Manning throws down vs. LZ
Shana Manning was one of six athletes who recently earned the Scholar Award at Stevenson High School. She has spent all four years on the soccer team and four years on the gymnastic team.
Manning showcased her all-around athletic ability specializing on throw-ins throughout the season, including on the game-winning goal Monday evening.
The Patriots edged Lake Zurich 1-0 in a North Suburban Lake Division match at Lake Zurich as Stevenson keeper Courtney Levy earned her 12th shutout.
"I guess you can attribute what I do to gymnastics," said Manning of her flexibility on throw-ins. "I can arch my back a lot more than others."
Manning sent a long throw-in to the front of the goal; the ball went off a Lake Zurich player's head and into the goal in the 48th minute. The goal was credited to Manning for her superlative toss.
"It gives us another opportunity for us to get another goal," Manning said. "Everybody is getting better reaching the middle to finish them."
Levy put forth another stellar effort in goal for the Patriots, making 6 saves. She has given up only 4 goals in 16 games for a .25 goals-against average.
Stevenson (10-2-4 overall) finished 5-1 in the Lake and had a shot at reaching the North Suburban Conference game, but Lake Forest blanked Zion-Benton 4-0 also on Monday night. That means Lake Forest (15-2-1, 6-0) finishes first in the Lake and will host Prairie champion Vernon Hills (10-5-2, 6-0) at 7 p.m. Thursday night for the NSC Championship.
"We had a huge win," Stevenson coach Mark Schartner said. "We set some pretty big goals this season. We accomplished almost everything we wanted. One goal kept us from getting into the conference championship (a 1-0 Lake Division loss to Lake Forest)."
Lake Zurich (7-9-4, 1-3-2), in search of an upset, stayed close throughout the contest.
"Through the season and this the last division game, we learned so much," Lake Zurich coach Meghan Kolze said. "I'm really not disappointed. The girls gave it everything they had and played their hearts out here."