Warren nips Prospect to nab regional crown
Win in 6th round of PKs gives Blue Devils sectional date
By Ken Keenan
HIGHLAND PARK -- A tight-marking affair between Prospect and Warren in the championship match of the IHSA Class 3A Highland Park Regional went the distance Saturday afternoon, with the Blue Devils prevailing on sudden death penalty kicks to nab the crown.
Two zeroes remained on the scoreboard until the teams traded goals in the second 10-minute overtime session, and a 4-4 draw in the initial PK round kept the deadlock in place.
It didn't take long from there to reach a decision.
Shooting first in the sudden death round, Prospect junior midfielder Grace Bauer fired directly at Warren junior goalkeeper Skylar Reilly, who stopped the shot with a two-handed save about face-high. Warren junior forward Ellen Szostak was next, and she scored low to the left past Knights' senior keeper Mehgan Rickett to net the game-winner.
The victory advanced sixth-seed Warren (14-8-2) to the Palatine Sectional for a date with Libertyville at 7 p.m. Tuesday. Prospect, the no. 3 seed, finished a solid campaign at 13-6-4 overall.
"I'm proud we were able to stick with it," said Blue Devils' head coach Ryan McCabe, whose team secured its first regional title in 10 years. "In PKs, the pressure is on the shooters. You get a save, and that's a bonus. You just have to make one save, and Skylar (Reilly) did that. She came up big."
In the first round of PKs, Reilly benefited from a shot over the crossbar by Prospect senior midfielder Andi Marfilius.
"PKs ... everyone hates them -- they're scary," said Warren junior forward Alliyah Parker, Chicagoland Soccer's MVP of the Match. "But, at least we won. And we haven't won a regional in 10 years, so it was awesome to do it this year."
Sophomore forward Teagon Albert echoed that sentiment.
"Winning the regional is awesome," Albert said. "We're excited and pumped to move on."
Parker -- a dangerous presence in the attacking third throughout the match -- assisted on Warren's overtime goal by sending a well-placed corner kick to junior midfielder Kaitlyn Chomko, who deflected the ball in with 8:59 left in the second overtime. Parker also scored the Blue Devils' fourth goal in the first PK round, firing high into the upper left corner.
"If we were going to move forward, it would most likely be through Parker," McCabe said. "She takes a lot of abuse out there, and she can still create. It was pretty physical in the trenches (Saturday). There were no uncontested balls. It was shoulder-to-shoulder. I didn't think the match would be a blowout either way. I knew it was gonna be a battle."
Trailing 1-0, Prospect tied it when freshman forward Ashley Welk grabbed a loose ball on the right side and rolled a 20-yard shot inside the far post with 4:20 left in overtime no. 2.
"I'm proud of the way we fought back in the second overtime, as the girls have done all year," said Knights' head coach Tom Froats. "The character and effort -- unquestioned. Certainly, a tough ending; it's a tough loss."
Rickett, who finished the 2016 campaign with a school-record 12 shutouts, made the save of the game when she stopped wide-open Warren senior mid Sangjun Hornewer with a spectacular, two-handed denial in the 55th minute after a defender slipped in the box.
"It happened so fast ... split-second," Rickett said. "The girl was right on the ball. My heart sank."
Amid the postgame tears and hugs shared by teammates, Rickett wasn't about to let the defeat dampen her spirits.
"I don't count this as a loss," she said. "To be able to come back and tie it, and then to lose in PKs, I don't see that as a loss. It's unfortunate, but PKs are so rough. It only takes one to lose, and (the Blue Devils) were able to capitalize."
Stellar Knights' sophomore defender Natalie Marfilius had a similar take.
"It hurts, but I'm so proud of this team," she said. "We definitely had a season where we kept rising as we went along. We got stronger as the season wore on. It was amazing to be part of this team. It was a great season."
Prospect sophomore forward Shawna Stokes had the first good opportunity of the match in the 7th minute, when her bad-angle try in close hit the post. With 32:50 left in the second half, a free-kick by Knights' freshman forward Ella Marzolf smacked off the left post.
"We banged a couple off the post, and those always come back to haunt you," Froats said.
Warren had a pair of solid chances in the 15th minute. First, Albert cut to the middle and fired inches over the crossbar. On the ensuing corner-kick, Parker found senior mid Jillian Hansen, who passed to junior defender Natalie McNally for a pop-up shot that missed high.
