Girls soccer / Fremd, Conant state preview

Girls soccer / Final Four preview

In the ultimate case of deja vu all over again, both Conant and Fremd are at the Class 3A soccer state semifinals today — almost two years to the day that both qualified together.

The perennial Mid-Suburban powers were joined by rival Barrington in the Elite Eight last Tuesday as the league’s West Division flexed its muscle.

For Fremd coach Steve Keller, it’s his third visit to the tournament since 2009. For his coaching counterpart at Conant, Jason Franco, it’s state tourney No. 2. The former St. Charles star was part of the Saints’ glory years under coach Paul Keenan. The two managers have done well to preserve the culture of a winning tradition at their programs, which is validated with a combined 105-26-12 record since both advanced to state two seasons ago.

“This is a terrific group that we have, but with that said, they had to refocus and look inside themselves after a rough stretch just before the playoffs,” said Keller, who has six holdovers from his second-place team of 2009, including current stars Elise Kotsakis, Alexis Tice and Kristin Abruscato, who played in every match that season.

The core of Franco’s fourth-place club is intact, with Courtney Raetzman, Kaitlin Chiero and Kelsey Foss, who are better than ever, plus five others who all found time on the pitch that season.

“This team is full of skill and talent, just as we had in that ’09 team, but the difference between the two teams is the work rate and intensity they have each time out, and how they all strive to get the job done in order to get the desired result,” said Franco.

Here’s a brief look at today’s matches, which were recently moved crosstown from North Central College to Naperville Central. The winners of each semifinal advance into the final at 7 p.m. Saturday, while the semifinal losers compete in the third-place match at 5 p.m.

Conant(20-4) vs. Naperville North (17-5-1)

When: 5 p.m. today

Who to watch: Conant’s Courtney Raetzman (Jr,F, 22g, 15a), Kaitlin Chiero (Sr, F, 18g, 9a), Kelsey Foss (Jr, D), Chrissy Rosales (Jr, MF), Kelly Lomas (Sr, D), Sammi van de Linde (Jr, MF, 11g, 9a). Naperville North’s Jamie Meno (Sr, D), Zoe Swift (So, F, 12g), Hunter Drendel (Jr, F, 8g, 10a), Kirsten Anderson (Sr, D, 10a), Adrienne Schertz (Sr, D), Christa Szalach (So, MF, 13g).

Storyline: The Cougars have their fair share of elite-level players, personified in three-time all-state striker Raetzman. She’ll draw plenty of attention wherever she roams, which in turn will leave her teammate up top, Chiero, free to strike when the opportunity arises. While the team’s dependence of this pair is obvious, Conant is hardly rudderless if either is slowed for a spell. The drive and leadership from two juniors in the middle, Rosales and van de Linde, give the Cougars plenty of finishing power if and when it is needed. There’s a nice combination of experience and youth along the back, where Foss and Lomas link with rookie starters Drew Wentzel and Kim Trinco help make this group solid defensively and dangerous if any of them got forward.

“Our back line has really come together as a unit, and the improvement we’ve seen from (Lindsay) Fillingim in goal has been the key to our overal success,” says Franco.

The first month of the season was a struggle for North which went 9-4-1, including losses to both Barrington and Fremd but included a 2-0 victory over Conant. During that time, the Huskies were shorthanded for awhile, but they’ve slowly welcomed several injured players back, including all-state striker Swift, who has played in 17 matches. The Huskies have always played with a high work rate with little flash, except for the aforementioned Swift up top. Meno and Schertz are an exceptional duo along the back, and were key figures in the Huskies’ stunning 1-0 victory over No. 1 Neuqua Valley in the sectional final.

Quotable:

“Even though our schedule is very competitive, we found out that we could play with the best after our game with Neuqua Valley. But the thing about this team that is so special, aside from our talent, is the great chemistry and support that we have for each other. And sometimes that’s even more important than anything else.”

— Conant’s Courtney Raetzman

“We knew Naperville (North) might have been missing a few of its players in that early 2-0 loss to them, but that also may have been our worst effort of the season, so we obviously are looking forward to this match today, and the opportunity it presents to us.”

— Conant coach Jason Franco

Fremd (18-3-3) vs. Granite City (16-6-0)

When: 7 p.m. today

Who to watch: Fremd’s Elise Kotsakis (Sr, F, 35g), Alexis Tice (Sr, MF, 6g, 4a), Michelle Mottonen (So, MF, 6g, 13a), Emily Basten (Jr, D), Kristin Abruscato (Sr, D), Jen Freeman (Sr, D), Ashley McConnell (So, MF). Granite City’s Ashley Dickard (Sr, F, 12g), Amy Harrington (Jr, MF), Mara Keomanivane (Jr, MF, 10a), Emily Geisler (Sr, F), Natalie Crane (Sr, F).

Storyline: Visions of the Vikings rarely come to mind without the image of the dynamic and accomplished striker Kotsakis, who has become one of the best in the state at her trade this spring. She has developed the knack for goals on big occasions, witnessed by a trio of doubles recently, twice with game-winners in both the regional and sectional finals. Her 35 goals this season and her ability to create for others makes her a prime candidate to be double-teamed Granite City. Her teammate and good friend Tice is a highly experienced midfield enforcer, who finds the time to serve as the springboard for the Vikings when they counter; her knack for winning every ball gives her side a terrific 80-minute boost. And while the trio of Basten, Abruscato and Freeman have been nearly impenetrable of late, it’s been players such as McConnell, Kira Heggeland, Jessa Rizzo and others off the bench who have provided the extra pace and energy on both sides of the ball to help round out the Vikings game for 80 minutes of soccer.

“I really feel everyone is getting (it) right now, and it might be the most important reason for our success, as each player is a contributor one way or another during this run,” said Keller.

Granite City is the lowest seed (No. 4) this weekend, but showed its mettle in getting here after a pair of OT victories, including its 3-2 triumph over favored Homewood-Flossmoor last Tuesday at the Normal U-High supersectional to give the club its 11th win in its last 13 matches.

The Warriors, who began the season 1-3, are led by all-state striker Dickard, who struck a game-winner in the second extra session against H-F.