Battle for 3A title set to make history
By Steve Nemeth
As usual the IHSA Class 3A girls state soccer hampionship promises to be historic, the question is what adjective will be applied.
Are we talking: multiples as in a possible seventh title for New Trier and veteran coach Jim Burnside; the trifecta for Naperville North’s youthful skipper Steve Goletz; admission to the exclusive back-to-back club for Barrington and the effervescent Ryan Stengren; or first in the first try for the exuberant Loren Zolk and his Andrew squad?
As the elder statesman and an IHSSCA Hall of Famer, Burnside is always quick to point out there are no style points or advantages given based on prior seasons. It all depends on what happens at North Central College’s Benedetti-Wehrli Stadium starting Friday.
Semifinal number one at 5 p.m. is the third meeting between Naperville North and Barrington. The two battled to a 2-2 statement on the opening day of the season March 12 in Barrington. The Huskies slipped by 1-0 in a Naperville Invitational semifinal April 27. After either contest, few envisioned a third get-together to determine who contends for the 2018 state crown.
Thanks to a major roster turnover, the Fillies (19-3-2) might be the first defending state champion to overcome an underdog label. As for North’s Huskies (20-3-4), the previous few years have been viewed as more bark than bite.
While the John Wooden of Prairie State soccer has New Trier seeking the 11th state trophy in his 21-year tenure, Burnside dismisses any talk of favorite status by pointing to the 2017 state tourney. The Trevians were aiming for a fourth-consecutive championship only to be denied by Barrington in a shootout.
Point granted, but the first place hardware count remained at six so the dynasty label still applies.
After last year, New Trier (23-0-2) operates on the take-nothing-for-granted philosophy especially when their 7 p.m. semifinal foe is an Andrew crew (21-4-0) that essentially has nothing to lose but the expectation to lose. Are the odds like being struck by lightning? If so, who better to defy the odds than the Thunderbolts?
All four finalists were either at the top alone or co-champs of their respective conferences before marching through the state meet.
Barrington
With Chicagoland Soccer’s 2017 Player of the Year Sophia Spinell graduated along with six other starters from the title game line-up, expectations were somewhat limited for Barrington. When senior Lauren Caffe – a Bowdoin signee – became a causalty for the 2018 campaign, expectations dropped another notch.
But the handful of veterans coupled with returnees suddenly gaining triple the playing time, and some hungry new talent, coalesced into the kind of balanced attack that has the best goal differential (+3.12) among the four finalists.
“With nine seniors last year, it was easy for everyone to buy into the process,” coach Ryan Stengren noted. “What I’m just now appreciating is how strong the foundation of Barrington soccer is, because each class has kept it going.
“Our three seniors this year have taught, sold and demonstrated the team ethic of playing our game. That’s working hard, focusing on the things we can control and concentrate only on the task directly ahead.”
Wisconsin-bound Michayla Herr echoed those same principles.
“Going into my freshman year I didn’t initially realize how special this program is. But those teammates taught me to care about the foundation Barrington soccer is built on,” Herr said.
“This isn’t the same team as last year, but we’re still not playing for medals or a trophy. We’re playing for each other. Stengren is a great coach for Xs and Os, but also for developing the family feeling.
“While we felt the pressure in the sectional (final), the message really became clearer -- no one wanted it to be done,” the senior tri-captain added. “We want success like last year, but we’re doing it our way.”
The anchor on defense is senior keeper Samantha Schmitz, who more than handled the glare associated with the spotlight of a shootout last year versus the Trevians.
In the recent sectional final against Cary-Grove when the Trojans scored with two minutes left in overtime to force a shootout for the title, all three Fillies converted and only one got past Schmitz who felt the need to redeem herself.
Her teammates have the utmost confidence in their Harvard-recruited goalie, who is largely responsible for 13 shutouts.
Schmitz and junior Ashley Prell -- an Illinois commit -- made the 2017 Chicagoland Soccer All-State Team and earned IHSSCA All-State acclaim for 2018. Prell leads the attack (20 goals/11 assists), but keep an eye on Herr (12/10) and Tina Teik (11/10), both members of the Chicagoland Soccer 2017 Watch List and 2018 IHSSCA All-Section 6 honorees. Teik is an early commit for Yale.
