West Aurora continues league title quest
Blackhawks’ breakthrough vs. Bartlett was big step
By Steve Nemeth
On April 29 West Aurora finally ended its frustration with Bartlett with a 2-0 win.
While there’s no doubt the Blackhawks very much wanted to put an end to a series of losses to Bartlett -- most of which kept West from sharing some form of an Upstate Eight Conference title -- it was simply a first step according to junior midfielder Olivia McPherson.
“We knew going in it was a big game in the sense that we needed to do A-B-C, and so without beating them (Bartlett), it could impact matches with East (Aurora) and South (Elgin),” the junior midfielder insisted. “However, we were aware of previous losses to them, so this was a nice win for our seniors.”
But when it comes to this year’s UEC championship, it’s like one step still isn’t enough.
Prior to that April date, all kinds of mathematical options were available for half the league to gain either a co-championship or play a spoiler’s role.
For West Aurora, the middle step -- a 4-1 triumph over crosstown rival East Aurora on May 1 -- was a special victory for coach Laura Wagley. It marked her 100th-career win -- reason for a Gatorade shower?
“No way, not unless they wanted to run sprints for the next 20 years of their lives,” Wagley said.
But coach, high school eligibility can only last four years even if you’re a freshman.
“Dump ice cold water or whatever on me, they know I’d find a way,” she said.
The Blackhawks wisely settled for a lot of confetti.
For Bartlett, the West Aurora loss was only the Hawks' second loss in the league. The next match was a showdown with the third school boasting a goose egg in the loss column: South Elgin. Win, and perhaps Bartlett could gain at least a share of a UEC title for the third-consecutive season.
Unfortunately for coach Vince Revak’s crew, that May 1 showdown resulted in a Senior Night disappointment in a monstrously close match. The Storm used a Katrina Barthelt penalty kick for a 1-0 triumph.
On that same date in May, Glenbard East blanked Glenbard South 5-0 and immediately wished the Raiders good luck in the future.
Yes, East’s Rams have to take care of their own business on May 8 at Larkin and against Elgin on May 9, but coach Kent Overbey’s squad will cheer for whomever can beat South Elgin, be that Glenbard South on May 6 or West Aurora on May 8.
Technically Glenbard East would prefer to see the Storm and Blackhawks battle to a tie. That’s the best formula for the title hopes for the Rams, who could raise their point total to 22 with two victories. Should West Aurora draw, it would mean 20 points instead of a potential maximum of 22.
Anything other than two victories for South Elgin would prevent the Storm from compiling 23 points.
Best to borrow baseball great Yogi Berra's expression: “It ain’t over till it’s over.”
“Our approach is that the match with South Elgin is a true conference championship battle for us,” Wagley said. “In matches of that kind of magnitude, it all comes down to execution.”
Making the grades
Although the UEC has traditionally only announced an all-conference team, this year would be equally competitive if there was academic all-UEC balloting. Potential top vote-getters would include South Elgin’s four-year varsity member Bridget Bondi, the school’s valedictorian.
Glenbard East’s Hayden Dudek and Amy Chiero are the numbers one- and two-ranked female students in their graduating class.
Five Glenbard South soccer players are members of the National Honor Society: Abby Showalter, Erin Haslett, Ava Garippo, Kate Gavin, and Kelly Lupa.
Bartlett’s roster features four notable classroom standouts with awards to use in their future: Jasmine Mendez, Club Guadalupano Scholarship (community service), Fall Board of Trustees Scholarship (headed to Aurora University); Paige Bednarke, Presidential Scholarship (Minnesota); Abby Hawes, Academic Scholarship (Iowa State); and Rachel Helgesen, Journey Award (Iowa State).
Numbers game
South Elgin may have the most impressive turnaround in the state. Prior to this year, coach Laura Szwaja’s Storm units had one league win in two seasons (1-7-2). South Elgin has gone from a 1-11-3 mark in 2018 to this campaign’s double-digit victories. Obviously impacting the Storm’s success would be a favorite for league freshman of the year in Barthelt, who has 27 goals and two assists for 56 points.
