Scouting Tri-Cities girls soccer
Aurora Central Catholic
Coach: Esther Tan
Last year: The Chargers finished 6-11-1 and lost 2-1 to Rosary in the regional finals.
Key losses to graduation: Greta Hopp.
Top returnees: Emily Blaser, MF-F, Sr., Lisa Gaffino, Sr., F; Erin Canning, Sr., MF.
Key newcomers: Jordyn Sundberg, fr., MF
Outlook: Wheaton College graduate Esther Tan takes over from Maria Della Torre as the head coach of the Aurora Central program and inherits a program that has improved in competitiveness every year. “With a solid senior class and a lot of added experience in the younger players, we're looking forward to fielding a strong team this year,” Tan said. Last year, the Chargers won a playoff match for the first time in school history, and Tan said further success is possible. “They are ready to work hard to improve their game,” Tan said. “I have no doubt that the team will improve steadily throughout the season and will be a new team to look out for.” Tan said the midfield and forward areas on the team are the strongest — led by seniors Emily Blaser, Lisa Gaffino and Erin Canning. Blaser led the team in 2011 with 5 goals and 10 assists.
Batavia
Coach: Mark Gianfrancesco
Last year: The Bulldogs finished 8-8-5 and lost to Lake Park in the regional semifinals.
Key losses to graduation: Abby Gray, F; Hannah Schweigert, D; Tara Rush, MF; Bre Choffin, MF.
Top returnees: Alex Hanna, Sr., MF; Jordyn Cikesh, Sr., D; Shelby Stone, Jr., F., Grace Andrews, Jr., MF.
Key newcomers: Nikki Seiton, Jr., GK; Lindsay Spears, Jr., D; Jenny Welday, Jr., F; Brittany Wahlen, So., MF; Alexis Bryl, Fr., MF; Tori Renfus, Fr., F; Paige Renfus, Fr., MF; Aly Grimm, Fr., D; Kayla Stolfa, Fr., D.
Outlook: Mark Gianfrancesco isn't unknown to Batavia soccer fans, having been the boys coach for many years. And he's also familiar to girls soccer players and followers from his years as the sophomore coach in the Bulldogs program. What's different this year is that Gianfrancesco is the head coach after succeeding Jim McAlpin, who retired after 29 years coaching the team. “I'm excited to take it over,” Gianfrancesco said. “I've had a lot of things in the back of my mind and things that I've scribbled on pieces of paper over the years, and I'm excited to put those things in place.” Gianfrancesco has added one of Batavia's stars from the recent past as his freshman coach with the addition of Lindsey Curnock, who was a goalkeeper at Northern Illinois after leaving Batavia in 2006. “I'm trying to put my stamp on it right away,” Gianfrancesco said. “I want to have a unified program and I like where it is. A lot of the girls on the varsity team, I've had before, more than 50 percent of them. It was a somewhat easy transition.” Competition in practice has increased this spring, and Gianfrancesco said the outcome has been positive so far. “You're going to have to work hard and to be in good shape,” Gianfrancesco said. “That's a little change from what we had before, and I think that keeps people sharp.” Of returning players, one who is like a newcomer is Alex Hanna, who tore her ACL last year. “She's pretty much the rock,” Gianfrancesco said. “People look to her as a calming person on the field.” Gianfrancesco said Jordan Cikesh will be “an anchor defensively” and added that Grace Andrews and Shelby Stone will also be key players for the team.
Geneva
Coach: Megan Owens
Last year: The Vikings finished the season 12-6-4 and were Upstate Eight Conference River Division champions. Geneva lost to Lake Park in an IHSA Regional title match.
Key losses to graduation: Demi Miller, D; Victoria Fortney, GK.
Top returnees: Catherine Allon, Sr., MF; Amanda Lulek, Jr., F; Kailey Rote, Sr. MF; Kristin Rodriguez, Sr., MF; Caitrin Griffin, Sr., D; Annie Waldoch, So., D; Molly Stanfa, So., D; Tory Herbst, So., D; Molly Axen, Jr., MF; Hope Goodman, So., MF; Michaela Loebel, So., MF; Ally Serra, So., MF; Caite Coghlan, So., GK.
Key newcomers: Meghan Kozlow, Fr., D; Marissa Schroyer, Sr., GK; Maggie Bodine, So., F; Courtney Lardas, So., F; Samantha Billek, Jr., D; Megan Fitz, Fr., MF.