With 5:20 to go in the first half, McNally's header attempt was stopped by Rickett. Two minutes into the second half, Parker missed wide-right from a deep angle on a free-kick.
Prospect picked up the pace in the 62nd minute, producing a trio of tries. Just 10 seconds after sending a 25-yard free-kick over the crossbar, Marzolf had another chance when she deflected a cross from Stokes on net. Forty-five seconds later, Marzolf's 30-yard free-kick sailed wide-left.
Warren's final chance in regulation came on a short shot from the left side by junior forward Ellen Szostak that Rickett handled with ease.
In the first overtime session, Rickett made a nice stop on a hard shot by Parker, and also saved a header by McNally off a free-kick from Parker. Prospect's best chance in overtime no. 1 came on a 20-yard free-kick by Marzolf that missed wide-left.
Besides Parker, Chomko, Hansen and McNally scored for Warren in the first round of PKs. McNally was stopped on a shoulder-high, diving save by Rickett.
Prospect's PK tallies came from junior midfielder Amy Novak, Welk, sophomore mid Faith Fitzsimmons and Natalie Marfilius.
Warren is ready to mover forward against a fellow North Suburban Conference Lake Divison member.
"I think we're prepared for Libertyville," said Parker of the foe who gave the Blue Devils a 3-0 road loss April 21. "We just have to keep playing our game."
Starting line-ups
Warren
G: Skylar Reilly
D: Lindsay Ditmars
D: Natalie McNally
D: Becca Pineau
D: Maddie Gryzik
M: Jillian Hansen
M: Kaitlyn Chomko
M: Jessie Dietzen
F: Ellen Szostak
F: Alliyah Parker
F: Teagon Albert
Prospect
G: Mehgan Rickett
D: Kathryn Szukalla
D: Natalie Marfilius
D: Kristina Suto
D: Grace Johannesen
M: Amy Novak
M: Faith Fitzsimmons
M: Andi Marfilius
F: Ella Marzolf
F: Shawna Stokes
F: Ashley Welk
MVP of the Match: Alliyah Parker, F, Warren
Officials: Dorin Babolea, Peter Stavropoulos, Chris Rudolph
Win in 6th round of PKs gives Blue Devils sectional date
By Ken Keenan
HIGHLAND PARK -- A tight-marking affair between Prospect and Warren in the championship match of the IHSA Class 3A Highland Park Regional went the distance Saturday afternoon, with the Blue Devils prevailing on sudden death penalty kicks to nab the crown.
Two zeroes remained on the scoreboard until the teams traded goals in the second 10-minute overtime session, and a 4-4 draw in the initial PK round kept the deadlock in place.
It didn't take long from there to reach a decision.
Shooting first in the sudden death round, Prospect junior midfielder Grace Bauer fired directly at Warren junior goalkeeper Skylar Reilly, who stopped the shot with a two-handed save about face-high. Warren junior forward Ellen Szostak was next, and she scored low to the left past Knights' senior keeper Mehgan Rickett to net the game-winner.
The victory advanced sixth-seed Warren (14-8-2) to the Palatine Sectional for a date with Libertyville at 7 p.m. Tuesday. Prospect, the no. 3 seed, finished a solid campaign at 13-6-4 overall.
"I'm proud we were able to stick with it," said Blue Devils' head coach Ryan McCabe, whose team secured its first regional title in 10 years. "In PKs, the pressure is on the shooters. You get a save, and that's a bonus. You just have to make one save, and Skylar (Reilly) did that. She came up big."
In the first round of PKs, Reilly benefited from a shot over the crossbar by Prospect senior midfielder Andi Marfilius.
"PKs ... everyone hates them -- they're scary," said Warren junior forward Alliyah Parker, Chicagoland Soccer's MVP of the Match. "But, at least we won. And we haven't won a regional in 10 years, so it was awesome to do it this year."
Sophomore forward Teagon Albert echoed that sentiment.
"Winning the regional is awesome," Albert said. "We're excited and pumped to move on."
Parker -- a dangerous presence in the attacking third throughout the match -- assisted on Warren's overtime goal by sending a well-placed corner kick to junior midfielder Kaitlyn Chomko, who deflected the ball in with 8:59 left in the second overtime. Parker also scored the Blue Devils' fourth goal in the first PK round, firing high into the upper left corner.
