Ondrus picks role of heroine in
Metea Valley’s state title win over Barrington
Mustangs take state title in 1st finals trip with shootout win
By Patrick Z. McGavin
NAPERVILLE -- Let Abbey Ondrus play the Ruby Keeler part.
Just like the legendary Canadian actress, singer and dancer of the great Hollywood musical “42nd Street,” Ondrus was thrust from an unknown on the periphery to suddenly the most important performer of the moment.
“When they told us we’d need the next five, coach Josh Robinson came out and asked ‘Who wants to shoot one?’ and I shot my hand right up in the air,” she said.
The senior midfielder at Metea Valley did not see a second of action through regulation and two overtimes.
Standing, waiting, nervous watching, for some two hours hardly mattered.
“It’s definitely hard sometimes when you don’t get any minutes in the game,” she said.
“This team is so talented all-around, and being able to come out and shoot a penalty kick is such an exhilarating feeling.”
Ondrus smashed home her penalty attempt in the lower right corner in the ninth round to give the Mustangs’ a 6-5 shootout victory over Barrington in the Class 3A state championship game in front of a crowd of nearly 3,200 at North Central College on Saturday night.
“I always know where I want to go, and I stick with that plan and never hesitate,” Ondrus said. “I pick a spot, stay focused on it, and I have courage in myself.
“I feel I’m good at taking penalty kicks. I have done it in club soccer. Going out there, and taking one for the team is something I have always wanted to do.”
In extending its winning streak to a school-record 14 games, Metea Valley (22-2-1) took the first state championship in program history.
The Mustangs provided a fitting bookend to the girls volleyball team that won the 4A state championship last November.
Those are the only two state championships in any sport for the school.
Barrington (23-3-0) saw its nine-game winning streak come to a dramatic and cruel end.
The Fillies were playing in their fourth state championship game in the last five seasons.
All four games were decided by penalty kicks. The Fillies beat New Trier in 2017 and 2018 and lost a shootout against Naperville North in 2019.
“I’ve been down this road before,” Barrington coach Ryan Stegren said.
The first round ended in a 3-3 deadlock.
Ondrus made herself the final shooter.
Jordan Lange, Riley Strcic, and Tyra King converted for the Mustangs in the first group.
“That was very nerve-wracking,” Lange said.
The natural question for the Mustangs was who held the advantage? Barrington shooting first and dictating the score, or Metea Valley for knowing what was needed to respond.
“I think it’s the same amount of pressure,” Lange said. “It’s obviously so much pressure for anyone to go up into that (shootout) lineup, and shoot for a penalty kick.”
Metea Valley forward Tyra King was the fifth shooter. She knew she had to deliver, or the game was over.
“I was the last person of the first group,” Tyra King said. “That was a lot of pressure. Once my coach told me my number, my heart kind of sunk.
“I knew if I missed it, then it would be my fault.”
Senior keeper Julia Straub earned the Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match for her brilliant play by recording nine saves.
She made two highlight reel blocks during the penalty shootout and stood at the ready during two Barrington misses.
“I was extremely nervous,” Straub said. “I hate penalties. I think every keeper would agree with me on that.
“After the first block, my confidence just skyrocketed. Those were such hard saves. The fact I was able to get both hands on it, and keep it out of the net made me feel so good.”
This was Metea Valley’s first shootout of the season.
Barrington defeated Loyola in a shootout during group play of the Naperville Invitational in April.
In that game, junior keeper Avery Trapp stepped in for starter Abby Raynor. Saturday night marked her own encore performance.
“Abby played 100 minutes of awesome soccer, and it’s a really stressful situation,” Trapp said.
“Right beforehand, during the last five minutes of overtime, I was freaking out a little bit. I pulled myself together, and I felt great.”
She made two great stops to help force the sudden death penalty kick stage.
“Even though it’s a very stressful situation, I felt nothing but excitement for our season,” she said.
Grace Stagnito, Brooke Brown, Kate Lubinsky, Ellie Sanchez, and Kaitlin Taylor converted for the Fillies.
Despite the absence of scoring, the game was often electrifying, very fast and exceptionally well-played.
Barrington had the advantage in possession time and quality of chances.
Freshman midfielder Piper Lucier was dynamic for the Fillies, creating opportunituis off her movement and generating incredible pressure against the Mustangs.
She had a sharp first-half ball that just veered right of the post.
Then the freshman hit the crossbar in the 48th minute. Lubinsky got the first touch on the rebound and tried a cross to Brown. The connection just missed.
That is how close the Fillies were to a third state championship.
Naperville North was the only team to beat Barrington during the regular season. The Huskies posted wins in the season-opener and the championship game of the Naperville Invitational.
