Plainfield North, New Trier
ready to shake up Pepsi Final
By Patrick Z. McGavin
Two years ago Plainfield North rode the brilliant play of sisters Ashley and Heather Handwork to its first ever championship game appearance of the PepsiCo Showdown at Toyota Park, where the Tigers lost on penalty kicks against Buffalo Grove.
It left an impression on the younger players.
"This year's senior class is really great, and we just want to do what the team did two years ago," sophomore midfielder Megan Breier said.
The beauty of third-seeded Plainfield North has been the unpredictable.
"We almost never know who the next goal is going to come from, and that's been great," coach Jane Crowe said. The two Handworks, All-Americans who are now playing at Marquette, set the tone.
The others have followed.
In an elite showdown, the undefeated Tigers (10-0-2) confront defending Class 3A state champion and tournament champion New Trier at 4 p.m. in Sunday's Aquafina Bracket final at DePaul University. Deerfield and Oswego meet up in the championship game of the Gatorade Bracket at 2 p.m.
No. 1 seed New Trier (13-0) has won 24-consecutive games dating to its state championship run last year. The Trevians are 44-1 in the last year and a half. Junior forward Kelly Maday, an Illinois-recruit, leads the state's best junior class.
"We've had targets on our backs all season, and we will continue to, but we've done a good job so far of not coming out too cocky," Maday said after registering a goal and an assist in the Trevians' 4-1 semifinal victory over Hinsdale Central on April 18.
"All of these teams we've played so far are incredible teams, but we've done a great job of connecting," she said.
Crowe said she has not watched the Trevians in person.
"I read somewhere they are ranked No. 1 in the country," she said. "The thing that I know about them is they play with so much confidence because of the success they've had.
"We are definitely the underdog against them, but the thing we have to guard against is that we cannot be intimidated by them. We have to be able to play our game and our style."
Plainfield North must neutralize the Trevians' blinding forward attack. New Trier is skilled in both the field of play and devastating on set pieces. The team has survived some early season injuries to key starters and barely skipped a beat.
Maday is the state's top junior, and she is joined on the attack by Maggie Armstrong. Lanky sophomore Natalie Laser is another one to watch. DePaul-recruit Bina Saipi is very dangerous in the middle, as is Dana Ulrich.
Meanwhile, Crowe is overjoyed at the very fact Plainfield North reached its goal.
"We wanted to use this tournament to find out about ourselves, and I think we have," Crowe said. "Now, I think it's fair to say, even though we've played some great teams in the tournament, we are going up to another level with New Trier.
"But that's good," she said.
Plainfield North has shown a flair for the dramatic, beating Wheaton North on penalty kicks in the quarterfinals and scoring twice a minute apart in the closing moments of its 2-0 semifinal victory over Lake Zurich.
Senior forward Erin Chynoweth is the team's glue player, joined by gifted youngsters Breier, freshman Natalie Auble and emerging star, junior midfielder Sam Elster.
The stage is set.
ready to shake up Pepsi Final
By Patrick Z. McGavin
Two years ago Plainfield North rode the brilliant play of sisters Ashley and Heather Handwork to its first ever championship game appearance of the PepsiCo Showdown at Toyota Park, where the Tigers lost on penalty kicks against Buffalo Grove.
It left an impression on the younger players.
"This year's senior class is really great, and we just want to do what the team did two years ago," sophomore midfielder Megan Breier said.
The beauty of third-seeded Plainfield North has been the unpredictable.
"We almost never know who the next goal is going to come from, and that's been great," coach Jane Crowe said. The two Handworks, All-Americans who are now playing at Marquette, set the tone.
The others have followed.
In an elite showdown, the undefeated Tigers (10-0-2) confront defending Class 3A state champion and tournament champion New Trier at 4 p.m. in Sunday's Aquafina Bracket final at DePaul University. Deerfield and Oswego meet up in the championship game of the Gatorade Bracket at 2 p.m.
No. 1 seed New Trier (13-0) has won 24-consecutive games dating to its state championship run last year. The Trevians are 44-1 in the last year and a half. Junior forward Kelly Maday, an Illinois-recruit, leads the state's best junior class.
"We've had targets on our backs all season, and we will continue to, but we've done a good job so far of not coming out too cocky," Maday said after registering a goal and an assist in the Trevians' 4-1 semifinal victory over Hinsdale Central on April 18.
"All of these teams we've played so far are incredible teams, but we've done a great job of connecting," she said.
Crowe said she has not watched the Trevians in person.
"I read somewhere they are ranked No. 1 in the country," she said. "The thing that I know about them is they play with so much confidence because of the success they've had.
"We are definitely the underdog against them, but the thing we have to guard against is that we cannot be intimidated by them. We have to be able to play our game and our style."
Plainfield North must neutralize the Trevians' blinding forward attack. New Trier is skilled in both the field of play and devastating on set pieces. The team has survived some early season injuries to key starters and barely skipped a beat.
Maday is the state's top junior, and she is joined on the attack by Maggie Armstrong. Lanky sophomore Natalie Laser is another one to watch. DePaul-recruit Bina Saipi is very dangerous in the middle, as is Dana Ulrich.
Meanwhile, Crowe is overjoyed at the very fact Plainfield North reached its goal.
"We wanted to use this tournament to find out about ourselves, and I think we have," Crowe said. "Now, I think it's fair to say, even though we've played some great teams in the tournament, we are going up to another level with New Trier.
"But that's good," she said.
Plainfield North has shown a flair for the dramatic, beating Wheaton North on penalty kicks in the quarterfinals and scoring twice a minute apart in the closing moments of its 2-0 semifinal victory over Lake Zurich.
Senior forward Erin Chynoweth is the team's glue player, joined by gifted youngsters Breier, freshman Natalie Auble and emerging star, junior midfielder Sam Elster.
The stage is set.