Notebook: Fenwick-Triad semifinal
By Mike Wojtychiw
NAPERVILLE -- The first Class AA semifinal, in a way, was a battle of David vs Goliath, but not in the way people normally think of it. In most cases, that type of battle is between someone/something that’s larger against someone/something that’s smaller.
That wasn’t the case between Triad and Fenwick, however. According to IHSA.org, Triad has an enrollment of 1,157, while Fenwick has a non-multiplied enrollment of 1,140.
Where the two differ, however, is in experience at the state finals. Fenwick was making its first appearance since 2013, but Triad is looking for back-to-back titles and its third since 2017.
Fenwick back in the spotlight
The Friars had made only three previous appearances at the state tournament: 2003 (quarterfinal loss); 2004 (fourth place); and 2013 (third place). Fenwick had hoped to make its first appearance in the state title game when it faced off against defending champion Triad.
Despite leading at halftime, the Friars fell to the Knights in double overtime and will now face Fenwick to the third place game against Deerfield.
Fenwick was proud of how it handled itself against arguably the toughest team it played this season.
“This is awesome, I couldn’t ask for a better experience,” Fenwick keeper Audrey Hinrichs said.
“We knew the circumstances were going to be challenging, so we put a game-plan together -- the counterattack through Kate (Henige) and the execution was amazing. The connection (on the goal) between Emily (Ortiz) and Grace (Kapsch) is something we’ve seen all year.”
The Friars came into the state playoffs with an 8-6-2 record and off a 3-0 loss to Loyola in their regular-season finale.
But things changed in the playoffs. The Friars outscored their opponents 18-1 through the supersectional, including four shutouts.
Still, they knew what they were up against with Triad.
“Even though we lost, it was still fun,” Hinrichs said. “Close games are so fun to play in, it’s so intense.”
Fenwick’s coach liked his team's effort.
“We congratulated them on the win against DeLaSalle and how important that was, but the re-focus was going into this game as an underdog team, but knowing we had an opportunity,” Blazer said. “We had a couple days to digest it and really play the same way in this sense knowing we were going to have to defend more and that we were going to get fewer chances than we were used to getting. But for me, I think that was the best game we played all year.”
Hinrichs shines
The Fenwick keeper has had quite the career. The senior was a three-sport athlete all four years of her high school career, playing basketball and volleyball in addition to soccer.
The 6-foot-1 keeper, who will attend Gonzaga University as a regular student in the fall, has saved her best for last this spring. After missing seven games due to an ankle injury -- Hinrichs says she’s been prone to ankle injuries -- she is ending her senior season on quite a stretch and no game was impressive than her performance in the semifinal against Triad.
“I’ve been preparing for this since I was a freshman,” Hinrichs said. “I’ve played three sports, always wanted to go down to state and knew we had to bring it.
“I think we did. Triad’s a great team, so I think we tried our hardest.”
Hinrichs saved the day multiple times for the Friars, shutting down a potent Knights offense that had outscored its opponents 122-5 coming into the semifinal. Hinrichs saved 11 shots, several of the sprawling variety, and consistently kept her squad in the match.
"Once I get flowing, I feel like I can compete with anybody,” she said.
Manager Blazer is used to Hinrichs' heroics.
“Coming out of a strong performance against DeLaSalle, she was a little banged up with her quad, but she was focused from the beginning,” Blazer said. “She’s fearless and a great competitor. She plays volleyball and basketball. A four-year athlete in three sports and she willed herself. It was great to see.”
Triad aiming for repeat
Triad came into the state tournament looking to become the first team to repeat in Class AA since the state split from two classes to three. The Knights finished last season with a perfect 24-0-1 record, including two 1-0 shutouts in the Final Four.
Triad started off the year just as hot, winning its first 15 games before dropping a contest to Waterloo on April 28. The Knights redeemed themselves against Waterloo in the sectional final with a 1-0 win.