Larkin’s Kelly Leon tops the loop with 30 goals -- six shy of the Royals' single-season record -- plus 14 assists for an eye-popping 74 points. Other team scoring leaders include: West Chicago’s Barbie Castellanos (school single-season record 26 goals, 12a, 64 pts.); Glenbard East's Lindsey Novak (21g, 11a, 53 pts.), Glenbard South's Erin Haslett (17g, 2a, 36 points), West Aurora Audrey Stephens (14g, 8a, 36 pts.), Elgin's Hayly Munoz (17 goals, assist, 35 points), Streamwood's Josett Perez (13g, 7a, 33 pts.); East Aurora's Edith Delgaldo (7g, 8a, 22 points); and Bartlett's Mikayla Brown (8g, 2a, 18 poitnts).
Continuing careers
Collegiate soccer is in the future for the following players: Bartlett’s Mikayla Brown (Wisconsin-Stevens Point), West Chicago’s Barbie Castellanos (Chicago State) and Haley Rich (Lakeland); West Aurora’s Yuvia Ontiveros (Carthage), South Elgin’s Ashley Kopczyk (Agnes Scott College), Glenbard East’s Lindsey Novak (North Central), Amy Chiero (Denison), and Sam Johnson (Elmhurst), plus Glenbard South’s Sam Schutte (North Central).
For the record(s)
Games through Monday, May 6
South Elgin: 11-3-3 / 6-0-2; West Aurora: overall 11-5-1 / UEC 6-1-1; Glenbard East: 15-4-2 / 5-1-1; Elgin: 13-8-0 / 4-3-0, Bartlett: 6-12-2 / 4-4-0, Larkin: 13-7-1 / 4-4-0, Glenbard South: 10-6-1 / 3-4-1, Streamwood: 5-12-1 / 1-6-1, East Aurora: 4-11-2 / 0-8-0.
Blackhawks’ breakthrough vs. Bartlett was big step
By Steve Nemeth
On April 29 West Aurora finally ended its frustration with Bartlett with a 2-0 win.
While there’s no doubt the Blackhawks very much wanted to put an end to a series of losses to Bartlett -- most of which kept West from sharing some form of an Upstate Eight Conference title -- it was simply a first step according to junior midfielder Olivia McPherson.
“We knew going in it was a big game in the sense that we needed to do A-B-C, and so without beating them (Bartlett), it could impact matches with East (Aurora) and South (Elgin),” the junior midfielder insisted. “However, we were aware of previous losses to them, so this was a nice win for our seniors.”
But when it comes to this year’s UEC championship, it’s like one step still isn’t enough.
Prior to that April date, all kinds of mathematical options were available for half the league to gain either a co-championship or play a spoiler’s role.
For West Aurora, the middle step -- a 4-1 triumph over crosstown rival East Aurora on May 1 -- was a special victory for coach Laura Wagley. It marked her 100th-career win -- reason for a Gatorade shower?
“No way, not unless they wanted to run sprints for the next 20 years of their lives,” Wagley said.
But coach, high school eligibility can only last four years even if you’re a freshman.
“Dump ice cold water or whatever on me, they know I’d find a way,” she said.
The Blackhawks wisely settled for a lot of confetti.
For Bartlett, the West Aurora loss was only the Hawks' second loss in the league. The next match was a showdown with the third school boasting a goose egg in the loss column: South Elgin. Win, and perhaps Bartlett could gain at least a share of a UEC title for the third-consecutive season.
Unfortunately for coach Vince Revak’s crew, that May 1 showdown resulted in a Senior Night disappointment in a monstrously close match. The Storm used a Katrina Barthelt penalty kick for a 1-0 triumph.
On that same date in May, Glenbard East blanked Glenbard South 5-0 and immediately wished the Raiders good luck in the future.
