Jones breaks through with historic win
Goals by Laura Rios and Avery Kaplan help take down Young
By Patrick Z. McGavin
CHICAGO -- Under the cover of harsh blinding light and swirling winds, Devin Barry let out an almost primal scream of exhilaration.
The moment was years in development.
In staking its claim as an authentic Chicago Public League power, Jones experienced momentous and vast strides in moving up and going through the lower divisions before becoming a fixture of the Premier Division.
Two years ago, the Eagles played in their first-ever city tournament championship. Other signs of the Eagles’ emergence were rebuffed, in often painful and dramatic fashion. In 2017, Jones played four-time defending city champion Lane to a draw during the regular season, marking the first time they achieved a result other than a loss against the Indians.
Young was another measuring stick -- a perennial power the Eagles had never vanquished. In 2010, his first year directing the program, Derek Bylsma remembers the sting of being thrashed by a score of 13-0.
As Jones painfully discovered, the closer you get to the top, the separation from the elite of the city is more difficult and elusive to overcome. Jones got ever closer, playing the Dolphins to five one-goal losses in the past four seasons.
Young junior star forward Mia Lisanti scored the game-winner in consecutive years. Last year she scored an 80th minute goal in the Dolphins’ 2-1 victory.
The painful past has now transformed to a glorious present. The Eagles have achieved the unprecedented.
Playing with confidence and poise, Jones took a major step forward by knocking out the Dolphins 2-0 in Premier play Monday afternoon in Chinatown.
“I think this was a win that was years in the making,” Barry said. She finished with six saves as the Eagles (5-2-0, 3-1-0) posted their fifth shutout of the season.
“We have gotten really close on multiple occasions. This year I feel more confident than I have ever felt before. I knew we had the capability of beating this team, and it was just a matter of coming out and playing like we are capable of, and today we did that.”
Reputations matter in city soccer, and Jones had to clear the psychological barrier of proving it belonged. Bylsma has called this year’s team his most talented ever. The moment was sweet.
“We are not the underdog anymore,” said senior forward Avery Kaplan, whose goal in the 67th minute sealed the monumental victory. “We have had some tough losses against them recently. When I was younger, I think there was a lot of turbulence because of who we were, and we had come out of a lower division, and we had just moved up.
“I am really happy with how we played today. Our freshmen are really good. These younger players are used to this competition, and they play with these kids in travel, and they come in and they bring poise and their own intensity. We still come out with that mindset, that intensity. We know we have to play our hearts out.”
Young (3-3-1, 2-2-1) is a program in transition, but still formidable and dangerous. Longtime coach Spero Mandakas left to take over the boys program at Glenbard North.
Ross LaBeaux is the new manager. A legendary player in Chicago soccer circles, LaBeaux was a star player at Mount Carmel, playing for current Solorio coach Adrian Calleros. He took the Caravan to consecutive Class AA supersectional appearances. After a standout career at the University of Virginia, where he played on the 2009 national championship team, he played two years in Major League Soccer.
He feels it may take a bit of time before the Dolphins hit their stride.
“It has been great, but I just think there is going to be a learning curve,” Labeux said. “I have a way that I want to play; we are going to put the ball down and play. We are not going to kick the ball. We are going to move and shift teams to find space in between the lines.”
Young shared the regular season Premier Division title with Lane and reached the city final before losing 1-0 to the Indians on a late goal last season. Labeux inherits a gifted and quality side, with an intriguing influx of young talent, like freshman twin sisters Ella and Sydney Koleno.
In Lisanti, a physically and highly skilled attacking player, he has at the center of his attack one of the city’s best players. Despite playing into the wind in the first half, Young looked sharp and played under control through much of the half. Ella Koleno blasted a short volley from the left wing that Barry made a fantastic stab on. Lisanti was also dangerous.
“A lot of it is just hard work and getting in the small touches,” Lisanti said. “There are so many things we are trying to focus on, as far as technique and speed. With a new coach, we are getting used to a new style of play. We are working on more possession. These last few games, it has been hard for us to finish and putting the pieces together, but we are not going to lose our confidence or get down.”
After the initial back and forth as the teams counterpunched, Jones seized the momentum in the 18th minute. Sophomore forward Carmen Marshall, an electric talent with speed to burn, continued to impress. Coming off a two-assist, one-goal performance against Northside, Marshall delivered the first haymaker.
She cut down the left flank and slotted a ball into the crease that sophomore midfielder Laura Rios blasted inside the far post for a textbook goal.
“The goal settled our nerves,” Barry said. “We were running around, but once we got the first goal, we settled into the game.”
Yadany Martinez was another catalyst for the Eagles. A junior forward, she came off the bench and flashed tremendous energy. In concert with Marshall, her speed on the edge created tremendous pressure, especially off the wind-aided punts from Barry that nearly produced a couple of breakaway opportunities.
Young senior keeper Mia Engelmann played well in recording five saves. She kept the Dolphins close, to the point Bylsma was edgy at the break despite being up.
