Early wake-up call for Young,
Jones in important league match
By Patrick Z. McGavin
All coaches like to appropriate what they experience or notice in the course of a season.
Jones coach Derek Bylsma remembers the first year Ross LaBauex arrived at Young, and what he accomplished.
“It was three years ago, and now I am trying to match that model,” Bylsma said.
“We played them early in the season. I thought we were clearly the better team, and we won 2-0.”
The teams matched up again in the semifinals of the city tournament, and the Dolphins squeezed out the overtime victory.
“They were a much different team when we played in the city playoffs. They came back and made that big run in the state playoffs,” Bylsma said.
“They ended up losing to Lyons in a sectional final.”
The moment flicked across Bylsma’s mind as his team is set to host the Dolphins Wednesday in a crucial early-season showdown in the Chicago Public League Premier Division.
“I have used that team as an example with our team this year as something we want to try and be,” Bylsma said.
The early-season movements of Young and Jones have played off each other.
They enter the game with identical records (2-2-1, 1-0-0). Both lost to no. 2 Lyons and no. 24 Hinsdale Central in the City-Suburbs Connect Invitational.
Both have tied top-tier Chicago Catholic League teams: Young notched a draw with no. 16 Loyola; Jones played even with St. Ignatius.
The Premier is top-heavy with no. 13 Lane, Young, Jones and Payton all battling for the top-four seeds for the city tournament.
Young edged Jones 2-1 last year in securing the Premier regular-season title.
The Dolphins’ team of three years ago that Bylsma referenced has a core group at the top with dynamic twin sisters, forward Ella Koleno and midfielder Sydney.
Midfielder Alexis Sassower is the other cog of that three-headed offensive monster.
Ella Koleno and Sassower are Chicagoland Soccer all-state players.
Sydney Koleno is a three-time watch list talent.
Now the three are bolstered by the first-year high school player Daphne Murray, another dynamic and creative senior talent in the middle.
The Butler recruit comes to the Dolphins from the Oak Brook-based Eclipse program.
“Club soccer ended, and everybody is playing high school their last year after committing to college,” Murray said.
“I played with Alexis and the twins in club, and that has definitely helped.”
Murray is the kind of talent who automatically raises the ceiling of what the Dolphins are capable of.
“She is shifty, very good on the ball, and she works very hard,” LaBauex said. “Slowly she will get more acclimated with the team.
“We will get better as we go.”
Ella Koleno has elite speed and demonstrates great movement off the dribble or in space.
Sydney Koleno knows how to find her twin.
Forward Maisy Connelly is another dangerous weapon in the Dolphins’ firmament.
“I think Young’s a little better than normal, and that scares me a bit,” Bylsma said.
After not scoring in their first three games, Jones has unleashed a more varied and open-ended attack with 10 goals in the two victories.
Midfielder Carolina Rondelli, another Watch List talent, first emerged last year as a complementary piece to two-time all-state forward Carmen Marshall.
Now Rondelli is fully unleashed, and she is dangerous in the middle of the attack and in her ability to get to the goal.
She is a physical and aggressive talent.
Midfielder Morgan Scott is another savvy veteran. Another crucial offensive talent to watch is Mia McRoberts, a skilled forward.
“Rondelli is a special player,” Bylsma said.
Injuries have deprived the Eagles of three top starters. As a show of their rise in the city, the injured players come to practice every day to support the team.
“If we were fully healthy, I am not sure this would be my best team ever, but we’d be close, probably about 97 percent,” Bylsma said.
“What’s happened with some of the injuries is that some of these other kids, especially our last two games, have really stepped up.”
Jones’ center back Patricia Felder is the centerpiece of the Eagles’ defense who will be tasked with slowing the Dolphins down.
She scored a goal against Northside, and is probably the team’s best two-way talent.
Senior keeper Nicole Leon is another standout.
“Nicole has shown, I think, the most improvement I have ever seen by a keeper.
“She will play in college, and she was not there when she first arrived here.”
Jones and Young both take on Lane next week. This early game is a bellwether.
“Young showed with that team a couple of years ago you could be a much better team at the end of the year than you were at the beginning of the year with the exact same players,” Bylsma said.
“I have stolen that idea from Ross. He figured out how to ingeniously improve with every game and every practice.”
