfield-Highland Park there's always so much emotion,” she said. “The Highland Park girls had a lot invested in this game. We’re defending conference champions, going against their rivals from down the street. A lot of these girls grew up playing youth soccer together so they know each other. It's like a family event.
“They (Deerfield) were just better than us tonight. They finished their chances, and we couldn't connect as well because they were so disruptive to our game. That's a testament to them for sure.
“I thought they just played really great team soccer,” Straka added. “If you had to sum it up, Deerfield played a better team game than Highland Park tonight.”
After a 5-5-1 start to last season, Deerfield closed 2021 with a 10-3-1 record over its last 14 games. The rise has continued this spring.
“It's just the team vibe,” Morgan said. “This team is different than any other year we've been on it. And we’re just ready to win.
“There was so much drama surrounding Highland Park. We wanted this game out of the way, so we can focus on what matters next.”
Morgan refers to the rest of the CSL North race and the state tournament, but an endurance test comes first.
“We have a really busy week,” Grady said. “We're in the Glenbrook South quad (against St. Ignatius) Wednesday, then a conference game Thursday (at Maine East), a tough Whitney Young team Friday and Grayslake Central on Saturday.”
Beyond the 3-0 setback Monday, Highland Park had to cope with a knee injury to senior back Emma Struck with 15:04 to play.
“It may be an ACL,” Straka said. “She's going to Case Western Reserve to play next year, and she's a senior captain. She leads this team in so many ways, and to lose her is just another sour blow.”
The Giants now will look to regroup.
“For us it's about redefining who we are, and now that we lost this game what do we do with the rest of our season,” Straka said. “For us the X’s and O’s will come, but it's more diving deep to see who are internally. I know it's a little philosophical, but it's kind of where we are and what it is.
“We will keep pushing and pushing, and I think we will be a very dangerous team in the playoffs. I wouldn't want to play us with how gritty we are.”
Starting lineups
Highland Park
GK Anna Chabot
D Emma Struck
D Emma Risko-Juarez
D Lucy Paull
D Kira Thomas
M Avery Butler
M Greta Ohlwein
M Katherine Ohlwein
M Madeline Ohlwein
F Anna Stahlberger
F Kira Thomas
Deerfield
GK Lauren Gottlieb
D Emma Gassman
D Katie Morgan
D Madeline Stevens
M Ally Linn
M Erin Emory
M Holly Deutsch
M Jessie Fisher
M Emily Fox
F Riley Schimanski
F Ryane Emory
Chicagoland Soccer MVPs of the Match:
Riley Schimanski, sr. F, Deerfield;
Holly Deutsch, sr. MF, Deerfield
Scoring summary
First half
D- Riley Schimanski (Ally Linn), 21’
Second half
D- Schimanski (Holly Deutsch), 44’
D- Deutsch (free kick), 76’
big league win vs. Highland Park
Senior 'treasures' Schimanski, Deutsch power 3-0 victory
By Dave Owen
DEERFIELD -- On a night honoring the future of Deerfield High School soccer, the current Warriors looked back to their recent past for added inspiration to keep a strong 2022 season rolling.
After falling twice to neighboring rival Highland Park last spring, Deerfield (12-1-1, 3-0-0) grabbed a 1-0 lead midway through the first half of Monday’s Central Suburban League North Division game and never surrendered the momentum in an eventual 3-0 win over the Giants (6-6-1, 2-1-0).
“Last year we didn't come out as strong as we wanted to,” said Deerfield senior Riley Schimanski, who scored two goals Monday to help prevent a repeat. “We lost two games to them, and we wanted to change that. We didn't want to have a loss to Highland Park in our last game against them. We wanted revenge.
“Coming out with a 3-0 win was great, and everybody contributed. Offense. Defense. Midfield. Our goalie. It was a great, team win.”
After about 60 players from the Deerfield Pegasus FC youth soccer program were on hand for the pregame on-field activities and introductions, two high school teams very familiar with each other came out exchanging early shots.
