Girls soccer: Class 3A state preview

Class 3A State Final preview

Huntley (22-3-1) vs. New Trier (24-3-1)

When/Where: Friday at 5 p.m. at North Central College in Naperville

Advancement: Winner plays in Saturday's 7 p.m. championship game vs. the winner of Friday's 7 p.m. semifinal between Collinsville (21-1-2) and Glenbard East (23-4). Losers play in Saturday's 5 p.m. third place game.

Playoff history: This is Huntley's first state appearance. It beat Dundee-Crown 7-0 and Hononegah 6-2 hosting regionals and defeated South Elgin and CL South by 2-1 scores in sectionals at Streamwood. Huntley won the Barrington supersectional 1-0 over the host Broncos.

New Trier is the 2-time defending Class 3A champion with state titles in 2003, 2004 and 2006. It won its own regional by defeating Maine East 9-0 and Lane Tech 4-0 while beating Glenbrook South 1-0 and Evanston 3-0 at the Maine South sectional. The Trevians ousted St. Charles North 1-0 to claim its own super.

Outlook: Six times in the past 7 years Huntley has seen its postseason come to an end by Barrington, a dragon finally slayed Tuesday. The Raiders have been a game short of state the past 2 seasons because of Barrington and St. Charles East. It figures the year Huntley get through a much different monster awaits. But is it that daunting?

"That takes a lot of pressure off us," Huntley coach Kris Grabner said. "The two-time defending state champs - everybody is expecting them to beat us. Very few people even realize that we're .500 against all-time, that we're 1-1-1 against them. I feel like that takes a little bit of the load off. It allows us to just go play."

Much of the Huntley program has been built on hard work and defense and there is a sense of urgency in this rare appearance. But they're also defined by Creighton-bound forward/mid Taryn Jakubowski, a dynamic, technical player. She's totaled 30 goals and 11 assists and is bolstered in the midfield by Alyssa Kaufman (4 goals, 13 assists), Brenna Keegan (5 goals, 6 assists) and Brianna Wilder (10 goals). A defensive unit of Sam Heustis, Erin Gaitsch, Stephanie Noble and Madison Doty have been a blanket of protection since 2015 for senior keeper Paige Renkosik. Her basketball agility has helped allow 17 goals in 26 games with a 0.65 goals allowed average, including 131 total saves and 3 PK stops.

Huntley is 3-0 in shootouts this season. Could this come down to a battle of what defense bends but doesn't break?

"They've obviously haven't given up a goal in the playoffs in a couple of years," said Grabner, who's 218-67-13 overall. "I'd say that's pretty solid. I think it'll be a tight game and we're certainly not afraid of a shootout with the experience we've had this year."

New Trier, led by Jim Burnside (438-64-29), hasn't given up a goal in the postseason since 2013 and it's going by the same token this season. The Trevians squeaked passed St. Charles North 1-0 on a Sydney Parker goal off their seventh corner kick from Kelly Maday early in the second half.

Injuries cost Maday a few games this season but it didn't stop her from becoming the Illinois Gatorade Player of the Year. This Illinois-bound senior forward leads New Trier with 16 goals and 17 assists.

Midfielder Bina Saipi follows with 15 goals and 12 assists while Haley Yamada has totaled 11 goals and 9 assists and Parker 8 goals 5 assists. Sam Urban leads a strong back line that's helped keeper Dani Kaufman allow just 6 goals in 19 games for a 0.32 goal allowed average.

"They're outstanding in the air and we've been focused on getting better defending in the air for a month and a half now," Grabner added. "There's a feeling that we have to take advantage while we're here. You get yourself here and anything can happen."