Glenbard East seniors revel on their night
Novak, Chiero and Johnson star as Rams rout Streamwood
By Patrick Z. McGavin
LOMBARD -- It was a great deal more than the mist and the overcast conditions that created the pools around her eyes and lined the face of Lindsey Novak. As hard as she tried to stay composed, walking out at midfield as part of the celebration for Senior Night, the star Glenbard East forward was overwhelmed.
“At the beginning, I didn’t think I was going to be sad, because we still have more to go,” Novak said. “As soon as the seniors began to walk out and the underclassmen began to cheer us on, I started crying. It felt so great to have all the girls on the field and also those who were behind me.
“It’s really emotional. I am so excited to play my Senior Night with this group. They have done so much for me to get where I am. All I wanted to do was give everything I could back to them.”
She did and a great deal more.
Novak turned the game into a showcase of her skills and a tribute to the achievements of her class over their four-year career with three goals that powered the Rams’ to a 7-1 victory over Streamwood in Upstate Eight Conference play Monday night
The Rams have great incentive to continue winning given they are the rare school hosting its own Class 3A regional that feeds into the sectional complex it is also representing.
The victory also kept the Rams’ conference title hopes alive.
Glenbard East is three points behind West Aurora (5-1-1) and just one behind South Elgin (4-0-2) with key away dates remaining with Glenbard South and Larkin before closing out with Elgin.
Glenbard East (13-4-2, 4-1-1) meets the Maroons in a make-up date on May 9. South Elgin holds the tiebreaker on the virtue of its 2-0 victory over Glenbard East; the Rams beat West Aurora 3-1 April 17.
Novak has now amassed 16 goals and nine assists. Her career started off spectacular as a starter on the first Rams’ team ever to win a state trophy with a third place finish.
The Rams have won a regional in each of her first three years.
“Sarah [Liljestrand] was joking with me, saying we have to keep crashing the goal, and we are going to get one in,” Novak said. “It was so much fun out there, and Streamwood put up a good fight against us. We appreciate the competition and the support from everybody here, both on and off the field.”
Glenbard East coach Kent Overbey opened the game with a beautiful gesture. He called up four junior varsity players -- Beth Rozycki, Asia Hamzic, Margaret Lopez and Melissa Padron -- to give them starts in the only varsity game they have played this year.
The night held special meaning for Novak, midfielder Amy Chiero and defender Sam Johnson. Those three have been four-year varsity players and pivotal figures in the program’s rise to prominence.
Chiero (nine goals, 14 assists) scored on a beautiful free kick early in the second half and also assisted sophomore Molly Galvin off a terrific corner for another goal.
“I remember last year on Senior Night, I was super emotional, and it was not even my night,” Chiero said. “It just means a lot because these girls are players I have been playing with since I was super young. It means a lot to be able to step out on the field with them every single day.
“They are all my memories, and they are the reason I love soccer so much. I am going to cry. I am going to miss them so much next year, but it was an exciting night and a great win.”
Senior defender Hayden Dudek, who normally plays situationally off the bench, got the start. She initiated the scoring onslaught by playing a beautiful through-ball on the outside that Elaine Westling caught in space and forced the Sabres’ keeper Candy Nava to charge hard off her line.
Westling caught Nava off-balance and danced around her to finish into the open net in the 14th minute
“It was a great opportunity, because Sarah [Liljestrand] made a great pass to me and made it all worthwhile,” Dudek said. “I have been playing with these girls since elementary school. To be here tonight is very emotional, because it is like a wrap-up of an era.”
Novak earned her first goal in the 26th minute by jetting past the Sabres’ backline and taking a ball from freshman Maia Zatarski that ended like the first goal, forcing Nava off her line and getting around for the uncontested goal.
Nevertheless, the final score was misleading. Streamwood trailed just 2-1 in the 30th minute after senior forward Josett Perez pounded home a cross from freshman midfielder Diana Herrera.
Herrera created some strong scoring chances for the Sabres (5-11-1, 1-5-1) through her superb free kicks. She proved dangerous throughout the match. Streamwood has multiple freshmen like her in featured roles.
The team has come of age and has more than doubled its two-win victory total of a year ago. Perez has also been outstanding. In her first year of high school after playing club, she has scored 13 goals.
“Even if they score you had to keep the intensity and not worry about the scoreboard and just think of it as a 0-0 game and just keep playing,” Perez said.
Defender Melanie Ramirez also impressed for the Sabres, twice stripping Novak from behind with great tackles.
For about 50 minutes of game action, Streamwood held its own.