Yes, East’s Rams have to take care of their own business on May 8 at Larkin and against Elgin on May 9, but coach Kent Overbey’s squad will cheer for whomever can beat South Elgin, be that Glenbard South on May 6 or West Aurora on May 8.
Technically Glenbard East would prefer to see the Storm and Blackhawks battle to a tie. That’s the best formula for the title hopes for the Rams, who could raise their point total to 22 with two victories. Should West Aurora draw, it would mean 20 points instead of a potential maximum of 22.
Anything other than two victories for South Elgin would prevent the Storm from compiling 23 points.
Best to borrow baseball great Yogi Berra's expression: “It ain’t over till it’s over.”
“Our approach is that the match with South Elgin is a true conference championship battle for us,” Wagley said. “In matches of that kind of magnitude, it all comes down to execution.”
Making the grades
Although the UEC has traditionally only announced an all-conference team, this year would be equally competitive if there was academic all-UEC balloting. Potential top vote-getters would include South Elgin’s four-year varsity member Bridget Bondi, the school’s valedictorian.
Glenbard East’s Hayden Dudek and Amy Chiero are the numbers one- and two-ranked female students in their graduating class.
Five Glenbard South soccer players are members of the National Honor Society: Abby Showalter, Erin Haslett, Ava Garippo, Kate Gavin, and Kelly Lupa.
Bartlett’s roster features four notable classroom standouts with awards to use in their future: Jasmine Mendez, Club Guadalupano Scholarship (community service), Fall Board of Trustees Scholarship (headed to Aurora University); Paige Bednarke, Presidential Scholarship (Minnesota); Abby Hawes, Academic Scholarship (Iowa State); and Rachel Helgesen, Journey Award (Iowa State).
Numbers game
South Elgin may have the most impressive turnaround in the state. Prior to this year, coach Laura Szwaja’s Storm units had one league win in two seasons (1-7-2). South Elgin has gone from a 1-11-3 mark in 2018 to this campaign’s double-digit victories. Obviously impacting the Storm’s success would be a favorite for league freshman of the year in Barthelt, who has 27 goals and two assists for 56 points.
Larkin’s Kelly Leon tops the loop with 30 goals -- six shy of the Royals' single-season record -- plus 14 assists for an eye-popping 74 points. Other team scoring leaders include: West Chicago’s Barbie Castellanos (school single-season record 26 goals, 12a, 64 pts.); Glenbard East's Lindsey Novak (21g, 11a, 53 pts.), Glenbard South's Erin Haslett (17g, 2a, 36 points), West Aurora Audrey Stephens (14g, 8a, 36 pts.), Elgin's Hayly Munoz (17 goals, assist, 35 points), Streamwood's Josett Perez (13g, 7a, 33 pts.); East Aurora's Edith Delgaldo (7g, 8a, 22 points); and Bartlett's Mikayla Brown (8g, 2a, 18 poitnts).
Continuing careers
Collegiate soccer is in the future for the following players: Bartlett’s Mikayla Brown (Wisconsin-Stevens Point), West Chicago’s Barbie Castellanos (Chicago State) and Haley Rich (Lakeland); West Aurora’s Yuvia Ontiveros (Carthage), South Elgin’s Ashley Kopczyk (Agnes Scott College), Glenbard East’s Lindsey Novak (North Central), Amy Chiero (Denison), and Sam Johnson (Elmhurst), plus Glenbard South’s Sam Schutte (North Central).
For the record(s)
Games through Monday, May 6
South Elgin: 11-3-3 / 6-0-2; West Aurora: overall 11-5-1 / UEC 6-1-1; Glenbard East: 15-4-2 / 5-1-1; Elgin: 13-8-0 / 4-3-0, Bartlett: 6-12-2 / 4-4-0, Larkin: 13-7-1 / 4-4-0, Glenbard South: 10-6-1 / 3-4-1, Streamwood: 5-12-1 / 1-6-1, East Aurora: 4-11-2 / 0-8-0.