New Trier tops GBN,
firms grasp on league crown
Trevians capture ranked battle 2-1, give Glenbrook North first loss
By Mike Garofola
NORTHBROOK -- Morgan Fagan and Mia Sedgwick helped sustain New Trier's seemingly inexorable march towards yet another Central Suburban League South Division title after a hard-fought 2-1 victory Monday night over host Glenbrook North at William Lutz Stadium.
"It was a great, and exciting game to watch, and to beat a quality opponent like GBN helped make this a very good night for us," said Trevians manager Jim Burnside.
"It was a very good game,” said Glenbrook North manager Tony Valsamis. “It's too bad we missed a couple of early chances, especially after they put two in on us. We fought back and played very well tonight.
“Our hope is to get another opportunity with them in the postseason."
Fagan provided the early inspiration needed in such a crucial contest with a spectacular opener in the 14th minute. It came in the form of her 30-yard missile just over the outstretched gloves of keeper Annie Welch, who made a valiant leaping effort to turn away the blast.
"We are so fortunate to have Morgan with us for her senior year," said Burnside of Fagan, who returned from club soccer along with Kate Dobsch, who provided plenty of extra strength in the middle of the park for the Trevians.
"Morgan is so talented," said Sedgwick of Fagan, who was later named the Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match. “Her great speed on and off the ball creates a lot of trouble for our opponents. I’m glad not to have to be defending her."
"I'm glad Mia isn't the one I have to go against in every game," said Fagan, who returned the compliment of her good friend. The pair played club soccer together with Eclipse Select North.
Next fall in college the dynamic duo will be minutes apart from each other: Fagan will play at Boston University; Sedgwick will compete for MIT.
"It's going to be great being so close to Mia at college," said Fagan with a smile. She said the pair will visit each other whenever possible.
Early this season, Sedgwick was deployed at defensive midfielder in the Trevians starting 11. Burnside quickly moved the four-year star into the center of the backline, and since then the results have been sensational.
"At the beginning of the year, our backline had the passion, athleticism, and strength that carried us through those first handful of games," began Burnside.
"Over the past few weeks, they have come to trust each other, communicate and work as a unit, which has brought them to a whole new level. The move of Mia has been a big reason for their success. She's been a rock star for us."
Sedgwick and her mates had their hands full with Spartans senior Riley Philbin, who is on her way to play next fall at Wisconsin. She showed why she earned her place on the Badgers roster after an impressive 80 minutes of work.
As expected with ranked teams battling, New Trier is ranked fourth and Glenbrook North 15th in the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25, the first five-six minutes of the game were like a chess match. Both clubs tested the other with a few long balls over the top and a couple of deep throws.
After that opening came Fagan’s wonder-goal, almost from nothing, that gave the visitors the advantage just under the quarter hour.
After Glenbrook North’s Margy Porta drove a 35-yard free kick over the bar, Welch got back in the action. The Spartans keeper, who will play next fall at Yale, came to the rescue with a marvelous double-save sequence. She turned away Dobsch, then Sadie-Grace Richardson to keep her club in the game.
The home side stormed back to create a quality chance off a wonderful early ball from Ella Panek that led to a Rachel Leiter effort that went just over the bar.
"We knew no. 8 (Philbin) was a player we would need to keep a close eye on all night long,” said Sedgwick. “I felt Sadie-Grace and I did a pretty good job of doing that. They had other dangerous players to watch as well."
The most dangerous player on this night, however, was Fagan. The senior skimmed the bar after collecting a deep throw from Anna Marshall. Moments later she drove another attempt over the bar after the hosts allowed her to tee-up a 29th-minute attempt.
Fagan floated a lovely ball into the box that Glenbrook North (8-1-3, 3-1-3) failed to parry out of the area cleanly. When the ball spilled freely near the six-yard box, Charlotte Dellin found a way to slot past a diving Welch at 34 minutes
"We had some trouble in the first half with their physical play, ability to win a lot of the first and second balls and keeping no.19 (Fagan) from getting quality looks on frame,” Valsamis said. “After the break we did a much better job of handling those things, plus our midfield kept the ball so much better as well."
Philbin halved the Trevians advantage three minutes before intermission with a brilliant header off an inch-perfect corner from Morissa Lambert that gave Glenbrook North new life..
New Trier knew it would have to hunker down.
"At the half, we talked about getting back to playing the way we know we can, limit their chances, defend well as a team, and keeping the ball away from their best players," said Burnside.
"I felt like we did a good job of doing all of that, especially in the last 15 minutes of the game."
Valsamis, hoping to get Philbin more touches in the second half, moved the senior back into the middle alongside Lambert and Porta. That pushed Sophia Sparacio up-top in the Spartans 4-3-3 formation.
"We lost the 50/50 battle in the first half, but came back to even things out in that department," said Valsamis. “I am hoping we learned a lot about ourselves after suffering our first loss, and something about New Trier.”
