Team preview: Downers Grove South
By Bill Stone
The Mustangs returns six starters and three All-West Suburban Conference Gold Division selections and is riding two-straight Class 3A regional championships.
Even more, the Mustangs possess leadership.
Based on voting by the players, there will be five team captains in 2020 – the most ever under sixth-year head coach Chris Hernandez – in seniors Jordan Rose, Maddie Raftery, Allison Eberhard and Talia Davis and junior Olivia Meyer.
“I personally think five is a lot, but on the other hand it’s a good thing in a way. That means we have multiple people to look up to as leaders and in different ways,” said defender Eberhard.
“I think it’s a good thing for our team, because we have so many strong assets. You can turn to any one (of them). We have strong players that every one of the younger players can look to and ask questions.”
Expectations remain high after a great 2019 season for the Mustangs (12-8-1, 5-1-0 in WSC Gold) that ended with a 3-0 Glenbard East Sectional semifinal loss to Lyons, which eventually finished fourth in 3A.
This was the second-straight year that the Mustangs lost to the Lions in a sectional semifinal by a 3-0 score and the third sectional semifinal loss to the Lions for Hernandez as head coach (2-0 in 2015).
“It’s really been a goal of ours to be past that game and get further along,” Eberhard said. “We have a pretty mature team now. There’s a lot of seniors that have been on varsity two, three years, even four. It’s more of a senior-set team and most of the players have been in the positions they’re playing this year so we should be pretty set. We have a pretty strong lineup.”
The return of college-bound soccer players and best friends Rose (Indiana State) and Raftery (Ohio University) is a great starting point. Both were Chicagoland Soccer All-Staters a season ago.
Midfielder Rose (19 goals, 8 assists in 2019) and forward Raftery (16 goals, 11 assists) combined for 35 of the Mustangs’ 60 goals last season.
Rose was named to the IHSSCA All-State Team after being all-sectional in 2018, her first year of high-school soccer. Raftery was named all-sectional in her first season for the Mustangs.
Senior Marlo Rachie, junior Gabi Galvez, Eberhard and Meyer also are returning starters and Davis and junior Riley Vondrasek are returning letter winners.
Like the other teams, the Mustangs are on hold to start playing. They’re especially anxious with so many talented and veteran seniors.
“(This season) we definitely had some key tools already that we needed and some talented young players coming through with three freshmen and four sophomores,” Hernandez said. “Obviously (pandemic) conditions need to improve a bit, but if everyone stays healthy and happy (we can succeed).”
The veterans have shown great leadership during the layoff. They’ve emphasized individual training and preparedness so that everyone is ready to go once the season resumes.
“Our seniors have done a great job and especially our captains communicating about expectations. There are expectations when you’re a varsity player and being a Mustang and holding that tradition,” Hernandez said.
“I know a lot of the girls have been out running and looking for links (online) for drills they can do at home. From the videos I’ve received from some of the parents, it looks like they’re doing what they can to keep their skills up. I’m very proud with how they’re handling the situation.”
The Mustangs made good preseason progress before the layoff and, as usual, team captains were selected.
Three fellow captains were expected to join Rose, the junior captain from 2019. The traditional make-up is two additional seniors and a new junior captain (Meyer) who will continue for the 2021 season.
The vote for the two seniors ended in a three-way tie for the first time. Hernandez went with the result.
“They’re all very deserving. They all bring their own voice and influence on the team,” Hernandez said. “I’ve kind of given each of (the captains) different responsibilities off the field. They each have their little niche in terms of the team culture.”
Also making her high school soccer debut last season, Galvez (2 goals, 4 assists) played primarily defensive midfield and earned All-WSC Gold honors with Rose and Raftery.
Meyer (goal, 5 assists) begins her third varsity season after starting every 2019 game as a midfielder. Third-year varsity letter winner Davis (3 goals, 6 assists) also will bolster the midfield.
The Mustangs graduated their third 2019 double-digit scorer in Nicole Fajardo (10 goals, 11 assists).
