Lane tops Young
in dazzling city title showdown
Deep shot delivers 2-1 win, 7th-straight title before huge crowd
By Patrick Z. McGavin
CHICAGO -- The intersection north of Western Avenue on Addison Street was the only place to be Thursday night.
Everything a soccer supporter could possibly ask for was present and pervasive: emotion, history, grace, rivalry, tension and high school athletes at the peak of their powers.
On a picture postcard night, about 1,100 fans and soccer afficionados packed the east grandstand for a moment in time that crystallized everything wondrous and fantastic about prep sports.
The short version of everything you needed to know: Young versus Lane in girls soccer.
With the exception of basketball in the rarified world of girls city sports, those two schools always have something to say about who bears a city crown.
In the quick and ephemeral world of Instagram, Twitter and Tik-Tok, these two electric programs created indelible, breathtaking moments that are going to be remembered by those present.
Lane midfielder Mary Rau is certainly never going to forget her shot for the ages.
“I don’t think I will ever again be able to place a shot that well,” Rau said. “I really wanted a goal like that all season.”
Rau’s mesmerizing and perfect blast from 36 yards in the 58th minute proved a stunning iteration of this remarkable rivalry in no. 21 Lane’s 2-1 victory over the no. 20 Young for the Chicago Public League Tournament championship.
Lane (13-4-1) captured an astonishing seventh-consecutive city title. Young (12-7-3) has been on the other side of that scoreboard five times.
Lane avenged a 3-0 defeat at Young on April 6 in Premier Division play.
That was the program’s first loss against a city school since Young beat Lane in a penalty shootout in the 2014 city title game -- the last year a school other than Lane won a girls city championship.
The game-winner was Rau’s third goal in the last two games. She scored twice against Payton in the semifinals Saturday.
Freshman midfielder Grace Carmen controlled the ball from the left wing and played it perfectly to Rau.
“Before she even passed it, I knew that’s what I wanted to do,” Rau said. “I saw that I had about 10 yards of space in front of me, and I kicked it as hard as I could.
“It worked.”
Young, the regular-season Premier Division champion and top-seed of the tournament, could only ponder if they could have done anything differently.
The Dolphins had an edge in possession time, corner kicks and created the more consistently dangerous opportunities.
Lane is the prototypical heavyweight until proven otherwise. Young certainly dazed and knocked Lane back.
But the Dolphins didn’t deliver the knockout blow.
“Soccer is a cruel game,” Young coach Ross LaBauex said. “Hats off to them. The toughest thing in soccer is to score goals. They got two chances, and they put them away.
“We hit the crossbar and had a half-chance at the end. We had a corner in the first half.”
When Chicagoland Soccer all-state forward Ella Koleno got free on the right edge in the 79th minute, Lane keeper Siena Belko stood her ground.
Belko finished with six saves, including a beautiful leaping tip off a great ball by midfielder Alexis Sassower in the first half.
She also jumped on a loose ball off a corner.
“I was watching, I was on my toes, and kind of bouncing my head, telling myself, ‘I’m ready for this,’” Belko said. “I was saying that to myself because I really wanted to win.
“It was a sense of nerves, but I really wanted to get this.”
The ball from Koleno sailed over the top of the bar, marking Young’s best late chance.
Midfielder Daphne Murray hit a shot off the crossbar. Koleno had a header early in the second half that just glanced over the top of the bar.
Koleno had another shot from the right edge just push wide of the far post.
“We had so many chances, too, and we need to finish them,” said Sydney Koleno, Ella’s twin sister.
“We’d beat them earlier in the season, and we just said we were going to go out there, and play our game and just do our best and knock out their six-peat.”
Sophomore keeper Zoe Adelstein was also superb for the Dolphins.
She made a spectacular diving stop of Lane all-stater Scout Murray just before the Rau goal. She also made a tough, leaping stop off a free kick by Olivia Schmit at the start of the second half.
“Honestly, I’m really proud of everyone,” Adelstein said. “I think we all need to keep our heads up. We played a phenomenal game.
