Notebook: Fremd, New Trier
By Ken Keenan
Fremd
The Vikings, the no. 7 seed in the Class 3A Libertyville Sectional, will face Mid-Suburban League rival and ninth-seeded Buffalo Grove in the semifinals of the Stevenson Regional at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday. The Vikings defeated the Bison 2-0 in conference play on April 11.
The regional title game is set for 10 a.m. Saturday. The host and second-seeded Patriots and no. 15-seed Zion-Benton meet at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday to decide who advances.
After beginning the season with a 4-2-1 mark, Fremd finished the regular season at 6-9-4 overall. All the Vikings wins came against league competition. They finished the MSL campaign with a 6-4-1 record.
Click here to see the MSL final standings
An 0-5-3 nonconference record shows Fremd didn't skimp when it came to nonconference and tournament matches. The loss column included defeats to ranked teams St. Charles East, Metea Valley, Lyons and New Trier. The Vikings lost to Barrington in league play.
Injuries have plagued the team, which played in its regular season finale (a 4-0 loss to state power New Trier on May 11) minus starting regulars freshman forward/midfielder Caeleigh Stone, sophomore mid Mackenzie Stein and junior mid/forward Juliana Temple.
Stone enters the postseason as the team's leading scorer with seven goals and an assist. Other top contributors are: senior defender Marta Cholewa (4 goals, 2 assists); sophomore defender Elizabeth Prigge (2 goals, 4 assists); freshman forward Ashley Scesniak (4 goals); sophomore defender Lauren Burk (3 goals); and sophomore midfielder Claire Stewart (goal, 4 assists).
Sophomore goalkeeper Jennifer Norris (12 games, 4 shutouts) has made her presence felt in her debut varsity season. Junior Kennedy Gosell (7 games, 2 shutouts) has put in quality time.
The Vikings youth have been served a big helping of playing time. Can that translate into playoff success?
"We need to play with confidence and hunger," Fremd head coach Steve Keller said prior to the New Trier match. "Sometimes we seem to wait until we are down a goal to play with the passion and intensity needed to win. This needs to change ASAP if we are to make a run in the playoffs. We need to compete with a chip on our shoulder."
New Trier
The Trevians enter the state tournament as the top seed in the Glenbrook South Sectional. New Trier, ranked no. 2 in the final regular season Chicagoland Soccer Top 25, will open postseason play in the Maine East Regional semifinals against the 16th-seeded and host Blue Demons at 5 p.m. Tuesday.
The regional title game is set for 5 p.m. Friday. The Maine event includes no. 8-seed Maine South and ninth-seeded Maine West.
New Trier concluded the regular season with a 4-0 win over host Fremd in nonconference action May 11 and extended its winning streak to 13 in a row. The Trevians enter the playoffs with a 18-0-2 mark overall, including a 5-0-0 record in Central Suburban League South Division play that resulted in the team's second-consecutive league crown.
Click here to see the final CSL South standings
"Our record is meaningless," said New Trier head coach Jim Burnside. "We have won state championships with multiple losses on our record in the past, and we have lost in the sectionals with no losses. We only want to be undefeated in the current game we are playing. That is all that matters.
"Hopefully, we approach every opponent the same way -- with energy, excitement and respect for our opponent. If we don't, we're in for a long night."
After winning the Class 3A state championship in 2014, 2015 and 2016, the Trevians dropped a 1-0 decision to Barrington in the 2017 title match.
Click here to read the 2015 championship match story
Click here to read the 2016 championship match story
Click here to read the 2017 championship match story
Prior to the regular season finale with Fremd, Burnside said: "We look to improve each and every game. We have certain basics that we need to do -- move the ball, connect and look to be creative -- and I would like to better at each of those."
New Trier has numerous weapons in its arsenal: senior defender Sydney Parker (13 goals, 2 assists); senior midfielder/forward Nicole Kaspi (11 goals, 3 assists); sophomore forward/mid Emma Weaver (9 goals, 12 assists); senior forward Whitney Hoban (6 goals, 6 assists); junior mid Lily Conley (4 goals, 7 assists); senior forward Victoria Flanagan (2 goals, 2 assists); and senior defender Caroline Iserloth (goal, 3 assists).
Goalkeeping duties are anchored by junior Meghan Dwyer (14 games, 8 shutouts) with help from sophomore Courtney Charchut (5 games, 5 shutouts).
