N. Stars' depth on display again

Preseason discussion about St. Charles North's girls soccer team centered not only on how talented were the North Stars but about the level of depth on the team's roster.

Both characteristics of the team's squad have been proven correct so far. Not only have the North Stars raced to an 8-2 record, but they have had to show they are more than 11 members deep.

As the season enters its crucial final weeks, both that talent and depth will be tested. But to this point, including Tuesday's 2-1 victory over Neuqua Valley, the North Stars have yet to be found wanting as another banner season takes shape.

"We are fortunate that we have freshman classes that are packed full of talented kids who are playing through the off-season with their clubs or who are very athletic and play many sports here," St. Charles North coach Ruth Vostal said. "We seem to be able to replenish the holes when we lose players. This year, we are very fortunate."

Look no further than central midfield for a sign as to how abundant are the team's talents.

Senior Caitlin Winkelman, one half of one of the best central midfield pairings a year ago, missed the first quarter of the season with a right leg injury. But the North Stars missed only the occasional beat while playing one of the toughest schedules in the area.

"Caitlin is a three-sport athlete and a talented soccer player too," Vostal said. "We gave those players who stepped in there maybe one or two goals for the game such as work defensively or that we wanted them to win balls out of the air. Each of our midfielders we can rotate in there brings something different."

Kaitlyn Julison was one who moved naturally into Winkelman's position, as was Shelby Anthony. Hayley Nothnagel sometimes moved forward from her stopper's role defensively and Lauren Klopmeyer shifted into Nothnagel's role. Even forward Alex Messacar sometimes moved into a withdrawn role to take a more central midfield role. The options were practically limitless.

"Each of them have experience," Vostal said. "Julison and Klopmeyer have been on varsity in past years and they have rotated in and out of the starting lineup. They are all very talented."

The key is the way Vostal looks at the roster.

"People say you want to have a set 11," Vostal said. "I don't. I want to have a rotation and versatile players. Maybe we want to play with three up top because of matchups. We want to be able to do that. I want to have 22 strong players who I can put in and know they are going to play well."

As well as the team played while Winkelman recovered, Vostal was quick to add, "I'm glad Caitlin's back."

All through the adjustments, sophomore Maggie Hamilton moved in to solidify the other central midfield spot.

In some cases, the depth showed itself a year ago. That happened with the team's goalkeepers. Starter Vicki Traven suffered a midseason injury and the team brought freshman Kristen Manski into the lineup. Manski excelled, and the North Stars have been rotating goalies all season.

"We were able to see things that we might not have seen had that injury not occurred," Vostal said.

State of mind becomes important too. The way St. Charles North operates, anyone on the roster might have a chance to play. There are a number of teams that test their depth -- but the North Stars have played consistently well no matter who is on the field.

"You want to keep the team focused and for them to accept their roles," said St. Charles North assistant coach Anne Poulin. "When you have a team that's so deep, you have players who perhaps won't play in one game, but may be needed in the next game. On one day, you might need someone and on another, you might need someone else. We need them to be ready when they're called upon."

Whether looking at the team's depth or just its starters, one of the things that make the team so strong is its "spine" -- the lineup if viewed from goalkeeper, central defense, central midfield and forward.

Teams strong up the middle are often very hard to break down, especially when playing on narrow high school fields against teams whose preferred method is to try to play longer passes rather than a possession style of game.

From Manski or Traven, through defenders such as Klopmeyer or Lauren Ostarello, to midfielders Winkelman and Hamilton, finally reaching forward Leah DeMoss, the North Stars have excessive depth.

"People say we're strong up the middle, and we are," Vostal said. "But I also look at those players and say we have a group of girls with years of experience who have learned, either through their clubs or by playing in our lower levels, to handle a variety of situations before they reach our varsity."

The team's depth extends beyond its playing group. Vostal and Poulin are sisters. Each graduated from St. Charles East and each has multiple state championship medals to show for her time there. Vostal went to Michigan, Poulin played at Arizona State and, more recently, in England.

Beyond their extensive playing resumes, the Poulin sisters have been on-staff together at St. Charles North for three years. So when Vostal gave birth to twins in the off-season, the choice for whom to put into the head coaching role was as automatic as it was natural.

"I don't know that it would have worked with any other assistant," Vostal said. "There's other great assistants out there. But I had to hand over those duties -- all the paperwork and the booster club meetings and the tryouts -- to Anne. I look at it and I feel really blessed she was there and we were able to coach again together."

Conversations about the state of the team took place at all hours of the clock. And while each brought her own ideas to any discussion, one thing shone through.

"We both care about the team so much," Poulin said, "Whenever we have a good conversation -- and they were all good, whether we agreed on everything or not, the bottom line was we both wanted what was going to be best for the team and for the players."

As those who stood in for Winkelman have adjusted to different roles since her return, Poulin has made the adjustment to being an assistant again. Vostal has been in the head coach's role again for two weeks.

"It's Ruth's team and her program," Poulin said. "We've worked to find that conversation like it was before. I'm used to calling the shots and she's back doing the subbing and the other things a head coach does. It helps that we're sisters and we talk about it."

Wherever you look on the North Stars roster, there is depth. How far the team will go is anyone's guess. The team does, however, remain in the hunt for the Upstate Eight Conference title and has shown in the Pepsi Showdown that it can compete with the state's elite.

"One of our mottos is that every day, we have to get better," Vostal said. "If we're not doing that, we need to step back and fix that. But we want to keep improving."