Team preview: Morton
By Dave Owen
With everything she saw on the soccer field in 2019, Adriana Moreno’s 2020 vision is very bright.
After her 19-goal, eight-assist season led Morton’s girls to a 16-6-0 record and the first undisputed West Suburban Conference Gold Division title in program history, Moreno got a close-up look at more soccer glory last fall.
“I was a manager during the boys season (when Morton’s boys reached the title game in Class 3A), and I kept looking at how hard they worked and everything,” she said.
“It really motivated me to do big things this year with my team, and this year I know all the girls are ready to go. We’re ready to improve, make history again and just keep it going.”
Morton should be in a great spot to do bigger things this spring, as eight starters return from the successful girls squad of 2019.
That great eight is led by Moreno, a junior who has made a major impact from her first day on the field at Morton.
“She’s our leading goal scorer the last two years,” Morton coach Jim Bageanis said. “She has a strong shot and is dangerous from 30 yards out.
“She is always around the goal, and she is also deadly on free kicks. She has been the one to carry the load the last two years.”
Helping with the scoring chores has been senior Melanie Carranza (12 goals, 10 assists last year).
“She’s an outside mid that has the ability to take over a game.,” Bageanis said. “She has scored some big goals for us over the years. A very competitive player that is an important part of our team.”
Senior midfielder Medelin Loza had one of Morton’s biggest goals last spring, a 25-yard free kick to beat Downers Grove South 1-0.
“She’s a center mid that has been our playmaker the last two years,” Bageanis said. “An excellent passer, and is also a force on set pieces. She will be looked at to lead on the field.”
Sophomores Esmerelda Bautista and Mayte Gongora also return at midfield spots.
“(Bautista) is an outside mid with above average speed and a strong shot,” Bageanis said. “She plays a team game and can be dangerous from anywhere near the box.
“(Gongora) has a nonstop work rate and does all the little things that don't show up on the stat sheet,” he added. “She balances the team out on the field, and leaves it all on the field after every game.”
The Morton defense contains one proven strong point, and one of the team’s few question marks.
The return of senior goalkeeper Dayanna Gonzalez is the good news. She allowed just 11 goals in 18 matches played last year, posting nine shutouts.
“A tall keeper with good hands and reflexes,” Bageanis said. “She’s not afraid to win balls in the box. I’m hoping for her to have a big year in goal. She leads by example on the field and is willing to motivate the team when necessary.”
While the defender corps is still strong, the graduation of senior Nayelly Villalobos leaves one of the team’s few holes.
“We have to put together our backline, because Villalobos was a four-year starter for us, and she’s going to be sorely missed on one side,” Bageanis said. “We never had to worry about the left side.
“So we kind of need to shore that up with some younger players, but we have a couple of freshmen and sophomores up who will see time in those positions who are pretty talented.”
The Mustangs also have two proven talents at defender in junior 2019 starters Lorena Jaimes and Joanna Solano.
“(Jaimes) is a physical player that possesses the skill to get up field,” Bageanis said. “(Solano) is the quaterback in the backline.
“She’s a very smart player that is a center mid who converted to do what's best for the team to be successful. And an excellent passer that has the green light to get up field when it’s available.”
Morton has four freshmen or sophomore newcomers at defender or midfield spots.
“I think once we figure out the defensive part of our game, we will be an even better team,” Bageanis said. “We have a strong goalkeeping core, and just need to get some of our young players in the back to learn how to compete at the varsity level. It is a process, and we just hope the team learns that sooner than later.”
If Morton didn’t possess enough offensive firepower already, Moreno has been impressed by sophomore forward Daisy Hernandez Loya.
“We have one new player Daisy who’s a sophomore,” Moreno said. “Her first year (at Morton) she did not do (soccer) season because she did traveling. I think she’ll do a really good job here.”
Bageanis seconds that emotion.
“She (Hernandez Loya) is an extremely skilled player that can play anywhere on the field,” he said. “She is an excellent finisher, and we expect her to give defenses problems between her and Moreno. She also sees the entire field, and can be a playmaker as well.
“I feel we are going to be more potent offensively this year,” Bageanis added. “We have several highly skilled players that if left alone, have the one-on-one skills to take people on and create scoring opportunities for both themselves and their teammates. I think we should be able to build an attack out of the back and possess the ball a little more than last year. We are also quicker than last season and hopefully that will help make us more dangerous.”
Junior Julissa Solano saw extensive time at midfielder last spring, and defender Kemelyn Quevedo, goalkeeper Elena Budziszewski and midfielders Angeli Pelayo and Jessica Santoyo add senior seasoning to the team.
Sophomore Mya Hernandez and freshman Brianna Avalos join juniors Xochilt Flores and Natalie Valadez in the mix at defender.
