Geneva, WWS meet
as teams search for identities
By Mike Garofola
If the 2021 spring soccer edition was a normal season with a normal starting date, both Geneva (1-0-0) and Wheaton Warrenville South (1-2-0) would have already played at least 10 regular-season games by now.
But this late-starting, COVID-19-influenced campaign is compressed into seven weeks, with less than six left before the playoffs. That leaves busy teams with little time to come up for air. In the bit picture, none of that really matters to Melisa Hadzic, of Wheaton Warrenville South, and Kelly Anderson from Geneva. They are ecstatic to be back on the field after the 2020 season was canceled.
The two seniors will be opposite of each other at 7 p.m. Thursday at Red Grange Stadium when their clubs meet in what used to be an annual contest. Due to the pandemic, the DuKane Conference athletic directors scheduled their league members to meet twice this season.
"I was the manager for our boys team," said Anderson, who will wear the captain's armband proudly in her fourth year with the varsity. "To see all of the energy with them back playing again, I couldn't wait to be out there playing. It's so exciting."
Anderson, who will attend Indiana University and its Kelley School of Business, will take on the role of mentor and team leader for a group that is underclass heavy. There are five freshmen on the squad who are looking to make their mark in their first Vikings season.
"Our freshmen players came here with plenty of high-level club experience, but it's still different playing varsity soccer because of the speed of play and constant pressure," said Anderson, who will play the six in the center of the park for manager Megan Owens. "So one of the most important things for me is to be the best player that I can be and to lead by example."
Coach Megan Owens will lean on six returning players in the early stages. In addition to Anderson, juniors Grace Belanger (D), Genevieve Moncrieff (D), Alana Rawls (F), Kya Trejo (MF) and sophomore Rilee Hasegowa (F) will be called upon to keep things in line.
"We graduated 12 seniors last year," said Owens. "We return a fairly young squad. Our team leaders and team chemistry will be critical for us as we progress throughout the season.
"We'll face challenges and go through some growing pains as we compete in a the Upstate Eight Conference. But we have several offensive threats, and we hope to prove ourselves as we go on and we make our mark."
Owens and Anderson are anxious to see the freshmen trio of Evyn Schokora, Lily Coats and Olivia Rawls develop. The Vikings exploded out of the gate with a 8-0 victory over Glenbard North on Tuesday evening. Coats scored in the win.
"Our roster is filled with some very talented players. I am excited for the future of Geneva soccer in the next two-three seasons," said Anderson.
Longtime Wheaton Warrenville South manager Guy Callipari also welcomed back a nice core of returning players as well as several fresh faces ready and willing to have a go at it.
After a lost season and 11 Tigers graduates in 2020, Wheaton Warrenville South (1-2-0) also has its fair share of unknowns.
"The obvious question is 'How will you be in 2021?'" said Callipari. "The beginning of the answer will come somewhere in the first five games of the season when roles are learned and accepted.
"The goal production will need to come from a consorted effort from our front five, and our defensive posture will seek four-five new faces."
Callipari lists seniors Hadzic (MF/F), Becca Hauenstein (F), Emma Snowman (MF), junior Ellie Farrel (D) and sophomore forwards Lauren Barnett and Kate Harnett as his key returning players. They will help guide a pair of freshmen midfielders, Mia Herbert and Ava Walsh, through the grind of their first year of varsity soccer.
"We lost a lot of players from the last time our team was together," said Hadzic, who will play outside on the wing, or in the center of the park for Callipari. "So the dynamic is so different from the 2019 team. It will be the job of seniors like myself to be the leaders this team will need to get us through.
"I was always hopeful we would have a season, especially with this being my senior year, so I am obviously very excited to be playing, especially with my friends and a great group of teammates."
Hadzic, who will continue playing next fall at Lewis University with an eye on an elementary education degree, has seen some positive things from her club, whose three games have come against ranked teams.
"In our 2-1 win over Andrew (Saturday), I thought we played together as a team, despite it being our first game," she said. "We connected passes, and defended fairly well. Joliet Catholic was the better team in our 5-0 loss, but it was a good learning experience for all of us, particularly for our younger players."
The Tigers dropped their conference opener 5-3 to St. Charles North on Tuesday night.