By Ken Keenan
Fremd
The Vikings, the no. 7 seed in the Class 3A Libertyville Sectional, will face Mid-Suburban League rival and ninth-seeded Buffalo Grove in the semifinals of the Stevenson Regional at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday. The Vikings defeated the Bison 2-0 in conference play on April 11.
The regional title game is set for 10 a.m. Saturday. The host and second-seeded Patriots and no. 15-seed Zion-Benton meet at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday to decide who advances.
After beginning the season with a 4-2-1 mark, Fremd finished the regular season at 6-9-4 overall. All the Vikings wins came against league competition. They finished the MSL campaign with a 6-4-1 record.
Click here to see the MSL final standings
An 0-5-3 nonconference record shows Fremd didn't skimp when it came to nonconference and tournament matches. The loss column included defeats to ranked teams St. Charles East, Metea Valley, Lyons and New Trier. The Vikings lost to Barrington in league play.
Injuries have plagued the team, which played in its regular season finale (a 4-0 loss to state power New Trier on May 11) minus starting regulars freshman forward/midfielder Caeleigh Stone, sophomore mid Mackenzie Stein and junior mid/forward Juliana Temple.
Stone enters the postseason as the team's leading scorer with seven goals and an assist. Other top contributors are: senior defender Marta Cholewa (4 goals, 2 assists); sophomore defender Elizabeth Prigge (2 goals, 4 assists); freshman forward Ashley Scesniak (4 goals); sophomore defender Lauren Burk (3 goals); and sophomore midfielder Claire Stewart (goal, 4 assists).
Sophomore goalkeeper Jennifer Norris (12 games, 4 shutouts) has made her presence felt in her debut varsity season. Junior Kennedy Gosell (7 games, 2 shutouts) has put in quality time.
The Vikings youth have been served a big helping of playing time. Can that translate into playoff success?
"We need to play with confidence and hunger," Fremd head coach Steve Keller said prior to the New Trier match. "Sometimes we seem to wait until we are down a goal to play with the passion and intensity needed to win. This needs to change ASAP if we are to make a run in the playoffs. We need to compete with a chip on our shoulder."
New Trier
The Trevians enter the state tournament as the top seed in the Glenbrook South Sectional. New Trier, ranked no. 2 in the final regular season Chicagoland Soccer Top 25, will open postseason play in the Maine East Regional semifinals against the 16th-seeded and host Blue Demons at 5 p.m. Tuesday.
The regional title game is set for 5 p.m. Friday. The Maine event includes no. 8-seed Maine South and ninth-seeded Maine West.
New Trier concluded the regular season with a 4-0 win over host Fremd in nonconference action May 11 and extended its winning streak to 13 in a row. The Trevians enter the playoffs with a 18-0-2 mark overall, including a 5-0-0 record in Central Suburban League South Division play that resulted in the team's second-consecutive league crown.
Click here to see the final CSL South standings
"Our record is meaningless," said New Trier head coach Jim Burnside. "We have won state championships with multiple losses on our record in the past, and we have lost in the sectionals with no losses. We only want to be undefeated in the current game we are playing. That is all that matters.
"Hopefully, we approach every opponent the same way -- with energy, excitement and respect for our opponent. If we don't, we're in for a long night."
After winning the Class 3A state championship in 2014, 2015 and 2016, the Trevians dropped a 1-0 decision to Barrington in the 2017 title match.
Click here to read the 2015 championship match story
Click here to read the 2016 championship match story
Click here to read the 2017 championship match story
Prior to the regular season finale with Fremd, Burnside said: "We look to improve each and every game. We have certain basics that we need to do -- move the ball, connect and look to be creative -- and I would like to better at each of those."
New Trier has numerous weapons in its arsenal: senior defender Sydney Parker (13 goals, 2 assists); senior midfielder/forward Nicole Kaspi (11 goals, 3 assists); sophomore forward/mid Emma Weaver (9 goals, 12 assists); senior forward Whitney Hoban (6 goals, 6 assists); junior mid Lily Conley (4 goals, 7 assists); senior forward Victoria Flanagan (2 goals, 2 assists); and senior defender Caroline Iserloth (goal, 3 assists).
Goalkeeping duties are anchored by junior Meghan Dwyer (14 games, 8 shutouts) with help from sophomore Courtney Charchut (5 games, 5 shutouts).