Jones in important league match
By Patrick Z. McGavin
All coaches like to appropriate what they experience or notice in the course of a season.
Jones coach Derek Bylsma remembers the first year Ross LaBauex arrived at Young, and what he accomplished.
“It was three years ago, and now I am trying to match that model,” Bylsma said.
“We played them early in the season. I thought we were clearly the better team, and we won 2-0.”
The teams matched up again in the semifinals of the city tournament, and the Dolphins squeezed out the overtime victory.
“They were a much different team when we played in the city playoffs. They came back and made that big run in the state playoffs,” Bylsma said.
“They ended up losing to Lyons in a sectional final.”
The moment flicked across Bylsma’s mind as his team is set to host the Dolphins Wednesday in a crucial early-season showdown in the Chicago Public League Premier Division.
“I have used that team as an example with our team this year as something we want to try and be,” Bylsma said.
The early-season movements of Young and Jones have played off each other.
They enter the game with identical records (2-2-1, 1-0-0). Both lost to no. 2 Lyons and no. 24 Hinsdale Central in the City-Suburbs Connect Invitational.
Both have tied top-tier Chicago Catholic League teams: Young notched a draw with no. 16 Loyola; Jones played even with St. Ignatius.
The Premier is top-heavy with no. 13 Lane, Young, Jones and Payton all battling for the top-four seeds for the city tournament.
Young edged Jones 2-1 last year in securing the Premier regular-season title.
The Dolphins’ team of three years ago that Bylsma referenced has a core group at the top with dynamic twin sisters, forward Ella Koleno and midfielder Sydney.
Midfielder Alexis Sassower is the other cog of that three-headed offensive monster.
Ella Koleno and Sassower are Chicagoland Soccer all-state players.
Sydney Koleno is a three-time watch list talent.
Now the three are bolstered by the first-year high school player Daphne Murray, another dynamic and creative senior talent in the middle.
The Butler recruit comes to the Dolphins from the Oak Brook-based Eclipse program.
“Club soccer ended, and everybody is playing high school their last year after committing to college,” Murray said.
“I played with Alexis and the twins in club, and that has definitely helped.”
Murray is the kind of talent who automatically raises the ceiling of what the Dolphins are capable of.
“She is shifty, very good on the ball, and she works very hard,” LaBauex said. “Slowly she will get more acclimated with the team.
“We will get better as we go.”
Ella Koleno has elite speed and demonstrates great movement off the dribble or in space.
Sydney Koleno knows how to find her twin.
Forward Maisy Connelly is another dangerous weapon in the Dolphins’ firmament.
“I think Young’s a little better than normal, and that scares me a bit,” Bylsma said.
After not scoring in their first three games, Jones has unleashed a more varied and open-ended attack with 10 goals in the two victories.
Midfielder Carolina Rondelli, another Watch List talent, first emerged last year as a complementary piece to two-time all-state forward Carmen Marshall.
Now Rondelli is fully unleashed, and she is dangerous in the middle of the attack and in her ability to get to the goal.
She is a physical and aggressive talent.
Midfielder Morgan Scott is another savvy veteran. Another crucial offensive talent to watch is Mia McRoberts, a skilled forward.
“Rondelli is a special player,” Bylsma said.
Injuries have deprived the Eagles of three top starters. As a show of their rise in the city, the injured players come to practice every day to support the team.
“If we were fully healthy, I am not sure this would be my best team ever, but we’d be close, probably about 97 percent,” Bylsma said.
“What’s happened with some of the injuries is that some of these other kids, especially our last two games, have really stepped up.”
Jones’ center back Patricia Felder is the centerpiece of the Eagles’ defense who will be tasked with slowing the Dolphins down.
She scored a goal against Northside, and is probably the team’s best two-way talent.
Senior keeper Nicole Leon is another standout.
“Nicole has shown, I think, the most improvement I have ever seen by a keeper.
“She will play in college, and she was not there when she first arrived here.”
Jones and Young both take on Lane next week. This early game is a bellwether.
“Young showed with that team a couple of years ago you could be a much better team at the end of the year than you were at the beginning of the year with the exact same players,” Bylsma said.
“I have stolen that idea from Ross. He figured out how to ingeniously improve with every game and every practice.”