“We played really well in the first half,” coach Kristin Duffy said. “We are not able to substitute very much, and I think a lot of the girls just got tired. And it showed the last part of the game.
“We have a lot of young girls on our team, and this is our first time really playing together. We have been playing pretty well, and we are getting better towards the end.”
Glenbard East’s Zatarski, who has emerged as a standout first-year player in her own right, restored the Rams two-goal lead when she hammed home a ball in the 35th minute.
Glenbard East dominated the second half, controlling possession and spraying the ball around the field. That forced the Sabres into constant reactive situations that required quick decision-making.
Novak added the exclamation points with goals in the 72nd and 74th minutes to earn the Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match honor.
“Lindsey is just a force,” Overbey said. “She is somebody who has embraced the game on the field and off. She has put a ton of time in the weight room. You see that with her strength on the ball. You don’t want to defend her. You certainly don’t want to get into a 50-50 ball with her. She creates and has a motor that goes all day.
“It was great to send them off with a bang tonight.”
Starting lineups
Streamwood
GK: Candy Nava
D: Jasmin Perez
D: Melanie Ramirez
D: Alex Meza
D: Paulette Carranza
MF: Lesly Jimenez
MF: Diana Herrera
MF: Brianna Yi
MF: Esther Cardnes
F: Jennifer Voravong
F: Josett Perez
Glenbard East
GK: Lisa Stranski
D: Audrey Beckham
D: Sam Johnson
D:Kendall Crackel
D: Hayden Dudek
MF: Amy Chiero
MF: Melissa Padron
F: Beth Rozycki
F: Lindsey Novak
F: Asia Hamzic
F: Margaret Lopez
Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match: Lindsey Novak, sr., F, Glenbard East
Scoring summary
First half
Glenbard East—Elaine Westling (Hayden Dudek), 14th minute
Glenbard East—Lindsey Novak (Maia Zatarski), 26th minute
Streamwood—Josett Perez (Dianna Herrera), 30th minute
Glenbard East—Zatarski (Maddie Weltin), 35th minute
Second half
Glenbard East—Amy Chiero (free kick), 44th minute
Glenbard East—Molly Galvin (Chiero), 52nd minute
Glenbard East—Novak (Sarah Conroy), 72nd minute
Glenbard East—Novak (Sarah Liljestrand), 74th minute
Novak, Chiero and Johnson star as Rams rout Streamwood
By Patrick Z. McGavin
LOMBARD -- It was a great deal more than the mist and the overcast conditions that created the pools around her eyes and lined the face of Lindsey Novak. As hard as she tried to stay composed, walking out at midfield as part of the celebration for Senior Night, the star Glenbard East forward was overwhelmed.
“At the beginning, I didn’t think I was going to be sad, because we still have more to go,” Novak said. “As soon as the seniors began to walk out and the underclassmen began to cheer us on, I started crying. It felt so great to have all the girls on the field and also those who were behind me.
“It’s really emotional. I am so excited to play my Senior Night with this group. They have done so much for me to get where I am. All I wanted to do was give everything I could back to them.”
She did and a great deal more.
Novak turned the game into a showcase of her skills and a tribute to the achievements of her class over their four-year career with three goals that powered the Rams’ to a 7-1 victory over Streamwood in Upstate Eight Conference play Monday night
The Rams have great incentive to continue winning given they are the rare school hosting its own Class 3A regional that feeds into the sectional complex it is also representing.
The victory also kept the Rams’ conference title hopes alive.
Glenbard East is three points behind West Aurora (5-1-1) and just one behind South Elgin (4-0-2) with key away dates remaining with Glenbard South and Larkin before closing out with Elgin.
Glenbard East (13-4-2, 4-1-1) meets the Maroons in a make-up date on May 9. South Elgin holds the tiebreaker on the virtue of its 2-0 victory over Glenbard East; the Rams beat West Aurora 3-1 April 17.
Novak has now amassed 16 goals and nine assists. Her career started off spectacular as a starter on the first Rams’ team ever to win a state trophy with a third place finish.
The Rams have won a regional in each of her first three years.
“Sarah [Liljestrand] was joking with me, saying we have to keep crashing the goal, and we are going to get one in,” Novak said. “It was so much fun out there, and Streamwood put up a good fight against us. We appreciate the competition and the support from everybody here, both on and off the field.”
Glenbard East coach Kent Overbey opened the game with a beautiful gesture. He called up four junior varsity players -- Beth Rozycki, Asia Hamzic, Margaret Lopez and Melissa Padron -- to give them starts in the only varsity game they have played this year.
