Fenwick’s 2-headed beast
overruns McAuley
Giuffre and Henige star in Friars’ 6-0 win
By Patrick Z. McGavin
RIVER FOREST— Fenwick prides itself on the sum of its disparate parts, from its disruptive back to the impactful middle and the power, grace and shot creativity of its forwards.
Senior Juliana Giuffre and junior Kate Henige have been lights out as a devastating combination at the top of the Friars’ formation.
“We have been working a lot on switching so that we are on the side of the ball, with one of us going deep and the other going high,” Henige said.
“We like to do that to confuse the defense, and that has helped us score a lot of goals.”
At nearly 6-foot, the angular and dynamic Henige utilizes her size and frame to hunt for mismatches. The quick and accurate Giuffre runs off her with some textbook finishes.
The two forwards maintained their torrid early run and showcased their intertwined styles to great effect.
Giuffre and Henige combined to score four goals and distribute three assists in the Friars’ 6-0 victory over Mother McAuley in Girls Catholic Athletic Conference Red Division play at Priory Park on Tuesday.
“I played with (Giuffre) and some of the other seniors for about two years now, so we got to know each other for a while, and we know how everybody likes to play,” Henige said.
Fenwick (4-0-1, 3-0-0) broke the game open with a three-goal barrage during a six-minute flurry in the middle of the first half.
Senior defender Anna Bjorson was the other significant creative force during the game. She scored a goal and assisted on a Henige goal.
Bjorson also scored a goal in the Friars’ 2-0 victory over Trinity last Thursday. Her early play underscored the interchangeability of roles and lineups the Friars have unleashed.
In the 19th minute, Henige worked through the interior of the Mighty Macs and slotted a ball to the right wing.
Bjorson took over from there, taking one step and drilling a ball inside the near post from about 14 yards.
“We have been pushing up a lot, the outside defenders, and we have been playing a lot on the outside and crossing the ball in,” Bjorson said.
“I think pushing up our outside defenders the way we have has really helped with our offense, especially the crossing.”
In a game built on the scarcity of goals, scoring is the ultimate elixir. It changes everything, creating enthusiasm on one side and panic on the other.
Fenwick took off after the first goal and the Mighty Macs struggled to keep pace.
“That second goal really hurt us,” McAuley coach Jenna Ryan said.
In the 24th minute, Henige drove the left flank and served a beautiful ball that Giuffre timed wonderfully with her own run.
Her left-footed ball settled inside the far post for the second goal.
“Once we get that first goal, they all seem to just start coming,” Giuffre said.
Less than two minutes later, Fenwick delivered the equivalent of a dagger. Despite falling behind, McAuley staged its own rally and created a series of corner kicks.
Working off a corner, the Mighty Macs fired two balls inside the Friars’ box. Off the second shot, junior defender Abbie Rogowski saw her prime opportunity to unleash the counter.
She cleared the ball forward that created a breakaway for Giuffre. Suddenly a game that was just moments early a scoreless tie was now 3-0 in favor of Fenwick.
Giuffre earned the Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match honor for her superb play.
Perhaps most impressive about the Friars’ start is how fluid and connected the team seems despite the two-year layoff and working with a new coaching staff.
“We had the two years off, and we really bonded during that time,” Giufre said. “We practiced a lot, which really helps. We know how each other likes to play.”
New coach Craig Blazer has been thrilled by how cohesive and sharp the team has played.
“All the girls are getting better every day,” Blazer said. “The collectiveness has been outstanding. Today the level of focus was just contagious in a very good way. They’re excited to be out there playing.
“McAuley was outstanding on restarts, and they’re going to challenge us to get better. They have some very good players. We’re not giving away anything defensively.”
McAuley (1-3-0, 1-2-0) is working in the aftermath of a difficult start. The team was in a self-imposed two-week quarantine for health and safety protocols.
Ryan, in her first full year directing the program after the pandemic year, had just 14 players available. The game did not always mirror the score.
McAuley proved capable and competitive.