Trying to shut those players down simply creates opportunities for others like Rebecca Shoemaker (5/3), Christine Batliner (3/9) and Jen Devona (6/1). Another collegiate recruiting gem is junior Madi Rosen. The rock solid defender is a consummate set-up artist on corner kicks (10 assists) and opposing goalie scouting reports all include the warning not to sleep on her lethal free kicks regardless of distance.
Barrington, ranked fourth in the final regular season Chicagoland Soccer Top 25, had to get past a St. Charles North side that was not only the website’s no. 1-listed unit but had recently elevated to the top spot in the Top Drawer Soccer national ranking.
Barrington’s 2-0 “upset” of the North Stars moved the Fillies into the semifinal opposite third-ranked Naperville North. Should the Fillies win by a furlong or even a nose, the title game is expected to feature no. 2-ranked and revenge-minded New Trier.
For history buffs, Barrington is adding to a trophy case that contains a third place trophy from the all-one-class days in 2000, a AA second place finish from 2006, plus a pair of third place 3A showings in 2013 and 2015.
The ever-positive Stengren took over the program in 2008 when the Fillies didn’t advance in the postseason yet collected 13 victories. It’s been double-figure wins every season since and 10-consecutive sectional trophies to create an IHSSCA Hall of Fame-worthy candidacy.
Naperville North
When it comes to adding to a legacy of success, Naperville North’s Steve Goletz can relate. From 1998 through 2001, the Huskies finished first, second, fourth and third in those all-one-class days. Jay Konrad, the brother of 2017 state champion boys head coach and current girls assistant Jim Konrad, directed North to fourth in the 2004 AA event and Brent Terada oversaw a runnerup finish in the 2011 3A tourney.
Enter Goletz in 2012 with a state championship. Then came an encore effort in 2013. Is it any wonder success in the last few years has been viewed as unfulfilled?
“For a few years we have felt like we kind of made the mistake of letting our guard down,” Goletz allowed.
“Even this year, it took some soul-searching after Northbrook’s (Lou Malnati’s Deep Dish Classic) for us to right the ship. We’ve got four great captains who were disappointed to lose in the supersectional (last season) and decided after the Classic to get the team together and focus on being more effective, basically as simple as possible.
“Our strength is defense and on offense play simple, direct soccer. Get athletes into areas from where we can best score or attack,” Goletz added. “We’re back to having players previously taught the system as freshmen or JV1 now contributing.”
Emerging after the Classic with a 5-2-3 record, North began its resurgence in the Naperville Invitational where the Huskies reached the title match for the fifth time in six seasons. It was part of a stretch that truly tested North’s mettle.
“We lost a DVC (DuPage Valley Conference) match to Neuqua, faced St. Charles East, Barrington and New Trier,” Goletz recalled. “Whereas we might have let our guard down the previous year, suddenly the importance of every game in the DVC was clear. Just like the Naper Invite, you had to put together one good game after the other.”
Losing 1-0 to New Trier in the final only fanned those flames of desire. Aside from a momentary stumble in the form of a 0-0 tie to Downers Grove South, Naperville North has gone 10-straight without a defeat.
Out of 17 clean-sheets, four are from a postseason in which the Huskies have outscored opponents 16-1. Their 2.26 goals per match season average versus yielding 0.52 produces a +1.72 differential. As is normally the case, North is sending seniors on to the collegiate ranks this fall. This season the count is seven.
The idea that the Huskies don’t rebuild, but simply reload is indicated by the fact that no one from North made the 2017 Chicagoland Soccer Watch List. That’s because there were four senior All-State players and two Special Mention picks who graduated.
Earning IHSSCA All-State distinction for 2018 are goalie Maddie Hausmann, who is headed to Loyola, and midfielder Katelynn Buecher, an Illinois recruit. All-Section 10 honoree Shaina Dudas is going to Illinois State along with the sister act of Jessica and Alyssa Siebers. Megan Benmore and Taylor Leonard are going to Northern Iowa and Benedictine, respectively.
“The last few seasons we’ve had a little bad luck, and I imagine that’s why some folks may not have believed we’d be back in the state tourney,” Dudas said. “In previous years there was some pressure and maybe we succumbed. All the more reason I’m so proud of us coming together, and this state trip is the best feeling for all of us.