“(Rose and Raftery) have a great dynamic. A lot of the goals and assists last year came from each other looking for that other person,” Hernandez said. “You saw it this year from our practices earlier, it’s not just them. It’s three, four other girls trying to influence themselves on the team and wanting more responsibility. The dynamic between the four, five of them was pretty good.”
Four-year varsity player Rachie (assist) and third-year varsity player Eberhard (goal) are returning starters for a defense that posted nine shutouts last season. Before the sectional loss, the Mustangs posted four-straight shutout victories, concluding with a 1-0 decision over rival Downers Grove North for the Oak Park and River Forest Regional title.
Eberhard joined the defense late last season after undergoing surgery for compartment syndrome in her calves. The second-leading scorer as a forward in 2018, Eberhard now moves again from outside to center back for the first time.
“I’m working that out and to make sure we just fine tune it. As long as our backline is solid, we can build up from there,” Eberhard said.
“We know other teams will target (Rose and Raftery) but we have to use their skills and have other players on our team use their skills so we don’t have to rely on them.”
Additional offensive help may come from another influx of strong underclassmen, such as sophomore Marley Davis (2 goals) and freshman Emily Petring as forwards.
There are five sophomores and three freshmen among the combined 30-player roster for varsity and junior varsity.
“We’ve been a very young team the last two years. At times (in 2018), we were starting six sophomores,” Hernandez said.
Can the Mustangs take that next step in 2020?
Hernandez noted that the coaching staff has been determined also to help this gifted group grow and improve. One way is eliminating the numerous key restart goals they’ve allowed in the past, such as to Lions the past two playoffs.
When Downers South lost at Morton 1-0 for essentially the 2019 WSC Gold championship, that lone goal also came on a restart from where they game resumed the following afternoon after postponement because of lightning.
“We’re identifying our weaknesses. It’s something they’re all committed to. We’re hoping to see the proof (in games),” Hernandez said.
“We do have dangerous tools, players like Maddie and Jordan obviously. Other players individually want to make the step up. They want to see the individual progress along with the team progress. The opportunity and possibility were absolutely there (before the layoff).”
Click here to see the Mustangs team page!
By Bill Stone
The Mustangs returns six starters and three All-West Suburban Conference Gold Division selections and is riding two-straight Class 3A regional championships.
Even more, the Mustangs possess leadership.
Based on voting by the players, there will be five team captains in 2020 – the most ever under sixth-year head coach Chris Hernandez – in seniors Jordan Rose, Maddie Raftery, Allison Eberhard and Talia Davis and junior Olivia Meyer.
“I personally think five is a lot, but on the other hand it’s a good thing in a way. That means we have multiple people to look up to as leaders and in different ways,” said defender Eberhard.
“I think it’s a good thing for our team, because we have so many strong assets. You can turn to any one (of them). We have strong players that every one of the younger players can look to and ask questions.”
Expectations remain high after a great 2019 season for the Mustangs (12-8-1, 5-1-0 in WSC Gold) that ended with a 3-0 Glenbard East Sectional semifinal loss to Lyons, which eventually finished fourth in 3A.
This was the second-straight year that the Mustangs lost to the Lions in a sectional semifinal by a 3-0 score and the third sectional semifinal loss to the Lions for Hernandez as head coach (2-0 in 2015).
“It’s really been a goal of ours to be past that game and get further along,” Eberhard said. “We have a pretty mature team now. There’s a lot of seniors that have been on varsity two, three years, even four. It’s more of a senior-set team and most of the players have been in the positions they’re playing this year so we should be pretty set. We have a pretty strong lineup.”
The return of college-bound soccer players and best friends Rose (Indiana State) and Raftery (Ohio University) is a great starting point. Both were Chicagoland Soccer All-Staters a season ago.
Midfielder Rose (19 goals, 8 assists in 2019) and forward Raftery (16 goals, 11 assists) combined for 35 of the Mustangs’ 60 goals last season.
Rose was named to the IHSSCA All-State Team after being all-sectional in 2018, her first year of high-school soccer. Raftery was named all-sectional in her first season for the Mustangs.