Getting to the Final Four an season is hard, but to make it back-to-back is especially tough with a target on your back.
“I think we were a little nervous when (Fenwick) scored at first, but we kept our composure. We knew we had this game in the bag as long as we stay focused,” Gina Catanzaro said.
“It’s an amazing feeling to make it back. We lost to Benet our freshman year (2019) so we want that revenge. It was extremely hard to get back because we had so much pressure on our backs that we knew we had to stay focused. That was our phrase for the year…’Stay Focused.’ We just have to keep our composure.”
“The whole game, I had no worries. We had the whole game to score,” Kinlee Lippert said. “We had possession the whole game. They got a lucky corner kick. It happens.
“It’s going to be crazy. Everyone always has their doubts about tiny Troy Triad, so going back-to-back, that’d be the best.”
Catanzaro emerges
The Knights made it back to the state’s Final Four despite losing last year’s top two scorers to injury. Laney Harshany and Gabbie Wood are out with knee injuries.
In their place stepped in senior forward Gina Catanzaro. The Maryville University recruit stepped up her game and scored 24 goals coming into Friday’s semifinal against Fenwick.
Catanzaro stepped up again when her team needed her and tied the game in the 50th minute. She put in a beautiful goal from the right wing on a shot that looked as if it would go just over but snuck under the crossbar and over the outstretched arms of Fenwick keeper Hinrichs.
“I just wanted to go out there, try my hardest and give it my all because it’s the last two games of the year,” Catanzaro said. “I knew I could beat the defender one-on-one so I took my chances. I think that goal kept us going, and we knew we wanted more and could get more.”
Kinlee LIppert wasn’t shocked by Catanzaro’s play. It’s something she’s gotten used to seeing all year.
“When you see Gina, you say ‘That player, she’s not that good; she’s tiny,’” she said. “She’s a hell of a player. Coming back from all her injuries, that’s intense.”
Catanzaro has needed four knee surgeries to stay on the field.
Catanzaro and Lippert will try to lead their team to a repeat title Saturday night.
By Mike Wojtychiw
NAPERVILLE -- The first Class AA semifinal, in a way, was a battle of David vs Goliath, but not in the way people normally think of it. In most cases, that type of battle is between someone/something that’s larger against someone/something that’s smaller.
That wasn’t the case between Triad and Fenwick, however. According to IHSA.org, Triad has an enrollment of 1,157, while Fenwick has a non-multiplied enrollment of 1,140.
Where the two differ, however, is in experience at the state finals. Fenwick was making its first appearance since 2013, but Triad is looking for back-to-back titles and its third since 2017.
Fenwick back in the spotlight
The Friars had made only three previous appearances at the state tournament: 2003 (quarterfinal loss); 2004 (fourth place); and 2013 (third place). Fenwick had hoped to make its first appearance in the state title game when it faced off against defending champion Triad.
Despite leading at halftime, the Friars fell to the Knights in double overtime and will now face Fenwick to the third place game against Deerfield.
Fenwick was proud of how it handled itself against arguably the toughest team it played this season.
“This is awesome, I couldn’t ask for a better experience,” Fenwick keeper Audrey Hinrichs said.
“We knew the circumstances were going to be challenging, so we put a game-plan together -- the counterattack through Kate (Henige) and the execution was amazing. The connection (on the goal) between Emily (Ortiz) and Grace (Kapsch) is something we’ve seen all year.”
The Friars came into the state playoffs with an 8-6-2 record and off a 3-0 loss to Loyola in their regular-season finale.
But things changed in the playoffs. The Friars outscored their opponents 18-1 through the supersectional, including four shutouts.
Still, they knew what they were up against with Triad.
“Even though we lost, it was still fun,” Hinrichs said. “Close games are so fun to play in, it’s so intense.”
Fenwick’s coach liked his team's effort.