“In the beginning of the season, you never know if you’re going to be a good team,” Brown said. “After seeing all the hard work our team puts into practices, seeing the motivation we have, the love we have for each other, I knew win or lose we were going to make a very good season out of what we had.
“Obviously we wish there had been a better outcome and our chances had gone in. We can’t be disappointed. We had a great season. We were going to go very far with our will.”
A year ago, Barrington finished fourth with a gritty, surprising team that many thought had overachieved.
This young team came of age quickly and beautifully.
“I’m very proud of our kids. It was a great game, and we left it all out on the field,” Barrington coach Ryan Stengren said. “We were in position to win, and we just didn’t finish it off.
“There was a certain training session when I felt that we had the chance to be really special, and then we got to the Naperville Invitational. At that point, I felt like we could hang in there with anyone. I thought we just have an opportunity here to do some damage there. I just loved how we progressed. We just kept progressing and progressing.”
After standout Riley Raynor suffered a torn ACL, the team just grew closer and worked hard to overcome her absence.
“Regardless of the outcome, I am so incredibly proud of what we were able to do as a team,” senior midfielder Nicole Gwiasda said. “There’s nobody I’d rather be at state with than these girls.
“I think what this team is built on is what drives us: the hard work that was put forth by players before us to build this program; the familial bond; constant support and being with each other no matter what. I think it’s playing for the name on the front, and not the number on the back.”
Metea Valley withstood the extraordinary pressure and posted its fourth-consecutive shutout against some of the best teams in the state: Naperville North; Edwardsville; and Lincoln-Way Central.
“I would say that we work so well together,” Metea Valley defender Addison Wargo said. “We play with the four backs. We cover for each other, and we play team defense, so if someone gets beat, there is always someone else right behind them.
“We’re always there for each other, and our chemistry is great.”
Metea Valley created some intriguing counterattacks in the form of the blazing athleticism of King and the precise, pinpoint action of Lange.
“Credit Barrington because they hardly gave us an inch for doing the things we wanted to do,” Metea Valley coach Chris Whaley said.
“They had a lot of chances early on, and then we had some late. The girls hung in there, and we changed things up a little bit, and we controlled things a little better. They had some very talented players, and they made some really nice plays. Julia made some big saves early on.”
Like Barrington, Naperville North became the bellwether for the Mustangs.
Two days after the Huskies defeated Barrington in the championship game of the Naperville Invitational, Metea Valley beat Naperville North 3-1 en route to a perfect DuPage Valley Conference record.
Metea Valley was undefeated against Illinois competition, losing only to Missouri schools Wildwood and Nerinx Hall.
“We always knew we were capable of it,” Whaley said. “I think it became a little bit more believable when we beat North on their field. We just created some momentum from that and just ran with it.”
Metea Valley found its stride in the second overtime. King hit the bar on a shot from the left wing. Wargo also hit the bar on a free kick from about 25 yards out from the right wing.
“When we went into that second overtime, Tyra and I both went to forward,” Lange said. “We both looked at each other, and we said we have to do this.
“We came out with so much energy, and we wanted this so bad. We wanted to put our hearts on the field.”
Starting lineups
Barrington
GK: Abby Raynor
D: Ellie Sanchez
D: Grace Stagnito
D: Caitlin Paul
D: Kathleen Baker
MF: Kate Lubinsky
MF: Brooke Brown
MF: Nicole Gwiasda
MF: Kaitlin Taylor
MF: Piper Lucier
F: Sarah Sarnowski
Metea Valley
GK: Julia Straub
D: Addison Wargo
D: Justyce King
D: Alyssa Parrilli
D: Kaylee Bannack
MF: Olivia Hernandez
MF: Riley Strcic
MF: Jordan Lange
MF: Jocelyn Grabow
F: Tyra King
F: Lucy Burk
Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match:
Julia Straub, sr., GK, Metea Valley
Scoring summary
First half
No scoring
Second half
No scoring
First overtime
No scoring
Second overtime
No scoring
Penalty shootout
Barrington
First round
Grace Stagnito (make), Piper Lucier (blocked), Brooke Brown (make), Nicole Gwiasda (blocked), Kate Lubinsky (make).
Sudden death
Ellie Sanchez (make), Kaitlin Taylor (make), Caitlin Paul (missed), Meredith McGreevy (missed).
Metea Valley
First round
Jordan Lange (made), Leanne Barrett (blocked), Riley Strcic (make), Addison Wargo (missed), Tyra King (make)
Sudden death
Jocelyn Grabow (make), Hernandez (make), Ella Johnson (blocked), Abbey Ondrus (make).
