Lake Forest, Warren battle
to produce the better encore
By Patrick Z. McGavin
Lake Forest travels to Warren Monday night to mark the teams' official close of the North Suburban Conference slate.
Whatever happens, the two teams are going to be hard pressed to outdo their most recent game.
Last Thursday, senior midfielder Samantha Pullins scored two, late goals three minutes apart to rally the no. 16 Blue Devils to a 3-3 tie against ninth-ranked Libertyville to a 3-3 tie.
Senior forward Ella Skelton provided the early action with a goal in the fifth minute.
“I definitely still feel like I’m on Cloud 9,” Pullins said. “It was such an exciting and exhilarating game. I know all of us were really looking forward to playing Libertyville.
“Personally, this game was one of my favorite games I have played in my high school career. It was so much fun to play against my club teammates, and battle until the end. I’m still so proud of our team. It showed the fight, drive, and determination we all have to win.”
Warren (9-3-4, 4-0-2, 14 points) sits behind Libertyville (5-0-1) and no. 12 Stevenson (5-0-1) in the conference race. Warren and Stevenson played to a scoreless tie.
Libertyville plays at Stevenson Monday night.
Lake Forest (6-9-1, 2-3-1) is also riding high after a 3-0 victory over then no. 20 New Trier on Saturday.
Defender Alexandra Fontana filled in as an emergency starter for keeper Sarah Constantine, who was unable to play due to illness. Lake Forest coach Ty Stuckslager called her availability a game-time decision.
He is also hopeful to get some time for the Scouts’ best player, four-year starting midfielder Emerson Waddle, who has been out since suffering an injury against Waukegan on April 26.
Lake Forest is enjoying a two-game winning streak.
“We’ve never beat New Trier, and we’re all not even sure the last time we’ve beaten Warren,” defender Riley Hoskins told Chicagoland Soccer reporter Bobby Narang after the New Trier game.
“Our communication and everything we did, we proved we left it all out on the field.”
Lake Forest's Class of '22 got their win against the Trevians. Warren is the next target. The Scouts may be due some luck after suffering some cruel fates at the end of games recently.
“We gave up two goals at Libertyville in the last 11 minutes (in a 2-1 loss April 28), and the following week, we gave up a goal against Lake Zurich with 1.1 seconds left to tie that game,” Stuckslager said.
“Those were kind of victories within our grasp. We understand you have to play for all 80 minutes. Any given time, with just one letdown, you can be punished.”
Midfielder Lily Cran scored off a header in the third minute against New Trier. Ashley Rupprecht and Hanna Sands also scored for the Scouts.
Lake Forest concludes its regular season against Lake Forest Academy on Thursday night.
The team earned the no. 6 seed in the Class AA sectional at Wauconda.
“We focused from the beginning on the journey that we know what we do in practice, and we know what our goals are,” Stuckslager said.
“The goal is to constantly get better.”
Warren marks the eighth program currently ranked in the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25 Lake Forest has played.
“One of the things we try not to focus on is the record,” Stuckslager said. “We tell them there are going to be some games that we should win that we don’t, and probably some games that we do win that we shouldn’t.
“In the end, if you play a good game, the results shouldn’t matter as much.”
Warren’s Skelton has totaled nine goals and seven assists, and Pullins has added four goals and five assists this season.
The Blue Devils are the no. 4 seed of their own Class 3A sectional. Warren closes out its regular-season at home against no. 10 Deerfield Thursday.
This is the final conference home game for Skelton and Pullins.
“I think everything is coming together at the perfect time,” Skelton said. “The match up has just proved that we can be in hard situations and find a way out together.
“From here on out, each game is a competition with a high level of soccer. We never want to stop rolling, and there are little pieces left to our puzzle that we are dedicated to fixing as we head into an important week. The goal is to make each game better than the last.”
A career marked by triumph and the sadness of a lost sophomore season is reaching a natural conclusion.
“It is crazy to reflect on my time at Warren because it feels like just yesterday I was the little freshman on varsity who was nervous of what was to come,” Skelton said.