In the second half, neither side was able to test the keepers until New Trier’s Annie Paden had a go at Welch at 50 minutes. Glenbrook North had a serious look when Lily Denk rattled the bar at the end of a well-played counter with Philbin.
Welch and her counterpart Wynne Hague generally enjoyed long periods of inactivity due to their respective backline units.
It was a little busier for New Trier as time wound down and Glenbrook North fought to equalize.
Sedgwick and mates Jenna Birdsell, Anna Marshall, and Ava Shah, conceded a trio of deep corners in the final quarter hour, a pair of half-chances and a close-range header from Dani Gichner that Hague collected with confidence.
The Trevians (12-1-3, 6-0-1) were able to close things out for their seventh-straight win.
"We're getting really comfortable, and confident with each other in the back, and it's beginning to show each time we train, and go out and play," says Sedgwick.
"Mia has come a long way since her freshmen year," recounted Burnside.
"She has become a true soccer player, who is dominate in the air, is able to anticipate and set through-balls like a magician and is able to read the field like nobody else.
"The characteristic that's at her core, that makes her who she is, is that she cares for her team and teammates more than anyone knows."
Sedgwick first pulled on her Trevians shirt during the Class 3A state runnerup season of 2018. Since that time she has watched many high-profile players come and go. That left her with plenty of fresh, new faces.
How does the Trevians’ captain explain the success of her club despite the loss of so much talent?
"I think for me, and really for all of us, we're playing for all those players who were seniors last year (and) lost their final year at New Trier either to the pandemic or various injuries.
"All of us play for each other. We all had a lot of pent-up energy ready to unleash, and we were all eager to get back out there, and do our best for our former teammates who were unable to play last season."
Starting lineups
New Trier (4-3-3)
G- Wynne Hague
D- Anna Marshall
D- Jenna Birdsell
D- Mia Sedgewick
D- Ava Shah
M- Annie Paden
M- Caroline Finnigan
M- Kate Dobsch
F- Kendall Sierens
F- Charlotte Dellin
F- Morgan Fagan
Glenbrook North (4-3-3)
G- Annie Welch
D- Nayia Sellas
D- Dani Gichner
D- Kat Sellas
D- Logan Leiter
M- Margy Porta
M- Morissa Lambert
M- Ella Panek
F- Lily Denk
F- Riley Philbin
F- Rachel Leiter
Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match: Morgan Fagan, sr., F, New Trier
Referee: Ninos Alexander
Scoring summary
First half
New Trier: Fagan (U/A) 14'
New Trier: Dellin (Fagan) 34'
Glenbrook North: Philbin (Lambert) 37'
Second half
No scoring
firms grasp on league crown
Trevians capture ranked battle 2-1, give Glenbrook North first loss
By Mike Garofola
NORTHBROOK -- Morgan Fagan and Mia Sedgwick helped sustain New Trier's seemingly inexorable march towards yet another Central Suburban League South Division title after a hard-fought 2-1 victory Monday night over host Glenbrook North at William Lutz Stadium.
"It was a great, and exciting game to watch, and to beat a quality opponent like GBN helped make this a very good night for us," said Trevians manager Jim Burnside.
"It was a very good game,” said Glenbrook North manager Tony Valsamis. “It's too bad we missed a couple of early chances, especially after they put two in on us. We fought back and played very well tonight.
“Our hope is to get another opportunity with them in the postseason."
Fagan provided the early inspiration needed in such a crucial contest with a spectacular opener in the 14th minute. It came in the form of her 30-yard missile just over the outstretched gloves of keeper Annie Welch, who made a valiant leaping effort to turn away the blast.
"We are so fortunate to have Morgan with us for her senior year," said Burnside of Fagan, who returned from club soccer along with Kate Dobsch, who provided plenty of extra strength in the middle of the park for the Trevians.
"Morgan is so talented," said Sedgwick of Fagan, who was later named the Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match. “Her great speed on and off the ball creates a lot of trouble for our opponents. I’m glad not to have to be defending her."
"I'm glad Mia isn't the one I have to go against in every game," said Fagan, who returned the compliment of her good friend. The pair played club soccer together with Eclipse Select North.
Next fall in college the dynamic duo will be minutes apart from each other: Fagan will play at Boston University; Sedgwick will compete for MIT.
"It's going to be great being so close to Mia at college," said Fagan with a smile. She said the pair will visit each other whenever possible.
Early this season, Sedgwick was deployed at defensive midfielder in the Trevians starting 11. Burnside quickly moved the four-year star into the center of the backline, and since then the results have been sensational.
"At the beginning of the year, our backline had the passion, athleticism, and strength that carried us through those first handful of games," began Burnside.
"Over the past few weeks, they have come to trust each other, communicate and work as a unit, which has brought them to a whole new level. The move of Mia has been a big reason for their success. She's been a rock star for us."
Sedgwick and her mates had their hands full with Spartans senior Riley Philbin, who is on her way to play next fall at Wisconsin. She showed why she earned her place on the Badgers roster after an impressive 80 minutes of work.