Metea Valley’s state title win over Barrington
Mustangs take state title in 1st finals trip with shootout win
By Patrick Z. McGavin
NAPERVILLE -- Let Abbey Ondrus play the Ruby Keeler part.
Just like the legendary Canadian actress, singer and dancer of the great Hollywood musical “42nd Street,” Ondrus was thrust from an unknown on the periphery to suddenly the most important performer of the moment.
“When they told us we’d need the next five, coach Josh Robinson came out and asked ‘Who wants to shoot one?’ and I shot my hand right up in the air,” she said.
The senior midfielder at Metea Valley did not see a second of action through regulation and two overtimes.
Standing, waiting, nervous watching, for some two hours hardly mattered.
“It’s definitely hard sometimes when you don’t get any minutes in the game,” she said.
“This team is so talented all-around, and being able to come out and shoot a penalty kick is such an exhilarating feeling.”
Ondrus smashed home her penalty attempt in the lower right corner in the ninth round to give the Mustangs’ a 6-5 shootout victory over Barrington in the Class 3A state championship game in front of a crowd of nearly 3,200 at North Central College on Saturday night.
“I always know where I want to go, and I stick with that plan and never hesitate,” Ondrus said. “I pick a spot, stay focused on it, and I have courage in myself.
“I feel I’m good at taking penalty kicks. I have done it in club soccer. Going out there, and taking one for the team is something I have always wanted to do.”
In extending its winning streak to a school-record 14 games, Metea Valley (22-2-1) took the first state championship in program history.
The Mustangs provided a fitting bookend to the girls volleyball team that won the 4A state championship last November.
Those are the only two state championships in any sport for the school.
Barrington (23-3-0) saw its nine-game winning streak come to a dramatic and cruel end.
The Fillies were playing in their fourth state championship game in the last five seasons.
All four games were decided by penalty kicks. The Fillies beat New Trier in 2017 and 2018 and lost a shootout against Naperville North in 2019.
“I’ve been down this road before,” Barrington coach Ryan Stegren said.
The first round ended in a 3-3 deadlock.
Ondrus made herself the final shooter.
Jordan Lange, Riley Strcic, and Tyra King converted for the Mustangs in the first group.
“That was very nerve-wracking,” Lange said.
The natural question for the Mustangs was who held the advantage? Barrington shooting first and dictating the score, or Metea Valley for knowing what was needed to respond.
“I think it’s the same amount of pressure,” Lange said. “It’s obviously so much pressure for anyone to go up into that (shootout) lineup, and shoot for a penalty kick.”
Metea Valley forward Tyra King was the fifth shooter. She knew she had to deliver, or the game was over.
“I was the last person of the first group,” Tyra King said. “That was a lot of pressure. Once my coach told me my number, my heart kind of sunk.
“I knew if I missed it, then it would be my fault.”
Senior keeper Julia Straub earned the Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match for her brilliant play by recording nine saves.
She made two highlight reel blocks during the penalty shootout and stood at the ready during two Barrington misses.
“I was extremely nervous,” Straub said. “I hate penalties. I think every keeper would agree with me on that.
“After the first block, my confidence just skyrocketed. Those were such hard saves. The fact I was able to get both hands on it, and keep it out of the net made me feel so good.”
This was Metea Valley’s first shootout of the season.
Barrington defeated Loyola in a shootout during group play of the Naperville Invitational in April.
In that game, junior keeper Avery Trapp stepped in for starter Abby Raynor. Saturday night marked her own encore performance.
“Abby played 100 minutes of awesome soccer, and it’s a really stressful situation,” Trapp said.
“Right beforehand, during the last five minutes of overtime, I was freaking out a little bit. I pulled myself together, and I felt great.”
She made two great stops to help force the sudden death penalty kick stage.
“Even though it’s a very stressful situation, I felt nothing but excitement for our season,” she said.
Grace Stagnito, Brooke Brown, Kate Lubinsky, Ellie Sanchez, and Kaitlin Taylor converted for the Fillies.
Despite the absence of scoring, the game was often electrifying, very fast and exceptionally well-played.
Barrington had the advantage in possession time and quality of chances.
Freshman midfielder Piper Lucier was dynamic for the Fillies, creating opportunituis off her movement and generating incredible pressure against the Mustangs.
She had a sharp first-half ball that just veered right of the post.
Then the freshman hit the crossbar in the 48th minute. Lubinsky got the first touch on the rebound and tried a cross to Brown. The connection just missed.
That is how close the Fillies were to a third state championship.
Naperville North was the only team to beat Barrington during the regular season. The Huskies posted wins in the season-opener and the championship game of the Naperville Invitational.
