Team preview: West Aurora
By Dave Owen
The senior class that helped begin the best era in West Aurora girls soccer history hopes to produce a memorable final chapter.
“I have 10 seniors, who have all been playing together (for awhile),” West Aurora coach Laura Wagley said. “Six of them were pulled up their freshman year (2017), and that was the year we won our first regional title in school history.”
A 12-7-1 record last year was produced by a roster that featured just three seniors.
That fact and an experienced nucleus boded very well for this spring until the COVID-19 virus shut down sports across Illinois and the nation in early March.
While hopes remain for a May 1 restart, that is anything but a sure thing.
“I’ve been very open and honest with my team from Day One,” Wagley said. “We are dealing with the reality of the situation. And as a coaching staff, we are are not giving our girls false hope about how the rest of this year might play out.”
But even in a stay-in place, social-distancing world that seemed improbable a month ago, Wagley has tried to keep things as light as possible.
“We have a group (online) chat set up,” Wagley said, “where we will joke around and keep in touch often.”
If the Blackhawks are allowed to play in May, they should be in very close touch with the win column.
Among 2019’s many highlights, West Aurora defeated eventual Class 3A supersectional team Minooka 3-1 in early April. That win highlighted an early-season seven-game win streak.
“We were very confident going into the season,” Wagley said. “I had a very competitive schedule set up to challenge us and prepare us for the postseason.”
That preparation showed in the regional finals. While West Aurora fell 3-2 to Naperville North in the regional final, the Huskies proceeded to allow just two more goals over their next five games en route to the Class 3A state title.
With two elite scorers back on board, the Blackhawks can be a handful for opposing defenses again.
Senior forward Audrey Stephens leads the way. She led the Blackhawks last spring with 17 goals and nine assists.
“She’s a goal-scorer and a leader,” Wagley said. “Very hard to defend.”
The same description fits senior Olivia McPherson. She netted 14 goals to go with seven assists in 2019.
“She’s hard to contain and takes on defenders 1-v.-1,” Wagley said.
On a West Aurora team that scored four goals or more in a game six times last season, senior Kiara McPherson also figures prominently in the scoring attack.
“She’s physical, fast and aggressive towards the goal,” Wagley said.
Senior forward Gracie Prather is yet another offensive catalyst.
“A very smart player,” Wagley said. “She can see the game develop (and is) a play-maker.”
The Blackhawks also feature defensive strength, including sophomore midfielder Lizzy Kuhn.
“We use her to man mark other teams’ best offensive player,” Wagley said. “She’s a smart defender.”
Defender Krystal Diaz also comes off an excellent freshman season on varsity.
“She’s calm, sees the game developing around her, and is a great help defender,” Wagley said.
The Blackhawks are also in very good hands at goalkeeper. Junior Madison Russell posted a 1.46 goals against average in 20 games last spring, and posted 5.5 shutouts.
Newcomers expected to make an impact include two freshmen defenders Bella Vargas and Xochitl Galvan.
As for the keys to success in 2020, Wagley looks inward.
“Our keys are always the same: we go into each game and focus on ourselves,” she said. “It doesn't matter who we are playing. We go into every game confident and ready to play.”
Perhaps the biggest obstacle is one West Aurora can’t control: whether the season will start as hoped in May.
“I feel bad for our seniors, who have worked so hard during their time with me,” Wagley said.
“I know the IHSA is optimistic about returning, and I have relayed that to my team. But like I said, we are also very realistic with them about the potential of that not happening.”
But if the reality is a return to the field, West Aurora could cause real problems for opponents.
“If we do return on May 1 and are able to compete again,” Wagley said, “we would be beyond happy. That is what we all want.”
Click here to see the Blackhawks team page!
By Dave Owen
The senior class that helped begin the best era in West Aurora girls soccer history hopes to produce a memorable final chapter.
“I have 10 seniors, who have all been playing together (for awhile),” West Aurora coach Laura Wagley said. “Six of them were pulled up their freshman year (2017), and that was the year we won our first regional title in school history.”
A 12-7-1 record last year was produced by a roster that featured just three seniors.
That fact and an experienced nucleus boded very well for this spring until the COVID-19 virus shut down sports across Illinois and the nation in early March.
While hopes remain for a May 1 restart, that is anything but a sure thing.
“I’ve been very open and honest with my team from Day One,” Wagley said. “We are dealing with the reality of the situation. And as a coaching staff, we are are not giving our girls false hope about how the rest of this year might play out.”
But even in a stay-in place, social-distancing world that seemed improbable a month ago, Wagley has tried to keep things as light as possible.
“We have a group (online) chat set up,” Wagley said, “where we will joke around and keep in touch often.”
If the Blackhawks are allowed to play in May, they should be in very close touch with the win column.
Among 2019’s many highlights, West Aurora defeated eventual Class 3A supersectional team Minooka 3-1 in early April. That win highlighted an early-season seven-game win streak.
“We were very confident going into the season,” Wagley said. “I had a very competitive schedule set up to challenge us and prepare us for the postseason.”
That preparation showed in the regional finals. While West Aurora fell 3-2 to Naperville North in the regional final, the Huskies proceeded to allow just two more goals over their next five games en route to the Class 3A state title.
With two elite scorers back on board, the Blackhawks can be a handful for opposing defenses again.
Senior forward Audrey Stephens leads the way. She led the Blackhawks last spring with 17 goals and nine assists.
“She’s a goal-scorer and a leader,” Wagley said. “Very hard to defend.”
The same description fits senior Olivia McPherson. She netted 14 goals to go with seven assists in 2019.
“She’s hard to contain and takes on defenders 1-v.-1,” Wagley said.
On a West Aurora team that scored four goals or more in a game six times last season, senior Kiara McPherson also figures prominently in the scoring attack.
“She’s physical, fast and aggressive towards the goal,” Wagley said.
Senior forward Gracie Prather is yet another offensive catalyst.
“A very smart player,” Wagley said. “She can see the game develop (and is) a play-maker.”
The Blackhawks also feature defensive strength, including sophomore midfielder Lizzy Kuhn.
“We use her to man mark other teams’ best offensive player,” Wagley said. “She’s a smart defender.”
Defender Krystal Diaz also comes off an excellent freshman season on varsity.
“She’s calm, sees the game developing around her, and is a great help defender,” Wagley said.
The Blackhawks are also in very good hands at goalkeeper. Junior Madison Russell posted a 1.46 goals against average in 20 games last spring, and posted 5.5 shutouts.
Newcomers expected to make an impact include two freshmen defenders Bella Vargas and Xochitl Galvan.
As for the keys to success in 2020, Wagley looks inward.
“Our keys are always the same: we go into each game and focus on ourselves,” she said. “It doesn't matter who we are playing. We go into every game confident and ready to play.”
Perhaps the biggest obstacle is one West Aurora can’t control: whether the season will start as hoped in May.
“I feel bad for our seniors, who have worked so hard during their time with me,” Wagley said.
“I know the IHSA is optimistic about returning, and I have relayed that to my team. But like I said, we are also very realistic with them about the potential of that not happening.”
But if the reality is a return to the field, West Aurora could cause real problems for opponents.
“If we do return on May 1 and are able to compete again,” Wagley said, “we would be beyond happy. That is what we all want.”
Click here to see the Blackhawks team page!