Team Preview: Wheaton North
By Chris Walker
As the world’s sport, soccer is loved by billions, including by those who no longer play it or never played it.
One of the many reasons why the sport is beloved by so many is because many games are extremely competitive and closely decided, providing excitement from start to finish.
That also can prove frustrating and arguably no high school team in the state encountered what more than Wheaton North did a season ago. The Falcons struggled in piecing together an 8-14-1 record and were just 2-11-1 in games decided by a single goal or less, making them 6-3-0 in their remaining nine matches.
“We had a lot of those losses because we couldn’t finish,” Wheaton North senior Riley Winckler said. “We’d get to where we were in the game but couldn’t finish it off. Every line was strong, but it was more about working in the attack to get forward. We’ve worked on that a lot in the short time we’ve had in practice because we just needed to finish.”
Interestingly, of the 11 teams the Falcons lost to by a single goal, all had winning record except one (Glenbard West at 8-9-3). The Falcons two victories by a single goal came against Wheaton Academy (13-10-0) and Hoffman Estates (8-15-0).
So, while the Falcons failed to come out on top in close games, they were competitive against teams that all had better overall seasons, save for Hoffman Estates, which was about their equal overall at least based on records.
“We were conditioned well to play for the whole time and tried to play the whole game,” Winckler said. “One of our problems was that we were a second half team and had to claw back. We had competitive drive that would let us claw back.”
Now the plan is to come out with that mentality at the start of games and fight like the game is on the line for all 80 minutes instead of in halves or in periodic bunches of minutes. Of course, that plan has been thwarted for the immediate future because of coronavirus pandemic that has Winckler and her teammates wondering if there even will be a season this spring.
“It’s been hard,” Winckler said. “I wish I could keep an open mind. I expected a great, long season and a chance at playing in another regional since we lost in the regional championship last year and are hoping to get back to it.
“It’s a lot different than what we expected. We’re trying to communicate with Zoom calls during the quarantine. We’re trying to keep our drive going. We’ll see how it will play out. It’s a lot harder for seniors since we’re in our last year. Obviously, we’re hopeful.”
Welcoming back their top four scorers, the Falcons have reason to be excited that they’ll be able to be a strong team, thanks to have another year of experience playing together as well as the growth made during off-season training. Those returnees include sophomore Olivia Morena (15 goals, 2 assists last year), Winckler (6 goals, 6 assists) and junior Kayla Shebar (6 goals and 14 assists). Look for freshman forward Macy Hutchinson to add another element to Wheaton North’s offensive attack.
Wheaton North coach Tim McEvilly has praised his midfield and believes their strength will pay dividends throughout the season.
“I believe we will be really strong at midfield with the presence of sophomore Claudia Kim and seniors Payten Yates and Camille Cote,” he said. “If they can have the success we anticipate, we are hoping to win 75% of our games.”
Senior center back Rachel Brady returns to anchor the backline that will consist of juniors Heidi Atkinson and Ella Kocher and seniors Amanda Tegart and Caroline Garner. All but Garner, who is a new addition to the team as a senior, brings a lot of experience from previous seasons.
“Well. last year we played a five-back and I think we’re going to a four-back and Amanda Tegart is the other center back,” Brady said. “We’ve been playing together for a while now so we know each other’s tendencies.
“Then there’s Ellie Kocher and Heidi Atkinson at left and right outside back so that will be four players who are strong and have been playing for a while together. I think we’ll have a strong back line.”
Some exciting news during the coronavirus-induced quarantine is Brady’s committing to play basketball in college. The 5-foot-9 guard on the hardwood will stay close to home at Wheaton College.
“I committed, I think, two weeks ago now,” she said. “It’s something exciting to come from the quarantine.”
She’d be similarly excited to see some positive news forthcoming as soon as May arrives as the Falcons are holding out hope that there still will be a competitive season conducted on real grass and fake grass fields across the state later this spring.
“As far as coping, I’ve been trying to stay positive in the hopes that we have a season and that we can go back to school on May 1,” she said. “I’ve been trying to get outside a little bit and doing that to stay in shape. That has been helping and connecting with teammates (online) has helped a lot too. We’ve been getting to laugh with them over video calls and just seeing their faces helps.”
Of course, with higher expectations to have a successful season, Brady and company are also antsy to get out and prove it, especially after so many tight losses a season ago and a three-year losing streak against rival Wheaton Warrenville South.
“We’ve brought back the majority of our starters and have some good younger players so we’ll be pretty strong on the field,” Brady said. “I definitely miss playing. I miss my team a lot, even just practices.”
