West Aurora meets Glenbard East
in crucial U8 showdown
By Patrick Z. McGavin
Laura Wagley did not ease into the season. The West Aurora coach sought early challenges for her young team, and got the shock of her life in the process. Fortunately it was of the happy sort.
“We truly thought this was going to be a rebuilding year,” Wagley said. The Blackhawks opened the season with a tight loss against Naperville Central and a competitive though one-sided one against St. Charles East, which is currently ranked at no. 8 in the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25.
“By playing them first, we played up to their level and that has carried over to the next level,” she said.
Since the 0-2-0 start, the Blackhawks have ripped off eight wins in their last nine games. They have posted five shutouts and outscored the opposition 28-5 in those games.
The Blackhawks’ seven-game winning streak came to an end with a tough 2-1 loss against no. 13 Waubonsie Valley in the semifinals of the Plainfield Classic on Saturday.
West Aurora (8-3-0, 3-0-0) regrouped with a 4-0 victory over Larkin with goals by midfielders Olivia McPherson and Sarai Munoz and forward Gracie Prather; the team’s breakout star, junior forward Audrey Stephens, scored her team-best 12th goal. She also has six assists. Prather added two assists.
Stephens is the younger sister of Kat Stephens, the former Blackhawks’ star who is in her second year at Loyola. Now, Audrey Stephens, a relentless worker and dynamic player, is the face of the program.
She apprenticed under her sister as a freshman and last year with Riley O’Brien, now at Illinois State. The team is hers, and she has reposted.
“I definitely learned the leadership role with my sister and last year with Riley,” Audrey Stephens said. “Having the same group of girls the last couple of years has definitely helped. We have learned how to play with each other better. We have good chemistry.”
On Wednesday, the Blackhawks look to make another step forward with a vital game against no. 19 Glenbard East in Lombard. The teams have played to a draw three-consecutive years.
The Upstate Eight Conference title is likely to be challenged by three teams: West Aurora, Glenbard East and Bartlett. South Elgin is the darkhorse. The Rams defeated Bartlett 1-0 on a Lindsey Novak goal in the 68th minute on Monday. Glenbard East hosts the Blackhawks and then meets South Elgin on Saturday.
Whaley said the Blackhawks’ defensive prowess is tied to the play of freshman Krystal Diaz, who with Latricia Mbende has formed an impressive and largely impenetrable back. Take away the five goals scored by St. Charles East and the Blackhawks have permitted just seven goals in nine games.
“She is a true sweeper,” Wagley said. “That was the position we needed to fill, and she has been a life saver in her ability to see the game and call our marks.”
Glenbard East's victory over Bartlett reversed a recent slide that saw the Rams (9-3-1, 1-0-1) lose consecutive games in the PepsiCo Showdown. Like Wagley, Glenbard East coach Kent Overbey has been overjoyed by the early play of his team that has ably replaced many impact players from a year ago.
“We lost seven starters, and we have a lot of freshmen and sophomores step up and contribute right away,” Overbey said. “The players are maturing and growing from that experience. We struggled a bit last week at PepsiCo, when the injuries and illness piled up.
“(But) we came out hard against, in the wind, against a very good Bartlett team and got a good result.”
Senior forward Lindsey Novak is a game-changer, a dynamic and fluid player who can score from anywhere on the field. She leads the Rams with 10 goals. Midfielder Amy Chiero is another top-flight player, a creative talent with a feel for the game and the ability to break down defenses. She has eight goals and nine assists.
Glenbard East also features a couple of excellent attacking pieces -- Elaine Wesling and Maddie Weltin, who Overbey calls “an incredible talent who really opens up space.”
The teams have played one common conference opponent: West Chicago. The Blackhawks beat the Wildcats 2-0. The Rams took a 2-0 lead in the first five minutes only to see West Chicago fight back for the 2-2 draw.
“The reality is that we still control our own destiny in the conference,” Overbey said. “Hopefully that tie is not going to come back to haunt us. We need to get a good result against West Aurora. You are going to be hard pressed to find a team that works harder than they do.
