Hinsdale Central, OPRF
gear up for tough regional final
By Patrick Z. McGavin
Familiarity breeds exactly the kind of hostile competitiveness the state tournament thrives on.
Oak Park and River Forest requires no introduction against Hinsdale Central. As the teams match up for the chance to advance to the Class 3A sectional semifinals next week, the Friday regional championship here marks the fourth meeting between the teams in the last year.
Last year, Hinsdale Central survived the Huskies' upset bid by turning back Oak Park and River Forest in a dramatic and dynamic regional final that was not decided until penalty kicks. The no. 14 Red Devils (16-6) outlasted the Huskies 2-0 on May 5, part of the team's perfect run through the West Suburban Silver conference.
The teams took very different routes to get here. Hinsdale Central is the top seed in the sectional complex it is hosting. The Red Devils scored four goals in the first 10 minutes and looked sharp and punishing in destroying an overmatched Proviso East side 10-0 in the first regional semifinal Tuesday.
Oak Park and River Forest (7-8-3) played one of its best matches of the year, connecting on passes and dominating possession time and offensive chances as the Huskies glided past Morton 3-0. Gifted junior forward Anna Eddelbuettel scored two goals, including the game-winner in the 27th minute, to power the Huskies' attack.
In the Red Devils' commanding win, seven different players recorded at least one goal. Sydney Griffin was the early catalyst, scoring a goal and assisting goals by Maeve McLaughlin and Emma Dannhausen-Brun during the early blitzing attack. Hinsdale Central came into the match in a little bit of a foul mood after the Red Devils, then ranked 11th, dropped a tight game against then no. 15 Benet last Thursday to close out the regular season.
"I think [the Benet] game made us realize that we still have a lot of work to do to get better," Griffin said. "It was the wake-up call that we needed."
Griffin said the team was not lulled into a false sense of security by the ease of the victory over Proviso East, a team that won just one game the whole season.
"I feel like there's never a game that is not beneficial, because we always have times when we want to try new things and work on different plays," she said.
Another interesting part of the rivalry is the friendship of the two coaches.
Hinsdale Central's Michael Smith and his counterpart, Oak Park and River Forest's Ignacio Ponce, attended graduate school together at Concordia Chicago.
The setting only intensifies the finality, of either moving on or watching your season end, Smith said.
"Playing a conference opponent that we played last year -- and it went to penalty kicks -- we're very familiar with them," Smith said. "What I like about it very is this idea of the past being of no concern, and the match Friday is the only one that matters.
"We have a very junior- and senior-laden team, and the girls know it's just one game at a time. Oak Park will do what they do. We will do what we do with the hope that what we do is going to allow us to be more successful."
Oak Park and River Forest mounts a much deeper challenge to the Red Devils. Hinsdale Central has a great incentive, knowing as long as it wins the Red Devils have the luxury of playing on their home field through the balance of the sectionals.
"Especially at this time of year you never know who's going to be the player who steps it up," Smith said. "The huge benefit of playing a game like [Proviso East] is there are certain times, I see a player who might not have been playing as well take that step and you see, all of a sudden, that player have the confidence.
"Regardless of that opponent, we want our players to be able to take that step and then immediately follow that up with positive reinforcement," he said.
gear up for tough regional final
By Patrick Z. McGavin
Familiarity breeds exactly the kind of hostile competitiveness the state tournament thrives on.
Oak Park and River Forest requires no introduction against Hinsdale Central. As the teams match up for the chance to advance to the Class 3A sectional semifinals next week, the Friday regional championship here marks the fourth meeting between the teams in the last year.
Last year, Hinsdale Central survived the Huskies' upset bid by turning back Oak Park and River Forest in a dramatic and dynamic regional final that was not decided until penalty kicks. The no. 14 Red Devils (16-6) outlasted the Huskies 2-0 on May 5, part of the team's perfect run through the West Suburban Silver conference.
The teams took very different routes to get here. Hinsdale Central is the top seed in the sectional complex it is hosting. The Red Devils scored four goals in the first 10 minutes and looked sharp and punishing in destroying an overmatched Proviso East side 10-0 in the first regional semifinal Tuesday.
Oak Park and River Forest (7-8-3) played one of its best matches of the year, connecting on passes and dominating possession time and offensive chances as the Huskies glided past Morton 3-0. Gifted junior forward Anna Eddelbuettel scored two goals, including the game-winner in the 27th minute, to power the Huskies' attack.
In the Red Devils' commanding win, seven different players recorded at least one goal. Sydney Griffin was the early catalyst, scoring a goal and assisting goals by Maeve McLaughlin and Emma Dannhausen-Brun during the early blitzing attack. Hinsdale Central came into the match in a little bit of a foul mood after the Red Devils, then ranked 11th, dropped a tight game against then no. 15 Benet last Thursday to close out the regular season.
"I think [the Benet] game made us realize that we still have a lot of work to do to get better," Griffin said. "It was the wake-up call that we needed."
Griffin said the team was not lulled into a false sense of security by the ease of the victory over Proviso East, a team that won just one game the whole season.
"I feel like there's never a game that is not beneficial, because we always have times when we want to try new things and work on different plays," she said.
Another interesting part of the rivalry is the friendship of the two coaches.
Hinsdale Central's Michael Smith and his counterpart, Oak Park and River Forest's Ignacio Ponce, attended graduate school together at Concordia Chicago.
The setting only intensifies the finality, of either moving on or watching your season end, Smith said.
"Playing a conference opponent that we played last year -- and it went to penalty kicks -- we're very familiar with them," Smith said. "What I like about it very is this idea of the past being of no concern, and the match Friday is the only one that matters.
"We have a very junior- and senior-laden team, and the girls know it's just one game at a time. Oak Park will do what they do. We will do what we do with the hope that what we do is going to allow us to be more successful."
Oak Park and River Forest mounts a much deeper challenge to the Red Devils. Hinsdale Central has a great incentive, knowing as long as it wins the Red Devils have the luxury of playing on their home field through the balance of the sectionals.
"Especially at this time of year you never know who's going to be the player who steps it up," Smith said. "The huge benefit of playing a game like [Proviso East] is there are certain times, I see a player who might not have been playing as well take that step and you see, all of a sudden, that player have the confidence.
"Regardless of that opponent, we want our players to be able to take that step and then immediately follow that up with positive reinforcement," he said.