"If we were going to move forward, it would most likely be through Parker," McCabe said. "She takes a lot of abuse out there, and she can still create. It was pretty physical in the trenches (Saturday). There were no uncontested balls. It was shoulder-to-shoulder. I didn't think the match would be a blowout either way. I knew it was gonna be a battle."
Trailing 1-0, Prospect tied it when freshman forward Ashley Welk grabbed a loose ball on the right side and rolled a 20-yard shot inside the far post with 4:20 left in overtime no. 2.
"I'm proud of the way we fought back in the second overtime, as the girls have done all year," said Knights' head coach Tom Froats. "The character and effort -- unquestioned. Certainly, a tough ending; it's a tough loss."
Rickett, who finished the 2016 campaign with a school-record 12 shutouts, made the save of the game when she stopped wide-open Warren senior mid Sangjun Hornewer with a spectacular, two-handed denial in the 55th minute after a defender slipped in the box.
"It happened so fast ... split-second," Rickett said. "The girl was right on the ball. My heart sank."
Amid the postgame tears and hugs shared by teammates, Rickett wasn't about to let the defeat dampen her spirits.
"I don't count this as a loss," she said. "To be able to come back and tie it, and then to lose in PKs, I don't see that as a loss. It's unfortunate, but PKs are so rough. It only takes one to lose, and (the Blue Devils) were able to capitalize."
Stellar Knights' sophomore defender Natalie Marfilius had a similar take.
"It hurts, but I'm so proud of this team," she said. "We definitely had a season where we kept rising as we went along. We got stronger as the season wore on. It was amazing to be part of this team. It was a great season."
Prospect sophomore forward Shawna Stokes had the first good opportunity of the match in the 7th minute, when her bad-angle try in close hit the post. With 32:50 left in the second half, a free-kick by Knights' freshman forward Ella Marzolf smacked off the left post.
"We banged a couple off the post, and those always come back to haunt you," Froats said.
Warren had a pair of solid chances in the 15th minute. First, Albert cut to the middle and fired inches over the crossbar. On the ensuing corner-kick, Parker found senior mid Jillian Hansen, who passed to junior defender Natalie McNally for a pop-up shot that missed high.
With 5:20 to go in the first half, McNally's header attempt was stopped by Rickett. Two minutes into the second half, Parker missed wide-right from a deep angle on a free-kick.
Prospect picked up the pace in the 62nd minute, producing a trio of tries. Just 10 seconds after sending a 25-yard free-kick over the crossbar, Marzolf had another chance when she deflected a cross from Stokes on net. Forty-five seconds later, Marzolf's 30-yard free-kick sailed wide-left.
Warren's final chance in regulation came on a short shot from the left side by junior forward Ellen Szostak that Rickett handled with ease.
In the first overtime session, Rickett made a nice stop on a hard shot by Parker, and also saved a header by McNally off a free-kick from Parker. Prospect's best chance in overtime no. 1 came on a 20-yard free-kick by Marzolf that missed wide-left.
Besides Parker, Chomko, Hansen and McNally scored for Warren in the first round of PKs. McNally was stopped on a shoulder-high, diving save by Rickett.
Prospect's PK tallies came from junior midfielder Amy Novak, Welk, sophomore mid Faith Fitzsimmons and Natalie Marfilius.
Warren is ready to mover forward against a fellow North Suburban Conference Lake Divison member.
"I think we're prepared for Libertyville," said Parker of the foe who gave the Blue Devils a 3-0 road loss April 21. "We just have to keep playing our game."
Starting line-ups
Warren
G: Skylar Reilly
D: Lindsay Ditmars
D: Natalie McNally
D: Becca Pineau
D: Maddie Gryzik
M: Jillian Hansen
M: Kaitlyn Chomko
M: Jessie Dietzen
F: Ellen Szostak
F: Alliyah Parker
F: Teagon Albert
Prospect
G: Mehgan Rickett
D: Kathryn Szukalla
D: Natalie Marfilius
D: Kristina Suto
D: Grace Johannesen
M: Amy Novak
M: Faith Fitzsimmons
M: Andi Marfilius
F: Ella Marzolf
F: Shawna Stokes
F: Ashley Welk
MVP of the Match: Alliyah Parker, F, Warren
Officials: Dorin Babolea, Peter Stavropoulos, Chris Rudolph