Warren sophomore Mertens struts
her stuff against Lake Forest
MF assists opener, scores game-winner in 2-1 victory
By Patrick Z. McGavin
GURNEE -- Reese Mertens is a new kid on the block.
Monday she rocked center stage with the band.
The Warren sophomore is playing a prominent role on a stacked team.
She has slyly insinuated into the mix and made herself a vital part of the conversation.
“It feels really good to contribute, and it feels really nice having the older girls and the upperclassmen be very welcoming and encouraging no matter what,” Mertens said.
“Everyone’s super close and supportive.”
That support takes many shapes and forms, including counsel and development.
And Mertens, who is playing her first season on the varsity, is a quick learner.
She created an early assist and scored the game-winning goal in the no. 16 Blue Devils’ 2-1 victory over Lake Forest in the teams’ North Suburban Conference finale Monday night.
Warren (10-3-4, 6-0-2) entered the game with an outside chance at entering a three-way conference title with no. 9 Libertyville and no. 12 Stevenson.
It didn’t happen when Stevenson edged Libertyville 1-0 Monday for the outright conference title.
Warren did its part.
“We really focused on what we could control, and getting a positive result against Lake Forest was what we focused on,” Warren coach Ryan McCabe said.
Lake Forest (6-10-1, 2-4-1) played well in defeat, continuing its recent strong action following wins over then no. 20 New Trier and Mundelein.
“I think towards the beginning of the season, we had a hard time coming out with the energy that we needed because we were fresh as a team, and we didn’t know each other,” Scouts midfielder Emersen Waddle said.
“As the season wore on, we got a lot better moving as a team.”
Two Lake Forest defenders created some beguiling opportunities in very different fashion.
Working with the wind in the first half, Sophie Benjakul had some powerful and dangerous free kicks.
The most impressive specialist was the angular and acrobatic Taylor Cekay.
Her flip-throws flew with incredible depth and velocity, the equivalent of a corner kick.
She created several dazzling moments with her tosses, easily reaching the box from either edge of the field.
“I’m a gymnast, and I also dive as well,” Cekay said.
“Flipping is my specialty, just 15 years experience of doing front handsprings. I’m tall, and I have a super long wingspan, and the ball just goes.”
Cekay finished sixth in the state diving championship.
Warren created the most significant of the first half stories behind the savvy play of Mertens.
She worked the right edge, using her speed and quickness to get to the ball and make deep runs.
In the 19th minute, she delivered beautifully.
Making her customary run down the right edge, Mertens played a beautiful cross to the back post that midfielder Katelyn Crowson finished from about six feet for the 1-0 Warren lead.
She made the sudden and correct decision to play the ball off rather than take the shot herself.
“I saw Katelyn there, and I just wanted to get her the ball,” Mertens said.
Crowson netted her eighth goal of the season.
“I think in the first half, we did a really good job of connecting in the middle, and finding passes rather than playing direct,” she said.
“It helped us combine and then get the crosses in.”
After missing the victory over New Trier Saturday due to an illness, Lake Forest keeper Sarah Constantine returned to action for the Scouts.
She flashed terrific energy and poise in the box. She stood tall against the consistent Warren pressure.
Lake Forest also welcomed back Waddle, its most experienced and talented offensive player who suffered an injury against Waukegan on April 26.
She has a convincing blend of talent, background and drive.
Her father is former Bears receiver and current radio host Tom Waddle. Her older sister Angela was a star player for Lake Forest who played at Vanderbilt.
She brings a different dimension to the Scouts with her experience and talent.
“I was out for two weeks, and I definitely felt a little rusty at first,” Waddle said.
“Once we got the momentum going, we started playing as a team. I fell right into place. It was great to be back out there with them.”
The game took a huge turn at the start of the second half. Constantine denied a good look by forward Ella Skelton.
Lake Forest responded with some strong pressure of its own. A hustle-play by forward Tricia Gray created a corner from the left edge.
Waddle stepped into the breach.
In the 43rd minute, she smashed home a header from Lainey Tabor to tie the game 1-1.
“We did one thing better in the second half, which is that we built,” Lake Forest coach Ty Stuckslager said.
“We played the ball on the ground, and we connected more than a couple of times. In one sequence, I counted, we connected five passes.
“We moved the ball, and we got into situations where Warren was clearing the ball out. We were just one touch away from a goal.”
A game that seemingly was in the favor of Warren was suddenly an open question.
The balance of the game showcased terrific action. Cekay continued to create some dynamic actions with her flip throws.
Waddle was creative and tough to slow down. Midfielders Ashleigh Rupprecht and Kathy Peterson-Ross also got free, threatening Warren on the perimeter.
The game-winning sequence was a bang-bang action, a rare and dazzling counter off a counter.
With Warren pushing numbers forward, Lake Forest forced a turnover and drove the ball down its left edge for the seeming advantage.
