IC Catholic Prep tracks future success
By Dave Surico
IC Catholic Prep will continue chugging along as the little school that could when it hosts Aurora Central at 6:45 p.m. Monday at Plunkett Athletic Complex in Elmhurst. That's could as in could go deep in the Class A state tournament.
The task at hand for the Lady Knights is to win their third-straight Metro Suburban Conference Blue Division game, but the goal remains to gain the program's second state finals berth and its first trophy. And the Lady Knights (9-4-0, 2-2-0) very well could make it happen.
IC has done exceptionally well, especially when it's noted that they've only played one school with an enrollment smaller than the 300 students who roam its halls.
The Lady Knights are 3-0-0 against Class 3A schools (1,657 or more students), 2-4-0 against Class 2A clubs (735-1,656) and undefeated in four matches against their fellow small schools.
"We have had a successful season thus far," said coach Tom Shcergen. "We began the season competing in the competitive Windy City Ram Classic and as the only Class A school that was a part of the tournament. We left with a 3-2 record and wins over 3A schools Lincoln Way Central, Reavis & Willowbrook along with an overtime loss in PKs to Tinley Park."
After spring break, IC Catholic Prep ran into a spot of trouble and several of the top teams it faces.
"We hit some adversity with injuries and a tough schedule (games against consistant top two Blue Division finishers Wheaton Academy and Riverside-Brookfield)," Schergen said. "Since then, we ... have won 3 in a row and look to continue to improve our play this week as we prepare to head for the Tournament of Champions next weekend in Burlington, Ia."
IC will be a full strength Monday thanks to the return of freshman midfielder Bella Leslie, who is back from a 2-week absence to recover from a concussion suffered against Wheaton Academy. That's good news for a team that heads into a busy stretch.
"We begin a week where we play 6 games in 7 days, so we will look to use all of our available players to keep our legs fresh," Schergen said of a workload that includes games against Timothy on Tuesday and Hinckley-Big Rock on Thursday.
The Lady Knights have been consistantly good on each end of the field.
The defense has been strong and allowed one goal or less in nine games.
The offense has put up an average of three goals per contest. Olivia Hurt (12 goals) and Tessa Langan (9) and Grace Fuller (9) lead the goal-scoring push. Kaitlyn Grady (3), Leslie (2) and Abi Wagner, Tess Reardon, Sophie Zanoni and Katie Hendricks (1 each) have contributed tallies. IC has accumulated 26 helpers on its 39 goals. They have come from Fuller (8), Hurt (5), Grady (4), Langan (4), Abi Wagner (2), Demitra DelFiacco (2) and Zanoni (1).
A grueling week will provide insight on IC Catholic Prep's quest.
"We set a team goal early in the season with this team to make this the year that we breakthrough in the state tournament," Schengren said. "Our players have embraced this goal and have worked extremely hard throughout the season to keep this focus in the present.
"We are fortunate to be able to host the regional and sectional on our home field where our girls play very well (5-0 at home). We feel our depth this year will afford us the opportunity to compete in every game in the regional, sectional & supersectional rounds. Our tough schedule throughout this season has prepared us for many different styles of play and has allowed us to gain the confidence that we can compete with anyone."
By Dave Surico
IC Catholic Prep will continue chugging along as the little school that could when it hosts Aurora Central at 6:45 p.m. Monday at Plunkett Athletic Complex in Elmhurst. That's could as in could go deep in the Class A state tournament.
The task at hand for the Lady Knights is to win their third-straight Metro Suburban Conference Blue Division game, but the goal remains to gain the program's second state finals berth and its first trophy. And the Lady Knights (9-4-0, 2-2-0) very well could make it happen.
IC has done exceptionally well, especially when it's noted that they've only played one school with an enrollment smaller than the 300 students who roam its halls.
The Lady Knights are 3-0-0 against Class 3A schools (1,657 or more students), 2-4-0 against Class 2A clubs (735-1,656) and undefeated in four matches against their fellow small schools.
"We have had a successful season thus far," said coach Tom Shcergen. "We began the season competing in the competitive Windy City Ram Classic and as the only Class A school that was a part of the tournament. We left with a 3-2 record and wins over 3A schools Lincoln Way Central, Reavis & Willowbrook along with an overtime loss in PKs to Tinley Park."
After spring break, IC Catholic Prep ran into a spot of trouble and several of the top teams it faces.
"We hit some adversity with injuries and a tough schedule (games against consistant top two Blue Division finishers Wheaton Academy and Riverside-Brookfield)," Schergen said. "Since then, we ... have won 3 in a row and look to continue to improve our play this week as we prepare to head for the Tournament of Champions next weekend in Burlington, Ia."
IC will be a full strength Monday thanks to the return of freshman midfielder Bella Leslie, who is back from a 2-week absence to recover from a concussion suffered against Wheaton Academy. That's good news for a team that heads into a busy stretch.
"We begin a week where we play 6 games in 7 days, so we will look to use all of our available players to keep our legs fresh," Schergen said of a workload that includes games against Timothy on Tuesday and Hinckley-Big Rock on Thursday.
The Lady Knights have been consistantly good on each end of the field.
The defense has been strong and allowed one goal or less in nine games.
The offense has put up an average of three goals per contest. Olivia Hurt (12 goals) and Tessa Langan (9) and Grace Fuller (9) lead the goal-scoring push. Kaitlyn Grady (3), Leslie (2) and Abi Wagner, Tess Reardon, Sophie Zanoni and Katie Hendricks (1 each) have contributed tallies. IC has accumulated 26 helpers on its 39 goals. They have come from Fuller (8), Hurt (5), Grady (4), Langan (4), Abi Wagner (2), Demitra DelFiacco (2) and Zanoni (1).
A grueling week will provide insight on IC Catholic Prep's quest.
"We set a team goal early in the season with this team to make this the year that we breakthrough in the state tournament," Schengren said. "Our players have embraced this goal and have worked extremely hard throughout the season to keep this focus in the present.
"We are fortunate to be able to host the regional and sectional on our home field where our girls play very well (5-0 at home). We feel our depth this year will afford us the opportunity to compete in every game in the regional, sectional & supersectional rounds. Our tough schedule throughout this season has prepared us for many different styles of play and has allowed us to gain the confidence that we can compete with anyone."