Midfielders Victoria Ferrer (sophomore) and Ariana Valdovinos (freshman) and goalkeeper Fernanda Duran (sophomore) are newcomers who are expected to contribute.
Moreno sees potential for great things for herself and the entire team.
“Last year I worked a lot and gave it my all,” she said. “This year I’m ready to give it my all again, keep improving and be a better player than last year.
“So far from what I’ve seen, the forwards, the middles and the defense, I think we’ve all improved a lot. I just know this year is going to be a heck of a ride.”
In a non-soccer sense, it already has been a very unusual ride.
The coronavirus caused the suspension of the season during early March practices, turning sky-high hopes into rising frustration levels.
“Right now it’s really horrible,” Moreno said, “because we can’t get together as a team and do our workouts and our drills. But they (the coaches) give us workouts we should do at home, and we’re doing them.
“A few of us will also go work out as a group, but so far it’s been really depressing because we can’t play the sport we love right now. We want to get back on the field and start doing our job.”
Said Bageanis: “The current situation has obviously affected all the teams in the state. The only thing we can do is follow the guidelines set forth by our school and state leaders.
“I feel that if the girls can stay positive emotionally and get some type of cardio in during this time in whatever creative ways they can get it done at home, that would be great.”
The virus fading in significance would be greatest of all.
“I think teams will be affected in their fitness levels along with some rust on their ball skills once we get up and going again,” Bageanis said. “I'm trying to stay positive and hoping everyone gets through this safely, and then once we are clear to play, then worry about soccer.”
And when that day comes, Morton opponents may have to do most of the worrying.
“As a team a lot of them have been playing over the offseason,” Bageanis said, “We should have some offensive weapons, especially coming out of our top two people at forward and our outside mids. It seems like we have a solid corps of threats up there.
“I’ve been really pleased with how they’re working together, just finding each other in space and putting ourselves in dangerous positions scrimmaging with each other – up to the point of the stoppage.”
One of those elite scorers can’t wait for Morton to build on last year’s breakthrough.
“We have a lot of new players, and we want to see how we will work with them,” Moreno said. “I was really excited for this season, because I know this year we can accomplish a lot more things than last year.
“We’re ready. We’re upset about this, but once we’re out there we’re going to give our all and not look back at what happened. We’ll keep going and make history again.”
Click here to see the Mustangs team page!
By Dave Owen
With everything she saw on the soccer field in 2019, Adriana Moreno’s 2020 vision is very bright.
After her 19-goal, eight-assist season led Morton’s girls to a 16-6-0 record and the first undisputed West Suburban Conference Gold Division title in program history, Moreno got a close-up look at more soccer glory last fall.
“I was a manager during the boys season (when Morton’s boys reached the title game in Class 3A), and I kept looking at how hard they worked and everything,” she said.
“It really motivated me to do big things this year with my team, and this year I know all the girls are ready to go. We’re ready to improve, make history again and just keep it going.”
Morton should be in a great spot to do bigger things this spring, as eight starters return from the successful girls squad of 2019.
That great eight is led by Moreno, a junior who has made a major impact from her first day on the field at Morton.
“She’s our leading goal scorer the last two years,” Morton coach Jim Bageanis said. “She has a strong shot and is dangerous from 30 yards out.
“She is always around the goal, and she is also deadly on free kicks. She has been the one to carry the load the last two years.”
Helping with the scoring chores has been senior Melanie Carranza (12 goals, 10 assists last year).
“She’s an outside mid that has the ability to take over a game.,” Bageanis said. “She has scored some big goals for us over the years. A very competitive player that is an important part of our team.”
Senior midfielder Medelin Loza had one of Morton’s biggest goals last spring, a 25-yard free kick to beat Downers Grove South 1-0.
“She’s a center mid that has been our playmaker the last two years,” Bageanis said. “An excellent passer, and is also a force on set pieces. She will be looked at to lead on the field.”
Sophomores Esmerelda Bautista and Mayte Gongora also return at midfield spots.
“(Bautista) is an outside mid with above average speed and a strong shot,” Bageanis said. “She plays a team game and can be dangerous from anywhere near the box.
“(Gongora) has a nonstop work rate and does all the little things that don't show up on the stat sheet,” he added. “She balances the team out on the field, and leaves it all on the field after every game.”
The Morton defense contains one proven strong point, and one of the team’s few question marks.
The return of senior goalkeeper Dayanna Gonzalez is the good news. She allowed just 11 goals in 18 matches played last year, posting nine shutouts.
“A tall keeper with good hands and reflexes,” Bageanis said. “She’s not afraid to win balls in the box. I’m hoping for her to have a big year in goal. She leads by example on the field and is willing to motivate the team when necessary.”
