Girls soccer: Warren bounces back to take 3rd at 3A state tourney

Warren's maiden voyage to the Class 3A state tournament did not turn out the way the way the Blue Devils had hoped in their opener Friday night. But the ride to get there would end on a high night to ensure memories to remember for a long time.

The Blue Devils beat downstate Edwardsville (16-5-2) Saturday afternoon to bring home a third place team trophy following a 1-0 victory at Benedetti-Wehrli Stadium in Naperville.

"We had just under 12 hours to recover from our game with Naperville Central, but the girls came out about as strong as they could today on such a steamy, hot day. And fortunately for us, we scored that first half goal and made it stand up all the way until the final whistle," said Blue Devils coach Ryan McCabe.

"None of us wanted to end such a great year with two straight losses, so to see us play with a lot of heart is what has made this team what it was all season long," added center-back Jacqueline Amezquita.

To arrive on the campus of North Central College, the Blue Devils (16-5-2) won their own regional, followed by claiming the first sectional title in program history when a 94th minute game-winner by Sophie Dolinar helped defeat Huntley, 2-1.

McCabe's club would treat the Blue Devils faithful to a dramatic supersectional victory when they roared back from a 3-1 deficit to score three goals in five minutes to stun MSL power Fremd, 4-3.

"This is such a special team, with a special group of players, and it's just a great way to end our season," said junior Elise Weidemann, who scored the eventual game-winner Saturday just minutes before the intermission.

Late Friday night the Blue Devils lost to top-rated Naperville Central, 5-0, who will play New Trier in the state final Saturday night.

"It's a real privilege to be one of just two teams in each class to end its season with a victory, and it's something all of us are very proud of," said Kate Mondejar, who was one of just six seniors on the Blue Devils roster.

"We overcame a lot this season, but we held it together, and now we go home with a third-place state trophy," continued Mondejar, who suffered an ACL injury in the Blue Devils’ 2-1 victory over Lake Zurich on May 7.

Before the season, the team also lost starting keeper Ella Volante to an injury, and counted on senior Ella Bos to provide quality play while recording seven shutouts.