State preview: Triad
By Curt Herron
Things have gone really well for a team when the only result in their season that they don't like happened in their first match.
That's the case for Triad this season. It played to a scoreless draw in its opener against Granite City, and it hasn't done anything but win since then.
Coach Matt Bettlach's Knights are back at the state finals for the third time in five years. That means that he has already exceeded the total of trophies that the school collected before he took over the program seven years ago.
Triad takes on Saint Viator in a 2:30 p.m. semifinal match at Fremd in Palatine right after Joliet Catholic and Saint Ignatius meet in the first Class AA semifinal.
Triad’s team 22-0-1 record this season is the best mark during Bettlach’s stint at the school in Troy, a community just to the east of St. Louis. During his time there, the Knights have gone 126-30-14, won a state title in 2017 and took third place two years later.
The Knights have only allowed three goals this season and have not allowed any goals in their last 13 matches. One of those shutouts came on May 21 when they won 2-0 over O'Fallon, who is competing in the Class 3A finals. Another came in a 4-0 victory on May 15 over Althoff, which is in the Class A semifinals.
Triad beat Waterloo 1-0 in the sectional and claimed a 2-0 win over previously unbeaten Glenwood in the supersectional round to assure the school of its fifth trophy in the sport.
Juniors Kendall and Reagan Chigas have handled most of the duties in the net for Triad. The pair has made 54 saves and contributed to 20 shutouts, which ranks 13th all-time in Illinois.
The Knights are led offensively by sophomore forwards Laney Harshany (13 goals, 12 assists) and Gabbie Woods (15, 2). Freshman forward Carson Bohnensteihl (8, 7), junior forward Breanna Zurek (9, 3), sophomore midfielder Caty Burton (6, 2) and senior midfielder Gracie Giacoletto (7, 2) contribute to a potent offense. The team scoring chart shows all but one player on the 22-girl roster has scored a goal and all but two have registered a helper.
The captains for Triad are seniors Emily Rosenthal, Savannah Stauffer and Giacoletto.
By Curt Herron
Things have gone really well for a team when the only result in their season that they don't like happened in their first match.
That's the case for Triad this season. It played to a scoreless draw in its opener against Granite City, and it hasn't done anything but win since then.
Coach Matt Bettlach's Knights are back at the state finals for the third time in five years. That means that he has already exceeded the total of trophies that the school collected before he took over the program seven years ago.
Triad takes on Saint Viator in a 2:30 p.m. semifinal match at Fremd in Palatine right after Joliet Catholic and Saint Ignatius meet in the first Class AA semifinal.
Triad’s team 22-0-1 record this season is the best mark during Bettlach’s stint at the school in Troy, a community just to the east of St. Louis. During his time there, the Knights have gone 126-30-14, won a state title in 2017 and took third place two years later.
The Knights have only allowed three goals this season and have not allowed any goals in their last 13 matches. One of those shutouts came on May 21 when they won 2-0 over O'Fallon, who is competing in the Class 3A finals. Another came in a 4-0 victory on May 15 over Althoff, which is in the Class A semifinals.
Triad beat Waterloo 1-0 in the sectional and claimed a 2-0 win over previously unbeaten Glenwood in the supersectional round to assure the school of its fifth trophy in the sport.
Juniors Kendall and Reagan Chigas have handled most of the duties in the net for Triad. The pair has made 54 saves and contributed to 20 shutouts, which ranks 13th all-time in Illinois.
The Knights are led offensively by sophomore forwards Laney Harshany (13 goals, 12 assists) and Gabbie Woods (15, 2). Freshman forward Carson Bohnensteihl (8, 7), junior forward Breanna Zurek (9, 3), sophomore midfielder Caty Burton (6, 2) and senior midfielder Gracie Giacoletto (7, 2) contribute to a potent offense. The team scoring chart shows all but one player on the 22-girl roster has scored a goal and all but two have registered a helper.
The captains for Triad are seniors Emily Rosenthal, Savannah Stauffer and Giacoletto.