While the defender corps is still strong, the graduation of senior Nayelly Villalobos leaves one of the team’s few holes.
“We have to put together our backline, because Villalobos was a four-year starter for us, and she’s going to be sorely missed on one side,” Bageanis said. “We never had to worry about the left side.
“So we kind of need to shore that up with some younger players, but we have a couple of freshmen and sophomores up who will see time in those positions who are pretty talented.”
The Mustangs also have two proven talents at defender in junior 2019 starters Lorena Jaimes and Joanna Solano.
“(Jaimes) is a physical player that possesses the skill to get up field,” Bageanis said. “(Solano) is the quaterback in the backline.
“She’s a very smart player that is a center mid who converted to do what's best for the team to be successful. And an excellent passer that has the green light to get up field when it’s available.”
Morton has four freshmen or sophomore newcomers at defender or midfield spots.
“I think once we figure out the defensive part of our game, we will be an even better team,” Bageanis said. “We have a strong goalkeeping core, and just need to get some of our young players in the back to learn how to compete at the varsity level. It is a process, and we just hope the team learns that sooner than later.”
If Morton didn’t possess enough offensive firepower already, Moreno has been impressed by sophomore forward Daisy Hernandez Loya.
“We have one new player Daisy who’s a sophomore,” Moreno said. “Her first year (at Morton) she did not do (soccer) season because she did traveling. I think she’ll do a really good job here.”
Bageanis seconds that emotion.
“She (Hernandez Loya) is an extremely skilled player that can play anywhere on the field,” he said. “She is an excellent finisher, and we expect her to give defenses problems between her and Moreno. She also sees the entire field, and can be a playmaker as well.
“I feel we are going to be more potent offensively this year,” Bageanis added. “We have several highly skilled players that if left alone, have the one-on-one skills to take people on and create scoring opportunities for both themselves and their teammates. I think we should be able to build an attack out of the back and possess the ball a little more than last year. We are also quicker than last season and hopefully that will help make us more dangerous.”
Junior Julissa Solano saw extensive time at midfielder last spring, and defender Kemelyn Quevedo, goalkeeper Elena Budziszewski and midfielders Angeli Pelayo and Jessica Santoyo add senior seasoning to the team.
Sophomore Mya Hernandez and freshman Brianna Avalos join juniors Xochilt Flores and Natalie Valadez in the mix at defender.
Midfielders Victoria Ferrer (sophomore) and Ariana Valdovinos (freshman) and goalkeeper Fernanda Duran (sophomore) are newcomers who are expected to contribute.
Moreno sees potential for great things for herself and the entire team.
“Last year I worked a lot and gave it my all,” she said. “This year I’m ready to give it my all again, keep improving and be a better player than last year.
“So far from what I’ve seen, the forwards, the middles and the defense, I think we’ve all improved a lot. I just know this year is going to be a heck of a ride.”
In a non-soccer sense, it already has been a very unusual ride.
The coronavirus caused the suspension of the season during early March practices, turning sky-high hopes into rising frustration levels.
“Right now it’s really horrible,” Moreno said, “because we can’t get together as a team and do our workouts and our drills. But they (the coaches) give us workouts we should do at home, and we’re doing them.
“A few of us will also go work out as a group, but so far it’s been really depressing because we can’t play the sport we love right now. We want to get back on the field and start doing our job.”
Said Bageanis: “The current situation has obviously affected all the teams in the state. The only thing we can do is follow the guidelines set forth by our school and state leaders.
“I feel that if the girls can stay positive emotionally and get some type of cardio in during this time in whatever creative ways they can get it done at home, that would be great.”
The virus fading in significance would be greatest of all.
“I think teams will be affected in their fitness levels along with some rust on their ball skills once we get up and going again,” Bageanis said. “I'm trying to stay positive and hoping everyone gets through this safely, and then once we are clear to play, then worry about soccer.”
And when that day comes, Morton opponents may have to do most of the worrying.
“As a team a lot of them have been playing over the offseason,” Bageanis said, “We should have some offensive weapons, especially coming out of our top two people at forward and our outside mids. It seems like we have a solid corps of threats up there.
“I’ve been really pleased with how they’re working together, just finding each other in space and putting ourselves in dangerous positions scrimmaging with each other – up to the point of the stoppage.”
One of those elite scorers can’t wait for Morton to build on last year’s breakthrough.
“We have a lot of new players, and we want to see how we will work with them,” Moreno said. “I was really excited for this season, because I know this year we can accomplish a lot more things than last year.
“We’re ready. We’re upset about this, but once we’re out there we’re going to give our all and not look back at what happened. We’ll keep going and make history again.”
Click here to see the Mustangs team page!