Schmit: On Barrington, Naperville Central and the perils of being undefeated
Undefeated teams almost always find out how the other half lives, eventually.
It’s been a thought in my head for decades. Ever since I began covering high school sports in the early 1990s.
It’s been especially in my head since Monday when Barrington’s softball team lost its only game this season at the worst possible time.
A program with 11 top-four state finishes, including as a runner-up two seasons ago, went from 36-0 to a painful 36-1 after a Class 4A supersectional loss to Oswego. Dreams of the Fillies’ first state title came crashing down.
While softball teams often ride lights-out pitchers to state titles, an unbeaten season remains a relatively rare event in the 50-year history of the IHSA tournament. It’s happened only twice since 2013.
None of the 16 remaining softball teams in four classes enter this weekend without a loss. For perspective within the semifinal field, Mundelein and IC Catholic Prep have five losses apiece while Antioch has three.
In girls soccer, there’s been only one unbeaten team since 2013. But there’s wiggle room in that sport because of the regular-season ties.
Enter Naperville Central, which improved to 21-0-1 with Tuesday’s 5-1 supersectional victory over Wheaton Warrenville South. Might the Redhawks break the barrier with two more wins this weekend?
Undefeated seasons are rare in all team high school sports, except maybe football. But the flirtation with perfection is everywhere.
It’s a perilous saga repeated time and again. Unbeaten teams enter the playoffs with confidence and momentum, but also with the possibility they won’t remain that way when the postseason ends.
Winning a Class 3A title is the primary thought for Naperville Central’s girls soccer team, but always present is the reminder of the goose egg in the loss column.
I remember covering Addison Trail boys soccer in 1992. The Blazers were 25-0 — not even a tie — when they lost to Batavia in the state quarterfinals. Even worse, the loss came in a penalty-kick shootout after the teams ended regulation and overtime tied 1-1.
It’s perhaps the toughest loss I’ve witnessed at the high school level, although several games come close. Unbeaten or not, season-ending losses can be devastating depending on the manner of defeat and the expectations.
Another harsh ending befell the 2011 Benet boys basketball team (led by future Northwestern starter Dave Sobolewski and future NBA lottery pick Frank Kaminsky). They entered the playoffs unbeaten, but along came Ryan Boatright and East Aurora to end the Redwings’ season in the sectional semifinals.
Again, heartbreaking.
It’ll be a fascinating weekend watching Naperville Central — within walking distance of the host site at North Central College — attempt to complete its own dream season. The Redhawks first face a semifinal match against Warren, a stunning winner over Fremd in the supersectional.
Did we mention the Redhawks are competing for the program’s first state championship?
Might as well pile a little more pressure onto an unbeaten season.