Carmel's Barnes makes
great first impression
Junior delivers 2 assists as Corsairs sweep through quad
By Rusty Silber
MUNDELEIN -- Only three games into the season, Carmel has found out some new things that are standing out about this year's team. One of them is the play of newcomer Zenaya Barnes.
The junior forward has been a big part of the Corsairs success through their first three matches.
Barnes hasn't scored any goals so far, but her efforts led to a couple of assists in the Corsairs final game of their quad -- a 4-0 win over Palatine Thursday night.
"She's really a strong surprise and fitting in quite well," said Carmel coach Ray Krawzak, whose team improved to 3-0-0. "She brings out the best in the players around her. She's able to find the other players and makes a lot of things happen."
Barnes’ play around the field showed plenty of leadership and ability. Her efforts led her to Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match honors.
The first-year high school player had to work hard to get back on the pitch. She went through a grueling year of therapy to wear the Carmel kit this spring.
"It was definitely a challenge, just ‘cause I've been growing up playing soccer," Barnes said. "It was a good stopping point to learn and to protect myself more in the game and improve my game skills. It was definitely scary, but I was so anxious to get back and play my game."
Barnes’ injury occurred before the 2017 high school season. She was injured playing club soccer. A torn anterior cruciate ligament in her knee kept her from playing the game she loves and left her off the pitch for a full year.
"It was a contact injury," Barnes said. "I was playing up-top -- a girl came from my blind side and just hit me."
Getting back on the field, this time for her school, has been like a dream for Barnes. Though she is still in search of her first high school goal, she has averaged an assist per game in her maiden match-week with the Corsairs.
"It's been amazing," Barnes said. "Especially, playing with friends I go to school with. It's a different environment then playing in club. I feel like we’re more close playing for a school rather than a club.
“I definitely see a lot of chemistry. Carmel, to me, represents family. And that's a good thing to have in a team, not only on the field but off the field."
On Thursday, Carmel came out strong offensively and scored three goals during a 13-minute first half span. That was a welcome change after the Corsairs gutted out 1-0 wins in their earlier quad assignments against Lake Forest and Hersey. In those matches, Carmel showed a lot of defense and lacked offense.
Riley Harmon got the scoring started against Palatine 10 minutes into the match. She scored from up-top after taking a pass from Jen Cutro.
About seven minutes later, Barnes delivered the first of her two assists with a cross to Kathleen Graham, who chipped the ball under the crossbar for a 2-0 advantage.
Cutro extended the lead to three goals by slotting a shot into the back of the net after taking a feed from Morgan Smola in the 22nd minute.
The Corsairs added one more in the 75th minute, Barnes sent a cross for Olivia Pullin, who collected it and scored to complete the score at 4-0.
The Carmel defense finished the March portion of the schedule unblemished. Goalkeepers Sophia Sarkis and Annie Burkhalter combined for the shutout with four saves Thursday.
Palatine (1-2-0) had a tough time dealing with Carmel's offense throughout the contest.
The Pirates didn't seem to have their best effort after getting past Hersey 2-1 on Wednesday.
"(Carmel) had a difference-maker with (Barnes) up-top," Palatine coach Willie Filian said. "Anytime, she got the ball near midfield, she’s that type of player that can make a run and break down two-to-three defenders.
"They also have a nice mix of skillful players that can also play physical. They win a lot of tackles and win a lot of balls in the air. When they get a hold of the ball, they’re skillful enough to keep it."
Palatine is a team trying to pull itself together with a number of young players. The Pirates will need some time to be the team they want to be. The team suffered a major blow when the coach's daughter Kacie, a St. Bonaventure recruit, went down with an ACL injury at the end of basketball season.
"We're missing, as a team, the ability to win balls in the air," Filian added. "We lack the physicality. This new group has a little bit of skill coming to them but not the physicality like the teams in the past.
"We're just not there yet and Carmel is better in all those facets. We have a lot to work on and that's why I like this tournament."
After an extended break in its schedule, Carmel will return with a tough assignment. The Corsairs will host preseason poll no. 10 Warren at 4:30 p.m. April 3.
Starting lineups
Palatine
GK-Esmeralda Serna
D-Grace Marion
D-Shelby Donofrio
D-Anja Jacobson
D-Sarah Jansonowicz
D-Melanie Simon
MF-Isabel Esquivel
MF-Jamie Henning
MF-Sarah Clancy
MF-Ann Luo
F-Gianna Valero
Carmel
GK-Sophia Sarkis
D-Lily Sykes
D-Clara Thomas
D-Maddie Splitt
D-Morgan Smola
MF-Riley Harmon
MF-Olivia Salvi
MF-Emma Heinrich
MF-Skylar Thomas
F-Zenaya Barnes
F-Kathleen Graham
Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match: Zenaya Barnes jr., F, Carmel
Scoring Summary
Carmel-Harmon (Cutro) 10'
Carmel-Graham (Barnes) 17'
Carmel-Cutro (Smola) 22'
Carmel-Pullin (Barnes) 75'
great first impression
Junior delivers 2 assists as Corsairs sweep through quad
By Rusty Silber
MUNDELEIN -- Only three games into the season, Carmel has found out some new things that are standing out about this year's team. One of them is the play of newcomer Zenaya Barnes.