Outlook: A year ago, Geneva's girls soccer team was young and talented and took a few teams by surprise en route to a conference title and a drive to a regional title match. This year, the Vikings are just a little bit older — but still youthful — and still talented. But there's no way Megan Owens' squad will sneak up on anyone in 2012, and the Geneva coach is very aware of that fact. “I like to be the underdog,” Owens said. “It's hard for us to be the underdog this year. There's a different kind of pressure on them this year that they didn't have last year.” Owens is also aware that as champions of the Upstate Eight's River Division, her team will wear a target on its back when facing division rivals this year.“We've got a lot of potential,” Owens said. “We need to always remember to keep working hard and we're looking to prove that on the field. There are always a lot of teams that talk big but then can't back it up.” Geneva is still a very young team, featuring two freshmen and nine sophomores. But there is a strong core on the team, led by four-year varsity starter Catherine Allon. Juniors Amanda Lulek and seniors Kailey Rote, Kristin Rodriguez and Caitrin Griffin have three years of varsity experience. “Even our freshmen from last year improved immensely from last year,” Owens said. “You can't get that experience that they got from playing varsity soccer anywhere else. In theory, if we stay healthy, we have a strong lineup with a lot of experience and leadership.” Owens said that repeating as conference champions is on the team's list of goals, but that such a goal is in itself the product of a series of “baby steps. You've got to incorporate smaller goals in order to get there — like beating the other teams in the matches when you play them. They were proud of that last year with it being our first year in the conference.”
Kaneland
Coach: Scott Parillo
Last year: The Knights finished 12-9-3 and lost to Rosary in overtime in a Class 2A regional championship match.
Key losses to graduation: Emily Heimerdinger, Sophia Blank, Amy Fabrizius, Sam Wantuch
Top returnees: Katie Taylor, Sr., MF; Abby Bend, Sr., F; Taylor White, Sr., F; Melissa Bohorquez, Sr., F-MF; Anne Marie Giese, Jr., D; Jordan Ginther, Jr., GK; Brooke Harner, Jr., D; Jess Coia, So., MF; Delaney Stryczek, So., MF; Brittany Olson, So., MF-F; Amber Winquist-Bailey, So., D; Michelle Ortiz, So., MF-GK.
Key newcomers: Heather Ortiz, Fr. MF; Madison Jurcenko, Fr., MF; Taylor Opperman, Fr., D; Courtney Diddell, Fr., MF-F.
Outlook: Ask Kaneland coach Scott Parillo how he intends to replace graduated star Emily Heimerdinger, the Knights coach is straight-forward and honest. “I don't think you do,” he said. “You want to have the other kids on the team be themselves on the field, not try to be Emily. There is only one Emily Heimerdinger and there's only one (returning midfielder) Jess Coia and there's of every one of our girls on the team. All I'm asking them to do is to be themselves.” Heimerdinger graduated, leaving a hole on the field, but also gone is Sophie Blank. Between themselves, Heimerdinger and Blank scored 50 goals in 2011. This season, the Knights will wear the “new-look” label for awhile as they get familiar with positions and teammates. “We had a team last year where many of the players had been together for three or four years and they knew each other well,” Parillo said. “We have four freshmen and five or six sophomores who are going to be playing for us this year. We're young, but we're talented.” Parillo knows that this talent will show by the end of the season. “I'm excited with how talented the youngsters are,” he said. “It's a good group of kids. They're really athletic, they know the game and they're listening. They've been soaking it in during practice, and now we want to get it all to happen on the field.” With players like Heimerdinger and Blank graduated, piecing the offense together may take some time. “The defense is definitely ahead right now,” Parillo said. One player who returns for the Knights is Jordan Ginther, who took off her sophomore season for club ball. Her return, Parillo said, instantly solidifies the defense. “She's just amazing back there,” he said.
Rosary
Coach: Kristy Kane
Last year: The Royals finished 11-11-3 and lost to Freeport in a Class 2A sectional semifinal.
Key losses to graduation: None.
Top returnees: Courtney Bila, Sr., D; Sam Duarte. Sr., MF; Lauren Frasca, So., GK.
Key newcomers: Maria Witte, Fr., D; Quincy Kellett, Fr., F; Lizzie Kelly, Fr., MF.
Outlook: She's new to varsity coaching, but Kristy Kane has for two years taught English for juniors at the school and was the team's junior-varsity coach in 2011. So many of the Royals have seen her both in the classroom and on the sidelines. “I think it's gone pretty well,” Kane said. “They're all excited about having the season start. I've taught a lot of the girls, and I feel they know me.” Kane takes over a program that was incredibly youthful and which is still very young, though two of the seniors — defender Courtney Bila and midfielder Sam Duarte — are very important to the team's success. Junior Kaitlin Johnson and freshman Mary Witte are the other keys to a solid foundation for the team. Witte is the team's sweeper, Bila plays stopper while Duarte and Johnson pair in central midfield. “I think we're looking great,” Kane said. “I'm excited to start getting games in so we can start working out the bugs. We're strong up the middle and our goal is to be strong up the sides as well.” Freshman Quincy Kellett is one of the Royals' offensive threats, but that the workload needs to be spread around, said Kane. “We need to get the midfielders involved and get them to push up and then I think we'll get a lot of opportunities,” Kane said. “In the past, maybe we'd sit back and be too patient. Last year, sometimes we struggled to score even one goal, and that became a problem for the team. I want them to work to score a bunch of goals and be aggressive.”
St. Charles East
Coach: Paul Jennison
Last year: The Saints finished 9-8-1 and lost to Conant in a regional title match.
Key losses to graduation: Lauren Rohrmeier, F; Liz Gelow, MF.
Top returnees: Rachel Pottle, Sr., D; Allie Arvizu, Jr., D; Amanda Hilton, So., D; Bailey Stengler, Sr., GK.
