Tri-Cities All-Area girls soccer team
Liz Barnes | Batavia
Batavia only had four seniors on this year's roster, and the junior class was populated by a number of strong players. And the Bulldogs further had to deal with a series of interruptions to their season, making cohesion difficult to achieve. But the defense founds its feet as quickly as any area on the field, and Barnes - one of those junior defenders - was one of those who stepped forward and kept things under control. Sarah Butz, Rosary
The senior goalkeeper stepped up in her final year, coming up with several big saves to help the Royals upset Oswego and win a regional championship. Butz earned Suburban Catholic Conference Player of the Year honors for her play. "She has stepped up her game and picked it up for us time and time again," Rosary coach Kevin Callahan said. "Breakaways she's stopped. She's deserved everything she's got."
Stephanie Davison | Geneva
In her second year on Geneva's varsity team, this junior defender was asked to play sweeper and anchor the team's defensive line. "I can't say enough good things about her," Geneva coach Megan Owens said. "She has a good positive attitude and she has done an excellent job controlling our defensive third." Davison and the Vikings defense were at their best in the tournament, allowing only a single goal in their season-ending loss to Conant. "When you look at the games we lost this year, most were by 1 goal," Owens said. "That's due to (Davison's) presence at the back. She saved us from a ton of threats with her strong technical and tactical presence." Davison also highlighted her season by scoring her first varsity goal.
Liz Drennan | St. Charles East
The junior provided a rock for the St. Charles East defense. Helped shut out Geneva for 120 minutes in the Elk Grove regional finals for the 10-8-2 Saints. "Liz is solid in back," St. Charles East coach Pat Feulner said. "She has a cannon." Feulner said he expects Drennan to have several colleges to choose from. "She'll be a big-time Division I prospect," Feulner said. "Just a great kid, a workhorse. She just gives you everything she has all the time. I haven't seen a better defender than her all year."
Leah DeMoss | St. Charles North
The junior forward attracts plenty of attention on the field - often drawing more than one defender. Yet she still led the North Stars in scoring. Her game centers on her solid ball skills coupled with an incredible burst of speed. She and Paige Dusek combined to trouble defenses all season long. "We've been working on her being a little more creative," North Stars coach Ruth Vostal said of DeMoss. "Obviously, her getting the ball and getting rid of it quickly is important because then they can't get two people on her quickly. We have talked about how she can't base her game on whether or not she scores. But she does that extremely well."
Emily Heimerdinger | Kaneland
The sophomore forward already is Kaneland's career leader in goals with 40. "She is only going to get better," Kaneland coach Scott Parillo said. "We will work together over the summer to refine some areas and she is going to be a real threat in the area. She is extremely competitive and works very hard. Kaneland is very lucky to have her." Heimerdinger is also a starter on the varsity basketball team. "She is a natural athlete," Parillo said. "I am very honored to be able to coach her, she really is going to be special."
Emily Hinchman | Geneva
Hinchman, a senior midfielder and the captain of the All-Area team, had an outstanding senior season. She scored 9 goals, added 7 assists and was a creative force on a team that gained experience through her leadership throughout the season. Also a starter on Geneva's fourth-place state basketball team. A co-MVP in the Western Sun Conference, Hinchman will play soccer this fall at Illinois Wesleyan University.
Tory Kinniard | Batavia
Game in and game out, this junior midfielder proved a driving force for Batavia's soccer team this season. She formed with fellow junior Haleigh Erwin in a strong partnership in the middle of the field - and was dangerous going forward. Batavia returns a number of juniors to a senior-dominated team in 2010, and Kinniard will be at the heart of the team's plans.
Madison Pickett, West Aurora
The senior center midfielder has been West Aurora's Most Valuable Player the last four years. She has started 97 straight varsity games while finishing with career stats of 28 goals and 39 assists. She has been recognized by the coaches' association as an all-sectional player all four years. (2006-2008 honorable mention and this year all-sectional). She has been DuPage Valley all-conference the last two years, this year as a unanimous selection. "West Aurora's ascension in the area starts with Madison," West Aurora coach Joe Sustersic said. "West goes as Madison goes. She will be sorely missed next year when she continues her career at the University of Wisconsin- Parkside."
Zoie Samaan | St. Charles East
A lack of height was never a negative aspect for Samaan, who proved you can be successful in a position normally reserved for taller players. "She's smart enough to know that she doesn't have the great size," St. Charles East coach Pat Feulner said. "So she uses her mind to overcome it." Feulner said that when Samaan emerged as his team's starter two years ago that he was worried shots would float over her head into the upper portion of the net. But it never happened. "I remember maybe one goal this year that went over her head, and it was on a windy day against Schaumburg," Feulner said. What completes Samaan's goalkeeping arsenal of weapons is a bravery that is second to none. "She can move side to side as well as anyone I've seen play keeper," Feulner said. "She's got great 'spring.' She has no fear at all."
Ren Stoecklin | St. Charles North
On a team known year after year for its defensive capabilities, the senior defender managed to stand out for what she was able to do this spring. Stoecklin always drew the assignment of marking the opposition's strongest attacker, and she excelled at the task. "There's no goals that stand out where it's her mark who scored," St. Charles North coach Ruth Vostal said. All of the North Stars defenders shone at times through the season, meaning Stoecklin didn't have to do perform superhuman defensive feats in order to be effective. "It's nice that we have experience back there," Vostal said. "They were a core group coming back from last year. They were familiar with each other."
<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=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=298383"><B>Baseball</B></a></li> <li><a href="/story/?id=298382"><B>Girls soccer</B></a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </div>