Team preview: Naperville Central
By Matt Le Cren
Naperville Central coach Ed Watson liked what he saw in the two weeks of practice the Redhawks were afforded before the coronavirus pandemic shut down the schools, and with it the soccer season.
“I was pretty excited about the work ethic that they showed in the brief time,” Watson said. “They were willing to do whatever was asked and were very coachable.
“They were very excited about having the opportunity to play this year. The seniors were doing a really nice job of incorporating the younger players, getting them comfortable.
“I thought we had some pretty good young players that hadn’t shown anything yet but just in the two weeks of practice really fit in nicely.”
That bodes well in the event play gets underway. The Redhawks have plenty of experience back on defense and will welcome back a healthy Hannah Bradley-Leon, the Illinois State-bound senior midfielder who missed last season with a knee injury.
Bradley-Leon is a skilled playmaker who has lacked star forwards to get the ball to in the past. The 2018 Chicagoland Soccer Watch List player could see that change this year.
“Hannah has always looked forward to playing with girls who are good players,” Watson said. “She was asking, and I said I think we’re going to have some good young ones you’re going to enjoy playing with.”
Chief among that group is sophomore striker Molly O’Rear, who opted to play club as a freshman.
“When I saw her as an incoming freshman during the summer, I thought she was going to be our leading scorer as a freshman,” Watson said. “She didn’t have an opportunity.
“Then we lost Hannah Bradley-Leon to the knee injury before the season. Neither played, and they probably would have been our top two scorers.”
The Redhawks could be more dynamic, not to mention productive, with Bradley-Leon and O’Rear in the lineup. They seemed to hit it off at practice.
“Having them playing together is good,” Watson said. “There was a sequence in practice where (O’Rear) and Hannah were playing against one another and had a big collision because they were both going after the ball. They both play physical soccer.
“Both of them hit the ground and got right back up and started playing. There was no looking at each other like ‘What are you doing?’
“Then moments later they had switched teams, and they were playing together. Molly laid off a great ball that Hannah just had to touch to finish it. Molly brought the keeper to the near post and slotted her, and Hannah had the empty net.
“Then they go over and high-five each other. I went, ‘Oh, yeah, this is going to be something fun to watch.’”
So should Naperville Central’s defense, unless you are an opponent. The Redhawks boast Chicagoland Soccer All-State Watch List members Emma Irle and Sophia Skoubis, along with Malia Velker and Morgan McCracken.
The versatile Irle, a junior, has the ability to play anywhere on the wing, including in the attack, while Skoubis looks to build on an outstanding freshman campaign. McCracken is a senior and Velker a junior.
“You always lose important players to graduation,” Watson said. “Our senior class last year provided us with experience and leadership and some of our best players, but the juniors had a lot of contributors.
“A lot of girls are really looking forward to taking that leap to be that captain and leader that you want. I’d already started to see that from (senior forward) Sarah Scoles and Hannah and Morgan McCracken, who midway through her junior year was playing varsity reserve, then at the end was providing us with a calm presence in the back.
“(McCracken) has a calm about her, and that’s pretty important when you play in the back.”
That will be especially true this season as the Redhawks are breaking in two new goalkeepers in Trinity Strang and Abby O’Connor. The sophomores lack varsity experience but not talent or athleticism.
“The best part of those two is they didn’t feel like they were owed anything,” Watson said. “They came in and worked very diligently. I saw a lot of upside in the two with their athleticism and coachability.
“We hadn’t made the decision about who won the job. We will split time until someone wins it. I don’t care what happens. If one can’t beat out the other then we have two starters, and we’re in a great situation.
“They both have things they have to get better at. Neither one of them has ever played a minute of varsity soccer, so they have to get that under their belt.”
Strang comes with a great pedigree. Her uncle, Brett, and older brother, Cameron, were All-State players for the Redhawks and her father also represented the red-and-white.
Strang is a strong multi-sport athlete having played on the varsity basketball team last winter, as did O’Rear and junior defender Karly Maida. But O’Connor is formidable, too.
“What we liked was O’Connor is a decent-sized kid and Trinity is even taller,” Watson said. “They have that size piece that you really want in a goalkeeper.
“They are both willing to go for the ball. They don’t shy away. Their hands are pretty decent for sophomores, and they’re going to get stronger.
“They both have great athletic bodies. I know (goalkeeper coach) Barry (Baldwin) was really excited about getting a chance to work with them.”
Even if the season is cancelled, Watson takes comfort in knowing Strang and O’Connor will play behind Skoubis for two more years.
“Skoubis had a great freshman year,” Watson said. “There aren’t too many kids in this area who are all-sectional as freshmen because there are just too many girls ahead of them, but she earned it last year with her play. She was fantastic.”
Click here to see the Redhawks team page!
