Notebook: Deerfield, Warren
By Patrick Z. McGavin
NORTHBROOK — Exhausted and still being pelted by the relentless rain, Warren's players left the handshake exchange with Deerfield at Techny Prairie Park until one of the players rememembered a forgotten gesture.
“Don’t forget the referees,” a voice rang out, and the players redirected themselves to the middle of the field to give an appreciative fist bump to the officials.
Thanks were very much in order.
Warren and Deerfield played in a winners' bracket semifinal, each team's third game of rapid-fire tournament, which played all 26 of its scheduled games in approximately 27 hours.
After the sides' efforts, one could not help but find the grace and beauty of both. Warren advanced to the final after prevailing in the seventh round of penalty kicks, 4-3.
“I really thought we played well,” Deerfield coach Rich Grady said. “It was a great game. They had chances, and we had chances.”
The format of the tournament was unforgiving. Teams that reached the winners’ bracket played four games in rapid fashion. As such, the tournament adopted a streamlined process: two 35-minute halves an no overtime. Games that ended in ties went directly to penalty-kicks.
If anything, the format change only deepened the inevitable.
“We knew it wasn’t going to be easy,” Warren coach Ryan McCabe said. “I saw they were seeded no. 1 in their [Class 2A] sectional. I figured the game was going to go penalty-kicks,” he said.
The staggeringly bad conditions — a dreadful mixture of biting cold, constant rain and unforgiving winds — punctuated the backdrop.
Warren junior keeper Skylar Reilly made a couple of brilliant saves to preserve the victory. Most impressively, Warren won despite missing elite junior forward Ellen Szostak — out with a foot injury — and several other frontline players missing for personal or family reasons.
“We’re missing a lot of players, one of our best players is on the sideline with an injury, and this gives us a lot of confidence,” Reilly said.
The final results were not the desired ones, but the larger meaning and value derived from playing in the tournament was greatly beneficial.
Both teams had a quick turnaround. Warren played Glenbrook South in the title. Deerfield faced Normal West (15-2-2) in the third place game.
Deerfield fell behind 2-0 in the first half before mounting a comeback that fell short as the Warriors lost 2-1.
Glenbrook South beat Warren 3-0 to claim the title in the seventh iteration of the tournament hosted by Glenbrook South and Glenbrook North.
“Despite the score, I thought we played very well against Glenbrook South,” McCabe said.
The final was misleading. Star Titans’ forward Olivia Peters gave Glenbrook South the early edge with a goal off a misplayed ball in the Blue Devils backline. That score held until late in the game when Glenbrook South (13-2-2) punched home 2 goals.
“We actually were able to attack and put some strong pressure together,” McCabe said. “We had the injuries and some starters who were out of town. I know we have good players who come off the bench for us, and they did a very good job for us this weekend.”
The tournament format and the circumstances of the team forced the Blue Devils to go deep into their roster. The team responded. Players like junior defender Baylie Mabbett and junior midfielder Kayla Malaker demonstrated resolve and fortitude in adjusting to increased roles. The long-term benefits are likely to accrue.
“I was, quite frankly, ecstatic about the way we played in the tournament,” McCabe said. “We had new players out there, we had players playing different positions, and everybody that we called on stepped up and really played well.”
With just four seniors on the roster, this is McCabe’s youngest group ever. The youth has prospered. The fixtures on the team, like junior forward Alliyah Parker and junior midfielder Kaitlyn Chomko, helped stabilize the team.
“We are going to keep pushing on, pressuring high and connecting on our passes,” Parker said.
Warren (10-7-1) and Deerfield (13-5-0) had much to be thrilled about. Both posted three shutouts. Deerfield beat Waukegan 1-0 in the opening round and Crystal Lake Central 2-0 in the morning quarterfinal.
Warren beat Taft 3-0 on Friday and University (Chicago) 2-0 Saturday morning. Reilly and sophomore Lydia Sundberg shared keeping duties against Taft. Otherwise, Reilly was the keeper of record.
Deerfield keeper Sari Eisen was equally skilled and sharp.
“I was very pleased with our play against Warren, but against Normal West, especially in the first half, we were not as sharp,” Grady said.
Deerfield suffered a series of injuries. The weather and the many games inflicted a heavy toll.
“By the time of the third place game, I think we were down to three healthy bodies on the bench,” Grady said.
Adversity has its own powerful incentives. Like Warren, Deerfield called on some unknowns. Haley Emory, a junior varsity call up, converted on her penalty kick against the Blue Devils. She scored her first career goal in the second half against Normal West.
