Jones keeps focus, stays hot, tops Payton
Eagles prevail 2-0 over rival Grizzlies
By Patrick Z. McGavin
CHICAGO -- Avery Kaplan had almost a full year to remember.
Last May, Payton defeated Kaplan's Jones Eagles in the third place game of the Chicago Public League Tournament at Toyota Park. In city soccer, memories linger.
“I have been thinking about that game for a long time,” Kaplan said. “It was definitely fuel to the fire today. It was not the stem of our energy for this game, but for some of us it really contributed.”
Jones and Payton have a special connection. The two schools even have a cooperative for a couple of the niche sports. The games are almost always tense and exhilarating actions.
“Every game in the Premier (Division) is tough,” Payton forward Sophie Salem said. “Just like Whitney [Young] has Lane, we have Jones, and every time we play them it is always really tough and physical.”
Jones (12-4-0, 5-1-0 Premier) deepened the Grizzlies’ scoring drought as junior midfielder Martina Bianchi scored on a textbook header off a corner in the 53rd minute that fueled the 2-0 home victory Tuesday afternoon in Chinatown.
Bianchi registered her second game-winner in as many days. She also scored in the second half of the Eagles’ pivotal 1-0 victory over Latin in the final game of group play of the Chicago Cup on Monday.
That game marked the first time in program history Jones defeated Latin. The season has been marked by firsts, like the 2-0 victory over Young on April 1 that also signaled the first victory over the Dolphins.
Playing their rival meant no chance at a letdown.
“Not a lot of us had played against Latin before, so we did not go into the game afraid of them like we sometimes do against teams that have the big name or the big reputation,” Bianchi said.
“I think we came into the game with heads high, and we had a lot of confidence in ourselves.”
Jones raced out to a hot start and applied immediate pressure. Payton recovered and responded ably with some significant pressure of its own. Payton’s scoreless stretch appeared over in the 16th minute as midfielder Lindsey Holzman blasted a ball from the right wing about 19 yards.
The ball dived at the last moment and hit the crossbar.
“I think it is just luck,” Holzman said. “I think we are on a bad luck streak right now. We played really hard today, and I think we fought super hard. Definitely we have been in a rut where we have not played our best soccer or played the way we normally play.
“I think today we showed that we can do that. I think we were just unlucky. We had chances we didn’t finish, all of us, myself included.”
The Grizzlies (7-5-2, 4-3-0) have gone some 300 minutes, or five games, without scoring.
“It is definitely in our head a little bit right now that we have to score,” midfielder Olivia Moore said.
Payton certainly commanded attention, initiating a change in tone and focus the balance of the match.
Jones' Bianchi and midfielder Natalie Loos were especially effective on throw-ins, building off the powerful arm of Loos and the physical presence of Bianchi to use her body to shield against the defender and try to get a flick. Defender Catherine Lorden was also very effective on the long free kicks.
“At the start we came out wheels turning and ready to go,” Kaplan said. “We were really excited for this game. They started playing, and we got into a little slump because we were facing resistance.”
Jones seized control at the start of the second half. The team played with precision and an edge to their game. Kaplan, who was knocked down a couple of times and had to leave the game, pushed hard up-front with sophomore forward Carmen Marshall.
That opened up lanes for Bianchi and Loos to operate. “You always know when Martina or Natalie is going to go up and get a touch,” Kaplan said. The pressure generated a corner kick from the left edge.
Sophomore midfielder Laura Rios played a ball into the box that Bianchi elevated on for the header for the breakthrough goal.
“We practice corners a lot, and try and have a certain spot where we aim for, and either Natalie or I always try to be there,” Bianchi said. “We have a great vibe going, and Laura played a great ball.
“We know eventually something is going to go in.”
In scoring her eighth goal of the year, Bianchi earned the Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match distinction.
Energized by holding the lead, Jones was not satisfied and looked immediately to extend the advantage. Sensing that Payton was deflated by the score, Jones tightened its grip as Kaplan broke free on the right edge and advanced hard before sliding a ball that Marshall drilled inside the near post from 17 yards in the 58th minute.
“Avery played a really nice ball,” Marshall said. The goal was her fifth of the year. Her emergence as an up-top speedster has really opened up the Eagles’ attack. Her creativity was also on display, the ability to create off the dribble or take the pass and finish.
“We knew this was a really important week, playing Latin yesterday and knowing we’d never beaten them before and now playing Payton, an important conference game and the next to last conference game of the year,” Marshall said.
“We knew we needed to bring the energy.”
