Laura Mayer, Mary Kubiuk: Cook girls soccer captains
Good friends, terrific rivals and brilliant players Mary Kubiuk and Laura Mayer came this close to meeting one last time on the soccer pitch Friday night, which would have been the perfect ending to a happy story for the co-captains of the Daily Herald's girls soccer all-area team.
Mayer helped lead Fremd to its place in the 7 p.m. Class 3A semifinals after its 3-2 OT win over New Trier on Tuesday night at the Niles West supersectional, but Kubiuk's team at Barrington fell 2-0 to Conant, sending the Fillies home for the season and the Cougars into their first-ever state tournament against the MSL champion.
It's a shame the dynamic duo will not be on display down on the turf at North Central College in Naperville for all to see this evening, but those fans around the area this spring who have had the pleasure to watch them play have been fortunate indeed.
"Many forget that Mary was just a freshman in 2006, and yet a player who not only led our team in scoring, but also scored the game-winner (against Lyons) to help us advance into the finals (against New Trier)," said then head coach Scott Steib, now an assistant with the team. "She later put us ahead in that match before we lost 2-1."
Kubiuk has led the Fillies in scoring in all four of her years and finished with an astounding 83 goals, 25 assists for 191 points, after 29 and 9 this season.
Mayer, who missed all of her sophomore season after ankle surgery, enters the match against Conant with 26 and 23, including 14 and 15 in a breakout season this year.
The resume of both on statistics, accomplishments and talent is endless, and while Kubiak and Mayer will talk about teammates and the sport they enjoy so much, don't expect either to chat about themselves.
But we can.
Kubiuk is a two-time all-Mid-Suburban, all-sectional and all-state player was an explosive scorer who packed a deadly shot from either foot. She has extraordinary dribbling ability, is an excellent reader of the game, and is one of those rare players who instinctively pops up out of nowhere to catch unsuspecting opponents unaware in the final third and makes them pay.
Mayer is a three-year starter, and this year was named MSL West Player of the Year as well as all-state and all-sectional. She shows electric pace at times, especially when she runs the show in the center of the field with artistry, grace and a jitter-bug dribbling style that has baffled opponents. With her often imaginative passing, superb ball control and very quick mind, she can wriggle her way out of the tightest situation or provide ice-cool finishing for all to admire.
"Mary won't ever talk about herself (when) asked," says her coach Ryan Stengren. "But what else can you say that hasn't been said about her since she has been here?"
How about this?
The Yale-bound Kubiuk hit a succession of strikes in the postseason, including her eightth in four matches, the final in her career to help fuel a 3-0 victory over state-ranked Huntley in the sectional final.
"I love playing soccer, and really love scoring goals," said Kubiuk.
Kubiuk, who took her ACT score of 32 on the road to visit Vanderbilt, Northwestern, Harvard and Stanford, before deciding on Yale, had hoped to make her senior season her most memorable along with her rookie season when the Fillies nearly took it all.
"My first year on the varsity was my best experience ever, not only because of our second-place finish, but also the team atmosphere, players and coaching staff were all together," she said. "We didn't quite have that last year or the year (before) because of new players and all, but this year was a terrific year and it was so much fun, just like my first year here."
Mayer is technically the opposite of Kubiuk, with her stop-on-a-dime moves and wonderful vision.
"I was so excited for both Mary and I when I found out we were sharing the (co-captain honors) because we know each other (afer playing together on U-14 through U-16 teams in club soccer) and we both enjoy playing soccer so much," said Mayer, who may walk on at Illinois State or Illinois. "And it's a terrific accomplishment for both of us."
"Laura is not only one of the most technically gifted players that I have ever coaches, but also one of the most enjoyable to watch play the sport," says Fremd head coach Steve Keller.
The Vikings' captain brings encouragement to her teammates with an almost tireless energy, and after watching her effort, you come away knowing how much she enjoys this game and what she is capable of.
The free-kick artist stepped up and struck a nasty 25-yard screamer just inside the post 10 minutes into the Vikings' match with Barrington, then finished off the Fillies' second goal before intermission with a trick-filled run into the box.
At the MSL Soccer Cup, Mayer assisted on an Alexis Tice goal, then sealed the Vikings' seventh MSL title with a goal minutes after the break.
"When we finally defeated Hersey, after they beat us four straight times, it probably became my most memorable game of my high school career," says Mayer.
<div class="infoBox"> <h1>All-Area Teams</h1> <div class="infoBoxContent"> <div class="infoArea"> <h2>Cook County</h2> <ul class="links"> <li><a href="/story/?id=298406"><B>Softball</B></a></li> <li><a href="/story/?id=298405">Softball captain: Nikki Goranson</a></li> <li><a href="/story/?id=298398"><B>Baseball</B></a></li> <li><a href="/story/?id=298397">Baseball captain: Jon Carlson</a></li> <li><a href="/story/?id=298403"><B>Girls soccer</B></a></li> <li><a href="/story/?id=298402">Soccer captains: Laura Mayer, Mary Kubiuk</a></li> <li><a href="/story/?id=298401"><B>Boys volleyball</B></a></li> <li><a href="/story/?id=298400">Volleyball captain: Chris Falknor</a></li> </ul> <h2>DuPage County</h2> <ul class="links"> <li><a href="/story/?id=298388"><B>Softball</B></a></li> <li><a href="/story/?id=298392">Softball captain: Hannah Santora</a></li> <li><a href="/story/?id=298388"><B>Baseball</B></a></li> <li><a href="/story/?id=298582">Baseball captain: Jack DeAno</a></li> <li><a href="/story/?id=298391"><B>Girls soccer</B></a></li> <li><a href="/story/?id=298394">Soccer captain: Leah Fortune</a></li> <li><a href="/story/?id=298390"><B>Boys volleyball</B></a></li> <li><a href="/story/?id=298393">Volleyball captain: Joe Kelly</a></li> </ul> <h2>Fox Valley</h2> <ul class="links"> <li><a href="/story/?id=298676"><B>Softball</B></a></li> <li><a href="/story/?id=298362">Softball captain: Kimberly Pierce</a></li> <li><a href="/story/?id=298660"><B>Baseball</B></a></li> <li><a href="/story/?id=298356">Baseball co-captain: Brian Brauer</a></li> <li><a href="/story/?id=298355">Baseball co-captain: Craig Lipp</a></li> <li><a href="/story/?id=298658"><B>Girls soccer</B></a></li> <li><a href="/story/?id=298361">Soccer captain: Cori Wronski</a></li> </ul> <h2>Lake County</h2> <ul class="links"> <li><a href="/story/?id=298410"><B>Softball</B></a></li> <li><a href="/story/?id=298408">Softball captain: Olivia Duehr</a></li> <li><a href="/story/?id=298407"><B>Baseball</B></a></li> <li><a href="/story/?id=298396">Baseball captain: Chas Evans</a></li> <li><a href="/story/?id=298404"><B>Girls soccer</B></a></li> <li><a href="/story/?id=298409">Soccer captain: Courtney Levy</a></li> </ul> <h2>Tri-Cities</h2> <ul class="links"> <li><a href="/story/?id=298385"><B>Softball</B></a></li> <li><a href="/story/?id=298379">Softball captain:Stephanie Becker</a></li> <li><a href="/story/?id=298383"><B>Baseball</B></a></li> <li><a href="/story/?id=298380">Baseball captain: Matt Milroy</a></li> <li><a href="/story/?id=298382"><B>Girls soccer</B></a></li> <li><a href="/story/?id=298378">Soccer captain: Emily Hinchman</a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </div>