Girls soccer all-area team / Fox Valley

Cali Andrew Burlington CentralA repeat all-area selection, this senior always had a nose for the net and was always a threat for an opposing team. It showed in a Class 2A regional semifinal win over Sycamore, where Andrew rallied the Rockets from a 2-0 deficit to a 4-3 win with 3 goals in the first half. Andrew tied for the team lead in goals with 17 to go with her 4 assists, which earned her a team award for top goal scorer. The all-Big Northern Conference selection will continue playing at Carthage College. "Burlington Central will miss her a lot, those are some big shoes to fill next year," Rockets coach Massimo Piscopo said. "She's an incredible athlete, she's definitely one of the best strikers I've ever coached. She just has that little edge over everyone else. She knows how to expose space, how to get (the ball), how to become an option. She's just a good striker."

Ellie Burzlaff Harvest ChristianThis repeat all-Northeastern Athletic striker led the Lions in goals with 15 to go with her 6 assists. Burzlaff was instrumental during the program's run to its first conference championship and whenever Burzlaff could get out wide and receive a cross, she made teams pay. And she's got a lefty boot to boot. "She's got a great left foot which I think throws defenders off a little bit and I feel that's some of the advantages for us," Harvest coach Jason Acres said. "Her greatest asset is getting the ball and trying to turn the defender. She's got a great first step and lights it up with her left foot. That was a real plus for us."

Tawny Carroll StreamwoodThis striker wasn't shy about scoring. An all-Upstate Eight selection, Carroll was second in the area in scoring with 73 points - 28 goals and 17 assists - doubling her goal output from her sophomore campaign. The speedster who has the University of Illinois and Concordia University on radar, Carroll never backed down from a challenge and was willing to take on opposing players from tougher teams, regardless of how many double and triple teams she commanded. "Tawny really showed it against the best teams, day in and day out. She can play 80 minutes without breaking a sweat. And that wasn't just offensively, but as a defender as well. If she lost the ball, she would run almost back to our defensive end to steal the ball back or slide tackle a girl to get the ball back," Sabres coach Matt Polovin said. "She would get the ball and fly right on through all the girls. It was either you were going to knock her on the ground or try to defend her as best you can but once she got by you, that was it."

Jessica Galason HuntleyHeading to Illinois State as Huntley's all-time girls leader in shutouts with 42, Galason, a repeat all-area selection, increased her shutout total each of the past 3 seasons. This all-Fox Valley Conference and all-sectional honorable mention choice also broke the individual season shutout record this season by 1, amassing 19 which coincided with all of Huntley's wins. Not only did Galason display physical tools in regards to her quickness, agility and vertical leap between the pipes, she added a toughness that went unmatched. "She's got physical tools that very few keepers have," Huntley coach Kris Grabner said. "Last year she broke her jaw in two places. She has a bit of fearlessness and a bit of mental strength that's going to set her apart from others. I saw a couple keepers that have that mental side, that they're able to put their body in front of a ball and their confident that they can make the save but their strong enough to be safe as well."

Chelsea Gnan St. EdwardA 3-peat all-area selection and a 2-time all-Suburban Christian forward, Gnan led the area in points with 79 and goals this season, 33 - a single season St. Edward record - while compiling 13 assists, good for third this season on the team. Gnan (66 career goals) ranks second behind St. Edward leading goal scorer and teammate Allison Kruk, who set the record this season at 75, a mark Gnan should break in 2015. Kruk and Gnan combined for 64 of St. Edward's 125 goals this season, and Gnan also has 39 career assists to boot. According to coach Tim Brieger, Gnan is quite the doctor in the box as a forward with center-mid abilities. "She's a surgeon. Chelsea's goals are all finesse. They're just beautiful. She can take it in the box and slot it in the right spot. When the ball is on the ground, we look to Chelsea," Brieger said. "She gets in that penalty box and she can bob and weave through anybody and picks these little seams to score. She puts the ball in great places, if she's not scoring she's finding a layoff pass to someone."

