WW South starts season
against tested Wheaton Academy
By Bill Stone
The season opener for the Wheaton Warrenville South girls soccer team at home Tuesday is simply part of a busy beginning for Wheaton Academy.
The 6:30 p.m. matchup will be the fourth game for the Warriors (2-0), who after hosting Geneva on Monday will be play their second back-to-back games this season.
“Wheaton Academy is always a concern simply because they are well coached and have a grit in their play that early on in a season can be the difference,” Wheaton Warrenville South coach Guy Callipari said.
“Having played (three) matches prior to ours will give them a sense of familiarity that we will lack in each other.
"The early part of the season is a gauge and determines strengths and weaknesses plus the overall fitness of a team, and again the Academy team will come into our game battle tested.
"I believe it is a great test of ability and will and therefore we certainly respect the opposition but welcome the challenge.”
Both teams understandably begin this season with high hopes. Under coach Dave Underwood, the Warriors enter Monday’s home game against Geneva with two shutout victories and 11 combined goals.
The Tigers return the bulk of their lineup that finished 11-9-1 and reached the Class 3A West Chicago Regional final before losing to St. Charles East 5-2.
The Warriors graduated six seniors from their 2014 team, which was 12-12-1 and captured the program’s sixth Class 2A regional title over the past seven seasons.
Wheaton Academy lost to Nazareth 2-1 in the St. Francis Sectional semifinals.
So far this season, the Warriors blanked West Aurora 2-0 at home Wednesday, one day after a season-opening 9-0 victory at Montini Catholic.
Freshman Erin Teevans has five goals and junior Jamie Netzley three. Junior goalie Liana Ledesma has made a combined four saves.
The first goal at Montini came in the second minute. With a 7-0 halftime lead, the Warriors emphasized ball control and cohesiveness and had one possession with 35-consecutive passes.
Wheaton Warrenville South is led by senior midfielder and tri-captain A.J. Jakuszewski, a 2014 all-state and All-DuPage Valley Conference selection. The fourth-year varsity player had a team-high eight goals with three assists last season.
Senior defender Tori Adomshick (goal, 2 assists in 2014) also is a fourth-year varsity standout. She is a tri-captain along with junior midfielder Nikki Molino (goal, assist).
Three juniors, forwards Anna Fank (7 goals, 4 assists) and Erin Madigan (2 goals, 3 assists) and defender Allison Harvey, have been on varsity since they were freshmen. Junior Ava Fickle begins her second varsity season.
Key newcomers are at midfield with junior Rachel Deeman and sophomore Julia Martz. Other returnees include junior midfielder Sarah Burns and sophomore defender Julia Hildebrand.
The Tigers graduated four-year varsity goalie Abigail Fuster, who had 19 career shutouts with six in 2014, and midfielders Marina Tolczyk and Caroline Holmes, a three-year varsity player.
Returning players accounted for 21 of last year’s 29 goals.
“Continuity, experience, work rate would be our strengths," said Callipari. "(Our keys are staying) healthy, creating and finishing opportunities in the final third consistently and communication and execution defensively.
“Our speed of play should have us competing for a DVC title, regional final and hopefully a sectional final. We’ll have a good mix of young players and experienced players, coupled with team depth.”
Wheaton Academy's offense is off to a fast start with an additional lift from Teevans, who scored three of her four goals consecutively in the first half at Montini.
Other early contributors have included: senior Kate Lindsay (goal), juniors Julia Della Torre, Gabi LaMantia (goal and assist each) and Britta Cassel, and sophomores Gretchen Pearson (2 assists), Izzy McNally and Rebecca Smith (assist each).
against tested Wheaton Academy
By Bill Stone
The season opener for the Wheaton Warrenville South girls soccer team at home Tuesday is simply part of a busy beginning for Wheaton Academy.
The 6:30 p.m. matchup will be the fourth game for the Warriors (2-0), who after hosting Geneva on Monday will be play their second back-to-back games this season.
“Wheaton Academy is always a concern simply because they are well coached and have a grit in their play that early on in a season can be the difference,” Wheaton Warrenville South coach Guy Callipari said.
“Having played (three) matches prior to ours will give them a sense of familiarity that we will lack in each other.
"The early part of the season is a gauge and determines strengths and weaknesses plus the overall fitness of a team, and again the Academy team will come into our game battle tested.
"I believe it is a great test of ability and will and therefore we certainly respect the opposition but welcome the challenge.”
Both teams understandably begin this season with high hopes. Under coach Dave Underwood, the Warriors enter Monday’s home game against Geneva with two shutout victories and 11 combined goals.
The Tigers return the bulk of their lineup that finished 11-9-1 and reached the Class 3A West Chicago Regional final before losing to St. Charles East 5-2.
The Warriors graduated six seniors from their 2014 team, which was 12-12-1 and captured the program’s sixth Class 2A regional title over the past seven seasons.
Wheaton Academy lost to Nazareth 2-1 in the St. Francis Sectional semifinals.
So far this season, the Warriors blanked West Aurora 2-0 at home Wednesday, one day after a season-opening 9-0 victory at Montini Catholic.
Freshman Erin Teevans has five goals and junior Jamie Netzley three. Junior goalie Liana Ledesma has made a combined four saves.
The first goal at Montini came in the second minute. With a 7-0 halftime lead, the Warriors emphasized ball control and cohesiveness and had one possession with 35-consecutive passes.
Wheaton Warrenville South is led by senior midfielder and tri-captain A.J. Jakuszewski, a 2014 all-state and All-DuPage Valley Conference selection. The fourth-year varsity player had a team-high eight goals with three assists last season.
Senior defender Tori Adomshick (goal, 2 assists in 2014) also is a fourth-year varsity standout. She is a tri-captain along with junior midfielder Nikki Molino (goal, assist).
Three juniors, forwards Anna Fank (7 goals, 4 assists) and Erin Madigan (2 goals, 3 assists) and defender Allison Harvey, have been on varsity since they were freshmen. Junior Ava Fickle begins her second varsity season.
Key newcomers are at midfield with junior Rachel Deeman and sophomore Julia Martz. Other returnees include junior midfielder Sarah Burns and sophomore defender Julia Hildebrand.
The Tigers graduated four-year varsity goalie Abigail Fuster, who had 19 career shutouts with six in 2014, and midfielders Marina Tolczyk and Caroline Holmes, a three-year varsity player.
Returning players accounted for 21 of last year’s 29 goals.
“Continuity, experience, work rate would be our strengths," said Callipari. "(Our keys are staying) healthy, creating and finishing opportunities in the final third consistently and communication and execution defensively.
“Our speed of play should have us competing for a DVC title, regional final and hopefully a sectional final. We’ll have a good mix of young players and experienced players, coupled with team depth.”
Wheaton Academy's offense is off to a fast start with an additional lift from Teevans, who scored three of her four goals consecutively in the first half at Montini.
Other early contributors have included: senior Kate Lindsay (goal), juniors Julia Della Torre, Gabi LaMantia (goal and assist each) and Britta Cassel, and sophomores Gretchen Pearson (2 assists), Izzy McNally and Rebecca Smith (assist each).