"Excitement reigns high," said Callipari. "Predictions may be difficult early on, but the possibilities for this team are wide open if we entertain the ideas of working hard on both sides of the ball."
as teams search for identities
By Mike Garofola
If the 2021 spring soccer edition was a normal season with a normal starting date, both Geneva (1-0-0) and Wheaton Warrenville South (1-2-0) would have already played at least 10 regular-season games by now.
But this late-starting, COVID-19-influenced campaign is compressed into seven weeks, with less than six left before the playoffs. That leaves busy teams with little time to come up for air. In the bit picture, none of that really matters to Melisa Hadzic, of Wheaton Warrenville South, and Kelly Anderson from Geneva. They are ecstatic to be back on the field after the 2020 season was canceled.
The two seniors will be opposite of each other at 7 p.m. Thursday at Red Grange Stadium when their clubs meet in what used to be an annual contest. Due to the pandemic, the DuKane Conference athletic directors scheduled their league members to meet twice this season.
"I was the manager for our boys team," said Anderson, who will wear the captain's armband proudly in her fourth year with the varsity. "To see all of the energy with them back playing again, I couldn't wait to be out there playing. It's so exciting."
Anderson, who will attend Indiana University and its Kelley School of Business, will take on the role of mentor and team leader for a group that is underclass heavy. There are five freshmen on the squad who are looking to make their mark in their first Vikings season.
"Our freshmen players came here with plenty of high-level club experience, but it's still different playing varsity soccer because of the speed of play and constant pressure," said Anderson, who will play the six in the center of the park for manager Megan Owens. "So one of the most important things for me is to be the best player that I can be and to lead by example."
Coach Megan Owens will lean on six returning players in the early stages. In addition to Anderson, juniors Grace Belanger (D), Genevieve Moncrieff (D), Alana Rawls (F), Kya Trejo (MF) and sophomore Rilee Hasegowa (F) will be called upon to keep things in line.
"We graduated 12 seniors last year," said Owens. "We return a fairly young squad. Our team leaders and team chemistry will be critical for us as we progress throughout the season.
"We'll face challenges and go through some growing pains as we compete in a the Upstate Eight Conference. But we have several offensive threats, and we hope to prove ourselves as we go on and we make our mark."
Owens and Anderson are anxious to see the freshmen trio of Evyn Schokora, Lily Coats and Olivia Rawls develop. The Vikings exploded out of the gate with a 8-0 victory over Glenbard North on Tuesday evening. Coats scored in the win.
"Our roster is filled with some very talented players. I am excited for the future of Geneva soccer in the next two-three seasons," said Anderson.
Longtime Wheaton Warrenville South manager Guy Callipari also welcomed back a nice core of returning players as well as several fresh faces ready and willing to have a go at it.
After a lost season and 11 Tigers graduates in 2020, Wheaton Warrenville South (1-2-0) also has its fair share of unknowns.
"The obvious question is 'How will you be in 2021?'" said Callipari. "The beginning of the answer will come somewhere in the first five games of the season when roles are learned and accepted.
"The goal production will need to come from a consorted effort from our front five, and our defensive posture will seek four-five new faces."
Callipari lists seniors Hadzic (MF/F), Becca Hauenstein (F), Emma Snowman (MF), junior Ellie Farrel (D) and sophomore forwards Lauren Barnett and Kate Harnett as his key returning players. They will help guide a pair of freshmen midfielders, Mia Herbert and Ava Walsh, through the grind of their first year of varsity soccer.
"We lost a lot of players from the last time our team was together," said Hadzic, who will play outside on the wing, or in the center of the park for Callipari. "So the dynamic is so different from the 2019 team. It will be the job of seniors like myself to be the leaders this team will need to get us through.
"I was always hopeful we would have a season, especially with this being my senior year, so I am obviously very excited to be playing, especially with my friends and a great group of teammates."
Hadzic, who will continue playing next fall at Lewis University with an eye on an elementary education degree, has seen some positive things from her club, whose three games have come against ranked teams.
"In our 2-1 win over Andrew (Saturday), I thought we played together as a team, despite it being our first game," she said. "We connected passes, and defended fairly well. Joliet Catholic was the better team in our 5-0 loss, but it was a good learning experience for all of us, particularly for our younger players."
The Tigers dropped their conference opener 5-3 to St. Charles North on Tuesday night.
"Excitement reigns high," said Callipari. "Predictions may be difficult early on, but the possibilities for this team are wide open if we entertain the ideas of working hard on both sides of the ball."