NW suburbs girls soccer notes: Junior duo has Lakes aiming big in NLCC
With the North Suburban Conference grabbing most of the headlines in recent memory, lost is some of the terrific soccer played in the Northern Lake County Conference where Wauconda, Lakes Community and, last year, Grayslake North have had a spirited run at the big trophy.
Wauconda managed to hold off both rivals last year, and in 2021, the Bulldogs would edge Kevin Kullby's club from Lakes to win the league title.
It was during the 2021 season in which Kullby would welcome what has become the dynamic duo of Mia Silber and Tessa Smith, key players in the Eagles' hopes of lifting the NLCC hardware come mid-May.
"The play of both has been instrumental in our success thus far. (Mia) makes our attack run, and Tessa makes our defense click," says Kullby of his two juniors in advance of its league opener Thursday with Antioch.
Silber, who plays as a wingback for the top Eclipse '06 club team during the offseason, was Miss Versatile for Kullby a year ago before settling into the Eagles attacking midfielder.
"Mia is a very dedicated player who plays with great energy, with great presence on the field, while being a player with very good dribbling skills, and is a terrific team player, with a great attitude, and who just enjoys this sport and playing soccer with her teammates," says Kullby.
"Although she plays for one of the top club teams in the state, she doesn't have the ego or attitude some have when they came from those big-time clubs," continued Kullby. "I have great admiration for Mia, because from day one her commitment to her high school team has been outstanding (never) missing training sessions or games, while playing in every game since her freshman year."
Silber, named all-conference along with Smith, had 4 goals and 4 assists last season during Lakes' 3-0-4 record in the NLCC.
Smith is a classic central defender, in that her spacial awareness, soccer IQ, and ferocious defending helped her club concede just 3 goals a year ago in league play.
"Tessa can read players, cut off passes, and 1v1 defend like nobody else. She is like an old sweeper who stops forwards coming in (on) goal, clears the area at the last second, and impeccably positions herself to deny quality scoring chances," opines Kullby. "She has great speed and quickness (was a state champion in 300 hurdles in middle school) and that has all translated on the soccer field."
Smith is the third in a line of Smith family players who all starred at Lakes, and as her siblings, she will likely wear the captain's armband for Kullby next year when a senior.
"Tessa plays at an even keel, never too up nor down, never complains, plays through pain, is a fierce competitor, and has a very businesslike attitude," says Kullby.
EGELAND COLLEGE DECISION:
There are a number of wonderful senior players who will play collegiate soccer this coming fall: Barrington's Brooke Brown (Cornell) and Ellie Sanchez (North Dakota State), Emily Fix (Carmel Catholic, Marquette) Riley Irwin (Lake Zurich, Clarkson College), Paige Millstone (Palatine, Drake), Megan Mrowicki (Hersey, Notre Dame), Emma Paraskos (Warren, Valparaiso), Jillian Sawadski (Prospect, UW-Lacrosse), and Shannon Walsh (UW-Oshkosh) from Maine West.
Junior Ellie Egeland (Stevenson) has made an early commitment to play in the fall of 2024, choosing the University of Maryland over Big Ten schools Illinois, Michigan State and Ohio State.
"I really wanted to stay close to home for college, but when I stepped onto the campus at Maryland, I knew right away it was the place for me," said Egeland, who has already flashed all-state candidate for her early scoring feats.
Egeland has bagged 7 goals, adding another two helpers. Two goals came this past Saturday in the Patriots' 2-0 victory over Lane Tech in its tourney opener at the fifth annual Malnati's Deep Dish Invite, which includes area teams Grayslake Central and Libertyville.
Grayslake Central lost its pool play opener to New Trier last Saturday, while Libertyville used goals from Erin Kelly, Molly Koch, Jenna Krakowski and Ellia Rebmann to defeat Wheaton St. Francis, 4-0.
Second round pool play on Monday will have Central hosting Lane, Stevenson away at New Trier, and Libertyville (3-0-1) at Naperville North.
This is the time in the regular season when many clubs from around the area pause to participate in tournament play, with the Malnati's already under way, the annual Body Armour set to start this weekend, and the high profile Naperville Invite, now in its 23rd season.
Sixteen teams will begin pool play next Thursday at four venues, with Barrington, Fremd and St. Viator all part of this marvelous two-week tournament, which this year will feature eight of the top 20 teams in the most recent Daily Herald poll.
KORA KIPLEY WORLD TRAVELER:
Buffalo Grove senior Kora Kipley was named all-state a year ago, after sharing MSL East POY honors along with Natalie Bouzas of Prospect.
This season, the Western Kentucky-bound Kipley enjoyed a memorable trip nine-day trip to London as part of the United States Olympic Development Program under-19 National Team.
"It was a trip that I'll never forget," said Kipley, who along with Geneva star Lily Coats would play 4 games during their early March stay against club teams Brighton Academy and Charlton Athletic, among others, going 4-0-0 overall.
"It was so interesting to see the style of soccer they play in England, the facilities that (they) have, and how different it is over there when it comes to training," said Kipley, who recently was playing in the prestigious Dallas International Cup.
One of the highlights for Kipley, Coats and their teammates was to see Tottenham play in North London.
"Watching the English Premier League on TV is great, but to see it (in person) is just awesome," says Kipley. "The atmosphere in the stadium is amazing. Everyone there is really into the game and cheering for their club. It is so cool."
Kipley and her club mates would stay in a hotel in London, and were able to take in the sites in-between training and playing their matches.