Notebook: Loyola
By Patrick Z. McGavin
Loyola (9-6-3) is a team on the rise. The Ramblers underwent a natural and inevitable transition phase with the arrival of Shannon Hartinger, their new first-year coach.
Several top-of-the-line veterans like Riley Burns, Stephanie Ramsey and Maggie Avery, graduated. A couple of other players elected to concentrate on club. Maggie Brett, a two-time Chicagoland Soccer all-state forward, came off an ACL surgery and was worked into the attack very patiently.
Hartinger had an influx of brilliant young talents like freshmen Molly Sipe, Grace Ehlert, Maya Basan and Katelyn Kurtz. Meredith Phillips also emerged a a go-to talent at the top of the attack.
Strong early results against no. 8 Lane and no. 13 St. Ignatius turned the ride.
“We improved tremendously since the start of the year,” Ehlert said. The very gifted midfielder was one of six freshmen who either started or saw significant action. As those freshmen assimilated to the speed and physical style of the varsity game, Loyola shifted into another gear.
“We started out with a mismatch of people and only two returning starters, and Maggie was out with her injury,” Ehlert said. “Now we are really excited to see what we can do.”
Those young players have shown admirable skill, talent and drive. Sipe has proven herself a fantastic and dangerous specialist on free kicks. She is formidable from multiple places on the field. Basan is also a talented corner specialist and gifted defender. Ehlert and Kurtz have emerged as wickedly talented scorers. Kathryn Diblik has also shown marked improvement.
Loyola shared the GCAC Red title with St. Ignatius. Most impressively they advanced to the championship bracket of the Naperville Invitational, the state’s most prestigious tournament.
In one of their best games of the year, Loyola matched top-ranked Barrington play for play before succumbing 2-1. The Ramblers have played nine teams ranked in the final regular-season Chicagoland Soccer Top 25 poll.
Now the Ramblers look to the next step and hope to build on their 14 career regional titles. A fifth-seed in the loaded sectional at New Trier, Loyola hosts its own regional, grouped with fourth-seeded Maine South. The Ramblers begin state tournament play against Public League program Lincoln Park on today (Wednesday, May 15).
“I think we have done a good job of blending our younger players, especially the freshmen and sophomores, with our upperclassmen,” Hartinger said. “Through that, I think, you have seen an example of slowly though surely we have shown improvement and we have come together as a team.
“We have started to show that on the field. I think there are still times when we lose our focus or concentration. I think if we show greater consistency and play hard on both sides of the ball, we are capable of making a really nice run in the playoffs.”
By Patrick Z. McGavin
Loyola (9-6-3) is a team on the rise. The Ramblers underwent a natural and inevitable transition phase with the arrival of Shannon Hartinger, their new first-year coach.
Several top-of-the-line veterans like Riley Burns, Stephanie Ramsey and Maggie Avery, graduated. A couple of other players elected to concentrate on club. Maggie Brett, a two-time Chicagoland Soccer all-state forward, came off an ACL surgery and was worked into the attack very patiently.
Hartinger had an influx of brilliant young talents like freshmen Molly Sipe, Grace Ehlert, Maya Basan and Katelyn Kurtz. Meredith Phillips also emerged a a go-to talent at the top of the attack.
Strong early results against no. 8 Lane and no. 13 St. Ignatius turned the ride.
“We improved tremendously since the start of the year,” Ehlert said. The very gifted midfielder was one of six freshmen who either started or saw significant action. As those freshmen assimilated to the speed and physical style of the varsity game, Loyola shifted into another gear.
“We started out with a mismatch of people and only two returning starters, and Maggie was out with her injury,” Ehlert said. “Now we are really excited to see what we can do.”
Those young players have shown admirable skill, talent and drive. Sipe has proven herself a fantastic and dangerous specialist on free kicks. She is formidable from multiple places on the field. Basan is also a talented corner specialist and gifted defender. Ehlert and Kurtz have emerged as wickedly talented scorers. Kathryn Diblik has also shown marked improvement.
Loyola shared the GCAC Red title with St. Ignatius. Most impressively they advanced to the championship bracket of the Naperville Invitational, the state’s most prestigious tournament.
In one of their best games of the year, Loyola matched top-ranked Barrington play for play before succumbing 2-1. The Ramblers have played nine teams ranked in the final regular-season Chicagoland Soccer Top 25 poll.
Now the Ramblers look to the next step and hope to build on their 14 career regional titles. A fifth-seed in the loaded sectional at New Trier, Loyola hosts its own regional, grouped with fourth-seeded Maine South. The Ramblers begin state tournament play against Public League program Lincoln Park on today (Wednesday, May 15).
“I think we have done a good job of blending our younger players, especially the freshmen and sophomores, with our upperclassmen,” Hartinger said. “Through that, I think, you have seen an example of slowly though surely we have shown improvement and we have come together as a team.
“We have started to show that on the field. I think there are still times when we lose our focus or concentration. I think if we show greater consistency and play hard on both sides of the ball, we are capable of making a really nice run in the playoffs.”