Jenna Hermansen HuntleyThis all-FVC selection started all 26 games and has come a long way in just her third full year of soccer. Hermansen had the responsibility of stopping the toughest forwards and she'll take that role with her to the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. "She's just tough, fast, physical, never dirty. She's plays hard. If her college coach is seeing this, he has to be excited," Huntley coach Kris Grabner said. "She's a shutdown defender, I just can't say enough. We always give her a hard time but I wouldn't give you a hard time if I didn't respect how hard you work and the type of player you've become. I just can't say enough about her improvement and her will to be out there against the best, whether it was (Class 3A state champion) New Trier. The game against New Trier she was ridiculous. She frustrated them so much. She was one of the best defenders in the state."

Taryn Jakubowski HuntleyAn unselfish midfielder turned striker this season, this all-FVC and all-sectional pick increased her point total by at least 20 points from her freshman season, which helped the Red Raiders to their first sectional title in school history. Jakubowski tallied 21 goals and 13 assists, good for fourth in the area in scoring with 55 points, and in 26 games played with an amazing array of technical skills according to Huntley coach Kris Grabner, who says she has a good touch on the ball and uses her body well to shape a ball down and away from a defender. "She's a look-to-pass person first," Grabner said. "We asked her to be selfish at times and make sure she's getting her shots, that really stretched her because she's really a selfless player. She took it upon herself to score goals when we weren't scoring and I can't say enough about that."

Allison Kruk St. EdwardThis 4-time all-SCC striker leaves St. Edward for Concordia University as a 3-time all-area selection and became the all-time Green Wave record holder for most goals scored with 75, a mark held by assistant coach Chris Holze for the past 20 years. Kruk was second in the area in goals with 31, third in points with 65 and finished with 3 assists (22 career), with her last goal the game-winner in the Green Wave's 1-0 third place win over Rockford Christian at the Class 1A state finals. Kruk, who was also a freshman when St. Edward finished in fourth place at state in 2011, accounted for more than a quarter of the Wave's goals this season and although her health was better this year, she played with a target on her back, which wasn't something she hadn't dealt with the previous 3 years. "She came out of the gates on fire and toward the middle of the season when her name showed up everywhere, everybody was like, 'number 11, number 11, number 11.'" said Green Wave coach Tim Brieger.

Caitlin Lange South ElginThe Storm's offensive MVP with 12 goals and 6 assists really picked up the slack after the injury to teammate Savanah Uveges, but there was never a question about her skills or her leadership. Lange played 3-plus years on varsity and will parlay those abilities at Augustana College. "Caitlin has been a skilled player since her freshman year, she's a quiet leader, she's the type of person where her actions speak louder than words," Storm coach Tiffany Disher said. "She felt the pressure of being a senior leader on the team, she was able to pick up her shot accuracy and her speed up front. She was a definite threat."

Corey Lepoudre St. EdwardAs last year's Daily Herald Fox Valley all-area captain, Lepoudre ended her 4-year run at St. Edward with an exalted resume she will take with her to Augustana College. A repeat all-area selection, Lepoudre was a part of the third place team at the Class 1A state finals and the fourth place team in 2011. A 4-time all-SCC selection, Lepoudre broke the St. Edward single-season assist record with 28 this year, which led the area, to go with her 10 goals. She finishes with 34 career goals and 54 assists and walks away with the all-time Wave assist record. This strong, left-mid southpaw did so this season by improving her small-ball skills. "She added a lot of very technical, small-ball skills. You really saw her making girls dance and breaking girls ankles out on the wing," said St. Edward coach Tim Brieger, who claimed her game was as strong or even stronger than last season. "She's got that little cutback move and she was serving some gorgeous crosses this year," he said. "She dominated the flank and we never had to sub her out. She just basically controlled that left side."

Morgan Lockwood Harvest ChristianChosen as Harvest Christian's offensive MVP, this all-Northeastern Athletic striker shared NAC MVP honors in a season where the Lions went undefeated in conference. Lockwood led the team with assists with 9 to go with her 13 goals, as this all-around player worked her way all across the field using her good footwork and technical skills. "She can hold up the ball well, posting up play. She can turn and run at players," Lions' coach Jason Acres said. "Her work rate up in the front, side to side, covering that entire third really sets her apart. A defender just can't stay with her on the left side or right side, she might be flying across the other way."

