Team preview: Young
By Patrick Z. McGavin
Few teams are more anxious for the season to start than Chicago Public League power Young. With a deep and versatile roster, the Dolphins are out to prove their value.
“This is our year to do damage,” second-year coach Ross LaBauex said.
With seven starters back from a Class 3A sectional finalist, Young is no longer a team merely on the verge. The Dolphins are ready to stake their claim.
The late-season run last year illustrated the point. Despite its lopsided loss against rival Lane in the city championship game, Young exploded for three state tournament victories.
The most impressive was a victory over Glenbard East in a 3A regional title game on the Rams home field in Lombard. The season ended on a bittersweet note, a contested 2-1 loss against eventual state fourth place finisher Lyons.
A red card issued against a Dolphins’ player helped influence that outcome. The bittersweet loss notwithstanding, the advancement marked the deepest postseason run for the Dolphins since 2000.
That was the prelude. With the start of the season on hold due to the novel coronavirus pandemic, Young is just hopeful to get a chance to belong at the top of the conversation.
“I think it was very important for our players to feel what it’s like to play in big games, what it’s like to see a lot of different scenarios and try to figure out what to do in those situations,” LaBauex said
The Dolphins (18-7-1 last year) are ranked no. 11 in Chicagoland Soccer’s exclusive First 50 poll.
The centerpiece of the team is emotional leader and senior forward Mia Lisanti, a two-time Chicagoland Soccer All-Stater and one of the best players in the state.
She is the player the rest of the team revolves around. Her combination of purpose, intensity, leadership and authority is the animating feature of the Dolphins.
“Mia makes us go,” LaBauex said. “I don’t think that is a secret. She is an exemplar of everything I want in a player. First is her attitude.
“She could think, because of what she has accomplished, that she does not have to pick up cones, for instance, and have the attitude of a Prima Donna.
“She has never taken that approach. Mia never missed any of the off-season workouts. I have never seen anybody work as hard as she does.”
Lisanti scored 20 goals and added 13 assists last year, both single-season personal bests. Her toughness, competitiveness and desire to bend the game to her will set her apart.
“I really like to see the field,” Lisanti said. “Distribution is one of the biggest parts of my game. That and my versatility. I never play exactly one way.
“I like to move the ball a lot, and have that creativity in terms of on and off the ball. Passing and moving is my game, and I definitely rely on my teammates to get things moving. When you have good teammates, that makes the job easier.”
Young features five players who were signaled out on Chicagoland Soccer’s All-State Watch List for the best underclass talent in the state.
Lisanti sets the stage. The precocious and gifted Ella Koleno is equally enthralling to see in space. Now a sophomore, Ella Koleno emerged as one of the state’s best first-year players last season.
Koleno registered a team-high 21 goals as a freshman. Her ability to turn on the jets is something to behold. She is a blur in space and one of the crucial reasons the Dolphins closed out last year on a 14-3-0 run.
Ella has an identical twin sister in midfielder and defender Sydney. Other than the differences of number, the two are virtually impossible to tell apart. Sydney also came of age during the season.
Her ability to control the ball in the middle of the field and play out wide to her sister or Lisanti opened up the Young attack.
Young has three watchlist sophomores with the twins and midfielder Alexis Sassower. She also proved her bonafides with her precision touch and burst. She scored 12 goals and added 10 assists.
Sassower is virtually the third Koleno sister. The trio have grown up playing since they were virtually able to walk. The cohesion among the three is another big part of the Dolphins’ attack.
With a year of experience, the three are ready to take it to the next level.
“Making it to the sectional final gave us a lot of confidence,” Ella Koleno said. “Now that we have had a season to play together on varsity, the three of us have to be leaders and take on more of a leadership role.”
Likewise, Sydney Koleno sees a team bursting at the seams.
“I think it’s great that we already played a full year together,” Sydney said. “Now we know what works together and how our teammates play, what our strengths are and we have to do.
“We have higher expectations now, and all the players have individually improved since last year. I think we will make it even further.”