By Matt Le Cren
Naperville Central coach Ed Watson liked what he saw in the two weeks of practice the Redhawks were afforded before the coronavirus pandemic shut down the schools, and with it the soccer season.
“I was pretty excited about the work ethic that they showed in the brief time,” Watson said. “They were willing to do whatever was asked and were very coachable.
“They were very excited about having the opportunity to play this year. The seniors were doing a really nice job of incorporating the younger players, getting them comfortable.
“I thought we had some pretty good young players that hadn’t shown anything yet but just in the two weeks of practice really fit in nicely.”
That bodes well in the event play gets underway. The Redhawks have plenty of experience back on defense and will welcome back a healthy Hannah Bradley-Leon, the Illinois State-bound senior midfielder who missed last season with a knee injury.
Bradley-Leon is a skilled playmaker who has lacked star forwards to get the ball to in the past. The 2018 Chicagoland Soccer Watch List player could see that change this year.
“Hannah has always looked forward to playing with girls who are good players,” Watson said. “She was asking, and I said I think we’re going to have some good young ones you’re going to enjoy playing with.”
Chief among that group is sophomore striker Molly O’Rear, who opted to play club as a freshman.
“When I saw her as an incoming freshman during the summer, I thought she was going to be our leading scorer as a freshman,” Watson said. “She didn’t have an opportunity.
“Then we lost Hannah Bradley-Leon to the knee injury before the season. Neither played, and they probably would have been our top two scorers.”
The Redhawks could be more dynamic, not to mention productive, with Bradley-Leon and O’Rear in the lineup. They seemed to hit it off at practice.
“Having them playing together is good,” Watson said. “There was a sequence in practice where (O’Rear) and Hannah were playing against one another and had a big collision because they were both going after the ball. They both play physical soccer.
“Both of them hit the ground and got right back up and started playing. There was no looking at each other like ‘What are you doing?’
“Then moments later they had switched teams, and they were playing together. Molly laid off a great ball that Hannah just had to touch to finish it. Molly brought the keeper to the near post and slotted her, and Hannah had the empty net.
“Then they go over and high-five each other. I went, ‘Oh, yeah, this is going to be something fun to watch.’”
So should Naperville Central’s defense, unless you are an opponent. The Redhawks boast Chicagoland Soccer All-State Watch List members Emma Irle and Sophia Skoubis, along with Malia Velker and Morgan McCracken.
The versatile Irle, a junior, has the ability to play anywhere on the wing, including in the attack, while Skoubis looks to build on an outstanding freshman campaign. McCracken is a senior and Velker a junior.
“You always lose important players to graduation,” Watson said. “Our senior class last year provided us with experience and leadership and some of our best players, but the juniors had a lot of contributors.
“A lot of girls are really looking forward to taking that leap to be that captain and leader that you want. I’d already started to see that from (senior forward) Sarah Scoles and Hannah and Morgan McCracken, who midway through her junior year was playing varsity reserve, then at the end was providing us with a calm presence in the back.
“(McCracken) has a calm about her, and that’s pretty important when you play in the back.”
That will be especially true this season as the Redhawks are breaking in two new goalkeepers in Trinity Strang and Abby O’Connor. The sophomores lack varsity experience but not talent or athleticism.
“The best part of those two is they didn’t feel like they were owed anything,” Watson said. “They came in and worked very diligently. I saw a lot of upside in the two with their athleticism and coachability.
“We hadn’t made the decision about who won the job. We will split time until someone wins it. I don’t care what happens. If one can’t beat out the other then we have two starters, and we’re in a great situation.
“They both have things they have to get better at. Neither one of them has ever played a minute of varsity soccer, so they have to get that under their belt.”
Strang comes with a great pedigree. Her uncle, Brett, and older brother, Cameron, were All-State players for the Redhawks and her father also represented the red-and-white.
Strang is a strong multi-sport athlete having played on the varsity basketball team last winter, as did O’Rear and junior defender Karly Maida. But O’Connor is formidable, too.
“What we liked was O’Connor is a decent-sized kid and Trinity is even taller,” Watson said. “They have that size piece that you really want in a goalkeeper.
“They are both willing to go for the ball. They don’t shy away. Their hands are pretty decent for sophomores, and they’re going to get stronger.
“They both have great athletic bodies. I know (goalkeeper coach) Barry (Baldwin) was really excited about getting a chance to work with them.”
Even if the season is cancelled, Watson takes comfort in knowing Strang and O’Connor will play behind Skoubis for two more years.
“Skoubis had a great freshman year,” Watson said. “There aren’t too many kids in this area who are all-sectional as freshmen because there are just too many girls ahead of them, but she earned it last year with her play. She was fantastic.”
Click here to see the Redhawks team page!