Notebook: Young
By Patrick Z. McGavin
On the final Friday of the regular season, the Young players and coaches celebrated with a team barbeque.
It proved both cathartic and emotional, a necessary release from the daily stress and tension of an action-packed season. Young came up just short for its primary objective -- winning the city title against Lane. The Dolphins came up just short in a 1-0 defeat that featured a dramatic 71st-minute goal in a grand setting at Toyota Park.
The girls season is a white-knuckler, compressed, intense and marked by extremes. The 2018 iteration of the Dolphins went through a lot, enduring a tough 0-3-0 start.
A Spring Break trip to South Carolina proved a breakthrough for the team and helped them meld together.
The Dolphins final 12-11-2 record included three one-goal losses and two shootut defeats. But at this academically rigorous school, one of the most difficult in the city to gain admittance to, the players go beyond a simple accounting of wins and losses.
Young and Lane shared the Premier title, each going 6-0-1. They played to a memorable 1-1 draw with the two goals scored seconds apart in the 80th minute. The city title game appearance marked a pinnacle.
As coach Spero Mandakas pointed out, it was a bitter pill for his seniors as their greatest rival won the city in each of their four years.
“Everyone put everything out there, and the ultimate goal was to win the city title,” senior defender Kyra Sobel said. “Everybody had their reasons for playing and being out there. We talked about that before the game. Everybody was very excited. Even though it’s not the result we wanted, we still gave it our best effort.
“About the only thing you can really say is better luck next year.”
On a large and versatile roster, Young carried 11 seniors. Their stories were worth spotlighting. Forward Sophie Putrim was one of the most dynamic and electric players in the city. She epitomized the hunger and resilience. She emerged on the scene as a freshman and then missed most of her sophomore year from complications of a concussion.
She was exhilarating in the city title game, fast and explosive and a danger every time she was near the ball. Her twin sister Olivia Putrim was slowed by a series of complicated and nagging injuries. She showed tremendous resolve and great flexibility in helping Young offset some late-season injuries. Mandakas was able to plug Olivia Putrim wherever the situation demanded, in the middle to energize the attack or the back in support of a depleted defense. Sara Woods, a graceful and lithe forward, also shined for the Dolphins. She demonstrated a great touch and a flair for finishing. Keila Vega, another senior forward, also played with passion and feeling. Results matter, she said, but so does how you play and what you represent.
Young played the right way.
“We were happy with how we played this year,” Vega said. “Right after the [city final] ended, we were already team bonding and getting our emotions back up. We were practicing and getting ready for our next game.”
Ella McCarthy, the daughter of the girls’ assistant coach and boys’ head coach Ian McCarthy, also exemplified the unselfish and unshowy side of the team. She played all over the field, moving between the middle and the back. Sarah Heise, another midfielder, also developed her game exponentially as the year wore on. She scored a crucial goal against Payton in a city semifinal that propelled the Dolphins to the title game.
Senior midfielders Jessica O’Donnell, Jen Soria and Lindsey Sonnedfeldt were also essential parts of the team. Keeper Gaby Lukanus split time with junior Mia Engelmann, showing poise and skill.
The season ended too abruptly for the seniors. The Dolphins got clipped 2-0 by Glenbard West in a Class 3A regional semifinal May 15 at Lyons.
The seniors bequeathed a strong foundation. They played with pride and purpose. By any standard, the season was a successful one. As Mandakas said after the city final, the younger generation talent now possesses a finer sense of what it takes to be a champion and is likely to use the disappointment of the runnerup finish to improve offseason training and workout patterns.
Sophomore Mia Lisanti is one of the top young talents in the city. She plays with a blinding, forward momentum, sharp and skilled enough to seek out defensive vulnerabilities that she is able to take advantage of. In her two years she has also exhibited the presence to be in the thick of the decisive action.
Another sophomore, defender Lauren Ehlers, scored the game-winner against Payton in the city semifinals. Tall and rangy, she is another standout young talent. Sophomore midfielder Ayana Loyd was the revelation of the Dolphins in the city title game.
The junior class is also very deep and talented. Engelmann was brilliant in the city title game. Electric attacking midfielder Audrey Howaniec earned two Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the match honors. Midfielder Eleanor Sherline and defender Addie Schlensker also started. Junior defender Carson Herman also played significant minutes at the end of the season.
Two freshmen also registered a significant presence. Meaghan Jungels was part of a backline that recorded seven shutouts. Midfielder Anneliese Kelner also started multiple games for the Dolphins.
Young went 7-4-2 down the stretch. The Dolphins qualified for the third place game of the only other tournament they took part in -- the Chicago Cup. They had had a net-plus goal differential on the year.
“We can hold our heads high,” Mandakas said.