Blue Devils’ Emma Paraskos nullified the movement by stripping the ball. She drove a through-ball down the right sideline that Skelton reached in space.
The all-state forward drove the ball down the edge and got the line.
Her perfectly played cross found Mertens in prime position to put the shot away in the 60th minute.
“As soon as I saw Ella running down the line, I knew I had to be there,” Mertens said.
“I knew she would take the end line and get the cross in. I just wanted to make sure I was there.”
Mertens plays with poise and an unflappable spirit.
For her high-level effort, Mertens earned the Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match honor.
“It feels super good that I played a part in helping us win,” she said.
Warren closes out the regular season by hosting no. 10 Deerfield on Thursday.
Then the Blue Devils will oversee a Class 3A sectional.
“I think we’re really excited and ready to move onto the postseason,” Mertens said.
“I think we are really confident in ourselves, and we work really well as a team against these harder teams.”
Lake Forest won the Class AA state championship in 2014.
The team has toggled back and forth between 3A and the middle state class for the tournament.
The Scouts are back in AA, where they are the sixth seed at Wauconda. Lake Forest will be formidable.
“We know some teams might outplay with us with their foot skills, but our motto is to go 100 percent and play every single minute,” Waddle said.
“I know our record doesn’t really match with how we play. I know what we can bring, and I have seen us grow so much, individually and as a team.”
Stuckslager likes what he sees.
“We like how we are playing at this time,” he said. “Tonight, I think the girls were frustrated.
“They’re frustrated that we lost, and not because we were outplayed.”
Starting lineups
Lake Forest
GK: Sarah Constantine
D: Sophie Benjakul
D: Ava Walsh
D: Riley Hoskins
D: Hanna Sands
MF: Ashleigh Rupprecht
MF: Charlotte Andress
MF: Kathy Peterson-Ross
MF: Lainey Tabor
F: Tricia Gray
F: Lily Cran
Warren
GK: Trish Georgiou
D: Mia Gloria
D: Liv Ehlers
D: Paige Hoberg
D: Emma Paraskos
MF: Reese Mertens
MF: Katelyn Crowson
MF: Kylie Mahoney
MF: Samantha Pullins
F: Ella Skelton
F: Addison Stanciak
Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match: Reese Mertens, so., MF, Warren
Scoring summary
First half
W: Katelyn Crowson (Reese Mertens), 19th minute
Second half
LF: Emersen Waddle (Lainey Tabor), 43rd minute
W: Mertens (Ella Skelton), 60th minute
her stuff against Lake Forest
MF assists opener, scores game-winner in 2-1 victory
By Patrick Z. McGavin
GURNEE -- Reese Mertens is a new kid on the block.
Monday she rocked center stage with the band.
The Warren sophomore is playing a prominent role on a stacked team.
She has slyly insinuated into the mix and made herself a vital part of the conversation.
“It feels really good to contribute, and it feels really nice having the older girls and the upperclassmen be very welcoming and encouraging no matter what,” Mertens said.
“Everyone’s super close and supportive.”
That support takes many shapes and forms, including counsel and development.
And Mertens, who is playing her first season on the varsity, is a quick learner.
She created an early assist and scored the game-winning goal in the no. 16 Blue Devils’ 2-1 victory over Lake Forest in the teams’ North Suburban Conference finale Monday night.
Warren (10-3-4, 6-0-2) entered the game with an outside chance at entering a three-way conference title with no. 9 Libertyville and no. 12 Stevenson.
It didn’t happen when Stevenson edged Libertyville 1-0 Monday for the outright conference title.
Warren did its part.
“We really focused on what we could control, and getting a positive result against Lake Forest was what we focused on,” Warren coach Ryan McCabe said.
Lake Forest (6-10-1, 2-4-1) played well in defeat, continuing its recent strong action following wins over then no. 20 New Trier and Mundelein.
“I think towards the beginning of the season, we had a hard time coming out with the energy that we needed because we were fresh as a team, and we didn’t know each other,” Scouts midfielder Emersen Waddle said.
“As the season wore on, we got a lot better moving as a team.”
Two Lake Forest defenders created some beguiling opportunities in very different fashion.
Working with the wind in the first half, Sophie Benjakul had some powerful and dangerous free kicks.
The most impressive specialist was the angular and acrobatic Taylor Cekay.
Her flip-throws flew with incredible depth and velocity, the equivalent of a corner kick.
She created several dazzling moments with her tosses, easily reaching the box from either edge of the field.
“I’m a gymnast, and I also dive as well,” Cekay said.
“Flipping is my specialty, just 15 years experience of doing front handsprings. I’m tall, and I have a super long wingspan, and the ball just goes.”
Cekay finished sixth in the state diving championship.
Warren created the most significant of the first half stories behind the savvy play of Mertens.
She worked the right edge, using her speed and quickness to get to the ball and make deep runs.
In the 19th minute, she delivered beautifully.