“You can’t deny it. Lane is a good team. The fact that we were able to come back, and hold them down after we got down so quickly is great.”
The back-and-forth action played out brilliantly during an insanely consequential stretch of the first half.
With Young dictating the early pace and movement, Lane utilized a brilliant early counter for the opening goal.
Inserted just moments before, Lane midfielder Avery Ellis controlled a loose ball and sent a beautiful through-ball down the left flank that Scout Murray ran onto.
Murray turned on the jets, outran two Young defenders, and smashed home a ball from 14 yards to just inside the far post in the 16th minute.
It was her team-best 18th goal of the year.
“I think there were a lot of emotions combined,” Scout Murray said. “I think we were all mad about what happened the first time. We really wanted to come back.
“There was a lot of talk on social media before the game. I think we all learned how they were playing in our heads. We were all playing so nervously that first game. Their fans come out very strong and very loud, and we all had to be very ready for that. I think we all came mentally prepared.”
In classic style, Young regrouped and countered with a fantastic sequence of its own.
The Dolphins pushed numbers on the left wing, forcing a foul.
Lauren Roche repeated her magic. The sophomore had two goals in the first game, including a beautiful free kick.
In the 17th minute, she delivered a laser from 31 yards for a sudden, stunning equalizer.
It was the classic form of soccer one-upmanship.
“We have a really young backline, so it’s hard for us going into the game knowing how good Scout is,” Roche said. “I think Kate Sweitzer played insane, and she shut her down for the majority of the game.
“The game really comes down to who can convert their chances. We scored off a free kick, but it has to be better.”
History is crucial at both programs.
As a freshman three years ago, Lane defender Jocelyn Ramirez scored a goal in the 4-0 city championship. Thursday, her passing, playmaking and quick actions helped nullify the Dolphins’ attack.
Ramirez took solace and honor in looking out at the vast crowd.
“We were ready for everything. I feel like this game proved we could do it,” Ramirez said.
“Seeing all the alumni in the stands, like Carlye Makuch and Zehra Halilic, I just thought that was so crazy. They were literally here on the field with me when I was a freshman. We did it all for them, and everybody who played for Lane.”
Lane took the hard lessons from the 3-0 drubbing Young delivered.
“I really do believe in how smart my team is,” Lane coach Michelle Vale said. “They do a lot of reflecting. They do a lot of thinking, and they do a lot of adjusting once they realize what areas we need to work on.
“We made the adjustments right after that first game. I think this is a passionate team with a lot of heart. They work hard. We’re ready. We have been ready.”
Both teams now look to prepare for the start of the state tournament. Each is in the New Trier Sectional.
Sixth-seeded Young plays no. eight Niles West on Tuesday at Leyden. Seventh-seeded Lane hosts 10-seed St. Ignatius on Wednesday.
Few things are going to top what the players did Thursday.
“As much as in the city, this is the thing,” LaBauex said. “It’s always nice to be playing in late May and June.
“We have our hearts set on that. We are going to look at the tape, and keep it moving.
Starting lineups
Lane
GK: Siena Belko
D: Jocelyn Ramirez
D: Olive Tinucci
D: Olivia Schmit
D: Maya Warkentin
MF: Dale Sink
MF: Mary Rau
MF: Maya Martinez-Bates
MF: Scout Murray
F: Gabriella Mann
F: Gabriela Pop
Young
GK: Zoe Adelstein
D: Celeste Garton
D: Lauren Roche
D: Kate Sweitzer
D: Ainsley Christensen
MF: Sidney Koleno
MF: Alexis Sassower
MF: Maisy Connolly
MF: Daphne Murray
MF: Moira Koleno
F: Ella Koleno
Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match:
Mary Rau, jr., MF, Lane
Scoring summary
First half
Lane—Scout Murray (Avery Ellis), 16th minute
Young—Lauren Roche (free kick), 17th minute
Second half
Lane—Mary Rau (Grace Carmen), 58th minute
in dazzling city title showdown
Deep shot delivers 2-1 win, 7th-straight title before huge crowd
By Patrick Z. McGavin
CHICAGO -- The intersection north of Western Avenue on Addison Street was the only place to be Thursday night.
