A month after unintentionally using her right eye to disrupt across in a season-opening win over visiting St. Francis, Fenwick freshman goalkeeper Mimi Camille Carvalho made an eye-popping save in a penalty shootout to clinch a win over South Elgin in the BodyArmor Tournament on April 13.

“She jumped so high to make that PK save and appeared to float up there for quite a while,” Friars sophomore back Lola Martinez recalled. “That was my most enjoyable moment of our season.”

Carvalho’s very first play on a ball in a prep match —way back on March 12 — stung her eye, but it did not knock her out of the game. The FC United member and reigning Illinois State Cup champion popped right back up and helped the hosts notch a 5-1 victory.

“Running into that cross was my ‘Welcome to high school’ moment,” said Carvalho, who posted a combined six shutouts with senior  keeper/midfielder Leah Hyland and earned all-Girls Catholic Athletic Conference Red Division honors for the 12-7-2 squad that placed second in the league with a 5-2-0 record.

Fenwick coach Craig Blazer, in his fourth season at the helm, took in eyefuls of impressive Friar feats all spring after the state designated the program a Class 3A playoff entrant for the first time since 2016.

Blazer’s 2022 crew placed fourth at the Class AA state tourney, and last year’s edition fell one win short of securing another Final Four berth.

“The move up to 3A brought some uncertainty and a very challenging schedule, which included the BodyArmor and Naperville Invitational,” Blazer noted. “Our players needed to be accommodating as we tried to get the right combinations in the back and midfield while jelling and gaining experience.”

Fenwick’s 6-0-1 start featured a goal differential of 24-4, a road tie with highly regarded Class AA foe Deerfield on March 16, and a 4-0 defeat of host and neighborhood rival Oak Park and River Forest on March 26.

Fenwick’s seniors, including midfielder and ex-Oak Park and River Forest booter Susie Shank, hadn’t topped the Huskies in the previous three seasons.

Senior co-captain and forward Grace Kapsch — the Red Division Player of the Year — paced the Friars’ offense with a 15-goal, six-assist spring, followed by senior midfielder Caroline Henige (11 goals, five assists), junior midfielder/back Kiera Mullarkey (five goals, three assists) and Shank (three
goals, five assists).

Blazer’s additional three senior contributors were back Gabi Kapusta and midfielder/defender Fiona Roche and midfielder Lizzie Brunick. Roche, who shifted from right back to center back early in the season, served as a team co-captain.

“Our seniors were outstanding ambassadors on and off the field and showed the freshmen and other underclass players what playing soccer at Fenwick is all about,” Blazer said.

Kapsch and Henige connected often and entertainingly for memorable goals in ’24. Blazer pointed to the goal (Kapsch to Henige) in a 3-1 loss to host Benet on May 8, and to the playoff goal (Henige to Kapsch) in Fenwick’s 1-1 (PK shootout) loss to visiting Downers Grove North in a 3A regional final on May 17, as scores he won’t soon forget.

“Susie Shank dribbling 55 yards and crossing to Grace Kapsch, to go up 1-0 on Lyons (in an eventual PK shootout victory in the Naperville Invitational on April 20), was special,” Blazer said. “They did it again against Oswego East to tie it at 2-2 (for the final score in a Naperville Invitational consolation pool match April 25).”

Henige, Roche, Shank and Martinez joined Kapsch and Carvalho on the all-GCAC Red Division team.

“Mimi Carvalho was a great addition, as was the return of Caroline (from club), along with our other seniors,” Blazer said. “(Freshman forward) Bella Gray was a pleasant addition, as were (freshmen) Coco Braithwaite (midfielder/back), Lucy Gruber (midfielder) and Natalie Kapusta (midfielder).”

Martinez shifted from left back to right back after spring break and “had numerous last-player defensive heroics for us,” noted Blazer.

Martinez, who has enjoyed playing ‘D’ since the get-go of her career, altered her mindset as a Friar this spring.

“Last year, as a freshman, all I was thinking was, ‘Don’t mess up,’” Martinez admitted. “This year, I wanted to be stronger on counterattacks. What I like about defense is its straight-forward nature, and you get to be creative defensively and offensively.

“Next year,” she added, “I want to play with even more confidence, connect often with my teammates, and keep pushing up.”

It didn’t take long for Blazer to choose his team’s top-two triumphs this year. A sizzling PK, from start to finish, takes longer to unfold.

“The shootout wins over South Elgin and Lyons were huge,” he said. “Our tie at Deerfield had built our confidence. We showed a lot of quality throughout the GCAC season, and a lot of players gained significant experience in quality wins against DePaul (2-0 April 23) and at IC Prep (2-1 May 6).”

Martinez knows Fenwick’s losses to 2024 graduation are heavy ones. But she also knows, because of this spring’s seniors, the Friars will be in good hands — and feet — in 2025.

“We’re definitely going to miss their spirit and technical skills,” Martinez said. “The seniors meant a lot to our team. They influenced us and showed us what it takes to be successful.

“That,” she continued, “should (carry over) into the next season.”

Footnotes

Henige, Kapsch, Mullarkey, Roche and Shank made the Chicagoland Soccer midseason Players to Watch list. … Keeper Carvalho is 2-for-3 in her career as a prep PK shootout designee. She has played in goal since the age of 7. “What’s great about being a goalkeeper is the number of opportunities you get to be clutch for your team,” Carvalho said. … Kapsch and Henige will be freshmen at the University of Notre Dame in the fall but won’t suit up for the Irish. Henige, who did not play for the Friars as a junior, opted to decommit from Marquette after the Golden Eagles’ coach left the program. “The coaching change changed Caroline’s heart about playing college soccer,” Blazer said, adding Henige’s father (soccer) and brother (football) have ND ties. “It was awesome having Caroline back with us after her year off.” … Martinez will serve as a counselor at a cooking/crafts camp this summer. … Carvalho on Roche: “Fiona was such a rock for us.” … Carvalho appreciated the chances to bond with teammates at Friday meals this spring. “I did not get the opportunity to flex my cooking and baking skills,” she said with a chuckle. Were she asked to prepare fare for her teammates she’d go the baking route. “I make good brownies,” Carvalho said. “Decadent, gooey brownies.”