Stevenson’s Banas joins elite company

Stevenson junior Rachael Banas recently made the Western Great Lakes team that will compete in the Schoolgirls’ Division of the U.S. Lacrosse Women’s Division National Tournament over Memorial Day weekend in New York.

“It’s a great opportunity,” Banas said. “I’m so thankful my coach (Janette Eichfeld) gave me a chance to try out. I was one of 20 that made it and there are two alternates. I made the last cut last year. This year I went in there and did the best I could. I’m happy and excited that I made the team.”

Banas also is heavily involved with off-season lacrosse. She played for the Wildcat Elite and Lakeshore clubs last season.

“Playing outside of school has helped me tremendously,” she said. “With Wildcat Elite, most of the Northwestern players are the coaches. Lakeshore has some great coaches. Kelly Cook was my coach and so was Virginia Kosenkova (Montini co-coach). Playing club has helped me improve my skills and my leadership skills. I was named a captain at Stevenson, which is a big honor.”

Banas has been pleased with Stevenson’s progress thus far in 2011.

“We’re more focused,” she said. “The captains are providing leadership and we’re working s a team. The upperclassmen are working with the underclassmen. Everybody gets along on the team.”

Pain? It’s just part of the game: A lacrosse goalie is going to feel some pain.

It’s just the way it is.

But the pain is something Naperville Central goalie Sarah Osier deals with quite nicely.

“Getting hit in goal, the pain doesn’t bother me,” she said. “Some girls have some really fast shots out there. You get used to it after awhile. You get some nasty bruises. I’ll have girls come up to me after games and hug me and say they are sorry. It’s part of the game. We have more padding with helmets, a chest protector, thigh pads and shin guards, but you would be surprised where that ball finds you. Your arms get bruised up.”

Playing in cold weather only amplifies the sting.

“It hurts so much more when you get hit on cold days,” Osier noted. “I try and wear extra layers.”

Osier has been playing the sport for four years and loves the fact she decided to take up the sport at the urging of a teacher.

“It’s definitely the sport for me,” she said. “It gets my mind off everything else. It’s a safe-haven for me. I really like it.”

Barrington update: The Fillies moved to 5-3 with a pair of recent wins over Lake Zurich (10-8) and Palatine (10-7).

“It was an exciting week for Barrington,” Fillies coach Suzanne Rich said.

Barrington played Lake Zurich in last Tuesday’s hail storm. Senior captain MacKenzie McPike had 2 goals, 5 draw controls, 5 caused turnovers and 9 groundballs.

“MacKenzie is a leader on the field,” Rich stated. “She never gives up and her intensity is contagious. Her competitiveness and sheer determination to win is what helps drive the team. She gets everybody to step up their own game and work harder out there on the field.”

Junior Christa Madden had 4 goals in the game and senior captain Caitlin Donohue had 2 goals and 2 assists.

Junior midfielder Sarah Hovde also excelled in the Lake Zurich win with 1 goal, 1 assist, 3 draw controls and 5 groundballs.

“Sarah played 3 different positions in that game,” Rich noted. “Her positive attitude and hard work on the field clearly helped us win that game.”

The win against Palatine kept Barrington unbeaten in conference play. Senior captain Jacqueline Holdsberg had 2 goals and 2 assists. Sophomore goalie Jenna Feldman, junior Meaghan Carley, junior Julia Huldin and senior Sarah Holiona anchored the defense.

“We have really been focused on playing as a team this season,” Rich said. “Their willingness to play in any position on the field has helped win some key games.”

Madden was leading the team in scoring with 19 goals and 3 assists through late last week. Donohue had 9 goals and 3 assists, while McPike had 8 goals and 3 assists. Junior attack Gabby Miles had 7 goals and 3 assists, while Holdsberg had 6 goals and 5 assists.

Palatine update: The Pirates were 3-4 through late last week and 1-1 in conference play (a victory over Schaumburg and a loss to Barrington). Palatine notched a pair of recent 1-goal victories over Stevenson (10-9) and Schaumburg (7-6).

Coach Leslie Schock has been receiving key contributions from senior midfielder Lauren Radtke, along with juniors Rose Silveira (midfield) and Ashley Geraghty (attack).

“We play with a lot of heart,” Schock said. “Where we lack in fundamental skills, we make up for in hustle, competitiveness and determination.”

Defensive communication has taken a step forward for the Pirates in recent times. Schock noted the defensive starting unit of juniors Adrianna Filipek and Reggie Martarano, along with sophomore Jamie Lloyd and freshman Morgan Gallagher are starting to click.

“We recently switched our goalie,” Schock said. “Veronika Metanova is starting to get the feel for being in goal. She has improved tremendously in the last two weeks.”

Geraghty had 5 goals in a recent game against Lake Zurich, while Radtke also had 5 goals against St. Charles.

Palatine starts only two seniors in Radtke and attack Brittany Johnson.

“As a young team we make some inexperienced mistakes, but I really think this is going to be a great rebuilding year,” Schock said.

Warren update: While Warren was only 2-4 through its first 6 games (0-3 conference), coach Catherine Cantanzaro is seeing plenty of positives throughout the program. This is Warren’s second year as a program.

The Blue Devils shrugged off an 0-4 start with consecutive wins over Northside Prep and Regina.

Through those first 6 games, senior attack Angharad Urch had 12 goals and 1 assist. Junior midfielder Aubri Hazen had 10 goals and 2 assists, while junior attack Arika Stovall had 8 goals and 4 assists and junior midfielder Nicole Suchsland had 8 goals.

“Being a second-year varsity program we are continually developing,” Cantanzaro stated. “While we are improving every week, our current strength is our desire to learn and improve. The girls are like sponges. They take in what you say and then try to apply it. All aspects of our game are continually developing, making our current strength the addition of new skills to our program.”

Passing has taken a step forward for the Blue Devils.

“Last year and in the beginning of this year we ran the ball up the field and tried to score, but we never really passed the ball to move it up the field,” Cantanzaro said. “We are starting to transition with the passing instead of just running. This allows us to spread the field and makes the defense work to stop the attack.”

Goalie Carly Wright had 16 saves in a game against Glenbrook North earlier this season.

“Carly is a tremendous leader in our defense,” Cantanzaro said. “She had a coming-out game against Glenbrook North.”

Suchsland and Megan Stoneberg are also having fine seasons.

“Nicole was a great role player for the team last year,” Cantanzaro said. “This year she has taken the step from a role player to a standout on the field. She is a very balanced player. She does not lead our statistics, but she is always involved in the play. Megan is the backbone of our defense. She is a lead-by-example player. She helps direct traffic on the field. Megan is an exceptional player that makes things happen on the field.”

Warren has four teams in the program with 80 total players.

“We started lacrosse in 2009 with a junior varsity and a frosh-soph team,” Cantanzaro said. “Now we have a varsity, two JV and a frosh-soph team. In addition to the growth at the high school level, we are growing at the youth level. We currently have a youth skills and drills program coached by myself with the help of 9 varsity players. They are committed to the program, not just to the varsity team. I have never been part of a program where the girls were invested in the entire program, not just their own team.”