Everything a soccer supporter could possibly ask for was present and pervasive: emotion, history, grace, rivalry, tension and high school athletes at the peak of their powers.
On a picture postcard night, about 1,100 fans and soccer afficionados packed the east grandstand for a moment in time that crystallized everything wondrous and fantastic about prep sports.
The short version of everything you needed to know: Young versus Lane in girls soccer.
With the exception of basketball in the rarified world of girls city sports, those two schools always have something to say about who bears a city crown.
In the quick and ephemeral world of Instagram, Twitter and Tik-Tok, these two electric programs created indelible, breathtaking moments that are going to be remembered by those present.
Lane midfielder Mary Rau is certainly never going to forget her shot for the ages.
“I don’t think I will ever again be able to place a shot that well,” Rau said. “I really wanted a goal like that all season.”
Rau’s mesmerizing and perfect blast from 36 yards in the 58th minute proved a stunning iteration of this remarkable rivalry in no. 21 Lane’s 2-1 victory over the no. 20 Young for the Chicago Public League Tournament championship.
Lane (13-4-1) captured an astonishing seventh-consecutive city title. Young (12-7-3) has been on the other side of that scoreboard five times.
Lane avenged a 3-0 defeat at Young on April 6 in Premier Division play.
That was the program’s first loss against a city school since Young beat Lane in a penalty shootout in the 2014 city title game -- the last year a school other than Lane won a girls city championship.
The game-winner was Rau’s third goal in the last two games. She scored twice against Payton in the semifinals Saturday.
Freshman midfielder Grace Carmen controlled the ball from the left wing and played it perfectly to Rau.
“Before she even passed it, I knew that’s what I wanted to do,” Rau said. “I saw that I had about 10 yards of space in front of me, and I kicked it as hard as I could.
“It worked.”
Young, the regular-season Premier Division champion and top-seed of the tournament, could only ponder if they could have done anything differently.
The Dolphins had an edge in possession time, corner kicks and created the more consistently dangerous opportunities.
Lane is the prototypical heavyweight until proven otherwise. Young certainly dazed and knocked Lane back.
But the Dolphins didn’t deliver the knockout blow.
“Soccer is a cruel game,” Young coach Ross LaBauex said. “Hats off to them. The toughest thing in soccer is to score goals. They got two chances, and they put them away.
“We hit the crossbar and had a half-chance at the end. We had a corner in the first half.”
When Chicagoland Soccer all-state forward Ella Koleno got free on the right edge in the 79th minute, Lane keeper Siena Belko stood her ground.
Belko finished with six saves, including a beautiful leaping tip off a great ball by midfielder Alexis Sassower in the first half.
She also jumped on a loose ball off a corner.
“I was watching, I was on my toes, and kind of bouncing my head, telling myself, ‘I’m ready for this,’” Belko said. “I was saying that to myself because I really wanted to win.
“It was a sense of nerves, but I really wanted to get this.”
The ball from Koleno sailed over the top of the bar, marking Young’s best late chance.
Midfielder Daphne Murray hit a shot off the crossbar. Koleno had a header early in the second half that just glanced over the top of the bar.
Koleno had another shot from the right edge just push wide of the far post.
“We had so many chances, too, and we need to finish them,” said Sydney Koleno, Ella’s twin sister.
“We’d beat them earlier in the season, and we just said we were going to go out there, and play our game and just do our best and knock out their six-peat.”
Sophomore keeper Zoe Adelstein was also superb for the Dolphins.
She made a spectacular diving stop of Lane all-stater Scout Murray just before the Rau goal. She also made a tough, leaping stop off a free kick by Olivia Schmit at the start of the second half.
“Honestly, I’m really proud of everyone,” Adelstein said. “I think we all need to keep our heads up. We played a phenomenal game.