Payton did not wilt and generated some strong play over the final 22 minutes of the match. In the 59th minute, freshman forward Nadine Denahan blasted a ball from just outside the box that hit off the bar.
“It’s impossible to win when you don’t score,” Payton coach Paul Escobar said. The team was coming off back-to-back scoreless draws with Hancock and University (Chicago) in Chicago Cup play.
“I am not saying it is our effort, because our effort is there,” he said. “Maybe it’s the execution, the bounce of the ball, and sometimes you have to be lucky. We are playing tough teams. I think once we find our scoring touch we are going to be a hard team to beat, because we are hard to score on.”
Keeper Pilar Kelly played very well for the Grizzlies in recording seven saves. Payton was also handicapped by the absence of junior midfielder Hayley Owens, the player the offense runs through. She injured her ankle in the Hancock game.
“Definitely missing her hurts the team, but I have said we have a lot of top players who can play different positions,” Escobar said. “When one door closes, another opens and some of these girls see their chance to go out there, like our freshmen, Nadine and also [midfielder] Isabella Chitarro.
“Our potential is very nice to see.”
Jones plays Solorio in its final Premier game and is likely to have the no. 2 seed in the city tournament behind four-time defending champion Lane.
“I thought we played really well in the second half,” coach Derek Bylsma said. “We were dangerous offensively, had a lot of chances and defensively we did not give up very much. I felt really good about the 50-50 balls. In the first half they were probably winning more of those, but in the second half, we were really dialed in.”
Starting lineups
Payton
GK: Pilar Kelly
D: Brigitte Joyce
D: Madeline Clerkin
D: Mimi Hamada
MF: Emilia Wilke
MF: Lindsey Holzman
MF: Olivia Moore
MF: Isabell Chitarro
F: Sophie Salem
F: Nancy Krug
F: Nadine Denahan
Jones
DK: Devin Barry
D: Catherine Lorden
D: Izzy Kamba
D: Shayna Ellis
D: Audrey Bruce
MF: Laura Rios
MF: Natalie Loos
MF: Martina Bianchi
MF: Parker Ellis
F: Carmen Marshall
F: Avery Kaplan
Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match: Martina Bianchi, jr., MF, Jones
Scoring summary
First half
No scoring
Second half
Jones—Martina Bianchi (Laura Rios), 53rd minute
Jones—Carmen Marshall (Avery Kaplan), 58th minute
Eagles prevail 2-0 over rival Grizzlies
By Patrick Z. McGavin
CHICAGO -- Avery Kaplan had almost a full year to remember.
Last May, Payton defeated Kaplan's Jones Eagles in the third place game of the Chicago Public League Tournament at Toyota Park. In city soccer, memories linger.
“I have been thinking about that game for a long time,” Kaplan said. “It was definitely fuel to the fire today. It was not the stem of our energy for this game, but for some of us it really contributed.”
Jones and Payton have a special connection. The two schools even have a cooperative for a couple of the niche sports. The games are almost always tense and exhilarating actions.
“Every game in the Premier (Division) is tough,” Payton forward Sophie Salem said. “Just like Whitney [Young] has Lane, we have Jones, and every time we play them it is always really tough and physical.”
Jones (12-4-0, 5-1-0 Premier) deepened the Grizzlies’ scoring drought as junior midfielder Martina Bianchi scored on a textbook header off a corner in the 53rd minute that fueled the 2-0 home victory Tuesday afternoon in Chinatown.
Bianchi registered her second game-winner in as many days. She also scored in the second half of the Eagles’ pivotal 1-0 victory over Latin in the final game of group play of the Chicago Cup on Monday.
That game marked the first time in program history Jones defeated Latin. The season has been marked by firsts, like the 2-0 victory over Young on April 1 that also signaled the first victory over the Dolphins.
Playing their rival meant no chance at a letdown.
“Not a lot of us had played against Latin before, so we did not go into the game afraid of them like we sometimes do against teams that have the big name or the big reputation,” Bianchi said.
“I think we came into the game with heads high, and we had a lot of confidence in ourselves.”
Jones raced out to a hot start and applied immediate pressure. Payton recovered and responded ably with some significant pressure of its own. Payton’s scoreless stretch appeared over in the 16th minute as midfielder Lindsey Holzman blasted a ball from the right wing about 19 yards.
The ball dived at the last moment and hit the crossbar.
“I think it is just luck,” Holzman said. “I think we are on a bad luck streak right now. We played really hard today, and I think we fought super hard. Definitely we have been in a rut where we have not played our best soccer or played the way we normally play.
“I think today we showed that we can do that. I think we were just unlucky. We had chances we didn’t finish, all of us, myself included.”
