Fremd-Barrington may
decide how West is won
By Mike Garofola
One of the premier clashes in Mid-Suburban League soccer year-in and year-out occurs when Barrington and Fremd meet.
Both have passionate fan bases who create an exciting and electric atmosphere, and each game usually plays out to an entire range of emotions.
There have been plenty of memorable moments over the years, including the 2-1 victory Fremd secured the last time the teams met in the 2019 campaign. The result ended Barrington's 12-game unbeaten streak (11-0-1) to open the season and run of wins at 10.
This rivalry has another important renewal at 6 p.m. Wednesday at Barrington Community Stadium. Fremd, ranked no. 21 in the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25, is five points clear (15-10) of the sixth-ranked Fillies, who have played one less league game. After their 3-0 home win over Hersey on Saturday, Barrington’s marks stand at 3-0-1 in the MSL and 5-1-2 overall.
On a late own-goal, Fremd (5-1-0 overall) defeated East Division-leading Buffalo Grove on Monday to stay perfect at 5-0-0.
Ashley Scesniak and Kate McGreevy, old friends from their early foray into club soccer at FCX, will be on opposite sides of the park tonight in what is likely the most important game in the league thus far.
"Our games with Barrington are always highly competitive, hard-fought and are always so important in the final standings," said Scesniak, who runs the show for manager Steve Keller. Alongside the four-year star is freshman phenom Gemma Gillespie, whom the veteran is feeling more comfortable with each time out.
"After our season opening loss to St. Charles East, I really feel that things have slowly been coming together for us,” she said. “We're getting close as a team thanks to our pasta parties and just with us trusting each other. We know what our roles are (since) Keller has finally sorted out the formation we'll play, and how we'll play."
Scesniak who sent the ball that became the game-winner in the 77th minute against Buffalo Grove, is all set to play next fall at Southern Illinois in Carbondale, where she will join former Vikings stars, Christy Murauskis and Emma Spotak, and plans to enter the nursing program.
"I was looking into D I schools like DePaul and Bowling Green, but with both Emma and Christy at SIU the decision was easy to join a promising program, with a chance to play if I train and perform well right from the start."
Scesniak, who plays with energy, pace and desire, is excited to see her old friend McGreevy tonight. The pair formed their friendship at the 10-u age group.
"Kate is a great player, and good friend, so it will be fun to be playing against her tonight in such a big game," said Scesniak.
McGreevy, the Fillies’ brilliant central defender, is a key figure and one of the lone mainstays from the Class 3A state runnerup team from 2019.
"We lost nearly everyone from that team" began McGreevy, who has been accepted into the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University next fall.
"There is really just a few of us back, including Coast Liapis our keeper, who gives my brand-new backline teammates plenty of confidence, especially in the first few games when we went against St Charles North, New Trier, Neuqua Valley and Libertyville, all state-ranked teams.
"It took all of us to time to understand the way (Fillies manager Ryan) Stengren wanted us to play, but with each training session, I have seen the team become better and better, which we'll have to be tonight."
McGreevy, who was fortunate to play alongside a trio of former Chicagoland Soccer All-State Team defenders Jackie Batliner, Juliana Moreno and Madi Rosen, took something from each player to pass along to her backline mates.
"All three of those players were so good at what they did. They always made me feel comfortable on and off the field. I knew in order to help my three new teammates along the back (that) I had to be the same way - providing positive communication and instruction and making sure all were understanding how we play here at Barrington, which is so different from club soccer," said McGreevy, who considered Loyola-Marymount and Santa Clara before deciding on Indiana.
"We all know this is an important game for both teams, but our focus is, and always has been our training sessions leading up to any game, and (then) one half of soccer at a time" added McGreevy.
decide how West is won
By Mike Garofola
One of the premier clashes in Mid-Suburban League soccer year-in and year-out occurs when Barrington and Fremd meet.
Both have passionate fan bases who create an exciting and electric atmosphere, and each game usually plays out to an entire range of emotions.
There have been plenty of memorable moments over the years, including the 2-1 victory Fremd secured the last time the teams met in the 2019 campaign. The result ended Barrington's 12-game unbeaten streak (11-0-1) to open the season and run of wins at 10.
This rivalry has another important renewal at 6 p.m. Wednesday at Barrington Community Stadium. Fremd, ranked no. 21 in the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25, is five points clear (15-10) of the sixth-ranked Fillies, who have played one less league game. After their 3-0 home win over Hersey on Saturday, Barrington’s marks stand at 3-0-1 in the MSL and 5-1-2 overall.
On a late own-goal, Fremd (5-1-0 overall) defeated East Division-leading Buffalo Grove on Monday to stay perfect at 5-0-0.
Ashley Scesniak and Kate McGreevy, old friends from their early foray into club soccer at FCX, will be on opposite sides of the park tonight in what is likely the most important game in the league thus far.
"Our games with Barrington are always highly competitive, hard-fought and are always so important in the final standings," said Scesniak, who runs the show for manager Steve Keller. Alongside the four-year star is freshman phenom Gemma Gillespie, whom the veteran is feeling more comfortable with each time out.
"After our season opening loss to St. Charles East, I really feel that things have slowly been coming together for us,” she said. “We're getting close as a team thanks to our pasta parties and just with us trusting each other. We know what our roles are (since) Keller has finally sorted out the formation we'll play, and how we'll play."
Scesniak who sent the ball that became the game-winner in the 77th minute against Buffalo Grove, is all set to play next fall at Southern Illinois in Carbondale, where she will join former Vikings stars, Christy Murauskis and Emma Spotak, and plans to enter the nursing program.
"I was looking into D I schools like DePaul and Bowling Green, but with both Emma and Christy at SIU the decision was easy to join a promising program, with a chance to play if I train and perform well right from the start."
Scesniak, who plays with energy, pace and desire, is excited to see her old friend McGreevy tonight. The pair formed their friendship at the 10-u age group.
"Kate is a great player, and good friend, so it will be fun to be playing against her tonight in such a big game," said Scesniak.
McGreevy, the Fillies’ brilliant central defender, is a key figure and one of the lone mainstays from the Class 3A state runnerup team from 2019.
"We lost nearly everyone from that team" began McGreevy, who has been accepted into the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University next fall.
"There is really just a few of us back, including Coast Liapis our keeper, who gives my brand-new backline teammates plenty of confidence, especially in the first few games when we went against St Charles North, New Trier, Neuqua Valley and Libertyville, all state-ranked teams.
"It took all of us to time to understand the way (Fillies manager Ryan) Stengren wanted us to play, but with each training session, I have seen the team become better and better, which we'll have to be tonight."
McGreevy, who was fortunate to play alongside a trio of former Chicagoland Soccer All-State Team defenders Jackie Batliner, Juliana Moreno and Madi Rosen, took something from each player to pass along to her backline mates.
"All three of those players were so good at what they did. They always made me feel comfortable on and off the field. I knew in order to help my three new teammates along the back (that) I had to be the same way - providing positive communication and instruction and making sure all were understanding how we play here at Barrington, which is so different from club soccer," said McGreevy, who considered Loyola-Marymount and Santa Clara before deciding on Indiana.
"We all know this is an important game for both teams, but our focus is, and always has been our training sessions leading up to any game, and (then) one half of soccer at a time" added McGreevy.