“As the school year wound down classmates had exams or prom, but now people are more and more excited about what we’re doing,” Dudas said. “I’d say it’s because of the grit we have. We’ve grinded out some wins, including some comebacks if needed. Our team once again is known for always battling, and we never give up.”
The Huskies offensive options range from Dudas (10 goals/12 assists) to Buescher (13/7) to Hannah Martin (14/5), a sophomore forward who also attained All-Section 10 recognition. Two more notables scorers include Leah Shumate (4/8) and Megan Benmore (4/6).
New Trier
How many different ways are there to showcase or illustrate the juggernaut that is New Trier?
Obviously start with the record that has a zero in the loss column. Yes, note the three-straight championships leading up to last year’s runnerup finish. Consider the 5-1 ratio of wins to non-victories in Jim Burnside’s 507-73-32 career record.
It naturally begs the question, does all that winning ever get old?
“No, and it hasn’t been easy,” senior Sydney Parker responded. “Nothing is ever given to us. People need to understand that every year we lose some great players, so someone has to step up and elevate their game. We could have T-shirts every year that include a target on our back. We’ve beat some amazing teams and whatever we do is built each year by that group.”
The DePaul-bound defender insists the Trevians have to fight for every win, citing the 2017 state tourney which involved overtime in the semifinal and a championship that ultimately came down to a shootout.
However there is no denying New Trier oozes talent. The Trevians not only don’t rebuild or reload, they unveil newer, more potent weapons.
Parker (16 goals/3 assists) earned IHSSCA All-State status along with sophomore forward Emma Weaver (15/19), an early commit for Villanova. Nicole Kaspi (17/6), is an All-Section 4 honoree heading to the University of Chicago. Fellow seniors Whitney Hoban (6/9) will join Trinity, and Abby Merk moves on to play for Bates.
Parker, Kaspi, Weaver and Caroline Iserloth (2/5) were on the 2017 Chicagoland Soccer All-State unit. Lily Conley (4/8) made the Watch List as did Hoban. That’s why someone as steady as Victoria Flannagan (5/2) almost gets lost in the shuffle.
It’s also the reason junior keeper Meghan Dwyer and the Trevians’ 17 clean-sheets are nearly taken for granted. Allowing a mere eight goals in 25 matches is impressive from any viewpoint, as is outscoring foes 21-2 in the post-season.
Dwyer, being a complete newcomer to the state tournament, still manages to spin the numbers into concern when it comes to the opposition.
“They’ve made it this far, and there are only four teams left so they have to be good,” Dwyer reasoned. “We can’t underestimate them and just like anyone else we play, we don’t want to be the feather in their cap.”
Needless to say Burnside has no difficulty conjuring up memories of upsets, both by or against the Trevians. In his case, the question becomes how do you keep doing so well year after year?
“I love doing what I do, and I’m not sure what I’d do without soccer, probably have to be coaching some other sport,” Burnside said. “I love working with student-athletes and I feed off their passion and joy, from the most to the least talented.
“This year we’ve got an all senior backline, and they are the anchor for the rest of the team,” Burnside said. “This group loves to create and then take advantage of the opportunities. You never quite know where (our goals) will come from.
“We talk ad nauseam about being serious but having fun while we compete. If we’re ever too serious and unable to laugh, I’m done. But if we’re just out for fun, I’m also done.”
Andrew
Now the question is what’s the best way for Andrew to handle its Herculean task? David with a thunderbolt instead of a stone? “What, me worry?” T-shirts? A slogan like "Our odds are better than the lottery!"
Or recite Rudyard Kipling’s famous lines “If you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs….If you can dream and not make dreams your master.”
What would produce bigger headlines, a semifinal loss by Andrew or by New Trier? How about the Thunderbolts winning their first state championship in girls soccer? Coach Loren Zolk could run for mayor of Tinley Park.
“Maybe people think we’re crashing the party, I believe we’re all deserving. It’s just that the other three are there a lot,” Zolk said. “Obviously this is all very new to us, and we’re very excited. But we’ve come a long way, and there’s no reason not to make as big a statement or impact as possible.”