“We have a lot of potential,” Ryan said. “We were able to create those offensive opportunities. We just have to get the ball into the back of the net and work on covering defensively.
“They’re a good team, and you can see they have probably played together for a long time, in high school and club. They put together some nice passes. We did some great stuff. We made some nice sequences, and we got those corner kicks but couldn’t finish.”
Fenwick expanded its lead to 4-0 on an Emily Ortiz rebound off a first ball by Mia Celio
Henige put the punctuating finish on a sharp day with two second half goals. Fittingly Giuffre helped set up her first goal with a through-ball down the right flank.
Bjorson ended the game as she started it, playing a ball from the back that Henige made another terrific run on.
Henige finished with two goals and two assists, Giuffre two goals and an assist.
Mother McAuley hosts the second game of the back-to-back series Thursday.
“You can always learn a little bit more,” Blazer said. “Winning feels good. We are really encouraged.”
Starting lineups
Mother McAuley
GK: Gabriella Martin
D: Annemarie Clark
D: Bridget Murphy
D: Patricia Hynes
D: Julia McKee
MF: Katelynn Marquez
MF: Jane Hynes
MF: Emily Grzyb
MF: Angelina Garcia
F: Ciara Hosty
F: Alina Mannion
Fenwick
GK: Linden Gierstorf
D: Grace Kapsch
D: Courtney Yungerman
D: Abby Rogowski
D: Anna Bjorson
MF: Grace McGann
MF: Emi Kapusta
MF: Anna Dray
MF: Fiona Roche
F: Kate Henige
F: Juliana Giuffre
Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match: Juliana Giuffre, sr., F, Fenwick
Scoring
First half
Fenwick—Anna Bjorson (Kate Henige) 19th minute
Fenwick—Juliana Giuffre (Kate Henige), 24th minute
Fenwick—Giuffre (Abbie Rogowski), 26th minute
Fenwick—Emily Ortiz (Mia Celio), 34th minute
Second half
Fenwick—Henige (Giuffre), 45th minute
Fenwick—Henige (Bjorson), 61st minute
overruns McAuley
Giuffre and Henige star in Friars’ 6-0 win
By Patrick Z. McGavin
RIVER FOREST— Fenwick prides itself on the sum of its disparate parts, from its disruptive back to the impactful middle and the power, grace and shot creativity of its forwards.
Senior Juliana Giuffre and junior Kate Henige have been lights out as a devastating combination at the top of the Friars’ formation.
“We have been working a lot on switching so that we are on the side of the ball, with one of us going deep and the other going high,” Henige said.
“We like to do that to confuse the defense, and that has helped us score a lot of goals.”
At nearly 6-foot, the angular and dynamic Henige utilizes her size and frame to hunt for mismatches. The quick and accurate Giuffre runs off her with some textbook finishes.
The two forwards maintained their torrid early run and showcased their intertwined styles to great effect.
Giuffre and Henige combined to score four goals and distribute three assists in the Friars’ 6-0 victory over Mother McAuley in Girls Catholic Athletic Conference Red Division play at Priory Park on Tuesday.
“I played with (Giuffre) and some of the other seniors for about two years now, so we got to know each other for a while, and we know how everybody likes to play,” Henige said.
Fenwick (4-0-1, 3-0-0) broke the game open with a three-goal barrage during a six-minute flurry in the middle of the first half.
Senior defender Anna Bjorson was the other significant creative force during the game. She scored a goal and assisted on a Henige goal.
Bjorson also scored a goal in the Friars’ 2-0 victory over Trinity last Thursday. Her early play underscored the interchangeability of roles and lineups the Friars have unleashed.
In the 19th minute, Henige worked through the interior of the Mighty Macs and slotted a ball to the right wing.
Bjorson took over from there, taking one step and drilling a ball inside the near post from about 14 yards.
“We have been pushing up a lot, the outside defenders, and we have been playing a lot on the outside and crossing the ball in,” Bjorson said.
“I think pushing up our outside defenders the way we have has really helped with our offense, especially the crossing.”