Senior defender Meaghan Jungels is another Watch List talent. She is a physical and savvy player who uses her frame and length to superb effect.
The fifth watch lister is junior defender Stella Ljung, another rangy and lithe player who is an excellent stopper and valuable player on set pieces, especially headers off corners and throw-ins.
Also watch out for senior forward Ayana Loyd, senior midfielder Analea Scott, junior midfielder Annelise Kelner and senior defender Lauren Ehlers.
Two big questions loom for the Dolphins. On the field, the key replacement spot is for graduated standout keeper Mia Engelmann, who posted 98 saves and a 0.96 goals-against average.
“It is always tough when you lose a senior keeper and the other three players (defenders Addie Schlensker and Carson Herman, and forward Audrey Howaniec) who played big roles for you, on and off the field,” LaBauex said.
“Now the roles have changed, and the freshman take on a bigger role. I am going to need bigger things out of the others. If you are a senior, your role has changed.
“There is no waiting for next year.”
As potent as Young appears, the Dolphins have that elephant in the room in the shape of Lane, ranked tenth in the First 50.
The Indians defeated Young 4-0 in the city title game at UIC for their fifth-consecutive city title. Lane has beaten Young four times in the city final and another time in the semifinals during that historic run.
“Until we beat them, it is always going to be a thing in our players’ heads,” LaBauex said. “I like competition. I like that they are hungry to win everything this year.
“When we play them, it will give me an idea of where our heads are at.”
Young is also about to unveil its new home field, right on the campus. This marks the first time the Dolphins won't have to travel for their own home games.
The shelter in place order has put extraordinary restrictions on what the players are able to do. The Koleno twins have each other and access to helping each other during a difficult emotional process.
“We are bummed out about the season,” Sydney Koleno said. “We understand the magnitude of the situation. We are working out together ... and we are staying in touch with everybody else, texting each other, and talking how much we are running.
“Our team works really well together. We know it is important to be isolated but we are also excited to start the season.
“For everybody, this year is a big deal.”
Click here to see the Dolphins team page!
By Patrick Z. McGavin
Few teams are more anxious for the season to start than Chicago Public League power Young. With a deep and versatile roster, the Dolphins are out to prove their value.
“This is our year to do damage,” second-year coach Ross LaBauex said.
With seven starters back from a Class 3A sectional finalist, Young is no longer a team merely on the verge. The Dolphins are ready to stake their claim.
The late-season run last year illustrated the point. Despite its lopsided loss against rival Lane in the city championship game, Young exploded for three state tournament victories.
The most impressive was a victory over Glenbard East in a 3A regional title game on the Rams home field in Lombard. The season ended on a bittersweet note, a contested 2-1 loss against eventual state fourth place finisher Lyons.
A red card issued against a Dolphins’ player helped influence that outcome. The bittersweet loss notwithstanding, the advancement marked the deepest postseason run for the Dolphins since 2000.
That was the prelude. With the start of the season on hold due to the novel coronavirus pandemic, Young is just hopeful to get a chance to belong at the top of the conversation.
“I think it was very important for our players to feel what it’s like to play in big games, what it’s like to see a lot of different scenarios and try to figure out what to do in those situations,” LaBauex said
The Dolphins (18-7-1 last year) are ranked no. 11 in Chicagoland Soccer’s exclusive First 50 poll.
The centerpiece of the team is emotional leader and senior forward Mia Lisanti, a two-time Chicagoland Soccer All-Stater and one of the best players in the state.
She is the player the rest of the team revolves around. Her combination of purpose, intensity, leadership and authority is the animating feature of the Dolphins.
“Mia makes us go,” LaBauex said. “I don’t think that is a secret. She is an exemplar of everything I want in a player. First is her attitude.
“She could think, because of what she has accomplished, that she does not have to pick up cones, for instance, and have the attitude of a Prima Donna.
“She has never taken that approach. Mia never missed any of the off-season workouts. I have never seen anybody work as hard as she does.”