The night held special meaning for Novak, midfielder Amy Chiero and defender Sam Johnson. Those three have been four-year varsity players and pivotal figures in the program’s rise to prominence.
Chiero (nine goals, 14 assists) scored on a beautiful free kick early in the second half and also assisted sophomore Molly Galvin off a terrific corner for another goal.
“I remember last year on Senior Night, I was super emotional, and it was not even my night,” Chiero said. “It just means a lot because these girls are players I have been playing with since I was super young. It means a lot to be able to step out on the field with them every single day.
“They are all my memories, and they are the reason I love soccer so much. I am going to cry. I am going to miss them so much next year, but it was an exciting night and a great win.”
Senior defender Hayden Dudek, who normally plays situationally off the bench, got the start. She initiated the scoring onslaught by playing a beautiful through-ball on the outside that Elaine Westling caught in space and forced the Sabres’ keeper Candy Nava to charge hard off her line.
Westling caught Nava off-balance and danced around her to finish into the open net in the 14th minute
“It was a great opportunity, because Sarah [Liljestrand] made a great pass to me and made it all worthwhile,” Dudek said. “I have been playing with these girls since elementary school. To be here tonight is very emotional, because it is like a wrap-up of an era.”
Novak earned her first goal in the 26th minute by jetting past the Sabres’ backline and taking a ball from freshman Maia Zatarski that ended like the first goal, forcing Nava off her line and getting around for the uncontested goal.
Nevertheless, the final score was misleading. Streamwood trailed just 2-1 in the 30th minute after senior forward Josett Perez pounded home a cross from freshman midfielder Diana Herrera.
Herrera created some strong scoring chances for the Sabres (5-11-1, 1-5-1) through her superb free kicks. She proved dangerous throughout the match. Streamwood has multiple freshmen like her in featured roles.
The team has come of age and has more than doubled its two-win victory total of a year ago. Perez has also been outstanding. In her first year of high school after playing club, she has scored 13 goals.
“Even if they score you had to keep the intensity and not worry about the scoreboard and just think of it as a 0-0 game and just keep playing,” Perez said.
Defender Melanie Ramirez also impressed for the Sabres, twice stripping Novak from behind with great tackles.
For about 50 minutes of game action, Streamwood held its own.
“We played really well in the first half,” coach Kristin Duffy said. “We are not able to substitute very much, and I think a lot of the girls just got tired. And it showed the last part of the game.
“We have a lot of young girls on our team, and this is our first time really playing together. We have been playing pretty well, and we are getting better towards the end.”
Glenbard East’s Zatarski, who has emerged as a standout first-year player in her own right, restored the Rams two-goal lead when she hammed home a ball in the 35th minute.
Glenbard East dominated the second half, controlling possession and spraying the ball around the field. That forced the Sabres into constant reactive situations that required quick decision-making.
Novak added the exclamation points with goals in the 72nd and 74th minutes to earn the Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match honor.
“Lindsey is just a force,” Overbey said. “She is somebody who has embraced the game on the field and off. She has put a ton of time in the weight room. You see that with her strength on the ball. You don’t want to defend her. You certainly don’t want to get into a 50-50 ball with her. She creates and has a motor that goes all day.
“It was great to send them off with a bang tonight.”
Starting lineups
Streamwood
GK: Candy Nava
D: Jasmin Perez
D: Melanie Ramirez
D: Alex Meza
D: Paulette Carranza
MF: Lesly Jimenez
MF: Diana Herrera
MF: Brianna Yi
MF: Esther Cardnes
F: Jennifer Voravong
F: Josett Perez
Glenbard East
GK: Lisa Stranski
D: Audrey Beckham
D: Sam Johnson
D:Kendall Crackel
D: Hayden Dudek
MF: Amy Chiero
MF: Melissa Padron
F: Beth Rozycki
F: Lindsey Novak
F: Asia Hamzic
F: Margaret Lopez
Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match: Lindsey Novak, sr., F, Glenbard East
Scoring summary
First half
Glenbard East—Elaine Westling (Hayden Dudek), 14th minute
Glenbard East—Lindsey Novak (Maia Zatarski), 26th minute
Streamwood—Josett Perez (Dianna Herrera), 30th minute
Glenbard East—Zatarski (Maddie Weltin), 35th minute
Second half
Glenbard East—Amy Chiero (free kick), 44th minute
Glenbard East—Molly Galvin (Chiero), 52nd minute
Glenbard East—Novak (Sarah Conroy), 72nd minute
Glenbard East—Novak (Sarah Liljestrand), 74th minute