“In the beginning of the season, you never know if you’re going to be a good team,” Brown said. “After seeing all the hard work our team puts into practices, seeing the motivation we have, the love we have for each other, I knew win or lose we were going to make a very good season out of what we had.
“Obviously we wish there had been a better outcome and our chances had gone in. We can’t be disappointed. We had a great season. We were going to go very far with our will.”
A year ago, Barrington finished fourth with a gritty, surprising team that many thought had overachieved.
This young team came of age quickly and beautifully.
“I’m very proud of our kids. It was a great game, and we left it all out on the field,” Barrington coach Ryan Stengren said. “We were in position to win, and we just didn’t finish it off.
“There was a certain training session when I felt that we had the chance to be really special, and then we got to the Naperville Invitational. At that point, I felt like we could hang in there with anyone. I thought we just have an opportunity here to do some damage there. I just loved how we progressed. We just kept progressing and progressing.”
After standout Riley Raynor suffered a torn ACL, the team just grew closer and worked hard to overcome her absence.
“Regardless of the outcome, I am so incredibly proud of what we were able to do as a team,” senior midfielder Nicole Gwiasda said. “There’s nobody I’d rather be at state with than these girls.
“I think what this team is built on is what drives us: the hard work that was put forth by players before us to build this program; the familial bond; constant support and being with each other no matter what. I think it’s playing for the name on the front, and not the number on the back.”
Metea Valley withstood the extraordinary pressure and posted its fourth-consecutive shutout against some of the best teams in the state: Naperville North; Edwardsville; and Lincoln-Way Central.
“I would say that we work so well together,” Metea Valley defender Addison Wargo said. “We play with the four backs. We cover for each other, and we play team defense, so if someone gets beat, there is always someone else right behind them.
“We’re always there for each other, and our chemistry is great.”
Metea Valley created some intriguing counterattacks in the form of the blazing athleticism of King and the precise, pinpoint action of Lange.
“Credit Barrington because they hardly gave us an inch for doing the things we wanted to do,” Metea Valley coach Chris Whaley said.
“They had a lot of chances early on, and then we had some late. The girls hung in there, and we changed things up a little bit, and we controlled things a little better. They had some very talented players, and they made some really nice plays. Julia made some big saves early on.”
Like Barrington, Naperville North became the bellwether for the Mustangs.
Two days after the Huskies defeated Barrington in the championship game of the Naperville Invitational, Metea Valley beat Naperville North 3-1 en route to a perfect DuPage Valley Conference record.
Metea Valley was undefeated against Illinois competition, losing only to Missouri schools Wildwood and Nerinx Hall.
“We always knew we were capable of it,” Whaley said. “I think it became a little bit more believable when we beat North on their field. We just created some momentum from that and just ran with it.”
Metea Valley found its stride in the second overtime. King hit the bar on a shot from the left wing. Wargo also hit the bar on a free kick from about 25 yards out from the right wing.
“When we went into that second overtime, Tyra and I both went to forward,” Lange said. “We both looked at each other, and we said we have to do this.
“We came out with so much energy, and we wanted this so bad. We wanted to put our hearts on the field.”
Starting lineups
Barrington
GK: Abby Raynor
D: Ellie Sanchez
D: Grace Stagnito
D: Caitlin Paul
D: Kathleen Baker
MF: Kate Lubinsky
MF: Brooke Brown
MF: Nicole Gwiasda
MF: Kaitlin Taylor
MF: Piper Lucier
F: Sarah Sarnowski
Metea Valley
GK: Julia Straub
D: Addison Wargo
D: Justyce King
D: Alyssa Parrilli
D: Kaylee Bannack
MF: Olivia Hernandez
MF: Riley Strcic
MF: Jordan Lange
MF: Jocelyn Grabow
F: Tyra King
F: Lucy Burk
Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match:
Julia Straub, sr., GK, Metea Valley
Scoring summary
First half
No scoring
Second half
No scoring
First overtime
No scoring
Second overtime
No scoring
Penalty shootout
Barrington
First round
Grace Stagnito (make), Piper Lucier (blocked), Brooke Brown (make), Nicole Gwiasda (blocked), Kate Lubinsky (make).
Sudden death
Ellie Sanchez (make), Kaitlin Taylor (make), Caitlin Paul (missed), Meredith McGreevy (missed).
Metea Valley
First round
Jordan Lange (made), Leanne Barrett (blocked), Riley Strcic (make), Addison Wargo (missed), Tyra King (make)
Sudden death
Jocelyn Grabow (make), Hernandez (make), Ella Johnson (blocked), Abbey Ondrus (make).