St. Charles North not done yet
They seem so composed on the soccer field that you sometimes have to take a step back and remember that St. Charles North's players are indeed high schoolers and they are subject to emotions just like any young group of players.
And on Tuesday, there was plenty to be nervous and excited about. The North Stars won a supersectional game against host Barrington, on the Fillies home field.
The IHSA calls these games "Supersectionals" when in reality the match is a quarterfinal. So the 2-0 win propelled them into Friday's state semifinals. Regardless the outcome of their two matches at North Central College this weekend, the North Stars have guaranteed they will double their school's trophy count.
But thoughts of Friday's pending encounter with Sandburg were about as far away as the North Stars' last trophy performance - a second-place finish in 2004 - as they walked off the field in Barrington.
"We're really excited," St. Charles North junior Sammy Gage said. "This has been our goal since Day One, when everyone walked in for tryouts. We knew we had the talent. It was a matter of heart and I think we demonstrated that today. Now it's a matter of walking into state and showing people what we're made of."
No one epitomized that spirit more than senior goalie Kristen Manski. The senior was severely tested on Tuesday. She had to make saves, had to clear the ball from her crowded penalty area and had to keep her team composed in front of her. At the end of the match, the entire team could take credit for the shutout performance, but all were also aware that the team's goalie had much to do with that performance.
"I just wanted this more than anything," Manski said. "I wanted to do everything in my power to make this win. Whether it was screaming at them or making a save or coming out to get the ball, I wanted to do everything in my power to make this happen. I wanted this so badly."
Like Gage, Manski said a trip to the state finals was always a goal, the same goal players all over Illinois had in March. But only the North Stars, Sandburg, Waubonsie Valley and New Trier still have a chance of winning this year's Class 3A title.
"It's just amazing that your dreams can come true," Manski said. "I know it's cliché to have your coaches say 'if you want anything bad enough, anything's possible.' But now we see that it's actually true. If you believe in your teammates, you can actually go wherever you want and make anything happen. It's so empowering."
There are three people on the North Stars roster who have experienced a trip to the state finals, and all are coaches. North Stars head coach Ruth Vostal won titles with St. Charles in 1992 and 1994 and coached the 2004 team. Assistant Annie Lauterer was a senior on that 2004 North Stars team while assistant Erin Kane was a junior that season.
Of course, to this year's team, 2004 seems a long time ago while 1994 is positively ancient history. But the thread lines connecting St. Charles' soccer past with the present could point toward a bright future.
"I look at it and the trophies are great and the accolades are great, but they just extended their season as far as they can go," Vostal said. "That's what we always talked about - going back to Tim Dailey and playing for him at St. Charles, it was always playing with a group of players that you loved to be with. I wouldn't coach these girls if I didn't love doing it. I'm not ready to be done and I know they're not ready to be done either."