The junior forward has been a big part of the Corsairs success through their first three matches.
Barnes hasn't scored any goals so far, but her efforts led to a couple of assists in the Corsairs final game of their quad -- a 4-0 win over Palatine Thursday night.
"She's really a strong surprise and fitting in quite well," said Carmel coach Ray Krawzak, whose team improved to 3-0-0. "She brings out the best in the players around her. She's able to find the other players and makes a lot of things happen."
Barnes’ play around the field showed plenty of leadership and ability. Her efforts led her to Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match honors.
The first-year high school player had to work hard to get back on the pitch. She went through a grueling year of therapy to wear the Carmel kit this spring.
"It was definitely a challenge, just ‘cause I've been growing up playing soccer," Barnes said. "It was a good stopping point to learn and to protect myself more in the game and improve my game skills. It was definitely scary, but I was so anxious to get back and play my game."
Barnes’ injury occurred before the 2017 high school season. She was injured playing club soccer. A torn anterior cruciate ligament in her knee kept her from playing the game she loves and left her off the pitch for a full year.
"It was a contact injury," Barnes said. "I was playing up-top -- a girl came from my blind side and just hit me."
Getting back on the field, this time for her school, has been like a dream for Barnes. Though she is still in search of her first high school goal, she has averaged an assist per game in her maiden match-week with the Corsairs.
"It's been amazing," Barnes said. "Especially, playing with friends I go to school with. It's a different environment then playing in club. I feel like we’re more close playing for a school rather than a club.
“I definitely see a lot of chemistry. Carmel, to me, represents family. And that's a good thing to have in a team, not only on the field but off the field."
On Thursday, Carmel came out strong offensively and scored three goals during a 13-minute first half span. That was a welcome change after the Corsairs gutted out 1-0 wins in their earlier quad assignments against Lake Forest and Hersey. In those matches, Carmel showed a lot of defense and lacked offense.
Riley Harmon got the scoring started against Palatine 10 minutes into the match. She scored from up-top after taking a pass from Jen Cutro.
About seven minutes later, Barnes delivered the first of her two assists with a cross to Kathleen Graham, who chipped the ball under the crossbar for a 2-0 advantage.
Cutro extended the lead to three goals by slotting a shot into the back of the net after taking a feed from Morgan Smola in the 22nd minute.
The Corsairs added one more in the 75th minute, Barnes sent a cross for Olivia Pullin, who collected it and scored to complete the score at 4-0.
The Carmel defense finished the March portion of the schedule unblemished. Goalkeepers Sophia Sarkis and Annie Burkhalter combined for the shutout with four saves Thursday.
Palatine (1-2-0) had a tough time dealing with Carmel's offense throughout the contest.
The Pirates didn't seem to have their best effort after getting past Hersey 2-1 on Wednesday.
"(Carmel) had a difference-maker with (Barnes) up-top," Palatine coach Willie Filian said. "Anytime, she got the ball near midfield, she’s that type of player that can make a run and break down two-to-three defenders.
"They also have a nice mix of skillful players that can also play physical. They win a lot of tackles and win a lot of balls in the air. When they get a hold of the ball, they’re skillful enough to keep it."
Palatine is a team trying to pull itself together with a number of young players. The Pirates will need some time to be the team they want to be. The team suffered a major blow when the coach's daughter Kacie, a St. Bonaventure recruit, went down with an ACL injury at the end of basketball season.
"We're missing, as a team, the ability to win balls in the air," Filian added. "We lack the physicality. This new group has a little bit of skill coming to them but not the physicality like the teams in the past.
"We're just not there yet and Carmel is better in all those facets. We have a lot to work on and that's why I like this tournament."
After an extended break in its schedule, Carmel will return with a tough assignment. The Corsairs will host preseason poll no. 10 Warren at 4:30 p.m. April 3.
Starting lineups
Palatine
GK-Esmeralda Serna
D-Grace Marion
D-Shelby Donofrio
D-Anja Jacobson
D-Sarah Jansonowicz
D-Melanie Simon
MF-Isabel Esquivel
MF-Jamie Henning
MF-Sarah Clancy
MF-Ann Luo
F-Gianna Valero
Carmel
GK-Sophia Sarkis
D-Lily Sykes
D-Clara Thomas
D-Maddie Splitt
D-Morgan Smola
MF-Riley Harmon
MF-Olivia Salvi
MF-Emma Heinrich
MF-Skylar Thomas
F-Zenaya Barnes
F-Kathleen Graham
Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match: Zenaya Barnes jr., F, Carmel
Scoring Summary
Carmel-Harmon (Cutro) 10'
Carmel-Graham (Barnes) 17'
Carmel-Cutro (Smola) 22'
Carmel-Pullin (Barnes) 75'