Tri-Cities Night: great cause; great soccer
By Dave Owen
The biggest night of the year in Upstate Eight Conference River Division soccer takes place at Batavia High School on Tuesday.
The traditional Tri-Cities Night doubleheader kicks off with Geneva (16-1-1 and ranked sixth in the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25) facing no. 25 St. Charles East (8-3-6) at 5 p.m.
The big-time matchup between no. 2 St. Charles North (13-0-3) and host and 11th-ranked Batavia (12-2-2) follows at 7 p.m.
But the evening has a focus that supercedes soccer.
As is the tradition on Tri-Cities Night, proceeds from the fundraising event will benefit a local resident. This year, the community’s focus is on St. Charles North graduate Bethany (Conrad) Hart, who was diagnosed with small cell cervical cancer while pregnant last October.
She tragically lost the child during surgery to remove the tumor, but was recently declared cancer-free. The night’s goal is to bring awareness to the rare form of cancer and help Bethany and her family on her road to recovery.
“This is a great opportunity to help out a local family in need,” St. Charles North coach Brian Harks said. “Yes, the night showcases the soccer talent in the area, but it is more about using soccer to raise awareness and help those in need.”
Batavia coach Mark Gianfrancesco summed up the big night’s goal.
“To bring together communities that are connected by the soccer world, and to show there is more to our communities than just soccer,” he said.
From a soccer aspect there will be more of The Beautiful Game than ever before at the event.
“New this year, it’s not just the four varsity teams competing for the title, but all three teams (levels) in the programs (varsity, JV, and freshmen) battling for the title,” Harks said.
“This night is merely the culminating event for the four programs to claim the title of Best in the Tri-Cities. This is a good mark of strength of the program as a whole.”
At the varsity level, St. Charles North and Batavia are extremely strong.
The North Stars are the lone remaining unbeaten in the four-team field; Geneva and Batavia were unbeaten until late April.
St. Charles North's success against a grueling schedule features shutouts in five of the North Stars’ last six matches, including against crosstown rival St. Charles East and Geneva. Two players have led a long list of standouts.
“Amanda Czerniak has been playing really well in the middle,” Harks said, “and K.B. Kusswurm as a center back has been a great presence.”
Batavia comes off consecutive scoreless draws with St. Charles East and Oswego. Geneva and Granite City are the only foes to beat Batavia this spring, both in the last two weeks.
“It’s a long season and winning streaks are nice, but sometimes they end,” Gianfrancesco said. “It is then a great opportunity to refocus and start another one.
“I’ve always liked to play top competition moving into the playoffs, regardless of the result, because it will raise your level of play and be a barometer to the (team) needs prior to the one-and-done that is coming.”
The looming win-or-else playoff pressure adds another wrinkle to Tuesday’s match – the teams are lined up for a possible rematch in the sectional semifinals as two (North Stars) and three (Lady Bulldogs) seeds.
But the focus on both sides is more on Tuesday than any posturing for the postseason.
“(The key Tuesday is) building off of the season heading into the playoffs and keeping healthy,” Gianfrancesco said. “I don’t think there’s much (strategy change). We have been able to adapt to other teams all year.”
For Harks, Tuesday carries plenty of importance on its own. Entering the night tied with Geneva at 4-0-1 atop the Upstate Eight River Division, the North Stars can clinch at least a share of the league crown. Batavia (3-1-1) could also presumably move into a tie for the title.
“Our focus tomorrow evening will be on making the most of opportunities,” Harks said. “We’ve done really well lately generating opportunities, but have struggled to find the back of the net. It’s execution on offense combined with consistency on defense.”
To add to the drama, like the nightcap, the opener is a likely preview of the sectional semifinals. Geneva, St. Charles North, Batavia and St. Charles East are seeded 1-2-3-4. The first game is a rematch -- Geneva won 4-0 over the Saints in the Ausburg-Drach Invitational on April 8.
But Geneva coach Megan Owens is downplaying the importance of that win.
“As we proved last year when East beat us twice in the regular season (3-0 both times), and then we beat them in the playoffs, any team can win on any given day,” she said. “We are taking it one game at a time.
“East is a much different team than they were back in April, and have had a good run of late as have we. They will be a challenge. We need to play a complete game for 80 minutes. Communication, staying focused, and our intensity level will be the main focus.”
As for the sectional preview aspect of the night ...
“These ... are as much a mental game as a physical game,” Owens said. “While it’s great that the four Tri Cities teams took the four top spots in our sectional, I think we’d all prefer not to play each other because of the mental aspect that plays into those games with all of the girls knowing each other, playing on the same club teams, etc.
“Just like any game we have at this point in the season, we hope to learn from it (Tuesday) and improve for the postseason.”
St. Charles East has played to three ties in a row, including draws against Batavia and no. 8 Neuqua Valley.
Geneva has followed its lone loss of the season (1-0 to three-time defending state champ New Trier in the quarterfinals of the Naperville Invitational on April 27) with a 3-0-1 streak, including a win over no. 23 Naperville Central and the tie with St. Charles North.
“Freshman Alicia White and sophomore Caitlin Farrell have really stood out for us,” Owens said, “as we have had to shift some things around and make adjustments for injuries.”
Tuesday's doubleheader night in Batavia will be about great soccer, pursuit of the UEC title – and much more.
“Tri-Cities Night is very important to me and my program,” Owens said. “I think it is wonderful that the four area high schools come together to raise money for those in need.
“It’s important to me that my players give back to the community,” Owens said. “I also think it’s a big night for all the young soccer players and clubs in the area.
“I think it’s important to get younger players involved in the game of soccer and be role models for them. I hope Tri-Cities Night inspires them to want to play for their high school someday, and the high school players give them someone to look up to.”