In a game built on the scarcity of goals, scoring is the ultimate elixir. It changes everything, creating enthusiasm on one side and panic on the other.
Fenwick took off after the first goal and the Mighty Macs struggled to keep pace.
“That second goal really hurt us,” McAuley coach Jenna Ryan said.
In the 24th minute, Henige drove the left flank and served a beautiful ball that Giuffre timed wonderfully with her own run.
Her left-footed ball settled inside the far post for the second goal.
“Once we get that first goal, they all seem to just start coming,” Giuffre said.
Less than two minutes later, Fenwick delivered the equivalent of a dagger. Despite falling behind, McAuley staged its own rally and created a series of corner kicks.
Working off a corner, the Mighty Macs fired two balls inside the Friars’ box. Off the second shot, junior defender Abbie Rogowski saw her prime opportunity to unleash the counter.
She cleared the ball forward that created a breakaway for Giuffre. Suddenly a game that was just moments early a scoreless tie was now 3-0 in favor of Fenwick.
Giuffre earned the Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match honor for her superb play.
Perhaps most impressive about the Friars’ start is how fluid and connected the team seems despite the two-year layoff and working with a new coaching staff.
“We had the two years off, and we really bonded during that time,” Giufre said. “We practiced a lot, which really helps. We know how each other likes to play.”
New coach Craig Blazer has been thrilled by how cohesive and sharp the team has played.
“All the girls are getting better every day,” Blazer said. “The collectiveness has been outstanding. Today the level of focus was just contagious in a very good way. They’re excited to be out there playing.
“McAuley was outstanding on restarts, and they’re going to challenge us to get better. They have some very good players. We’re not giving away anything defensively.”
McAuley (1-3-0, 1-2-0) is working in the aftermath of a difficult start. The team was in a self-imposed two-week quarantine for health and safety protocols.
Ryan, in her first full year directing the program after the pandemic year, had just 14 players available. The game did not always mirror the score.
McAuley proved capable and competitive.
“We have a lot of potential,” Ryan said. “We were able to create those offensive opportunities. We just have to get the ball into the back of the net and work on covering defensively.
“They’re a good team, and you can see they have probably played together for a long time, in high school and club. They put together some nice passes. We did some great stuff. We made some nice sequences, and we got those corner kicks but couldn’t finish.”
Fenwick expanded its lead to 4-0 on an Emily Ortiz rebound off a first ball by Mia Celio
Henige put the punctuating finish on a sharp day with two second half goals. Fittingly Giuffre helped set up her first goal with a through-ball down the right flank.
Bjorson ended the game as she started it, playing a ball from the back that Henige made another terrific run on.
Henige finished with two goals and two assists, Giuffre two goals and an assist.
Mother McAuley hosts the second game of the back-to-back series Thursday.
“You can always learn a little bit more,” Blazer said. “Winning feels good. We are really encouraged.”
Starting lineups
Mother McAuley
GK: Gabriella Martin
D: Annemarie Clark
D: Bridget Murphy
D: Patricia Hynes
D: Julia McKee
MF: Katelynn Marquez
MF: Jane Hynes
MF: Emily Grzyb
MF: Angelina Garcia
F: Ciara Hosty
F: Alina Mannion
Fenwick
GK: Linden Gierstorf
D: Grace Kapsch
D: Courtney Yungerman
D: Abby Rogowski
D: Anna Bjorson
MF: Grace McGann
MF: Emi Kapusta
MF: Anna Dray
MF: Fiona Roche
F: Kate Henige
F: Juliana Giuffre
Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match: Juliana Giuffre, sr., F, Fenwick
Scoring
First half
Fenwick—Anna Bjorson (Kate Henige) 19th minute
Fenwick—Juliana Giuffre (Kate Henige), 24th minute
Fenwick—Giuffre (Abbie Rogowski), 26th minute
Fenwick—Emily Ortiz (Mia Celio), 34th minute
Second half
Fenwick—Henige (Giuffre), 45th minute
Fenwick—Henige (Bjorson), 61st minute