2020 Wheaton North Falcons
Manager: Tim McEvilly (20th year)
2019 Record: 8-14-1 (2-5)
Graduation losses: Sarah Brcka, Sydney Hanlon, Jenna Kortenhoeven, Leila Parente, Kristen Szumski, Anna Warfield
Top returning players: seniors, Rachel Brady (D), Camille Cote (MF) Claudia Kim (MF), Riley Winckler (F/MF), Peyten Yates (MF), juniors, Ella Kocher (D), Kayla Shebar (F), sophomore, Olivia Moreno (F)
New faces to watch: senior, Caroline Garner (D), freshman Macy Hutchinson (F)
By the numbers:
20. Believe it or not, this is Wheaton North coach Tim McEvilly’s 20th season as head coach of the Falcons.
19. While this number is all over the news due to COVID-19, it’s also the number that freshman defender Abby Gosling hopes to wear this spring.
18. No one has worn no. 18 for the Falcons since senior defender Tori MacDonald did in 2017.
17. The Falcons had 17 shutouts to earn their first and only state appearance in 2006.
16. The Falcons boast 16 upperclassmen on their roster.
15. Senior Amanda Tegart plans to proudly don no. 10 this spring for the Falcons.
14. It was 14 years ago that Wheaton North placed third in the state in Class AA, defeating Lyons 2-0 behind goals from Katie Oakes and Michelle Scandora.
13. Because of the season being suspended until at least May 1, the Falcons will have cancelled 13 games in March and April.
12. The number of Falcons that return is 12.
11. The Falcons lost these many games last season by a single goal.
10. Kayla Shebar delivered 10 assists last year along with scoring five goals.
9. Senior Riley Winckler wants to wear no. 9 this season for the Falcons. She’s the team’s second-highest returning scorer.
8. Wheaton North won these many games last spring. In addition, did you know that 8 of 11 of the Class 3A championship games have been decided by a single goal, including the past three?
7. Sophomore Olivia Morena is scheduled to wear lucky no. 7 this spring. She’s certainly earned it after leading the team with 15 goals a season ago.
6. The Falcons said goodbye to six seniors who graduated last spring.
5. Sara Chojnacki, Camille Cote, Claudia Kim, Megan Oakley and Payten Yates are the five midfielders listed on Wheaton North’s roster.
4. The team’s longest winning streak last year was a four-game run from April 11-18.
3. The Falcons have suffered three-straight losing seasons since going 9-9-4 in 2016. Their last winning campaign was in 2015 when they went 16-3-3.
2. It was tough to win only two games in the DuKane Conference a season ago, However, the Falcons believe they have the right mix of returning talent and experience as well as promising newcomers to turn that record around despite the difficult competition.
1. One thing is for sure; the Falcons are as hopeful as any team in the state that they will have a chance to put on their uniforms and take the field for action this season.
Click here to see the Falcons' team page!
By Chris Walker
As the world’s sport, soccer is loved by billions, including by those who no longer play it or never played it.
One of the many reasons why the sport is beloved by so many is because many games are extremely competitive and closely decided, providing excitement from start to finish.
That also can prove frustrating and arguably no high school team in the state encountered what more than Wheaton North did a season ago. The Falcons struggled in piecing together an 8-14-1 record and were just 2-11-1 in games decided by a single goal or less, making them 6-3-0 in their remaining nine matches.
“We had a lot of those losses because we couldn’t finish,” Wheaton North senior Riley Winckler said. “We’d get to where we were in the game but couldn’t finish it off. Every line was strong, but it was more about working in the attack to get forward. We’ve worked on that a lot in the short time we’ve had in practice because we just needed to finish.”
Interestingly, of the 11 teams the Falcons lost to by a single goal, all had winning record except one (Glenbard West at 8-9-3). The Falcons two victories by a single goal came against Wheaton Academy (13-10-0) and Hoffman Estates (8-15-0).
So, while the Falcons failed to come out on top in close games, they were competitive against teams that all had better overall seasons, save for Hoffman Estates, which was about their equal overall at least based on records.
“We were conditioned well to play for the whole time and tried to play the whole game,” Winckler said. “One of our problems was that we were a second half team and had to claw back. We had competitive drive that would let us claw back.”
Now the plan is to come out with that mentality at the start of games and fight like the game is on the line for all 80 minutes instead of in halves or in periodic bunches of minutes. Of course, that plan has been thwarted for the immediate future because of coronavirus pandemic that has Winckler and her teammates wondering if there even will be a season this spring.
“It’s been hard,” Winckler said. “I wish I could keep an open mind. I expected a great, long season and a chance at playing in another regional since we lost in the regional championship last year and are hoping to get back to it.
“It’s a lot different than what we expected. We’re trying to communicate with Zoom calls during the quarantine. We’re trying to keep our drive going. We’ll see how it will play out. It’s a lot harder for seniors since we’re in our last year. Obviously, we’re hopeful.”
Welcoming back their top four scorers, the Falcons have reason to be excited that they’ll be able to be a strong team, thanks to have another year of experience playing together as well as the growth made during off-season training. Those returnees include sophomore Olivia Morena (15 goals, 2 assists last year), Winckler (6 goals, 6 assists) and junior Kayla Shebar (6 goals and 14 assists). Look for freshman forward Macy Hutchinson to add another element to Wheaton North’s offensive attack.