Jennifer Lopez ElginThis repeat all-UEC selection led the Maroons to their first regional final appearance in 14 years. A 4-year starter who will attend St. Ambrose in the fall on a dual scholarship for soccer and track (speed walking), Lopez led Elgin in goals and assists with 6 each as a left-mid in 19 games. An unselfish player who never lost her composure, Lopez was always willing to play on the field wherever she was needed while knowing her teammates' strengths in propelling the Maroons forward. A sound passer, Lopez always saw the bigger picture while her speed and knowledge would go unmatched. "She would wait for someone to take a step to make a move and then she would use her speed. She knew when to turn on her speed and when to just sit there and wait for the other team to make the first move," Maroons coach Alicia Knoll said. "Jenny always stepped up, was very very positive. You never saw her rattled. Always calm. Knew what to do. Knew how to relax and when to turn it on. She's truly, truly going to be missed."

Liz Meschewski Westminster ChristianThis All-NAC selection and co-conference MVP mustered 17 goals and 6 assists as a senior attacking midfielder, but always had a knack for coming up in the clutch in her 3-year varsity run. In a 2013 Class 1A regional semifinal win against Harvest Christian, Meschewski tallied 2 goals and 1 assist on a bum hamstring. In the same game this year, Meschewski threw up prior and had trouble breathing but still found a way to notch an assist and a key penalty kick in what gave Westminster back-to-back regional final appearances. "It was evident, especially the last two years playing against Harvest, a team we were supposed to lose to, she really rose to the occasion in both years and brought the team to a new level," said Warriors coach Erik Schwartz. "She played big in those big games, and has a lot of character, great attitude and we'll really miss her." Meschewski will attend Judson University in the fall, where she'll continue her basketball career.

Monica Ramirez St. EdwardNamed the honorary captain of the 2014 Daily Herald all-area team in the Fox Valley, this UIC-bound midfielder, who throughout her 4 years at St. Edward dealt with ankle and hip injuries throughout, was fully healthy for the 2014 campaign and did not disappoint. The 3-time all-SCC, SCC Player of the Year this season, 2-time all-area selection and 2014 St. Edward salutatorian scored 13 goals and 14 assists to finish with a career total of 32 goals and 21 assists, dominating play in the midfield for two state final teams in her run, including this year's third place squad in Class 1A. "She just shined this year, this was the first full-year she was healthy for us," St. Edward coach Tim Brieger said. "And it was absolute massive bonus. The things she can do with a ball is just scary, just absolutely scary. She probably has the best first-touches I've ever coached. She can settle any ball, anytime on any field."

Jenna Ross CL SouthNamed all-conference in her rookie campaign, Ross was an anchor of a stout defensive front for the Gators, who eclipsed 14 shutouts on the season, including every conference opponent in the regular season besides its only blemish to Prairie Ridge. Ross had 1 goal and 1 assist on the year and was unafraid to tell the elder statesmen as a center defender in a constructive way what to do and didn't back down from those moving on to the collegiate level. "She's incredibly mature as a player for a 14-year-old, she's a girl who came in just from day one you could tell she understood the game," Gators coach Jay Mueller said. "She took on a leadership role right away. (Jenna) was instrumental in shutting down other teams' offensive attacks."

Genna Sobieszczyk Cary-GroveKnown for versatility and her infectious enthusiasm, this sophomore forward-mid had a tendency to better her ability as the year developed. "She's a player that got stronger throughout the year," Trojans coach Ray Krystal said. "She becomes someone that opponents have to deal with even more because she has more of an impact as the season goes on." Sobieszczyk led the team in assists with 6 and was third in scoring with 8 goals, providing C-G a dangerous weapon at the times than a pure scorer would according to Krystal, as seen in her shift from forward to mid throughout. "Genna is a quality player, a dangerous player," said Krystal. "She's someone that brings that enthusiasm, brings a joy to the people around her, something that also helps teammates out. When you have a consistently positive attitude, that adds to the aspect of what she brings."