“You can’t deny it. Lane is a good team. The fact that we were able to come back, and hold them down after we got down so quickly is great.”
The back-and-forth action played out brilliantly during an insanely consequential stretch of the first half.
With Young dictating the early pace and movement, Lane utilized a brilliant early counter for the opening goal.
Inserted just moments before, Lane midfielder Avery Ellis controlled a loose ball and sent a beautiful through-ball down the left flank that Scout Murray ran onto.
Murray turned on the jets, outran two Young defenders, and smashed home a ball from 14 yards to just inside the far post in the 16th minute.
It was her team-best 18th goal of the year.
“I think there were a lot of emotions combined,” Scout Murray said. “I think we were all mad about what happened the first time. We really wanted to come back.
“There was a lot of talk on social media before the game. I think we all learned how they were playing in our heads. We were all playing so nervously that first game. Their fans come out very strong and very loud, and we all had to be very ready for that. I think we all came mentally prepared.”
In classic style, Young regrouped and countered with a fantastic sequence of its own.
The Dolphins pushed numbers on the left wing, forcing a foul.
Lauren Roche repeated her magic. The sophomore had two goals in the first game, including a beautiful free kick.
In the 17th minute, she delivered a laser from 31 yards for a sudden, stunning equalizer.
It was the classic form of soccer one-upmanship.
“We have a really young backline, so it’s hard for us going into the game knowing how good Scout is,” Roche said. “I think Kate Sweitzer played insane, and she shut her down for the majority of the game.
“The game really comes down to who can convert their chances. We scored off a free kick, but it has to be better.”
History is crucial at both programs.
As a freshman three years ago, Lane defender Jocelyn Ramirez scored a goal in the 4-0 city championship. Thursday, her passing, playmaking and quick actions helped nullify the Dolphins’ attack.
Ramirez took solace and honor in looking out at the vast crowd.
“We were ready for everything. I feel like this game proved we could do it,” Ramirez said.
“Seeing all the alumni in the stands, like Carlye Makuch and Zehra Halilic, I just thought that was so crazy. They were literally here on the field with me when I was a freshman. We did it all for them, and everybody who played for Lane.”
Lane took the hard lessons from the 3-0 drubbing Young delivered.
“I really do believe in how smart my team is,” Lane coach Michelle Vale said. “They do a lot of reflecting. They do a lot of thinking, and they do a lot of adjusting once they realize what areas we need to work on.
“We made the adjustments right after that first game. I think this is a passionate team with a lot of heart. They work hard. We’re ready. We have been ready.”
Both teams now look to prepare for the start of the state tournament. Each is in the New Trier Sectional.
Sixth-seeded Young plays no. eight Niles West on Tuesday at Leyden. Seventh-seeded Lane hosts 10-seed St. Ignatius on Wednesday.
Few things are going to top what the players did Thursday.
“As much as in the city, this is the thing,” LaBauex said. “It’s always nice to be playing in late May and June.
“We have our hearts set on that. We are going to look at the tape, and keep it moving.
Starting lineups
Lane
GK: Siena Belko
D: Jocelyn Ramirez
D: Olive Tinucci
D: Olivia Schmit
D: Maya Warkentin
MF: Dale Sink
MF: Mary Rau
MF: Maya Martinez-Bates
MF: Scout Murray
F: Gabriella Mann
F: Gabriela Pop
Young
GK: Zoe Adelstein
D: Celeste Garton
D: Lauren Roche
D: Kate Sweitzer
D: Ainsley Christensen
MF: Sidney Koleno
MF: Alexis Sassower
MF: Maisy Connolly
MF: Daphne Murray
MF: Moira Koleno
F: Ella Koleno
Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match:
Mary Rau, jr., MF, Lane
Scoring summary
First half
Lane—Scout Murray (Avery Ellis), 16th minute
Young—Lauren Roche (free kick), 17th minute
Second half
Lane—Mary Rau (Grace Carmen), 58th minute