“I was nervous at halftime because that was a pretty big wind, and I was worried we did not do enough, and I thought we might need a couple of goals,” he said. “I was really happy with how we played in the second half. I thought we played really hard.”
Barry made a great diving stop off a dangerous ball inside the box from Lisanti in the 52nd minute.
“I just got through the box and put it where I wanted, but she made a good save,” Lisanti said.
The Dolphins were pleased by their position.
“We were happy going into the second half and hoping the wind would give us a little bit more of an advantage,” Lisanti said. “Our possession was good the first half. We had some chances, and some good counterattacks. What it came down to is we were not able to get that final touch to score.”
Young has terrific size and athleticism in the middle with Stella Ljung and Eleanor Sherline. The Dolphins exerted some pressure. Jones had the right release valve in Barry as the final line. She kept the Dolphins at bay.
“I wanted this so bad,” Barry said. “We had a great warm up. I am always excited to play against this team. I did my best to get that shutout.”
Kaplan put the game away by breaking in the middle and catching in perfect rhythm a through ball from midfielder Martina Bianchi. Engelmann had little choice but come off the line to try to deny her. Kaplan was the first to the ball and drilled the shot past her from about 19 yards.
For her accomplishments, Avery Kaplan earned the Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match honor..
“We just love to work for it, and we love the competition,” Kaplan said. “Young is a good team, and we were happy to come out with our strength. It feels really, really good.
“I think our defense did an exceptional job today. I have full faith in them. Young was working the sides, working the switches, but we kept our heads up and handled it and got the ball out. I was really proud of how they played.”
Starting lineups
Young
GK: Mia Engelmann
D: Addie Schlensker
D: Carson Herman
D: Lauren Ehlers
MF: Sydney Koleno
MF: Alexis Sassover
MF: Stella Ljung
MF: Eleanor Sherline
MF: Annelise Kelner
F: Mia Lisanti
F: Ella Koleno
Jones
GK: Devin Barry
D: Audrey Bruce
D: Olivia Rodriguez
D: Catherine Lorden
D: Izzy Kamba
MF: Natalie Loos
MF: Laura Rios
MF: Parker Ellis
MF: Martina Bianchi
F: Carmen Marshall
F: Avery Kaplan
Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match: Avery Kaplan, sr., F, Jones
Scoring summary
First half
Jones—Laura Rios (Carmen Marshall), 18th minute
Second half
Jones—Avery Kaplan (Martina Bianchi), 67th minute
Goals by Laura Rios and Avery Kaplan help take down Young
By Patrick Z. McGavin
CHICAGO -- Under the cover of harsh blinding light and swirling winds, Devin Barry let out an almost primal scream of exhilaration.
The moment was years in development.
In staking its claim as an authentic Chicago Public League power, Jones experienced momentous and vast strides in moving up and going through the lower divisions before becoming a fixture of the Premier Division.
Two years ago, the Eagles played in their first-ever city tournament championship. Other signs of the Eagles’ emergence were rebuffed, in often painful and dramatic fashion. In 2017, Jones played four-time defending city champion Lane to a draw during the regular season, marking the first time they achieved a result other than a loss against the Indians.
Young was another measuring stick -- a perennial power the Eagles had never vanquished. In 2010, his first year directing the program, Derek Bylsma remembers the sting of being thrashed by a score of 13-0.
As Jones painfully discovered, the closer you get to the top, the separation from the elite of the city is more difficult and elusive to overcome. Jones got ever closer, playing the Dolphins to five one-goal losses in the past four seasons.
Young junior star forward Mia Lisanti scored the game-winner in consecutive years. Last year she scored an 80th minute goal in the Dolphins’ 2-1 victory.
The painful past has now transformed to a glorious present. The Eagles have achieved the unprecedented.
Playing with confidence and poise, Jones took a major step forward by knocking out the Dolphins 2-0 in Premier play Monday afternoon in Chinatown.
“I think this was a win that was years in the making,” Barry said. She finished with six saves as the Eagles (5-2-0, 3-1-0) posted their fifth shutout of the season.
“We have gotten really close on multiple occasions. This year I feel more confident than I have ever felt before. I knew we had the capability of beating this team, and it was just a matter of coming out and playing like we are capable of, and today we did that.”
Reputations matter in city soccer, and Jones had to clear the psychological barrier of proving it belonged. Bylsma has called this year’s team his most talented ever. The moment was sweet.
“We are not the underdog anymore,” said senior forward Avery Kaplan, whose goal in the 67th minute sealed the monumental victory. “We have had some tough losses against them recently. When I was younger, I think there was a lot of turbulence because of who we were, and we had come out of a lower division, and we had just moved up.
“I am really happy with how we played today. Our freshmen are really good. These younger players are used to this competition, and they play with these kids in travel, and they come in and they bring poise and their own intensity. We still come out with that mindset, that intensity. We know we have to play our hearts out.”