Kimmy Sulikowski CL SouthWhat a difference a year made for this forward, who led the Gators in scoring with 10 goals to go with her 4 assists en route to a co-FVC championship with Prairie Ridge. Sulikowski was a non-starter her sophomore year but worked her way into a starting lineup this season and it paid dividends, with an All-FVC selection in the process. Most of her success came on 1 or 2-touch finishes and crosses from the outside. But on certain occasions she would outwork a defender for the ball in front of the net. "Kimmy earned a starting spot by just working hard, just being dedicated and committed," said Gators coach Jay Mueller, who insisted she keeps getting better. "You always know what you're going to get when you put Kimmy on the field. She's going to work harder than the defenders around her, and she's a pretty good finisher so that always helps."

Anna Tracy South ElginThis two-sport athlete was instrumental on both the Storm's basketball and soccer teams that won regional championships in 2014, and she'll take that winning mentality to the University of Cincinnati where she will play soccer. But Tracy's trophy case grew substantially with all-UEC and all-sectional honors while being voted the Storm's MVP. With 6 goals and 9 assists, Tracy was effective as a defender and was just the same when she made the switch to left-mid. "She showed the girls it is possible to give everything you have to get what you want out of life," Storm coach Tiffany Disher said. "(Anna) definitely steeped it up on the field with constant runs, great communication. The girls really look up to her and see her as one of the players that is a leader on the team."

Savanah Uveges South ElginA 3-time all-area selection and a 2-sport athlete who played on the Storm's basketball team, this Nebraska-bound forward was a 4-year starter and all-UEC in 2011, 2012 and 2014. She ultimately saw her junior and senior seasons cut short to a torn ACL suffered in July of 2012, but in 9 games this season, she led the area at the time with 12 goals and 6 assists, aiding the Storm to their best start in school history at 7-2. Uveges holds South Elgin records in most goals in a career (62), season (23) game (5) and quickest goal scored (17 seconds), thus leaving her stamp on the Storm's soccer program and in the Fox Valley for years to come. Her ability to create space and opportunity, let alone her movement off the ball and her speed, made it a dangerous combo to deal with on a nightly basis. "Savanah is the total package, everything from her soccer knowledge to her ability to putting others before herself on the team and she's really just a genuine person," South Elgin coach Tiffany Disher said. "Everything she does she does it wholeheartedly and with pure passion and desire and that comes through to the underclassmen, she really pulls them under her wings."

Kendra Videckis BartlettAfter an 11-game losing streak ended 2013, Bartlett soccer witnessed a resurgence in 2014 and Videckis, an all-UEC and sectional selection, was mainly responsible for the Hawks doubling their win total. The Marquette-bound striker may have missed most of her sophomore year to injury and her entire junior season to club soccer, but in her first real chance on the varsity stage, Videckis, a marked forward to say the least, still notched 18 goals and 3 assists, propelling the Hawks to a 6-2-1 start. This came despite surgery last October to repair a herniated disk. Videckis also dealt with quad injuries throughout this season, but this battle-tested forward played through the pain in her customary, physical style, where she used her 6-foot frame to her advantage to play the ball out of the air. "(I'm) really proud of the way she played, she's always played a physical game and it would have been a shame for her to try to play a different way that's not her style," Hawks coach Ben Beary said. "If you give her space in the open field to run to, she's like a freight train. Nobody can get in front of her if she gets up to to speed in the open field. She didn't have a ton of assists but if we had hockey assists in soccer, she'd be on the score sheet for a lot of those, a lot of our other goals went through her one way or another."

Rachel Zobott HuntleyCommitted to the University of Illinois-Chicago this fall, Huntley's leader on defense was an all-FVC selection who scored 4 goals and had an assist and participated in all 26 games. Zobott, who would start the Huntley attack at times, demanded the same hard work out of her teammates as she commanded on herself. "(Galason) may be the quarterback, but with every great quarterback there's an incredible offensive line in front of them, our offensive line started with (Rachel)," Huntley coach Kris Grabner said. "She is intelligent, technical, she's an amazing slide tackler. I love to see her slide tackle and you don't see it that much with the girls, when you do it kind of stands out. There were a number of times during the season where she came flying right when a girl was about to shoot."