“The new Stephens makes them very dangerous.”
in crucial U8 showdown
By Patrick Z. McGavin
Laura Wagley did not ease into the season. The West Aurora coach sought early challenges for her young team, and got the shock of her life in the process. Fortunately it was of the happy sort.
“We truly thought this was going to be a rebuilding year,” Wagley said. The Blackhawks opened the season with a tight loss against Naperville Central and a competitive though one-sided one against St. Charles East, which is currently ranked at no. 8 in the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25.
“By playing them first, we played up to their level and that has carried over to the next level,” she said.
Since the 0-2-0 start, the Blackhawks have ripped off eight wins in their last nine games. They have posted five shutouts and outscored the opposition 28-5 in those games.
The Blackhawks’ seven-game winning streak came to an end with a tough 2-1 loss against no. 13 Waubonsie Valley in the semifinals of the Plainfield Classic on Saturday.
West Aurora (8-3-0, 3-0-0) regrouped with a 4-0 victory over Larkin with goals by midfielders Olivia McPherson and Sarai Munoz and forward Gracie Prather; the team’s breakout star, junior forward Audrey Stephens, scored her team-best 12th goal. She also has six assists. Prather added two assists.
Stephens is the younger sister of Kat Stephens, the former Blackhawks’ star who is in her second year at Loyola. Now, Audrey Stephens, a relentless worker and dynamic player, is the face of the program.
She apprenticed under her sister as a freshman and last year with Riley O’Brien, now at Illinois State. The team is hers, and she has reposted.
“I definitely learned the leadership role with my sister and last year with Riley,” Audrey Stephens said. “Having the same group of girls the last couple of years has definitely helped. We have learned how to play with each other better. We have good chemistry.”
On Wednesday, the Blackhawks look to make another step forward with a vital game against no. 19 Glenbard East in Lombard. The teams have played to a draw three-consecutive years.
The Upstate Eight Conference title is likely to be challenged by three teams: West Aurora, Glenbard East and Bartlett. South Elgin is the darkhorse. The Rams defeated Bartlett 1-0 on a Lindsey Novak goal in the 68th minute on Monday. Glenbard East hosts the Blackhawks and then meets South Elgin on Saturday.
Whaley said the Blackhawks’ defensive prowess is tied to the play of freshman Krystal Diaz, who with Latricia Mbende has formed an impressive and largely impenetrable back. Take away the five goals scored by St. Charles East and the Blackhawks have permitted just seven goals in nine games.
“She is a true sweeper,” Wagley said. “That was the position we needed to fill, and she has been a life saver in her ability to see the game and call our marks.”
Glenbard East's victory over Bartlett reversed a recent slide that saw the Rams (9-3-1, 1-0-1) lose consecutive games in the PepsiCo Showdown. Like Wagley, Glenbard East coach Kent Overbey has been overjoyed by the early play of his team that has ably replaced many impact players from a year ago.
“We lost seven starters, and we have a lot of freshmen and sophomores step up and contribute right away,” Overbey said. “The players are maturing and growing from that experience. We struggled a bit last week at PepsiCo, when the injuries and illness piled up.
“(But) we came out hard against, in the wind, against a very good Bartlett team and got a good result.”
Senior forward Lindsey Novak is a game-changer, a dynamic and fluid player who can score from anywhere on the field. She leads the Rams with 10 goals. Midfielder Amy Chiero is another top-flight player, a creative talent with a feel for the game and the ability to break down defenses. She has eight goals and nine assists.
Glenbard East also features a couple of excellent attacking pieces -- Elaine Wesling and Maddie Weltin, who Overbey calls “an incredible talent who really opens up space.”
The teams have played one common conference opponent: West Chicago. The Blackhawks beat the Wildcats 2-0. The Rams took a 2-0 lead in the first five minutes only to see West Chicago fight back for the 2-2 draw.
“The reality is that we still control our own destiny in the conference,” Overbey said. “Hopefully that tie is not going to come back to haunt us. We need to get a good result against West Aurora. You are going to be hard pressed to find a team that works harder than they do.
“The new Stephens makes them very dangerous.”