Senior Marlo Rachie, junior Gabi Galvez, Eberhard and Meyer also are returning starters and Davis and junior Riley Vondrasek are returning letter winners.
Like the other teams, the Mustangs are on hold to start playing. They’re especially anxious with so many talented and veteran seniors.
“(This season) we definitely had some key tools already that we needed and some talented young players coming through with three freshmen and four sophomores,” Hernandez said. “Obviously (pandemic) conditions need to improve a bit, but if everyone stays healthy and happy (we can succeed).”
The veterans have shown great leadership during the layoff. They’ve emphasized individual training and preparedness so that everyone is ready to go once the season resumes.
“Our seniors have done a great job and especially our captains communicating about expectations. There are expectations when you’re a varsity player and being a Mustang and holding that tradition,” Hernandez said.
“I know a lot of the girls have been out running and looking for links (online) for drills they can do at home. From the videos I’ve received from some of the parents, it looks like they’re doing what they can to keep their skills up. I’m very proud with how they’re handling the situation.”
The Mustangs made good preseason progress before the layoff and, as usual, team captains were selected.
Three fellow captains were expected to join Rose, the junior captain from 2019. The traditional make-up is two additional seniors and a new junior captain (Meyer) who will continue for the 2021 season.
The vote for the two seniors ended in a three-way tie for the first time. Hernandez went with the result.
“They’re all very deserving. They all bring their own voice and influence on the team,” Hernandez said. “I’ve kind of given each of (the captains) different responsibilities off the field. They each have their little niche in terms of the team culture.”
Also making her high school soccer debut last season, Galvez (2 goals, 4 assists) played primarily defensive midfield and earned All-WSC Gold honors with Rose and Raftery.
Meyer (goal, 5 assists) begins her third varsity season after starting every 2019 game as a midfielder. Third-year varsity letter winner Davis (3 goals, 6 assists) also will bolster the midfield.
The Mustangs graduated their third 2019 double-digit scorer in Nicole Fajardo (10 goals, 11 assists).
“(Rose and Raftery) have a great dynamic. A lot of the goals and assists last year came from each other looking for that other person,” Hernandez said. “You saw it this year from our practices earlier, it’s not just them. It’s three, four other girls trying to influence themselves on the team and wanting more responsibility. The dynamic between the four, five of them was pretty good.”
Four-year varsity player Rachie (assist) and third-year varsity player Eberhard (goal) are returning starters for a defense that posted nine shutouts last season. Before the sectional loss, the Mustangs posted four-straight shutout victories, concluding with a 1-0 decision over rival Downers Grove North for the Oak Park and River Forest Regional title.
Eberhard joined the defense late last season after undergoing surgery for compartment syndrome in her calves. The second-leading scorer as a forward in 2018, Eberhard now moves again from outside to center back for the first time.
“I’m working that out and to make sure we just fine tune it. As long as our backline is solid, we can build up from there,” Eberhard said.
“We know other teams will target (Rose and Raftery) but we have to use their skills and have other players on our team use their skills so we don’t have to rely on them.”
Additional offensive help may come from another influx of strong underclassmen, such as sophomore Marley Davis (2 goals) and freshman Emily Petring as forwards.
There are five sophomores and three freshmen among the combined 30-player roster for varsity and junior varsity.
“We’ve been a very young team the last two years. At times (in 2018), we were starting six sophomores,” Hernandez said.
Can the Mustangs take that next step in 2020?
Hernandez noted that the coaching staff has been determined also to help this gifted group grow and improve. One way is eliminating the numerous key restart goals they’ve allowed in the past, such as to Lions the past two playoffs.
When Downers South lost at Morton 1-0 for essentially the 2019 WSC Gold championship, that lone goal also came on a restart from where they game resumed the following afternoon after postponement because of lightning.
“We’re identifying our weaknesses. It’s something they’re all committed to. We’re hoping to see the proof (in games),” Hernandez said.
“We do have dangerous tools, players like Maddie and Jordan obviously. Other players individually want to make the step up. They want to see the individual progress along with the team progress. The opportunity and possibility were absolutely there (before the layoff).”
Click here to see the Mustangs team page!