Young (3-3-1, 2-2-1) is a program in transition, but still formidable and dangerous. Longtime coach Spero Mandakas left to take over the boys program at Glenbard North.
Ross LaBeaux is the new manager. A legendary player in Chicago soccer circles, LaBeaux was a star player at Mount Carmel, playing for current Solorio coach Adrian Calleros. He took the Caravan to consecutive Class AA supersectional appearances. After a standout career at the University of Virginia, where he played on the 2009 national championship team, he played two years in Major League Soccer.
He feels it may take a bit of time before the Dolphins hit their stride.
“It has been great, but I just think there is going to be a learning curve,” Labeux said. “I have a way that I want to play; we are going to put the ball down and play. We are not going to kick the ball. We are going to move and shift teams to find space in between the lines.”
Young shared the regular season Premier Division title with Lane and reached the city final before losing 1-0 to the Indians on a late goal last season. Labeux inherits a gifted and quality side, with an intriguing influx of young talent, like freshman twin sisters Ella and Sydney Koleno.
In Lisanti, a physically and highly skilled attacking player, he has at the center of his attack one of the city’s best players. Despite playing into the wind in the first half, Young looked sharp and played under control through much of the half. Ella Koleno blasted a short volley from the left wing that Barry made a fantastic stab on. Lisanti was also dangerous.
“A lot of it is just hard work and getting in the small touches,” Lisanti said. “There are so many things we are trying to focus on, as far as technique and speed. With a new coach, we are getting used to a new style of play. We are working on more possession. These last few games, it has been hard for us to finish and putting the pieces together, but we are not going to lose our confidence or get down.”
After the initial back and forth as the teams counterpunched, Jones seized the momentum in the 18th minute. Sophomore forward Carmen Marshall, an electric talent with speed to burn, continued to impress. Coming off a two-assist, one-goal performance against Northside, Marshall delivered the first haymaker.
She cut down the left flank and slotted a ball into the crease that sophomore midfielder Laura Rios blasted inside the far post for a textbook goal.
“The goal settled our nerves,” Barry said. “We were running around, but once we got the first goal, we settled into the game.”
Yadany Martinez was another catalyst for the Eagles. A junior forward, she came off the bench and flashed tremendous energy. In concert with Marshall, her speed on the edge created tremendous pressure, especially off the wind-aided punts from Barry that nearly produced a couple of breakaway opportunities.
Young senior keeper Mia Engelmann played well in recording five saves. She kept the Dolphins close, to the point Bylsma was edgy at the break despite being up.
“I was nervous at halftime because that was a pretty big wind, and I was worried we did not do enough, and I thought we might need a couple of goals,” he said. “I was really happy with how we played in the second half. I thought we played really hard.”
Barry made a great diving stop off a dangerous ball inside the box from Lisanti in the 52nd minute.
“I just got through the box and put it where I wanted, but she made a good save,” Lisanti said.
The Dolphins were pleased by their position.
“We were happy going into the second half and hoping the wind would give us a little bit more of an advantage,” Lisanti said. “Our possession was good the first half. We had some chances, and some good counterattacks. What it came down to is we were not able to get that final touch to score.”
Young has terrific size and athleticism in the middle with Stella Ljung and Eleanor Sherline. The Dolphins exerted some pressure. Jones had the right release valve in Barry as the final line. She kept the Dolphins at bay.
“I wanted this so bad,” Barry said. “We had a great warm up. I am always excited to play against this team. I did my best to get that shutout.”
Kaplan put the game away by breaking in the middle and catching in perfect rhythm a through ball from midfielder Martina Bianchi. Engelmann had little choice but come off the line to try to deny her. Kaplan was the first to the ball and drilled the shot past her from about 19 yards.
For her accomplishments, Avery Kaplan earned the Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match honor..
“We just love to work for it, and we love the competition,” Kaplan said. “Young is a good team, and we were happy to come out with our strength. It feels really, really good.
“I think our defense did an exceptional job today. I have full faith in them. Young was working the sides, working the switches, but we kept our heads up and handled it and got the ball out. I was really proud of how they played.”
Starting lineups
Young
GK: Mia Engelmann
D: Addie Schlensker
D: Carson Herman
D: Lauren Ehlers
MF: Sydney Koleno
MF: Alexis Sassover
MF: Stella Ljung
MF: Eleanor Sherline
MF: Annelise Kelner
F: Mia Lisanti
F: Ella Koleno
Jones
GK: Devin Barry
D: Audrey Bruce
D: Olivia Rodriguez
D: Catherine Lorden
D: Izzy Kamba
MF: Natalie Loos
MF: Laura Rios
MF: Parker Ellis
MF: Martina Bianchi
F: Carmen Marshall
F: Avery Kaplan
Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match: Avery Kaplan, sr., F, Jones
Scoring summary
First half
Jones—Laura Rios (Carmen Marshall), 18th minute
Second half
Jones—Avery Kaplan (Martina Bianchi), 67th minute