Andrew’s administration certainly gambled when bidding to be a supersectional host, and it certainly paid off. The home fans were so thrilled that the students stormed the field. Thanks to her two goals, reserve Alex Dennis was carried around on the shoulders of one fan while clutching the supersectional plaque.
Priceless.
And how about that next to New Trier, Andrew has the second most victories among the four finalists.
The Thunderbolts have outscored the opposition 15-1 in the postseason. It took until the supersectional for a foe to score a goal, so four playoff wins are among the 12 shutouts for the year. Plus the five postseason triumphs are part of a nine-match win streak with 13 victories over the last 14 matches.
There are three seniors whose careers will continue at the collegiate level in the fall: Emma Lehnert (Wisconsin-LaCrosse), Samantha Termunde (St. Xavier), and Mia Milazzo (Missouri-St. Louis). The last one earned IHSSCA All-Section 14 notice while junior Samantha Koppers was Honorable Mention.
However the major offensive threat is junior Megan Nemec – an early commit to Loyola – whose 13 goals and nine assists do not top the Andrew charts. Koppers (20/4) headlines the offense and is followed by Erin Jaskierski (16/5), the aforementioned Dennis (8/7), Milazzo (5/7), Lehnert (5/4), Brandi Muys (4/5), and Megan O’Neill (3/5).
So who did coach Zolk talk about the most? How about junior goalie Gabby Sportiello.
“We were in desperate need for a keeper, and she was actually a frosh field player on the JV unit who had the confidence to say she thought she could help us,” Zolk recalled. “Here we are now in her junior year and she owns 50 wins in net.
“What’s also special about this team is how they stay positive,” Zolk added. “They really do play one possession at a time. Alex came off the bench and scored, but when (Downers Grove) North tied it up, she wanted back in right away and got us another goal.”
Success isn’t exactly a foreign concept for Andrew with Zolk’s program owning 10 regional plaques since 2005 and Zolk-coached crews winning 15 or more games in five seasons. The previous topper is the 20-win unit from 2016.
“In my three years on varsity we’ve gotten better and stronger with each game,” Termunde said. “I’m extremely proud of how far we’ve come. And while this year has been amazing and awesome, we’re not done yet. This success has made us feel empowered to make others respect us even more.”
By Steve Nemeth
As usual the IHSA Class 3A girls state soccer hampionship promises to be historic, the question is what adjective will be applied.
Are we talking: multiples as in a possible seventh title for New Trier and veteran coach Jim Burnside; the trifecta for Naperville North’s youthful skipper Steve Goletz; admission to the exclusive back-to-back club for Barrington and the effervescent Ryan Stengren; or first in the first try for the exuberant Loren Zolk and his Andrew squad?
As the elder statesman and an IHSSCA Hall of Famer, Burnside is always quick to point out there are no style points or advantages given based on prior seasons. It all depends on what happens at North Central College’s Benedetti-Wehrli Stadium starting Friday.
Semifinal number one at 5 p.m. is the third meeting between Naperville North and Barrington. The two battled to a 2-2 statement on the opening day of the season March 12 in Barrington. The Huskies slipped by 1-0 in a Naperville Invitational semifinal April 27. After either contest, few envisioned a third get-together to determine who contends for the 2018 state crown.
Thanks to a major roster turnover, the Fillies (19-3-2) might be the first defending state champion to overcome an underdog label. As for North’s Huskies (20-3-4), the previous few years have been viewed as more bark than bite.
While the John Wooden of Prairie State soccer has New Trier seeking the 11th state trophy in his 21-year tenure, Burnside dismisses any talk of favorite status by pointing to the 2017 state tourney. The Trevians were aiming for a fourth-consecutive championship only to be denied by Barrington in a shootout.
Point granted, but the first place hardware count remained at six so the dynasty label still applies.
After last year, New Trier (23-0-2) operates on the take-nothing-for-granted philosophy especially when their 7 p.m. semifinal foe is an Andrew crew (21-4-0) that essentially has nothing to lose but the expectation to lose. Are the odds like being struck by lightning? If so, who better to defy the odds than the Thunderbolts?
All four finalists were either at the top alone or co-champs of their respective conferences before marching through the state meet.
Barrington
With Chicagoland Soccer’s 2017 Player of the Year Sophia Spinell graduated along with six other starters from the title game line-up, expectations were somewhat limited for Barrington. When senior Lauren Caffe – a Bowdoin signee – became a causalty for the 2018 campaign, expectations dropped another notch.