By Dave Owen
The biggest night of the year in Upstate Eight Conference River Division soccer takes place at Batavia High School on Tuesday.
The traditional Tri-Cities Night doubleheader kicks off with Geneva (16-1-1 and ranked sixth in the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25) facing no. 25 St. Charles East (8-3-6) at 5 p.m.
The big-time matchup between no. 2 St. Charles North (13-0-3) and host and 11th-ranked Batavia (12-2-2) follows at 7 p.m.
But the evening has a focus that supercedes soccer.
As is the tradition on Tri-Cities Night, proceeds from the fundraising event will benefit a local resident. This year, the community’s focus is on St. Charles North graduate Bethany (Conrad) Hart, who was diagnosed with small cell cervical cancer while pregnant last October.
She tragically lost the child during surgery to remove the tumor, but was recently declared cancer-free. The night’s goal is to bring awareness to the rare form of cancer and help Bethany and her family on her road to recovery.
“This is a great opportunity to help out a local family in need,” St. Charles North coach Brian Harks said. “Yes, the night showcases the soccer talent in the area, but it is more about using soccer to raise awareness and help those in need.”
Batavia coach Mark Gianfrancesco summed up the big night’s goal.
“To bring together communities that are connected by the soccer world, and to show there is more to our communities than just soccer,” he said.
From a soccer aspect there will be more of The Beautiful Game than ever before at the event.
“New this year, it’s not just the four varsity teams competing for the title, but all three teams (levels) in the programs (varsity, JV, and freshmen) battling for the title,” Harks said.
“This night is merely the culminating event for the four programs to claim the title of Best in the Tri-Cities. This is a good mark of strength of the program as a whole.”
At the varsity level, St. Charles North and Batavia are extremely strong.
The North Stars are the lone remaining unbeaten in the four-team field; Geneva and Batavia were unbeaten until late April.
St. Charles North's success against a grueling schedule features shutouts in five of the North Stars’ last six matches, including against crosstown rival St. Charles East and Geneva. Two players have led a long list of standouts.
“Amanda Czerniak has been playing really well in the middle,” Harks said, “and K.B. Kusswurm as a center back has been a great presence.”
Batavia comes off consecutive scoreless draws with St. Charles East and Oswego. Geneva and Granite City are the only foes to beat Batavia this spring, both in the last two weeks.
“It’s a long season and winning streaks are nice, but sometimes they end,” Gianfrancesco said. “It is then a great opportunity to refocus and start another one.
“I’ve always liked to play top competition moving into the playoffs, regardless of the result, because it will raise your level of play and be a barometer to the (team) needs prior to the one-and-done that is coming.”
The looming win-or-else playoff pressure adds another wrinkle to Tuesday’s match – the teams are lined up for a possible rematch in the sectional semifinals as two (North Stars) and three (Lady Bulldogs) seeds.
But the focus on both sides is more on Tuesday than any posturing for the postseason.
“(The key Tuesday is) building off of the season heading into the playoffs and keeping healthy,” Gianfrancesco said. “I don’t think there’s much (strategy change). We have been able to adapt to other teams all year.”
For Harks, Tuesday carries plenty of importance on its own. Entering the night tied with Geneva at 4-0-1 atop the Upstate Eight River Division, the North Stars can clinch at least a share of the league crown. Batavia (3-1-1) could also presumably move into a tie for the title.
“Our focus tomorrow evening will be on making the most of opportunities,” Harks said. “We’ve done really well lately generating opportunities, but have struggled to find the back of the net. It’s execution on offense combined with consistency on defense.”
To add to the drama, like the nightcap, the opener is a likely preview of the sectional semifinals. Geneva, St. Charles North, Batavia and St. Charles East are seeded 1-2-3-4. The first game is a rematch -- Geneva won 4-0 over the Saints in the Ausburg-Drach Invitational on April 8.
But Geneva coach Megan Owens is downplaying the importance of that win.
“As we proved last year when East beat us twice in the regular season (3-0 both times), and then we beat them in the playoffs, any team can win on any given day,” she said. “We are taking it one game at a time.
“East is a much different team than they were back in April, and have had a good run of late as have we. They will be a challenge. We need to play a complete game for 80 minutes. Communication, staying focused, and our intensity level will be the main focus.”
As for the sectional preview aspect of the night ...
“These ... are as much a mental game as a physical game,” Owens said. “While it’s great that the four Tri Cities teams took the four top spots in our sectional, I think we’d all prefer not to play each other because of the mental aspect that plays into those games with all of the girls knowing each other, playing on the same club teams, etc.
“Just like any game we have at this point in the season, we hope to learn from it (Tuesday) and improve for the postseason.”
St. Charles East has played to three ties in a row, including draws against Batavia and no. 8 Neuqua Valley.
Geneva has followed its lone loss of the season (1-0 to three-time defending state champ New Trier in the quarterfinals of the Naperville Invitational on April 27) with a 3-0-1 streak, including a win over no. 23 Naperville Central and the tie with St. Charles North.
“Freshman Alicia White and sophomore Caitlin Farrell have really stood out for us,” Owens said, “as we have had to shift some things around and make adjustments for injuries.”
Tuesday's doubleheader night in Batavia will be about great soccer, pursuit of the UEC title – and much more.
“Tri-Cities Night is very important to me and my program,” Owens said. “I think it is wonderful that the four area high schools come together to raise money for those in need.
“It’s important to me that my players give back to the community,” Owens said. “I also think it’s a big night for all the young soccer players and clubs in the area.
“I think it’s important to get younger players involved in the game of soccer and be role models for them. I hope Tri-Cities Night inspires them to want to play for their high school someday, and the high school players give them someone to look up to.”