Making her customary run down the right edge, Mertens played a beautiful cross to the back post that midfielder Katelyn Crowson finished from about six feet for the 1-0 Warren lead.
She made the sudden and correct decision to play the ball off rather than take the shot herself.
“I saw Katelyn there, and I just wanted to get her the ball,” Mertens said.
Crowson netted her eighth goal of the season.
“I think in the first half, we did a really good job of connecting in the middle, and finding passes rather than playing direct,” she said.
“It helped us combine and then get the crosses in.”
After missing the victory over New Trier Saturday due to an illness, Lake Forest keeper Sarah Constantine returned to action for the Scouts.
She flashed terrific energy and poise in the box. She stood tall against the consistent Warren pressure.
Lake Forest also welcomed back Waddle, its most experienced and talented offensive player who suffered an injury against Waukegan on April 26.
She has a convincing blend of talent, background and drive.
Her father is former Bears receiver and current radio host Tom Waddle. Her older sister Angela was a star player for Lake Forest who played at Vanderbilt.
She brings a different dimension to the Scouts with her experience and talent.
“I was out for two weeks, and I definitely felt a little rusty at first,” Waddle said.
“Once we got the momentum going, we started playing as a team. I fell right into place. It was great to be back out there with them.”
The game took a huge turn at the start of the second half. Constantine denied a good look by forward Ella Skelton.
Lake Forest responded with some strong pressure of its own. A hustle-play by forward Tricia Gray created a corner from the left edge.
Waddle stepped into the breach.
In the 43rd minute, she smashed home a header from Lainey Tabor to tie the game 1-1.
“We did one thing better in the second half, which is that we built,” Lake Forest coach Ty Stuckslager said.
“We played the ball on the ground, and we connected more than a couple of times. In one sequence, I counted, we connected five passes.
“We moved the ball, and we got into situations where Warren was clearing the ball out. We were just one touch away from a goal.”
A game that seemingly was in the favor of Warren was suddenly an open question.
The balance of the game showcased terrific action. Cekay continued to create some dynamic actions with her flip throws.
Waddle was creative and tough to slow down. Midfielders Ashleigh Rupprecht and Kathy Peterson-Ross also got free, threatening Warren on the perimeter.
The game-winning sequence was a bang-bang action, a rare and dazzling counter off a counter.
With Warren pushing numbers forward, Lake Forest forced a turnover and drove the ball down its left edge for the seeming advantage.
Blue Devils’ Emma Paraskos nullified the movement by stripping the ball. She drove a through-ball down the right sideline that Skelton reached in space.
The all-state forward drove the ball down the edge and got the line.
Her perfectly played cross found Mertens in prime position to put the shot away in the 60th minute.
“As soon as I saw Ella running down the line, I knew I had to be there,” Mertens said.
“I knew she would take the end line and get the cross in. I just wanted to make sure I was there.”
Mertens plays with poise and an unflappable spirit.
For her high-level effort, Mertens earned the Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match honor.
“It feels super good that I played a part in helping us win,” she said.
Warren closes out the regular season by hosting no. 10 Deerfield on Thursday.
Then the Blue Devils will oversee a Class 3A sectional.
“I think we’re really excited and ready to move onto the postseason,” Mertens said.
“I think we are really confident in ourselves, and we work really well as a team against these harder teams.”
Lake Forest won the Class AA state championship in 2014.
The team has toggled back and forth between 3A and the middle state class for the tournament.
The Scouts are back in AA, where they are the sixth seed at Wauconda. Lake Forest will be formidable.
“We know some teams might outplay with us with their foot skills, but our motto is to go 100 percent and play every single minute,” Waddle said.
“I know our record doesn’t really match with how we play. I know what we can bring, and I have seen us grow so much, individually and as a team.”
Stuckslager likes what he sees.
“We like how we are playing at this time,” he said. “Tonight, I think the girls were frustrated.
“They’re frustrated that we lost, and not because we were outplayed.”
Starting lineups
Lake Forest
GK: Sarah Constantine
D: Sophie Benjakul
D: Ava Walsh
D: Riley Hoskins
D: Hanna Sands
MF: Ashleigh Rupprecht
MF: Charlotte Andress
MF: Kathy Peterson-Ross
MF: Lainey Tabor
F: Tricia Gray
F: Lily Cran
Warren
GK: Trish Georgiou
D: Mia Gloria
D: Liv Ehlers
D: Paige Hoberg
D: Emma Paraskos
MF: Reese Mertens
MF: Katelyn Crowson
MF: Kylie Mahoney
MF: Samantha Pullins
F: Ella Skelton
F: Addison Stanciak
Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match: Reese Mertens, so., MF, Warren
Scoring summary
First half
W: Katelyn Crowson (Reese Mertens), 19th minute
Second half
LF: Emersen Waddle (Lainey Tabor), 43rd minute
W: Mertens (Ella Skelton), 60th minute