Lisanti scored 20 goals and added 13 assists last year, both single-season personal bests. Her toughness, competitiveness and desire to bend the game to her will set her apart.
“I really like to see the field,” Lisanti said. “Distribution is one of the biggest parts of my game. That and my versatility. I never play exactly one way.
“I like to move the ball a lot, and have that creativity in terms of on and off the ball. Passing and moving is my game, and I definitely rely on my teammates to get things moving. When you have good teammates, that makes the job easier.”
Young features five players who were signaled out on Chicagoland Soccer’s All-State Watch List for the best underclass talent in the state.
Lisanti sets the stage. The precocious and gifted Ella Koleno is equally enthralling to see in space. Now a sophomore, Ella Koleno emerged as one of the state’s best first-year players last season.
Koleno registered a team-high 21 goals as a freshman. Her ability to turn on the jets is something to behold. She is a blur in space and one of the crucial reasons the Dolphins closed out last year on a 14-3-0 run.
Ella has an identical twin sister in midfielder and defender Sydney. Other than the differences of number, the two are virtually impossible to tell apart. Sydney also came of age during the season.
Her ability to control the ball in the middle of the field and play out wide to her sister or Lisanti opened up the Young attack.
Young has three watchlist sophomores with the twins and midfielder Alexis Sassower. She also proved her bonafides with her precision touch and burst. She scored 12 goals and added 10 assists.
Sassower is virtually the third Koleno sister. The trio have grown up playing since they were virtually able to walk. The cohesion among the three is another big part of the Dolphins’ attack.
With a year of experience, the three are ready to take it to the next level.
“Making it to the sectional final gave us a lot of confidence,” Ella Koleno said. “Now that we have had a season to play together on varsity, the three of us have to be leaders and take on more of a leadership role.”
Likewise, Sydney Koleno sees a team bursting at the seams.
“I think it’s great that we already played a full year together,” Sydney said. “Now we know what works together and how our teammates play, what our strengths are and we have to do.
“We have higher expectations now, and all the players have individually improved since last year. I think we will make it even further.”
Senior defender Meaghan Jungels is another Watch List talent. She is a physical and savvy player who uses her frame and length to superb effect.
The fifth watch lister is junior defender Stella Ljung, another rangy and lithe player who is an excellent stopper and valuable player on set pieces, especially headers off corners and throw-ins.
Also watch out for senior forward Ayana Loyd, senior midfielder Analea Scott, junior midfielder Annelise Kelner and senior defender Lauren Ehlers.
Two big questions loom for the Dolphins. On the field, the key replacement spot is for graduated standout keeper Mia Engelmann, who posted 98 saves and a 0.96 goals-against average.
“It is always tough when you lose a senior keeper and the other three players (defenders Addie Schlensker and Carson Herman, and forward Audrey Howaniec) who played big roles for you, on and off the field,” LaBauex said.
“Now the roles have changed, and the freshman take on a bigger role. I am going to need bigger things out of the others. If you are a senior, your role has changed.
“There is no waiting for next year.”
As potent as Young appears, the Dolphins have that elephant in the room in the shape of Lane, ranked tenth in the First 50.
The Indians defeated Young 4-0 in the city title game at UIC for their fifth-consecutive city title. Lane has beaten Young four times in the city final and another time in the semifinals during that historic run.
“Until we beat them, it is always going to be a thing in our players’ heads,” LaBauex said. “I like competition. I like that they are hungry to win everything this year.
“When we play them, it will give me an idea of where our heads are at.”
Young is also about to unveil its new home field, right on the campus. This marks the first time the Dolphins won't have to travel for their own home games.
The shelter in place order has put extraordinary restrictions on what the players are able to do. The Koleno twins have each other and access to helping each other during a difficult emotional process.
“We are bummed out about the season,” Sydney Koleno said. “We understand the magnitude of the situation. We are working out together ... and we are staying in touch with everybody else, texting each other, and talking how much we are running.
“Our team works really well together. We know it is important to be isolated but we are also excited to start the season.
“For everybody, this year is a big deal.”
Click here to see the Dolphins team page!