But the handful of veterans coupled with returnees suddenly gaining triple the playing time, and some hungry new talent, coalesced into the kind of balanced attack that has the best goal differential (+3.12) among the four finalists.
“With nine seniors last year, it was easy for everyone to buy into the process,” coach Ryan Stengren noted. “What I’m just now appreciating is how strong the foundation of Barrington soccer is, because each class has kept it going.
“Our three seniors this year have taught, sold and demonstrated the team ethic of playing our game. That’s working hard, focusing on the things we can control and concentrate only on the task directly ahead.”
Wisconsin-bound Michayla Herr echoed those same principles.
“Going into my freshman year I didn’t initially realize how special this program is. But those teammates taught me to care about the foundation Barrington soccer is built on,” Herr said.
“This isn’t the same team as last year, but we’re still not playing for medals or a trophy. We’re playing for each other. Stengren is a great coach for Xs and Os, but also for developing the family feeling.
“While we felt the pressure in the sectional (final), the message really became clearer -- no one wanted it to be done,” the senior tri-captain added. “We want success like last year, but we’re doing it our way.”
The anchor on defense is senior keeper Samantha Schmitz, who more than handled the glare associated with the spotlight of a shootout last year versus the Trevians.
In the recent sectional final against Cary-Grove when the Trojans scored with two minutes left in overtime to force a shootout for the title, all three Fillies converted and only one got past Schmitz who felt the need to redeem herself.
Her teammates have the utmost confidence in their Harvard-recruited goalie, who is largely responsible for 13 shutouts.
Schmitz and junior Ashley Prell -- an Illinois commit -- made the 2017 Chicagoland Soccer All-State Team and earned IHSSCA All-State acclaim for 2018. Prell leads the attack (20 goals/11 assists), but keep an eye on Herr (12/10) and Tina Teik (11/10), both members of the Chicagoland Soccer 2017 Watch List and 2018 IHSSCA All-Section 6 honorees. Teik is an early commit for Yale.
Trying to shut those players down simply creates opportunities for others like Rebecca Shoemaker (5/3), Christine Batliner (3/9) and Jen Devona (6/1). Another collegiate recruiting gem is junior Madi Rosen. The rock solid defender is a consummate set-up artist on corner kicks (10 assists) and opposing goalie scouting reports all include the warning not to sleep on her lethal free kicks regardless of distance.
Barrington, ranked fourth in the final regular season Chicagoland Soccer Top 25, had to get past a St. Charles North side that was not only the website’s no. 1-listed unit but had recently elevated to the top spot in the Top Drawer Soccer national ranking.
Barrington’s 2-0 “upset” of the North Stars moved the Fillies into the semifinal opposite third-ranked Naperville North. Should the Fillies win by a furlong or even a nose, the title game is expected to feature no. 2-ranked and revenge-minded New Trier.
For history buffs, Barrington is adding to a trophy case that contains a third place trophy from the all-one-class days in 2000, a AA second place finish from 2006, plus a pair of third place 3A showings in 2013 and 2015.
The ever-positive Stengren took over the program in 2008 when the Fillies didn’t advance in the postseason yet collected 13 victories. It’s been double-figure wins every season since and 10-consecutive sectional trophies to create an IHSSCA Hall of Fame-worthy candidacy.
Naperville North
When it comes to adding to a legacy of success, Naperville North’s Steve Goletz can relate. From 1998 through 2001, the Huskies finished first, second, fourth and third in those all-one-class days. Jay Konrad, the brother of 2017 state champion boys head coach and current girls assistant Jim Konrad, directed North to fourth in the 2004 AA event and Brent Terada oversaw a runnerup finish in the 2011 3A tourney.
Enter Goletz in 2012 with a state championship. Then came an encore effort in 2013. Is it any wonder success in the last few years has been viewed as unfulfilled?
“For a few years we have felt like we kind of made the mistake of letting our guard down,” Goletz allowed.
“Even this year, it took some soul-searching after Northbrook’s (Lou Malnati’s Deep Dish Classic) for us to right the ship. We’ve got four great captains who were disappointed to lose in the supersectional (last season) and decided after the Classic to get the team together and focus on being more effective, basically as simple as possible.