As expected with ranked teams battling, New Trier is ranked fourth and Glenbrook North 15th in the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25, the first five-six minutes of the game were like a chess match. Both clubs tested the other with a few long balls over the top and a couple of deep throws.
After that opening came Fagan’s wonder-goal, almost from nothing, that gave the visitors the advantage just under the quarter hour.
After Glenbrook North’s Margy Porta drove a 35-yard free kick over the bar, Welch got back in the action. The Spartans keeper, who will play next fall at Yale, came to the rescue with a marvelous double-save sequence. She turned away Dobsch, then Sadie-Grace Richardson to keep her club in the game.
The home side stormed back to create a quality chance off a wonderful early ball from Ella Panek that led to a Rachel Leiter effort that went just over the bar.
"We knew no. 8 (Philbin) was a player we would need to keep a close eye on all night long,” said Sedgwick. “I felt Sadie-Grace and I did a pretty good job of doing that. They had other dangerous players to watch as well."
The most dangerous player on this night, however, was Fagan. The senior skimmed the bar after collecting a deep throw from Anna Marshall. Moments later she drove another attempt over the bar after the hosts allowed her to tee-up a 29th-minute attempt.
Fagan floated a lovely ball into the box that Glenbrook North (8-1-3, 3-1-3) failed to parry out of the area cleanly. When the ball spilled freely near the six-yard box, Charlotte Dellin found a way to slot past a diving Welch at 34 minutes
"We had some trouble in the first half with their physical play, ability to win a lot of the first and second balls and keeping no.19 (Fagan) from getting quality looks on frame,” Valsamis said. “After the break we did a much better job of handling those things, plus our midfield kept the ball so much better as well."
Philbin halved the Trevians advantage three minutes before intermission with a brilliant header off an inch-perfect corner from Morissa Lambert that gave Glenbrook North new life..
New Trier knew it would have to hunker down.
"At the half, we talked about getting back to playing the way we know we can, limit their chances, defend well as a team, and keeping the ball away from their best players," said Burnside.
"I felt like we did a good job of doing all of that, especially in the last 15 minutes of the game."
Valsamis, hoping to get Philbin more touches in the second half, moved the senior back into the middle alongside Lambert and Porta. That pushed Sophia Sparacio up-top in the Spartans 4-3-3 formation.
"We lost the 50/50 battle in the first half, but came back to even things out in that department," said Valsamis. “I am hoping we learned a lot about ourselves after suffering our first loss, and something about New Trier.”
In the second half, neither side was able to test the keepers until New Trier’s Annie Paden had a go at Welch at 50 minutes. Glenbrook North had a serious look when Lily Denk rattled the bar at the end of a well-played counter with Philbin.
Welch and her counterpart Wynne Hague generally enjoyed long periods of inactivity due to their respective backline units.
It was a little busier for New Trier as time wound down and Glenbrook North fought to equalize.
Sedgwick and mates Jenna Birdsell, Anna Marshall, and Ava Shah, conceded a trio of deep corners in the final quarter hour, a pair of half-chances and a close-range header from Dani Gichner that Hague collected with confidence.
The Trevians (12-1-3, 6-0-1) were able to close things out for their seventh-straight win.
"We're getting really comfortable, and confident with each other in the back, and it's beginning to show each time we train, and go out and play," says Sedgwick.
"Mia has come a long way since her freshmen year," recounted Burnside.
"She has become a true soccer player, who is dominate in the air, is able to anticipate and set through-balls like a magician and is able to read the field like nobody else.
"The characteristic that's at her core, that makes her who she is, is that she cares for her team and teammates more than anyone knows."
Sedgwick first pulled on her Trevians shirt during the Class 3A state runnerup season of 2018. Since that time she has watched many high-profile players come and go. That left her with plenty of fresh, new faces.
How does the Trevians’ captain explain the success of her club despite the loss of so much talent?
"I think for me, and really for all of us, we're playing for all those players who were seniors last year (and) lost their final year at New Trier either to the pandemic or various injuries.
"All of us play for each other. We all had a lot of pent-up energy ready to unleash, and we were all eager to get back out there, and do our best for our former teammates who were unable to play last season."
Starting lineups
New Trier (4-3-3)
G- Wynne Hague
D- Anna Marshall
D- Jenna Birdsell
D- Mia Sedgewick
D- Ava Shah
M- Annie Paden
M- Caroline Finnigan
M- Kate Dobsch
F- Kendall Sierens
F- Charlotte Dellin
F- Morgan Fagan
Glenbrook North (4-3-3)
G- Annie Welch
D- Nayia Sellas
D- Dani Gichner
D- Kat Sellas
D- Logan Leiter
M- Margy Porta
M- Morissa Lambert
M- Ella Panek
F- Lily Denk
F- Riley Philbin
F- Rachel Leiter
Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match: Morgan Fagan, sr., F, New Trier
Referee: Ninos Alexander
Scoring summary
First half
New Trier: Fagan (U/A) 14'
New Trier: Dellin (Fagan) 34'
Glenbrook North: Philbin (Lambert) 37'
Second half
No scoring