Wheaton North coach Tim McEvilly has praised his midfield and believes their strength will pay dividends throughout the season.
“I believe we will be really strong at midfield with the presence of sophomore Claudia Kim and seniors Payten Yates and Camille Cote,” he said. “If they can have the success we anticipate, we are hoping to win 75% of our games.”
Senior center back Rachel Brady returns to anchor the backline that will consist of juniors Heidi Atkinson and Ella Kocher and seniors Amanda Tegart and Caroline Garner. All but Garner, who is a new addition to the team as a senior, brings a lot of experience from previous seasons.
“Well. last year we played a five-back and I think we’re going to a four-back and Amanda Tegart is the other center back,” Brady said. “We’ve been playing together for a while now so we know each other’s tendencies.
“Then there’s Ellie Kocher and Heidi Atkinson at left and right outside back so that will be four players who are strong and have been playing for a while together. I think we’ll have a strong back line.”
Some exciting news during the coronavirus-induced quarantine is Brady’s committing to play basketball in college. The 5-foot-9 guard on the hardwood will stay close to home at Wheaton College.
“I committed, I think, two weeks ago now,” she said. “It’s something exciting to come from the quarantine.”
She’d be similarly excited to see some positive news forthcoming as soon as May arrives as the Falcons are holding out hope that there still will be a competitive season conducted on real grass and fake grass fields across the state later this spring.
“As far as coping, I’ve been trying to stay positive in the hopes that we have a season and that we can go back to school on May 1,” she said. “I’ve been trying to get outside a little bit and doing that to stay in shape. That has been helping and connecting with teammates (online) has helped a lot too. We’ve been getting to laugh with them over video calls and just seeing their faces helps.”
Of course, with higher expectations to have a successful season, Brady and company are also antsy to get out and prove it, especially after so many tight losses a season ago and a three-year losing streak against rival Wheaton Warrenville South.
“We’ve brought back the majority of our starters and have some good younger players so we’ll be pretty strong on the field,” Brady said. “I definitely miss playing. I miss my team a lot, even just practices.”
2020 Wheaton North Falcons
Manager: Tim McEvilly (20th year)
2019 Record: 8-14-1 (2-5)
Graduation losses: Sarah Brcka, Sydney Hanlon, Jenna Kortenhoeven, Leila Parente, Kristen Szumski, Anna Warfield
Top returning players: seniors, Rachel Brady (D), Camille Cote (MF) Claudia Kim (MF), Riley Winckler (F/MF), Peyten Yates (MF), juniors, Ella Kocher (D), Kayla Shebar (F), sophomore, Olivia Moreno (F)
New faces to watch: senior, Caroline Garner (D), freshman Macy Hutchinson (F)
By the numbers:
20. Believe it or not, this is Wheaton North coach Tim McEvilly’s 20th season as head coach of the Falcons.
19. While this number is all over the news due to COVID-19, it’s also the number that freshman defender Abby Gosling hopes to wear this spring.
18. No one has worn no. 18 for the Falcons since senior defender Tori MacDonald did in 2017.
17. The Falcons had 17 shutouts to earn their first and only state appearance in 2006.
16. The Falcons boast 16 upperclassmen on their roster.
15. Senior Amanda Tegart plans to proudly don no. 10 this spring for the Falcons.
14. It was 14 years ago that Wheaton North placed third in the state in Class AA, defeating Lyons 2-0 behind goals from Katie Oakes and Michelle Scandora.
13. Because of the season being suspended until at least May 1, the Falcons will have cancelled 13 games in March and April.
12. The number of Falcons that return is 12.
11. The Falcons lost these many games last season by a single goal.
10. Kayla Shebar delivered 10 assists last year along with scoring five goals.
9. Senior Riley Winckler wants to wear no. 9 this season for the Falcons. She’s the team’s second-highest returning scorer.
8. Wheaton North won these many games last spring. In addition, did you know that 8 of 11 of the Class 3A championship games have been decided by a single goal, including the past three?
7. Sophomore Olivia Morena is scheduled to wear lucky no. 7 this spring. She’s certainly earned it after leading the team with 15 goals a season ago.
6. The Falcons said goodbye to six seniors who graduated last spring.
5. Sara Chojnacki, Camille Cote, Claudia Kim, Megan Oakley and Payten Yates are the five midfielders listed on Wheaton North’s roster.
4. The team’s longest winning streak last year was a four-game run from April 11-18.
3. The Falcons have suffered three-straight losing seasons since going 9-9-4 in 2016. Their last winning campaign was in 2015 when they went 16-3-3.
2. It was tough to win only two games in the DuKane Conference a season ago, However, the Falcons believe they have the right mix of returning talent and experience as well as promising newcomers to turn that record around despite the difficult competition.
1. One thing is for sure; the Falcons are as hopeful as any team in the state that they will have a chance to put on their uniforms and take the field for action this season.
Click here to see the Falcons' team page!