Highland Park had a slight edge in early play, with two shots on goal in the opening eight minutes. A nice clear from in front of the net by Deerfield’s Emma Gassman repelled another chance in the 12th minutes.
Deerfield’s offense soon found its footing and the night’s first finish.
After Schimanski was narrowly denied in the 15th minute on a low 12-yard drive swatted wide by Highland Park goalkeeper Anna Chabot, the Chicagoland Soccer all-stater would not be denied 19:10 before halftime.
On a play initiated by an Emily Fox pass, Ally Linn touched a short pass at the upper left edge of the box to Schimanski. The top striker powered a 15-yarder into the upper corner of the net to put the Warriors up 1-0.
“I missed an early one before,” Schimanski said, “and I knew we needed to score to get the momentum and get more confidence with the team. So, it felt good for everyone and lifted a weight off everyone's shoulders.”
Having the tandem of Schimanski (17 goals this season) and Holly Deutsch (nine goals, 18 assists) in red and black has been worthy of praise from Deerfield fans, teammates and opponents.
“Riley was awesome last year,” Highland Park coach Kate Straka said, “and this year she's putting even more goals in. And obviously Holly is really amazing. Her speed on the outside is phenomenal.”
Deerfield senior defender and co-captain Katie Morgan offered her own succinct and priceless summation of her two teammates.
“They're treasures, man,” Morgan said.
By night’s end, both Schimanski and Deutsch would have multi-point nights to treasure as part of a key rivalry win. And Deerfield, which moved up two spots to no. 14 in the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25 this week, continued its offensive surge after going up 1-0.
In the 27th minute, a 21-yard Deerfield free kick was deflected off the crossbar by Chabot. The rebound off the bar was even more dangerous, but somehow Chabot reached up and got a hand up to deflect aside Linn’s point-blank shot from six yards at the left post.
As for the Deerfield defense, Morgan provided the best defensive hustle effort of the half. In the 34th minute, she sprinted back to reach a deflected ball bounding towards the end line to clear it out on the side and prevent a Highland Park corner kick.
And when the Giants did produce shot chances, Deerfield goalkeeper Lauren Gottlieb was up to the task. Gottlieb’s catch at the near post of a Taylor Singerman corner kick in the 35th minute was her biggest action of the first half.
Via key saves, good positioning or sheer hustle, the Warriors defense eventually posted its eighth shutout of 2022 and fourth in a row.
“Our backline, we're all really connected,” Morgan said. “We have a strong bond. We can almost read each others’ minds at this point. If one steps, we have an automatic cover. If one messes up, we’re ready to go and help. It's really working for us.”
And while the defense did its part, Deutsch’s table-setting talents turned a long-distance set piece early in the second half into a key second Deerfield goal.
On a 45-yard free kick from the left sideline with 36:42 to play, Deutsch’s strong send eventually caromed to Schimanski in the box. Her low 10-yard liner found the lower left corner of the net and Deerfield led 2-0.
“I'd like to say I'm a team player,” Deutsch said of her lofty 18-assist total. “I like setting people up. It makes me feel good. I just think it makes the game so fun, and I just love seeing everyone's reactions after (a goal).”
Deutsch can finish chances as well as set up others, and she provided the icing on the victory cake on another set piece with 4:16 left in the game.
Driving a 26-yard free kick from the right sideline, Deutsch put enough power and rise on the ball that it deflected high off the hands of a reaching Chabot and into the net to seal the 3-0 win.
“I don't really know how it went in,” Deutsch said. “I just kind of hoped for the best. Just with the power on the shot, sometimes it goes off the keeper’s hands.”
Said Morgan: “She had some force on that.”
Deerfield’s second half goals mixed with other great set piece chances. A Deutsch free kick 19 yards out with 24:15 left was caught at the post by Chabot; with 15:50 to go, a 20-yard shot by Fox was deflected over the crossbar by Chabot.
To Highland Park’s credit, each Deerfield score elicited a strong bid for an answer.
