Warren’s Schumacher doubles her skating pleasure

Shannah Schumacher has been double trouble this season.

She’s a sophomore captain for the Warren girls hockey team, which finished its Metro season with a 2-22 record, ahead of only Barrington in the 13-team league. She had 11 of the team’s 22 goals in Metro play, along with 2 assists. Schumacher tallied a hat trick last November against Barrington.

She also plays forward for the Maulers midget house league team (11-6-1), based at the Rink Side Sports & Family Entertainment Center in Gurnee. Schumacher and Katie Fritz, a junior wing from Lakes High School, are the only girls on the team.

“I’m having fun this season,” said Schumacher, 15, who lives in Wildwood. “I really enjoy the environment on the Warren team, that locker room bonding time with the girls. On the Maulers, I really like the competition, the challenge and the speed of the game.”

She also enjoys wearing her high school colors of blue and gold, despite the Blue Devils’ struggles.

“It’s been a rough year, but we’re still able to keep our heads up, keep our heads in the game,” Schumacher said. “We’re able to work together as a team, even though we haven’t won as many as we would have wanted to. But in our hearts, we know that we’ve tried our best.

“Playing with the Maulers is playing at a higher (skill) level, and I’ve played on boys teams my whole life.”

And the physical play of the boys game is just fine with her.

In fact, she said she prefers that style of play — and actually gets a lot of penalties on the Warren team because she forgets it’s a no-contact league. Schumacher had 42 penalty minutes in Metro play this season, which tied her for the league lead.

“I don’t know if I enjoy one (team) more than the other. I enjoy playing for them both,” said Schumacher, a fast, physical player with playmaking skills. “Sure, it’s been a frustrating season at times (for Warren), but we’re all there for each other, for support.”

The Blue Devils, coached by Stephanie Cole, have a roster of 12 skaters and two goalies. Senior defenseman Stephanie Derks is second on the team behind Schumacher in scoring (8 goals, 1 assist, including 2 short-handed goals), while junior defenseman Kaitlyn Fritz has 4 goals, 4 assists. Fritz was the lone Blue Devil named to the all-state team.

Aeriell Pendley has seen the majority of the action in goal for the Blue Devils this season. She’s faced almost 800 shots in her 18 Metro games.

The Upper Fox Valley co-op team won the Metro girls regular-season race with a 19-5 record, 1 point ahead of Lake Forest and New Trier (37 points). Loyola (36 points) was fourth, followed by co-op Naper Valley (35) and Oak Park River Forest (32).

The top four girls teams started play in the Scholastic Cup last week.

Off the ice, Schumacher boasts a 3.85 GPA. Not bad considering she often is skating twice a day and even has had two games in one day this season.

“Shannah is a great all-around player,” Cole said. “She plays with a lot of passion and is extremely dedicated to the sport. She’s a big part of our team, a leader. She doesn’t give up, and that makes a big difference, especially when you’re trying to win games from behind,” which has often been the situation this season.”

Schumacher’s hockey roots are homegrown. She’s following her brother, Michael, who also was a Warren captain. Now 20 and attending school at the Milwaukee School of Engineering, Michael Schumacher also was named Warren’s team captain as a sophomore.

“She’s doing phenomenal,” Michael said of his sister. “I’m not able to get to as many of her games as I’d like to, but when I do, I see that she’s chuggin’ along.

“It looks like she’s got that same Schumacher stride.”

The hockey siblings have a lot in common, in truth.

“Being the team captain is different, something new for me,” Shannah said. “I’ve never been a leader on a team before. I had to ask my brother for advice on how to be a good captain, a good leader. He said, ‘Try to be understanding to everyone, that everyone plays and reacts differently.’ It’s been difficult, but I’m getting along.”

Blackhawk Cup (Girls): Loyola nabbed the No. 1 seed in the girls bracket, followed by New Trier. The Co-op Naper Valley team, seeded No. 5, has already advanced to the elite eight with an 8-1 win over Barrington. The co-op No. 10-seeded Glenbrook team upset the co-op No. 7 seed, Andrew, 8-3. Glenbrook battles New Trier on March 7 at the North Shore Ice Rink in Northbrook.

The girls state championship game will be played March 13 at the United Center. Game time is 1 p.m.

Blackhawk Cup (Boys): The Red Division got off to a shocking start, as Notre Dame, seeded No. 22, upset No. 11 Lake Forest 5-2 on Feb. 10. The Dons next play the winner of the St. Viator/Fremd game, which was scheduled to be played Thursday in Hoffman Estates.

Fenwick’s second varsity team skated past St. Ignatius 4-1 on Feb. 14 in the White Division, so the Friars now await the No. 2 seed, Loyola Maroon. Wheaton Warrenville South snagged the No. 1 seed in the second-tiered White Division. The White Division championship game will be played at 6:40 p.m. on March 17 at The Edge Ice Arena in Bens0enville.