Kerth breaks another Naperville Central record
Abbey Kerth has always scored goals in bunches, but Thursday’s bunch was special.
The Naperville Central girls water polo player added another 7 goals to her four-year total, breaking by one the Redhawks’ all-time record of 319 set by Kara Wilson in 2008.
The Redhawks defeated cross-town rival Naperville North 16-3, with Madison Nervig adding 3 goals and Emily Sejna, Gracie May, Allison Susin, Jamie Schweikart, Lauren Gunn and Kristina Altuve scoring 1 each.
But this night belonged to Kerth.
“I’m really excited,” said the Arizona State-bound senior, who last year broke Wilson’s school record for goals in a season with 130. “I love being part of the tradition of Naperville Central water polo. I think this year it’s gone really far and we’ve done really well. I guess I’m proud, and I love my team. I’m lucky.”
“We knew coming back from spring break that she was 12 away,” Redhawks coach Jeff Plackett said. “When she got 6 (Wednesday night against Lockport) we thought there would be a chance that she would tie it this evening. But I’m awful proud of the effort she put in to score that last one especially. That puts her at 320. She has earned all 320 of those goals by working hard in practice.”
Kerth now has 55 goals on the season for the Redhawks (14-0), but she didn’t know about the record until halftime, when her teammates noted that Wilson was at Naperville North to watch the game and explained to Kerth why that mattered. By then she already had 5 goals and the Redhawks led 11-2.
“I was like, what are you guys talking about?” Kerth said. “... It was a real surprise to me.”
Kerth wasn’t the only Redhawk celebrating a milestone. Plackett picked up his 250th victory in 10 seasons as coach against Lockport before quickly moving on to 251 against the Huskies.
“It was exciting,” he said. “It’s fun to get a pat on the back from your coaching colleagues and your athletic director, but I’m more excited for the girls and the way that they’re winning games.”
Naperville North (6-6) got goals from Grace Culver, Jillian Eiken and Taylor Bridgman.
“Our girls did an awesome job on working the defense,” Huskies coach Andy McWhirter said. “We’re still developing our offense to get moving a little bit more. We had a couple of goals out there showed we got that positioning. We just have to finish up the positioning and move through there. Our goalie blocked a lot of balls tonight, some good saves.”