“During the past four years on this team, I have met my best friends and the most amazing people. We have made memories that will last a lifetime. This team has quickly become my family and the best part of every day.”
to produce the better encore
By Patrick Z. McGavin
Lake Forest travels to Warren Monday night to mark the teams' official close of the North Suburban Conference slate.
Whatever happens, the two teams are going to be hard pressed to outdo their most recent game.
Last Thursday, senior midfielder Samantha Pullins scored two, late goals three minutes apart to rally the no. 16 Blue Devils to a 3-3 tie against ninth-ranked Libertyville to a 3-3 tie.
Senior forward Ella Skelton provided the early action with a goal in the fifth minute.
“I definitely still feel like I’m on Cloud 9,” Pullins said. “It was such an exciting and exhilarating game. I know all of us were really looking forward to playing Libertyville.
“Personally, this game was one of my favorite games I have played in my high school career. It was so much fun to play against my club teammates, and battle until the end. I’m still so proud of our team. It showed the fight, drive, and determination we all have to win.”
Warren (9-3-4, 4-0-2, 14 points) sits behind Libertyville (5-0-1) and no. 12 Stevenson (5-0-1) in the conference race. Warren and Stevenson played to a scoreless tie.
Libertyville plays at Stevenson Monday night.
Lake Forest (6-9-1, 2-3-1) is also riding high after a 3-0 victory over then no. 20 New Trier on Saturday.
Defender Alexandra Fontana filled in as an emergency starter for keeper Sarah Constantine, who was unable to play due to illness. Lake Forest coach Ty Stuckslager called her availability a game-time decision.
He is also hopeful to get some time for the Scouts’ best player, four-year starting midfielder Emerson Waddle, who has been out since suffering an injury against Waukegan on April 26.
Lake Forest is enjoying a two-game winning streak.
“We’ve never beat New Trier, and we’re all not even sure the last time we’ve beaten Warren,” defender Riley Hoskins told Chicagoland Soccer reporter Bobby Narang after the New Trier game.
“Our communication and everything we did, we proved we left it all out on the field.”
Lake Forest's Class of '22 got their win against the Trevians. Warren is the next target. The Scouts may be due some luck after suffering some cruel fates at the end of games recently.
“We gave up two goals at Libertyville in the last 11 minutes (in a 2-1 loss April 28), and the following week, we gave up a goal against Lake Zurich with 1.1 seconds left to tie that game,” Stuckslager said.
“Those were kind of victories within our grasp. We understand you have to play for all 80 minutes. Any given time, with just one letdown, you can be punished.”
Midfielder Lily Cran scored off a header in the third minute against New Trier. Ashley Rupprecht and Hanna Sands also scored for the Scouts.
Lake Forest concludes its regular season against Lake Forest Academy on Thursday night.
The team earned the no. 6 seed in the Class AA sectional at Wauconda.
“We focused from the beginning on the journey that we know what we do in practice, and we know what our goals are,” Stuckslager said.
“The goal is to constantly get better.”
Warren marks the eighth program currently ranked in the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25 Lake Forest has played.
“One of the things we try not to focus on is the record,” Stuckslager said. “We tell them there are going to be some games that we should win that we don’t, and probably some games that we do win that we shouldn’t.
“In the end, if you play a good game, the results shouldn’t matter as much.”
Warren’s Skelton has totaled nine goals and seven assists, and Pullins has added four goals and five assists this season.
The Blue Devils are the no. 4 seed of their own Class 3A sectional. Warren closes out its regular-season at home against no. 10 Deerfield Thursday.
This is the final conference home game for Skelton and Pullins.
“I think everything is coming together at the perfect time,” Skelton said. “The match up has just proved that we can be in hard situations and find a way out together.
“From here on out, each game is a competition with a high level of soccer. We never want to stop rolling, and there are little pieces left to our puzzle that we are dedicated to fixing as we head into an important week. The goal is to make each game better than the last.”
A career marked by triumph and the sadness of a lost sophomore season is reaching a natural conclusion.
“It is crazy to reflect on my time at Warren because it feels like just yesterday I was the little freshman on varsity who was nervous of what was to come,” Skelton said.
“During the past four years on this team, I have met my best friends and the most amazing people. We have made memories that will last a lifetime. This team has quickly become my family and the best part of every day.”