PALATINE -- While the other three quarterfinals featured a combined total of just two goals Thursday, New Trier used a completely different approach in its Naperville Invitational matchup with Waubonsie Valley

The Trevians, who are ranked fourth in the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25, scored twice within a 26-second span just before the midway mark of the first half and added two more goals shortly after the intermission to eliminate any chance of drama in a 4-0 win over the Warriors at Fremd High School.

The victory advances New Trier to an 11 a.m. Saturday semifinal match at Naperville Central against no. 14 Hinsdale Central. The Red Devils won 3-2 on penalties over top-ranked Barrington after both sides were unable to score in regulation Thursday night. No. 23 Benet and 15th-ranked St. Charles East meet in the other semifinal match at 9 a.m. The championship will be played Monday night at Naperville Central.

New Trier coach Jim Burnside, a 2017 IHSSCA Hall of Fame Inductee who is the second winningest girls coach in IHSA history and is on the verge of capturing his 600th victory, was obviously pleased with his team's performance.

"It feels good," Burnside said. "They're a really good team and really athletic. In the beginning of the season, we were struggling to put the ball in the back of the net a little bit, but I think we're starting to get our stride and starting to feel what we can do. 

"I was really impressed. We had a great night tonight, and I'm proud of the kids. And Jaime had a great night. What we talk about is that you never know whose night it's going to be. Tonight it was hers. That's when we're at our best; it's when everybody has their opportunity."

The coach has led six Trevians teams to IHSA titles. The program has also posted three second place finishes and three third place showings. The given for all of those successful teams is that they had great defenses. The 2024 team shares that trait and it gives it great hope to become the first group to return to the Final Four in five seasons. New Trier fell one win shy of a trip to state in two of the last three seasons. Both supersectional losses came against Libertyville.

"Bend but don't break," Burnside said of his team's outstanding defense. "And that's a real credit to Clara Deliduka, our senior centerback, who really just kind of organizes us and calms us. And having Basie Shannon back there with her has been great. This is a special group. They have fun. They work together, and they work for each other. It's fun to coach them."

Shannon has committed to play college soccer at Idaho.

Senior Jaime Elias scored two goals and added an assist to earn Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match honors. 

"I would definitely say that this was one of my better performances," said the Texas Tech recruit. "I had good opportunities, and I tried to take advantage of that.

"With the trust that we have in each other and knowing that we're there for each other, all that we can do is lift each other up. We know that we won't make mistakes, but if we do, someone else is there to cover for you. In practice, you can tell, too. Every single person wants their opportunity, and when they get on the field, they take advantage of it.

"The one thing that we wanted to work on going into this year was the fact that we come from so many different places, and we all want to come together as one when it's time for a game. It's definitely improved, and right now we're a family. We come together, have fun, and we play well."

The defense, which features senior all-stater Deliduka and classmate Shannon and juniors Kennedy Colegrove and Honor Dold, limited Waubonsie Valley (9-3-2) to only a handful of threatening chances. 

"They're awesome," Fowler said of her backliners. "The defense really keeps me going. They're really strong, and they're a brick wall. They do all of the work, and communication is the key. And the way that they lift each other up is awesome.

"At the beginning of the year, it was a little rocky. But we've really grown together, and I’ve gotten to know the girls really well. They're really awesome. We've been able to overcome a lot of problems, and I just think that we've come together well. I definitely like our work ethic."

New Trier (12-2-3), which has allowed just four goals this season, posted its 14th shutout of the season and fifth in a row. Fowler played the first hour in net before junior Caroline Hague relieved her.

The Trevians took control in the 17th minute. Senior all-stater Josie Noble fired in a liner that was deflected by Waubonsie Valley keeper Lauren Bornhoff, but freshman Noa Boeing got to the loose ball and connected from close range.

In the 18th minute, the Warriors keeper came out of the net to try to deter Elias, who capitalized on the opportunity by placing an attempt into the opposite side of the net to give her team a decisive 2-0 lead.

Waubonsie Valley had a golden opportunity to close the gap in the 25th minute when the Trevians were called for a foul in the box. But on the subsequent penalty, Fowler made a diving stop on Zoe Evans to maintain the two-goal advantage.

Shortly after Fowler deflected a shot by Cecilia Galarza, the Warriors kept up the pressure with a pair of good shots by Katie Chapman. The first was hauled in by Fowler and the other cleared by a defender. Then Zoe Evans sent in a corner kick that was headed away by Shannon.

In the final minutes of the first half, Elias was thwarted by Bornhoff before Waubonsie Valley threatened again. A shot from Emerson Hallihan was cleared by a defender before Chapman sent in a liner to Fowler.

New Trier came out strong after the break. Dold sent in a long free kick that was punched away by Bornhoff, who a short time later deflected a liner from Elias.

The Trevians extended their lead in the 48th minute when Elias connected from about 25 yards. Shortly after senior Annie Paden's corner kick was headed away by a Warriors defender, Elias sent a pass to freshman Addy Randall, who converted on a short effort in the 53rd minute to conclude the scoring.

"With us scoring early, it definitely gets the momentum going," Randall said. "… It gets everyone riled up, from the bench to everyone on the field. 

"With the defense that we have, we can go for it a lot, and we don't have to worry much about having people back. We can push forward more. I think that everyone contributed well. 

“Whether you started or didn't, everyone put their best effort in, and it didn't make a difference in energy. We have a really good bench. Our work ethic is really good and winning first and second balls is why we're so successful. And, also our support -- even after the smallest kind of mistake, someone's got your back."

Neither side threatened much in the final 20 minutes. New Trier freshman Claire Gallagher was denied on a header. In the 68th minute, Eleanor Oster sent in a dangerous attempt, but Hague deflected it away to preserve the shutout.

The IHSA published the playoff schedule Friday. The Trevians own the top seed in the sectional they host.

New Trier handed sectional second-seed Evanston its lone defeat and also owns a win over third-seed Lane. If the Trevians repeat as sectional champions, they'll meet the winner of the Hinsdale Central Sectional in the Class 3A Dominican University Supersectional.

Starting lineups

New Trier
GK: Annie Fowler
D: Kennedy Colegrove
D: Clara Deliduka
D: Basie Shannon
D: Honor Dold
MF: Maeve Driscoll
MF: Annie Paden
MF: Josie Noble
F: Addy Randall
F: Charlotte Dellin
F: Jaime Elias

Waubonsie Valley
GK: Lauren Bornhoff
D: Chloe Shaffer
D: McKinley Ladd
D: Zoe Evans
D: Katie Chapman
MF: Ava Kus
MF: Macy Evans
MF: Taylor Ahmadian
MF: Eleanor Oster
F: Thanya Castelan
F: Cecilia Galarza

Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match: Jaime Elias, sr., F, New Trier

Scoring summary

First half
New Trier: Noa Boeing (Josie Noble), 17'
New Trier: Jaime Elias (unassisted), 18'

Second half
New Trier: Jaime Elias (unassisted), 48'
New Trier: Addy Randall (Jaime Elias), 53'