The Grizzlies (7-5-2, 4-3-0) have gone some 300 minutes, or five games, without scoring.
“It is definitely in our head a little bit right now that we have to score,” midfielder Olivia Moore said.
Payton certainly commanded attention, initiating a change in tone and focus the balance of the match.
Jones' Bianchi and midfielder Natalie Loos were especially effective on throw-ins, building off the powerful arm of Loos and the physical presence of Bianchi to use her body to shield against the defender and try to get a flick. Defender Catherine Lorden was also very effective on the long free kicks.
“At the start we came out wheels turning and ready to go,” Kaplan said. “We were really excited for this game. They started playing, and we got into a little slump because we were facing resistance.”
Jones seized control at the start of the second half. The team played with precision and an edge to their game. Kaplan, who was knocked down a couple of times and had to leave the game, pushed hard up-front with sophomore forward Carmen Marshall.
That opened up lanes for Bianchi and Loos to operate. “You always know when Martina or Natalie is going to go up and get a touch,” Kaplan said. The pressure generated a corner kick from the left edge.
Sophomore midfielder Laura Rios played a ball into the box that Bianchi elevated on for the header for the breakthrough goal.
“We practice corners a lot, and try and have a certain spot where we aim for, and either Natalie or I always try to be there,” Bianchi said. “We have a great vibe going, and Laura played a great ball.
“We know eventually something is going to go in.”
In scoring her eighth goal of the year, Bianchi earned the Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match distinction.
Energized by holding the lead, Jones was not satisfied and looked immediately to extend the advantage. Sensing that Payton was deflated by the score, Jones tightened its grip as Kaplan broke free on the right edge and advanced hard before sliding a ball that Marshall drilled inside the near post from 17 yards in the 58th minute.
“Avery played a really nice ball,” Marshall said. The goal was her fifth of the year. Her emergence as an up-top speedster has really opened up the Eagles’ attack. Her creativity was also on display, the ability to create off the dribble or take the pass and finish.
“We knew this was a really important week, playing Latin yesterday and knowing we’d never beaten them before and now playing Payton, an important conference game and the next to last conference game of the year,” Marshall said.
“We knew we needed to bring the energy.”
Payton did not wilt and generated some strong play over the final 22 minutes of the match. In the 59th minute, freshman forward Nadine Denahan blasted a ball from just outside the box that hit off the bar.
“It’s impossible to win when you don’t score,” Payton coach Paul Escobar said. The team was coming off back-to-back scoreless draws with Hancock and University (Chicago) in Chicago Cup play.
“I am not saying it is our effort, because our effort is there,” he said. “Maybe it’s the execution, the bounce of the ball, and sometimes you have to be lucky. We are playing tough teams. I think once we find our scoring touch we are going to be a hard team to beat, because we are hard to score on.”
Keeper Pilar Kelly played very well for the Grizzlies in recording seven saves. Payton was also handicapped by the absence of junior midfielder Hayley Owens, the player the offense runs through. She injured her ankle in the Hancock game.
“Definitely missing her hurts the team, but I have said we have a lot of top players who can play different positions,” Escobar said. “When one door closes, another opens and some of these girls see their chance to go out there, like our freshmen, Nadine and also [midfielder] Isabella Chitarro.
“Our potential is very nice to see.”
Jones plays Solorio in its final Premier game and is likely to have the no. 2 seed in the city tournament behind four-time defending champion Lane.
“I thought we played really well in the second half,” coach Derek Bylsma said. “We were dangerous offensively, had a lot of chances and defensively we did not give up very much. I felt really good about the 50-50 balls. In the first half they were probably winning more of those, but in the second half, we were really dialed in.”
Starting lineups
Payton
GK: Pilar Kelly
D: Brigitte Joyce
D: Madeline Clerkin
D: Mimi Hamada
MF: Emilia Wilke
MF: Lindsey Holzman
MF: Olivia Moore
MF: Isabell Chitarro
F: Sophie Salem
F: Nancy Krug
F: Nadine Denahan
Jones
DK: Devin Barry
D: Catherine Lorden
D: Izzy Kamba
D: Shayna Ellis
D: Audrey Bruce
MF: Laura Rios
MF: Natalie Loos
MF: Martina Bianchi
MF: Parker Ellis
F: Carmen Marshall
F: Avery Kaplan
Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match: Martina Bianchi, jr., MF, Jones
Scoring summary
First half
No scoring
Second half
Jones—Martina Bianchi (Laura Rios), 53rd minute
Jones—Carmen Marshall (Avery Kaplan), 58th minute