Key newcomers: Anna Corirosi, So., MF, Darcy Cunningham, Fr. F.
Outlook: Strong teams always seem to have strong defensive cores, and St. Charles East's group is as solid as any this season. Starting with senior Bailey Stengler, the Saints have as strong a netminder as there is in the area. In front of her, players such as senior Rachel Pottle defender Allie Arvizu have the toughness needed to survive in the toughest area of the state for girls soccer. “We've got three great leaders this year,” St. Charles East coach Paul Jennison said. “We've got Rachel Pottle, Bailey Stengler and we've got Allie Arvizu. Carly (Pottle) up top, she's the most experience in the front line. It gives you a lot of confidence when they're in there — a soothing kind of leadership that comes from having those girls on the field.” The Saints are young this season despite five seniors, who are all starters. There are seven sophomores and one freshman on the roster. But in key areas, that experience is telling. Arvizu and fellow senior Jenna Pedersen partner in central midfield just in front of Stengler. Rachel Pottle plays right back but can play centrally as well. “We've got some experience and versatility in a few key positions,” Jennison said. “We're a young team that will get playing experience at the varsity level. I expect a season of close-run games with us having much possession. We're experience at the back and that guides us through the team.” In midfield, the Saints are less experienced, with sophomores Nicole Lombardo and Anna Corirosi playing key roles. Carly Pottle, a junior, leads the forward line. “It makes it interesting,” Jennison said. “Most teams have that experience at the front. We're just trying to kind of play and get these girls some time and play from the back. We know the goals are there.”
St. Charles North
Coach: Ruth Vostal
Last year: The North Stars finished the season 13-4-1 and lost in the sectional semifinals.
Key losses to graduation: Sammy Gage, F-MF; KK Barr, D-MF.
Top returnees: Lauren Koehl, Sr., F; Alex Gage, Jr., MF; Kenzie Rose, Jr., D.
Key newcomers: Alyssa Brandt, So., MF; Ashlyn Walter, So., F-MF.
Outlook: After 11 seasons and 178 victories and a second-place and a third-place trophy — it's easy to see the success St. Charles North has had on the soccer field. And the North Stars don't go around bragging about those successes, leaving it to others to tally things — because they're busy working on what they hope will be another strong season. And to that end, this year's North Stars squad figures to continue in that line of solid teams, despite losing 12 players from the 2011 roster. “I looked on the field for our opener against Conant and we had only three who started for us last year in that starting lineup,” St. Charles North coach Ruth Vostal said. “That doesn't mean those girls weren't on the team and they didn't play. They just didn't start. Everyone keeps talking about the 12 players we lost, and we've got some pretty good players.” Many of those players are very familiar with St. Charles North soccer and Vostal as the team's coach. “Lisa Manski, I had her in my fourth-grade class,” Vostal said. “We've always talked about how we want to build the community from the high school by being involved in the elementary schools, and here's one of our players who I had in class who is on the varsity team.” The returning players are talented too, including 19-goal, 11-assist senior Lauren Koehl. Another of the team's keys, junior midfielder Alex Gage, is recovering from ACL surgery. “She wasn't supposed to be cleared before we head to our Iowa tournament at the end of April, and she's two weeks away right now,” Vostal said. “She's coming back a month early. She's worked hard to be able to do that, though we want to make sure she's ready when we put her back out there.” Vostal said she considers each of her teams “special” because every season is different. But she likes the look of the 2012 North Stars. “If you look at the balance of varsity experience and with a few standout players along with some newcomers who are skilled and great at playing soccer — those components could all come together and make for a really exciting season,” Vostal said.
West Aurora
Coach: Laura Wagley
Last year: The Blackhawks finished 8-12-5 and lost a regional title match.
Key losses to graduation: Felicia Dattolo, GK.
Top returnees: Jessica Saffell, Sr. F; Abriya Zeitz, So., D; Reilly Kulakowski, So., D.
Key newcomers: Carli Hix, Fr., D.
Outlook: The building blocks for West Aurora's girls soccer program have been coming together bit by bit for the last two seasons. Now despite still being a very young program, the Blackhawks may be ready to start stretching their collective wings. For two years, Jessica Saffell has been one of the best attacking players in the area, despite receiving constant attention from defenders determined to close down her team's main threat. As a junior in 2011, Saffell still scored 18 goals proving how difficult she can be to stop. Last year, freshman Reilly Kulakowski burst on the scene with a 10-goal, 9-assist season. This year, there are five sophomores and three freshmen on the varsity team — but West Aurora coach Laura Wagley thinks the time might be just about right for her squad. “We want to get some wins,” Wagley said. “We need to win some of these earlier games. The only team that blew us out last year was Naperville North. We competed with every team in the DVC. We would like to turn some ties into wins and move up in the conference standings.” Kulakowski and Daniela Bueno are keys in central midfield. Saffell will play forward this year after working back into midfield a year ago, where junior Tori Raines also plays a key role. “This is my third year and it's starting to click,” Wagley said. “They're starting to get on my level with everything. They're familiar and starting to figure out how I work. It's been fun to watch them transition from (Saffell's) sophomore year to now.”