With the score 2-0 and 35:10 left, Avery Butler’s end line cross eluded Gottlieb and led to a Greta Ohlwein 12-yard drive that skimmed the top of the crossbar and went over the net.
Gottlieb and the Deerfield defense stood strong on a Giants corner kick with 19:50 remaining, as a redirect attempt near the crease was blocked away.
A Gottlieb catch save denied Emma Risko-Juarez’s 18-yard shot with 7:30 to play. And the shutout was finally secure with 25 seconds left, when a Katherine Ohlwein high 25-yarder was caught by Gottlieb at the right post.
“Against a quality opponent they kept their intensity,” Deerfield coach Rich Grady said of his team. “Mentally they were locked in, and when our girls attack the way we’re capable of attacking, we’re going to get at least a couple of goals.”
Along with the offensive attack and the defense’s latest clean sheet, Grady praised another key factor in the win.
“(Midfielder) Erin Emory has really stepped up this year,” he said. “She was not as consistent last year as she is now.
“The Highland Park game in particular last year wasn't her best, and I thought she did really, really well tonight. And she's been doing that basically all year. She wins tackles and is really hard to beat. She's been a key for us.”
Expecting a huge challenge in the neighborhood rivalry, Straka summed up the Giants’ night.
“With Deerfield-Highland Park there's always so much emotion,” she said. “The Highland Park girls had a lot invested in this game. We’re defending conference champions, going against their rivals from down the street. A lot of these girls grew up playing youth soccer together so they know each other. It's like a family event.
“They (Deerfield) were just better than us tonight. They finished their chances, and we couldn't connect as well because they were so disruptive to our game. That's a testament to them for sure.
“I thought they just played really great team soccer,” Straka added. “If you had to sum it up, Deerfield played a better team game than Highland Park tonight.”
After a 5-5-1 start to last season, Deerfield closed 2021 with a 10-3-1 record over its last 14 games. The rise has continued this spring.
“It's just the team vibe,” Morgan said. “This team is different than any other year we've been on it. And we’re just ready to win.
“There was so much drama surrounding Highland Park. We wanted this game out of the way, so we can focus on what matters next.”
Morgan refers to the rest of the CSL North race and the state tournament, but an endurance test comes first.
“We have a really busy week,” Grady said. “We're in the Glenbrook South quad (against St. Ignatius) Wednesday, then a conference game Thursday (at Maine East), a tough Whitney Young team Friday and Grayslake Central on Saturday.”
Beyond the 3-0 setback Monday, Highland Park had to cope with a knee injury to senior back Emma Struck with 15:04 to play.
“It may be an ACL,” Straka said. “She's going to Case Western Reserve to play next year, and she's a senior captain. She leads this team in so many ways, and to lose her is just another sour blow.”
The Giants now will look to regroup.
“For us it's about redefining who we are, and now that we lost this game what do we do with the rest of our season,” Straka said. “For us the X’s and O’s will come, but it's more diving deep to see who are internally. I know it's a little philosophical, but it's kind of where we are and what it is.
“We will keep pushing and pushing, and I think we will be a very dangerous team in the playoffs. I wouldn't want to play us with how gritty we are.”
Starting lineups
Highland Park
GK Anna Chabot
D Emma Struck
D Emma Risko-Juarez
D Lucy Paull
D Kira Thomas
M Avery Butler
M Greta Ohlwein
M Katherine Ohlwein
M Madeline Ohlwein
F Anna Stahlberger
F Kira Thomas
Deerfield
GK Lauren Gottlieb
D Emma Gassman
D Katie Morgan
D Madeline Stevens
M Ally Linn
M Erin Emory
M Holly Deutsch
M Jessie Fisher
M Emily Fox
F Riley Schimanski
F Ryane Emory
Chicagoland Soccer MVPs of the Match:
Riley Schimanski, sr. F, Deerfield;
Holly Deutsch, sr. MF, Deerfield
Scoring summary
First half
D- Riley Schimanski (Ally Linn), 21’
Second half
D- Schimanski (Holly Deutsch), 44’
D- Deutsch (free kick), 76’