Scouting St. Viator in girls soccer state tourney
Class 2A state tournament preview
Today's semifinals: St. Viator (20-8-1) vs. Wheaton Academy (18-3-1), 11 a.m.; Peoria Notre Dame (19-4-2) vs. Belleville Althoff (25-0-0), 1 p.m.
Saturday's schedule: Third-place match, 11 a.m.; championship, 1 p.m.
Where: North Central College, Naperville
History Lesson: The Lions return after a five-year absence when they won their third title in four years in 2005 by dominating a field which included Peoria Notre Dame and Althoff, which are both here again, and on the other side of the bracket. Wheaton Academy is the reigning 2A state champion, and returns much of the cast from that club, excluding all-state and Parade All-American striker Leah Fortune, now playing at Texas.
Players to Watch: St. Viator: Taylor Skala (F, 35 goals), Ariana Kulinczenko (D), Meghan McGrath (D), Jackie Tumberger (D), Samatha Gavin (MF, 10 assists), Katelyn Hammarlund (MF-F, 18 goals); Wheaton Academy: Crystal Thomas (MF, 16 goals), Alexa Sharkey (D, 12 goals), Alli Witt (F, 16 goals), Christi Dithrich (D), Sydney Sharkey (MF, 15 assists).
Touchline talk: The Lions had a bit of an up-and-down season during the first half of the transition under the leadership of Mike Taylor, who in the fall of 2009 led the boys' program to a state championship. Perhaps the most important move from Taylor and his assistant, former star defender T.J. King, was to slide Kurinczenko to the backline from the midfield, which instantly transformed the Lions defense into a team strength, along with the striking power of the sophomore Skala, whose speed, power and athleticism makes her practically unstoppable in the area.
The Warriors have hardly missed a beat after winning their second title in school history, and despite the loss of the aforementioned Fortune to the collegiate game, the 2010 version still has plenty of weapons to attack with, beginning with the sophomore Thomas and another super-soph Witt, who has speed to burn, and the ability to run down balls send over the top and out of the back.
They said it
"There's a terrific blend of youth and experience on this team, and it's a group which has worked hard to improve themselves, and is committed to doing what it takes to play this far into the season, and just one game away from playing for a state title."
- St. Viator coach Mike Taylor
"From the very beginning of the season, coach Taylor and T.J. (King) have both told us what (they) expected from each of us, and have put together meaningful training sessions to help prepare us to reach our goal of playing on the final week of the season."
- Viator's Ariana Kulinczenko
Outlook: This is easily the toughest test of the postseason for the Lions, and with all due respect, perhaps the state tournament final played here in this semifinal match.
Strength of schedule may be the difference if things stay tight, and although the Warriors have fared well with the likes of 3A standouts such as Wheaton Warrenville South, Hersey and Stevenson, the Lions, with a nonconference schedule which includes Sandburg, Barrington, Naperville North and Stevenson, among others, may have better prepared Taylors' club.
"I've always thought you can learn (more) from a 2-1 or 3-1 loss to a strong 3A team than a 4-0 win over a lesser 2A opponent, and I think the girls have finally understood the difference and have taken a lot from all of those tough matches," said Taylor.
Second semifinal: Althoff has not lost since its 4-3 supersectional loss to Chatham Glenwood last year, and enters this match as the No. 1-rated club in southern Illinois, and No. 8 nationally behind Illinois recruit Megan Pawloski, who finished the regular season with an astounding 50 goals (15 assists) and two years after she scored 36 as a sophomore when the Crusaders lost to Waubonsie Valley 3-0 in what would be the last two-class final in girls soccer.