“Our strength is defense and on offense play simple, direct soccer. Get athletes into areas from where we can best score or attack,” Goletz added. “We’re back to having players previously taught the system as freshmen or JV1 now contributing.”
Emerging after the Classic with a 5-2-3 record, North began its resurgence in the Naperville Invitational where the Huskies reached the title match for the fifth time in six seasons. It was part of a stretch that truly tested North’s mettle.
“We lost a DVC (DuPage Valley Conference) match to Neuqua, faced St. Charles East, Barrington and New Trier,” Goletz recalled. “Whereas we might have let our guard down the previous year, suddenly the importance of every game in the DVC was clear. Just like the Naper Invite, you had to put together one good game after the other.”
Losing 1-0 to New Trier in the final only fanned those flames of desire. Aside from a momentary stumble in the form of a 0-0 tie to Downers Grove South, Naperville North has gone 10-straight without a defeat.
Out of 17 clean-sheets, four are from a postseason in which the Huskies have outscored opponents 16-1. Their 2.26 goals per match season average versus yielding 0.52 produces a +1.72 differential. As is normally the case, North is sending seniors on to the collegiate ranks this fall. This season the count is seven.
The idea that the Huskies don’t rebuild, but simply reload is indicated by the fact that no one from North made the 2017 Chicagoland Soccer Watch List. That’s because there were four senior All-State players and two Special Mention picks who graduated.
Earning IHSSCA All-State distinction for 2018 are goalie Maddie Hausmann, who is headed to Loyola, and midfielder Katelynn Buecher, an Illinois recruit. All-Section 10 honoree Shaina Dudas is going to Illinois State along with the sister act of Jessica and Alyssa Siebers. Megan Benmore and Taylor Leonard are going to Northern Iowa and Benedictine, respectively.
“The last few seasons we’ve had a little bad luck, and I imagine that’s why some folks may not have believed we’d be back in the state tourney,” Dudas said. “In previous years there was some pressure and maybe we succumbed. All the more reason I’m so proud of us coming together, and this state trip is the best feeling for all of us.
“As the school year wound down classmates had exams or prom, but now people are more and more excited about what we’re doing,” Dudas said. “I’d say it’s because of the grit we have. We’ve grinded out some wins, including some comebacks if needed. Our team once again is known for always battling, and we never give up.”
The Huskies offensive options range from Dudas (10 goals/12 assists) to Buescher (13/7) to Hannah Martin (14/5), a sophomore forward who also attained All-Section 10 recognition. Two more notables scorers include Leah Shumate (4/8) and Megan Benmore (4/6).
New Trier
How many different ways are there to showcase or illustrate the juggernaut that is New Trier?
Obviously start with the record that has a zero in the loss column. Yes, note the three-straight championships leading up to last year’s runnerup finish. Consider the 5-1 ratio of wins to non-victories in Jim Burnside’s 507-73-32 career record.
It naturally begs the question, does all that winning ever get old?
“No, and it hasn’t been easy,” senior Sydney Parker responded. “Nothing is ever given to us. People need to understand that every year we lose some great players, so someone has to step up and elevate their game. We could have T-shirts every year that include a target on our back. We’ve beat some amazing teams and whatever we do is built each year by that group.”
The DePaul-bound defender insists the Trevians have to fight for every win, citing the 2017 state tourney which involved overtime in the semifinal and a championship that ultimately came down to a shootout.
However there is no denying New Trier oozes talent. The Trevians not only don’t rebuild or reload, they unveil newer, more potent weapons.
Parker (16 goals/3 assists) earned IHSSCA All-State status along with sophomore forward Emma Weaver (15/19), an early commit for Villanova. Nicole Kaspi (17/6), is an All-Section 4 honoree heading to the University of Chicago. Fellow seniors Whitney Hoban (6/9) will join Trinity, and Abby Merk moves on to play for Bates.
Parker, Kaspi, Weaver and Caroline Iserloth (2/5) were on the 2017 Chicagoland Soccer All-State unit. Lily Conley (4/8) made the Watch List as did Hoban. That’s why someone as steady as Victoria Flannagan (5/2) almost gets lost in the shuffle.