By Patrick Z. McGavin
On the final Friday of the regular season, the Young players and coaches celebrated with a team barbeque.
It proved both cathartic and emotional, a necessary release from the daily stress and tension of an action-packed season. Young came up just short for its primary objective -- winning the city title against Lane. The Dolphins came up just short in a 1-0 defeat that featured a dramatic 71st-minute goal in a grand setting at Toyota Park.
The girls season is a white-knuckler, compressed, intense and marked by extremes. The 2018 iteration of the Dolphins went through a lot, enduring a tough 0-3-0 start.
A Spring Break trip to South Carolina proved a breakthrough for the team and helped them meld together.
The Dolphins final 12-11-2 record included three one-goal losses and two shootut defeats. But at this academically rigorous school, one of the most difficult in the city to gain admittance to, the players go beyond a simple accounting of wins and losses.
Young and Lane shared the Premier title, each going 6-0-1. They played to a memorable 1-1 draw with the two goals scored seconds apart in the 80th minute. The city title game appearance marked a pinnacle.
As coach Spero Mandakas pointed out, it was a bitter pill for his seniors as their greatest rival won the city in each of their four years.
“Everyone put everything out there, and the ultimate goal was to win the city title,” senior defender Kyra Sobel said. “Everybody had their reasons for playing and being out there. We talked about that before the game. Everybody was very excited. Even though it’s not the result we wanted, we still gave it our best effort.
“About the only thing you can really say is better luck next year.”
On a large and versatile roster, Young carried 11 seniors. Their stories were worth spotlighting. Forward Sophie Putrim was one of the most dynamic and electric players in the city. She epitomized the hunger and resilience. She emerged on the scene as a freshman and then missed most of her sophomore year from complications of a concussion.
She was exhilarating in the city title game, fast and explosive and a danger every time she was near the ball. Her twin sister Olivia Putrim was slowed by a series of complicated and nagging injuries. She showed tremendous resolve and great flexibility in helping Young offset some late-season injuries. Mandakas was able to plug Olivia Putrim wherever the situation demanded, in the middle to energize the attack or the back in support of a depleted defense. Sara Woods, a graceful and lithe forward, also shined for the Dolphins. She demonstrated a great touch and a flair for finishing. Keila Vega, another senior forward, also played with passion and feeling. Results matter, she said, but so does how you play and what you represent.
Young played the right way.
“We were happy with how we played this year,” Vega said. “Right after the [city final] ended, we were already team bonding and getting our emotions back up. We were practicing and getting ready for our next game.”
Ella McCarthy, the daughter of the girls’ assistant coach and boys’ head coach Ian McCarthy, also exemplified the unselfish and unshowy side of the team. She played all over the field, moving between the middle and the back. Sarah Heise, another midfielder, also developed her game exponentially as the year wore on. She scored a crucial goal against Payton in a city semifinal that propelled the Dolphins to the title game.
Senior midfielders Jessica O’Donnell, Jen Soria and Lindsey Sonnedfeldt were also essential parts of the team. Keeper Gaby Lukanus split time with junior Mia Engelmann, showing poise and skill.
The season ended too abruptly for the seniors. The Dolphins got clipped 2-0 by Glenbard West in a Class 3A regional semifinal May 15 at Lyons.
The seniors bequeathed a strong foundation. They played with pride and purpose. By any standard, the season was a successful one. As Mandakas said after the city final, the younger generation talent now possesses a finer sense of what it takes to be a champion and is likely to use the disappointment of the runnerup finish to improve offseason training and workout patterns.
Sophomore Mia Lisanti is one of the top young talents in the city. She plays with a blinding, forward momentum, sharp and skilled enough to seek out defensive vulnerabilities that she is able to take advantage of. In her two years she has also exhibited the presence to be in the thick of the decisive action.
Another sophomore, defender Lauren Ehlers, scored the game-winner against Payton in the city semifinals. Tall and rangy, she is another standout young talent. Sophomore midfielder Ayana Loyd was the revelation of the Dolphins in the city title game.
The junior class is also very deep and talented. Engelmann was brilliant in the city title game. Electric attacking midfielder Audrey Howaniec earned two Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the match honors. Midfielder Eleanor Sherline and defender Addie Schlensker also started. Junior defender Carson Herman also played significant minutes at the end of the season.
Two freshmen also registered a significant presence. Meaghan Jungels was part of a backline that recorded seven shutouts. Midfielder Anneliese Kelner also started multiple games for the Dolphins.
Young went 7-4-2 down the stretch. The Dolphins qualified for the third place game of the only other tournament they took part in -- the Chicago Cup. They had had a net-plus goal differential on the year.
“We can hold our heads high,” Mandakas said.