State preview: Saint Viator
By Curt Herron
This weekend marks the end of an era at Saint Viator as one of the winningest coaches in state history steps away from a school that he has worked at since 1988.
Hall of Fame coach Mike Taylor, who won over 500 matches leading the boys program and an additional 148 coaching the girls program for 11 years, will lead the Lions in two final matches at this weekend's IHSA Class AA finals.
Saint Viator (13-4-1) meets Triad (22-0-1) in a 2:30 p.m. match on Friday in the second semifinal, which takes place at Fremd in Palatine. The next day they will face either East Suburban Catholic Conference foe Joliet Catholic (15-1-1) or Saint Ignatius (15-5-1).
While Taylor has certainly enjoyed great success leading the Lions girls, during which time his teams have gone 148-78-18 and placed second at state in 2010 and 2018 and third in 2012, he is best known for what he's done with the school's boys program.
Taylor won state titles in 2003 and 2009, had a state runnerup team in 2000 and led six other teams to top-four finishes. He's one of the state's all-time winningest boys soccer coaches with over 600 wins during a 40-year career at three schools.
The Lions girls seek their first state championship since 2005, when Rory Dames led the program to three state titles in four years.
Saint Viator was 7-4-1 after dropping consecutive matches to Benet and Joliet Catholic on May 20 and 22 respectively, but since then the Lions have won six in a row. They defeated Deerfield 2-0 in the sectional finals and Burlington Central by the same score in the supersectional.
Senior forward Caroline Sexton leads Saint Viator with 21 goals and has six assists. Junior midfielder Emilie Doersching holds the team lead in assists with 22 while also collecting 13 goals.
Junior midfielder Sydney Grant (8 goals, 7 assists), senior midfielder Gabby Brown (7, 2), senior defender Emily Rasher (1, 5) and freshman forward Taylor Brakett (2, 7) are dangerous for the Lions.
Senior goalkeeper Lilly Collins has recorded shutouts in all four of her team's postseason victories and has seven on the season.
By Curt Herron
This weekend marks the end of an era at Saint Viator as one of the winningest coaches in state history steps away from a school that he has worked at since 1988.
Hall of Fame coach Mike Taylor, who won over 500 matches leading the boys program and an additional 148 coaching the girls program for 11 years, will lead the Lions in two final matches at this weekend's IHSA Class AA finals.
Saint Viator (13-4-1) meets Triad (22-0-1) in a 2:30 p.m. match on Friday in the second semifinal, which takes place at Fremd in Palatine. The next day they will face either East Suburban Catholic Conference foe Joliet Catholic (15-1-1) or Saint Ignatius (15-5-1).
While Taylor has certainly enjoyed great success leading the Lions girls, during which time his teams have gone 148-78-18 and placed second at state in 2010 and 2018 and third in 2012, he is best known for what he's done with the school's boys program.
Taylor won state titles in 2003 and 2009, had a state runnerup team in 2000 and led six other teams to top-four finishes. He's one of the state's all-time winningest boys soccer coaches with over 600 wins during a 40-year career at three schools.
The Lions girls seek their first state championship since 2005, when Rory Dames led the program to three state titles in four years.
Saint Viator was 7-4-1 after dropping consecutive matches to Benet and Joliet Catholic on May 20 and 22 respectively, but since then the Lions have won six in a row. They defeated Deerfield 2-0 in the sectional finals and Burlington Central by the same score in the supersectional.
Senior forward Caroline Sexton leads Saint Viator with 21 goals and has six assists. Junior midfielder Emilie Doersching holds the team lead in assists with 22 while also collecting 13 goals.
Junior midfielder Sydney Grant (8 goals, 7 assists), senior midfielder Gabby Brown (7, 2), senior defender Emily Rasher (1, 5) and freshman forward Taylor Brakett (2, 7) are dangerous for the Lions.
Senior goalkeeper Lilly Collins has recorded shutouts in all four of her team's postseason victories and has seven on the season.