It’s also the reason junior keeper Meghan Dwyer and the Trevians’ 17 clean-sheets are nearly taken for granted. Allowing a mere eight goals in 25 matches is impressive from any viewpoint, as is outscoring foes 21-2 in the post-season.
Dwyer, being a complete newcomer to the state tournament, still manages to spin the numbers into concern when it comes to the opposition.
“They’ve made it this far, and there are only four teams left so they have to be good,” Dwyer reasoned. “We can’t underestimate them and just like anyone else we play, we don’t want to be the feather in their cap.”
Needless to say Burnside has no difficulty conjuring up memories of upsets, both by or against the Trevians. In his case, the question becomes how do you keep doing so well year after year?
“I love doing what I do, and I’m not sure what I’d do without soccer, probably have to be coaching some other sport,” Burnside said. “I love working with student-athletes and I feed off their passion and joy, from the most to the least talented.
“This year we’ve got an all senior backline, and they are the anchor for the rest of the team,” Burnside said. “This group loves to create and then take advantage of the opportunities. You never quite know where (our goals) will come from.
“We talk ad nauseam about being serious but having fun while we compete. If we’re ever too serious and unable to laugh, I’m done. But if we’re just out for fun, I’m also done.”
Andrew
Now the question is what’s the best way for Andrew to handle its Herculean task? David with a thunderbolt instead of a stone? “What, me worry?” T-shirts? A slogan like "Our odds are better than the lottery!"
Or recite Rudyard Kipling’s famous lines “If you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs….If you can dream and not make dreams your master.”
What would produce bigger headlines, a semifinal loss by Andrew or by New Trier? How about the Thunderbolts winning their first state championship in girls soccer? Coach Loren Zolk could run for mayor of Tinley Park.
“Maybe people think we’re crashing the party, I believe we’re all deserving. It’s just that the other three are there a lot,” Zolk said. “Obviously this is all very new to us, and we’re very excited. But we’ve come a long way, and there’s no reason not to make as big a statement or impact as possible.”
Andrew’s administration certainly gambled when bidding to be a supersectional host, and it certainly paid off. The home fans were so thrilled that the students stormed the field. Thanks to her two goals, reserve Alex Dennis was carried around on the shoulders of one fan while clutching the supersectional plaque.
Priceless.
And how about that next to New Trier, Andrew has the second most victories among the four finalists.
The Thunderbolts have outscored the opposition 15-1 in the postseason. It took until the supersectional for a foe to score a goal, so four playoff wins are among the 12 shutouts for the year. Plus the five postseason triumphs are part of a nine-match win streak with 13 victories over the last 14 matches.
There are three seniors whose careers will continue at the collegiate level in the fall: Emma Lehnert (Wisconsin-LaCrosse), Samantha Termunde (St. Xavier), and Mia Milazzo (Missouri-St. Louis). The last one earned IHSSCA All-Section 14 notice while junior Samantha Koppers was Honorable Mention.
However the major offensive threat is junior Megan Nemec – an early commit to Loyola – whose 13 goals and nine assists do not top the Andrew charts. Koppers (20/4) headlines the offense and is followed by Erin Jaskierski (16/5), the aforementioned Dennis (8/7), Milazzo (5/7), Lehnert (5/4), Brandi Muys (4/5), and Megan O’Neill (3/5).
So who did coach Zolk talk about the most? How about junior goalie Gabby Sportiello.
“We were in desperate need for a keeper, and she was actually a frosh field player on the JV unit who had the confidence to say she thought she could help us,” Zolk recalled. “Here we are now in her junior year and she owns 50 wins in net.
“What’s also special about this team is how they stay positive,” Zolk added. “They really do play one possession at a time. Alex came off the bench and scored, but when (Downers Grove) North tied it up, she wanted back in right away and got us another goal.”
Success isn’t exactly a foreign concept for Andrew with Zolk’s program owning 10 regional plaques since 2005 and Zolk-coached crews winning 15 or more games in five seasons. The previous topper is the 20-win unit from 2016.
“In my three years on varsity we’ve gotten better and stronger with each game,” Termunde said. “I’m extremely proud of how far we’ve come. And while this year has been amazing and awesome, we’re not done yet. This success has made us feel empowered to make others respect us even more.”