By Patrick Z. McGavin
NORTHBROOK — Exhausted and still being pelted by the relentless rain, Warren's players left the handshake exchange with Deerfield at Techny Prairie Park until one of the players rememembered a forgotten gesture.
“Don’t forget the referees,” a voice rang out, and the players redirected themselves to the middle of the field to give an appreciative fist bump to the officials.
Thanks were very much in order.
Warren and Deerfield played in a winners' bracket semifinal, each team's third game of rapid-fire tournament, which played all 26 of its scheduled games in approximately 27 hours.
After the sides' efforts, one could not help but find the grace and beauty of both. Warren advanced to the final after prevailing in the seventh round of penalty kicks, 4-3.
“I really thought we played well,” Deerfield coach Rich Grady said. “It was a great game. They had chances, and we had chances.”
The format of the tournament was unforgiving. Teams that reached the winners’ bracket played four games in rapid fashion. As such, the tournament adopted a streamlined process: two 35-minute halves an no overtime. Games that ended in ties went directly to penalty-kicks.
If anything, the format change only deepened the inevitable.
“We knew it wasn’t going to be easy,” Warren coach Ryan McCabe said. “I saw they were seeded no. 1 in their [Class 2A] sectional. I figured the game was going to go penalty-kicks,” he said.
The staggeringly bad conditions — a dreadful mixture of biting cold, constant rain and unforgiving winds — punctuated the backdrop.
Warren junior keeper Skylar Reilly made a couple of brilliant saves to preserve the victory. Most impressively, Warren won despite missing elite junior forward Ellen Szostak — out with a foot injury — and several other frontline players missing for personal or family reasons.
“We’re missing a lot of players, one of our best players is on the sideline with an injury, and this gives us a lot of confidence,” Reilly said.
The final results were not the desired ones, but the larger meaning and value derived from playing in the tournament was greatly beneficial.
Both teams had a quick turnaround. Warren played Glenbrook South in the title. Deerfield faced Normal West (15-2-2) in the third place game.
Deerfield fell behind 2-0 in the first half before mounting a comeback that fell short as the Warriors lost 2-1.
Glenbrook South beat Warren 3-0 to claim the title in the seventh iteration of the tournament hosted by Glenbrook South and Glenbrook North.
“Despite the score, I thought we played very well against Glenbrook South,” McCabe said.
The final was misleading. Star Titans’ forward Olivia Peters gave Glenbrook South the early edge with a goal off a misplayed ball in the Blue Devils backline. That score held until late in the game when Glenbrook South (13-2-2) punched home 2 goals.
“We actually were able to attack and put some strong pressure together,” McCabe said. “We had the injuries and some starters who were out of town. I know we have good players who come off the bench for us, and they did a very good job for us this weekend.”
The tournament format and the circumstances of the team forced the Blue Devils to go deep into their roster. The team responded. Players like junior defender Baylie Mabbett and junior midfielder Kayla Malaker demonstrated resolve and fortitude in adjusting to increased roles. The long-term benefits are likely to accrue.
“I was, quite frankly, ecstatic about the way we played in the tournament,” McCabe said. “We had new players out there, we had players playing different positions, and everybody that we called on stepped up and really played well.”
With just four seniors on the roster, this is McCabe’s youngest group ever. The youth has prospered. The fixtures on the team, like junior forward Alliyah Parker and junior midfielder Kaitlyn Chomko, helped stabilize the team.
“We are going to keep pushing on, pressuring high and connecting on our passes,” Parker said.
Warren (10-7-1) and Deerfield (13-5-0) had much to be thrilled about. Both posted three shutouts. Deerfield beat Waukegan 1-0 in the opening round and Crystal Lake Central 2-0 in the morning quarterfinal.
Warren beat Taft 3-0 on Friday and University (Chicago) 2-0 Saturday morning. Reilly and sophomore Lydia Sundberg shared keeping duties against Taft. Otherwise, Reilly was the keeper of record.
Deerfield keeper Sari Eisen was equally skilled and sharp.
“I was very pleased with our play against Warren, but against Normal West, especially in the first half, we were not as sharp,” Grady said.
Deerfield suffered a series of injuries. The weather and the many games inflicted a heavy toll.
“By the time of the third place game, I think we were down to three healthy bodies on the bench,” Grady said.
Adversity has its own powerful incentives. Like Warren, Deerfield called on some unknowns. Haley Emory, a junior varsity call up, converted on her penalty kick against the Blue Devils. She scored her first career goal in the second half against Normal West.