Red hot Benet visits Wheaton Academy
By Ken Keenan
Primed for a race to the finish line in the upcoming IHSA Class AA state tournament, powerhouse Benet will face a solid Wheaton Academy squad in a nonconference tilt Tuesday night at Performance Trust Field in West Chicago.
The veteran-laden Redwings -- featuring 10 seniors and eight juniors -- stand at 16-2-1 overall and are ranked no. 5 in the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25. Benet head coach Gerard Oconer said that a combination of depth, experience and skill has proven to be the recipe for success in 2019.
"We have so much returning experience, multiple years together and a lot of depth and balance," Oconer said. "We're pretty strong across the board at all positions, plus a high skill level and team speed. We're still far from the finished product. If we put it all together, we can make a deep run in the playoffs."
Benet's balanced attack on offense includes leading scorer and senior forward Abby Casmere (13 goals, 4 assists), sophomore forward Jamiee Cibulka (8 goals, 5 assists), senior forward/midfielder Mae Tully (7 goals, 5 assists) and junior forwards Cami Picha (5 goals, 7 assists) and Mia Tommasone (5 goals, 6 assists).
The Redwings' stingy defense (11 shutouts and only 13 goals allowed in 19 games) is backstopped by senior goalkeeper Eva Frantzen (0.67 goals-against average; 9.5 shutouts) and fellow senior keeper Ava Rogers (0.80 GAA, 1.5 shutouts), and includes seasoned senior defenders Mary Kate Hansen and Mary Kate Wilhelm.
"It's hard to identify our top players," Oconer said. "On any given day, players 1 to 13 or 14 can be the best player of the day. I don't have to rely on just one or two. It's a collective team effort.
Oconer continued: "In goal, it is nice to have a returning goalkeeper in Eva (Frantzen). She's come so far from sophomore year ... more confident. And all of our defenders, they can defend well and handle the ball well. Plus our midfielders, they're all composed and polished on the ball.
"It's hard for teams to chase us. We're always possessing the ball, and we have forwards with goal-scoring instincts. It's pick your poison who to defend."
The Redwings head to Wheaton Academy with an 8-1-1 record in their last 10 games. The loss came to current no. 2 and former no. 1 St. Charles North, and the tie came against no. 8 Naperville North -- both in the prestigious Naperville Invitational. Benet closes the regular season at no. 21 Evanston at 7 p.m. Friday.
"It's nice to play at Wheaton Academy -- a great facility, great atmosphere, great fans," Oconer said. "It's been a good rivalry with them ... a good back-and-forth game with them every single year. And there's a potential to see them down the road in the playoffs.
"We just want to continue what we've been doing all year -- look to get better every game. And we can work on things we need to iron out before the (state) tourney. Our girls know the things we still need to get better at."
The Redwings open postseason play against either Lindblom or Health Sciences in the semifinals of the IHSA Class AA Hinsdale South Regional at 4:30 p.m. May 15.
Meanwhile, Wheaton Academy (10-8-0 overall) returns home after suffering a pair of shutout defeats -- 4-0 to Timberland (Mo.) and 2-0 against host Notre Dame -- at the Quincy Showcase on May 3 and 4.
Previously, the Warriors surged past the .500 mark on the strength of a 5-1-0 stretch that concluded with a 2-1 overtime win April 29 at Elmwood Park. That victory also gave Wheaton Academy a perfect 6-0-0 mark in league play to clinch the 2019 Metro Suburban Conference Blue Division championship.
Wheaton Academy will close the regular season with a trip to University (Chicago) on Thursday, and then face Westinghouse or UIC in the semifinals of the Warriors' own Class AA regional at 5 p.m. May 15.
In addition, Performance Trust Field will also host a sectional and give the Warriors a homestanding shot at the Hinsdale South Supersectional. The sectional semifinals are scheduled for May 22 with the final set to be played at 4:30 p.m. May 24.
By Ken Keenan
Primed for a race to the finish line in the upcoming IHSA Class AA state tournament, powerhouse Benet will face a solid Wheaton Academy squad in a nonconference tilt Tuesday night at Performance Trust Field in West Chicago.
The veteran-laden Redwings -- featuring 10 seniors and eight juniors -- stand at 16-2-1 overall and are ranked no. 5 in the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25. Benet head coach Gerard Oconer said that a combination of depth, experience and skill has proven to be the recipe for success in 2019.
"We have so much returning experience, multiple years together and a lot of depth and balance," Oconer said. "We're pretty strong across the board at all positions, plus a high skill level and team speed. We're still far from the finished product. If we put it all together, we can make a deep run in the playoffs."
Benet's balanced attack on offense includes leading scorer and senior forward Abby Casmere (13 goals, 4 assists), sophomore forward Jamiee Cibulka (8 goals, 5 assists), senior forward/midfielder Mae Tully (7 goals, 5 assists) and junior forwards Cami Picha (5 goals, 7 assists) and Mia Tommasone (5 goals, 6 assists).
The Redwings' stingy defense (11 shutouts and only 13 goals allowed in 19 games) is backstopped by senior goalkeeper Eva Frantzen (0.67 goals-against average; 9.5 shutouts) and fellow senior keeper Ava Rogers (0.80 GAA, 1.5 shutouts), and includes seasoned senior defenders Mary Kate Hansen and Mary Kate Wilhelm.
"It's hard to identify our top players," Oconer said. "On any given day, players 1 to 13 or 14 can be the best player of the day. I don't have to rely on just one or two. It's a collective team effort.
Oconer continued: "In goal, it is nice to have a returning goalkeeper in Eva (Frantzen). She's come so far from sophomore year ... more confident. And all of our defenders, they can defend well and handle the ball well. Plus our midfielders, they're all composed and polished on the ball.
"It's hard for teams to chase us. We're always possessing the ball, and we have forwards with goal-scoring instincts. It's pick your poison who to defend."
The Redwings head to Wheaton Academy with an 8-1-1 record in their last 10 games. The loss came to current no. 2 and former no. 1 St. Charles North, and the tie came against no. 8 Naperville North -- both in the prestigious Naperville Invitational. Benet closes the regular season at no. 21 Evanston at 7 p.m. Friday.
"It's nice to play at Wheaton Academy -- a great facility, great atmosphere, great fans," Oconer said. "It's been a good rivalry with them ... a good back-and-forth game with them every single year. And there's a potential to see them down the road in the playoffs.
"We just want to continue what we've been doing all year -- look to get better every game. And we can work on things we need to iron out before the (state) tourney. Our girls know the things we still need to get better at."
The Redwings open postseason play against either Lindblom or Health Sciences in the semifinals of the IHSA Class AA Hinsdale South Regional at 4:30 p.m. May 15.
Meanwhile, Wheaton Academy (10-8-0 overall) returns home after suffering a pair of shutout defeats -- 4-0 to Timberland (Mo.) and 2-0 against host Notre Dame -- at the Quincy Showcase on May 3 and 4.
Previously, the Warriors surged past the .500 mark on the strength of a 5-1-0 stretch that concluded with a 2-1 overtime win April 29 at Elmwood Park. That victory also gave Wheaton Academy a perfect 6-0-0 mark in league play to clinch the 2019 Metro Suburban Conference Blue Division championship.
Wheaton Academy will close the regular season with a trip to University (Chicago) on Thursday, and then face Westinghouse or UIC in the semifinals of the Warriors' own Class AA regional at 5 p.m. May 15.
In addition, Performance Trust Field will also host a sectional and give the Warriors a homestanding shot at the Hinsdale South Supersectional. The sectional semifinals are scheduled for May 22 with the final set to be played at 4:30 p.m. May 24.