“We congratulated them on the win against DeLaSalle and how important that was, but the re-focus was going into this game as an underdog team, but knowing we had an opportunity,” Blazer said. “We had a couple days to digest it and really play the same way in this sense knowing we were going to have to defend more and that we were going to get fewer chances than we were used to getting. But for me, I think that was the best game we played all year.”
Hinrichs shines
The Fenwick keeper has had quite the career. The senior was a three-sport athlete all four years of her high school career, playing basketball and volleyball in addition to soccer.
The 6-foot-1 keeper, who will attend Gonzaga University as a regular student in the fall, has saved her best for last this spring. After missing seven games due to an ankle injury -- Hinrichs says she’s been prone to ankle injuries -- she is ending her senior season on quite a stretch and no game was impressive than her performance in the semifinal against Triad.
“I’ve been preparing for this since I was a freshman,” Hinrichs said. “I’ve played three sports, always wanted to go down to state and knew we had to bring it.
“I think we did. Triad’s a great team, so I think we tried our hardest.”
Hinrichs saved the day multiple times for the Friars, shutting down a potent Knights offense that had outscored its opponents 122-5 coming into the semifinal. Hinrichs saved 11 shots, several of the sprawling variety, and consistently kept her squad in the match.
"Once I get flowing, I feel like I can compete with anybody,” she said.
Manager Blazer is used to Hinrichs' heroics.
“Coming out of a strong performance against DeLaSalle, she was a little banged up with her quad, but she was focused from the beginning,” Blazer said. “She’s fearless and a great competitor. She plays volleyball and basketball. A four-year athlete in three sports and she willed herself. It was great to see.”
Triad aiming for repeat
Triad came into the state tournament looking to become the first team to repeat in Class AA since the state split from two classes to three. The Knights finished last season with a perfect 24-0-1 record, including two 1-0 shutouts in the Final Four.
Triad started off the year just as hot, winning its first 15 games before dropping a contest to Waterloo on April 28. The Knights redeemed themselves against Waterloo in the sectional final with a 1-0 win.
Getting to the Final Four an season is hard, but to make it back-to-back is especially tough with a target on your back.
“I think we were a little nervous when (Fenwick) scored at first, but we kept our composure. We knew we had this game in the bag as long as we stay focused,” Gina Catanzaro said.
“It’s an amazing feeling to make it back. We lost to Benet our freshman year (2019) so we want that revenge. It was extremely hard to get back because we had so much pressure on our backs that we knew we had to stay focused. That was our phrase for the year…’Stay Focused.’ We just have to keep our composure.”
“The whole game, I had no worries. We had the whole game to score,” Kinlee Lippert said. “We had possession the whole game. They got a lucky corner kick. It happens.
“It’s going to be crazy. Everyone always has their doubts about tiny Troy Triad, so going back-to-back, that’d be the best.”
Catanzaro emerges
The Knights made it back to the state’s Final Four despite losing last year’s top two scorers to injury. Laney Harshany and Gabbie Wood are out with knee injuries.
In their place stepped in senior forward Gina Catanzaro. The Maryville University recruit stepped up her game and scored 24 goals coming into Friday’s semifinal against Fenwick.
Catanzaro stepped up again when her team needed her and tied the game in the 50th minute. She put in a beautiful goal from the right wing on a shot that looked as if it would go just over but snuck under the crossbar and over the outstretched arms of Fenwick keeper Hinrichs.
“I just wanted to go out there, try my hardest and give it my all because it’s the last two games of the year,” Catanzaro said. “I knew I could beat the defender one-on-one so I took my chances. I think that goal kept us going, and we knew we wanted more and could get more.”
Kinlee LIppert wasn’t shocked by Catanzaro’s play. It’s something she’s gotten used to seeing all year.
“When you see Gina, you say ‘That player, she’s not that good; she’s tiny,’” she said. “She’s a hell of a player. Coming back from all her injuries, that’s intense.”
Catanzaro has needed four knee surgeries to stay on the field.
Catanzaro and Lippert will try to lead their team to a repeat title Saturday night.