Week 1 in the Books
- acphoto22
- Mar 24
- 3 min read
The first week of the soccer season is in the books. Wind and temps could have been better, but they could also have been worse.
I started the week up in Northfield watching the 2025 Trevians kick off their season against Carmel. The final score, 6-0, indicates how strong New Trier is from keeper @AnnieFowler2027 to @AddyRandall27 floating from the midfield up to the front line. Carmel had a large challenge entering the match, and to make matters worse, their keeper was red carded two minutes in. She jumped on a ball just outside the box, so arguing the call would be a waste of time, but playing basically the entire game a man down really stretched the Corsairs. As the season rolls on, it will be interesting to see if any team can figure out how to score on the Trevians.
Andrew's Emily Crotty (3) passes the ball as the Bolts play Willowbrook, Villa Park, Illinois. | Allen Cunningham FiveStarFrames.com
Next I was in Villa Park watching the Andrew Thunderbolts play Willowbrook. The temperature was beautiful as was the play on the field. Andrew’s @emilycrotty26 found a comfortable rhythm in the first half. She was creating space by dribbling and rolling smooth passes to teammates who attacked the space opened up as defenders moved toward Crotty. She ended the game with three goals on strong shots, but the most enjoyable part of the game was watching her set up teammates. A final score of 7-0 is an indication the backline of the Bolts was never pressed.
Thursday night the cold was back as I watched Lockport play Lincoln-Way Central in New Lenox. This was a highly competitive game between quality teams. Lockport’s Hayden Spodorek impacted play literally all over the field. Anchoring the backline, kicking on some restarts, moving up to receive on others, she showed both her physical strength and her competitive spirit. Fun to watch. Sophomore Yuridia Hernandez was also playing an end-to-end game. With the ball at her feet, she’s a tough stop for defenders. She plays with quick feet that can move the ball in any direction. She scored the Porter’s goal on a well placed shot. Lincoln-Way Central combines tight team play with physical size. The Knights won 2-1, but the two teams meet again April 3rd in Lockport.
Saturday I was in St. Charles for a couple of games at the Rose Augsburg-Drach Invitational. I hope the coaches and players of each team took a few minutes to learn about the person the invite honors.
In the first match Neuqua Valley and St. Charles North took it to one another. Disciplined, skilled, strong teams who are both focused on winning the last game of the season, it was an exciting game.
Both teams had scoring opportunities—I lost track of how many times the Wildcats hit the crossbar after the third boink—but somehow the game ended 0-0. Neuqua advanced in the winners bracket of the invite by winning the shootout.
Plainfield North's Ilyana Barriball (24) rolls off a defender to chase down a ball, St. Charles, Illinois. | Allen Cunningham FiveStarFrames.com
In the second match, I watched Burlington Central play Plainfield North. With talented players on both sides of the ball, it was no easy task for North’s @ilyanabarriball to steal the show, but she did. Her first of three goals was beautiful. Attacking down the right side, she cut, took two steps and from at least twenty-five yards out, drilled a left-footed shot into the far side of the net. Barriball added two more goals for a final score of 3-0. Losing a game never feels good, but playing against a tough team from 3A will likely pay dividends for the Rockets later in the 2A playoffs.
Week 2 is already here. On Tuesday, 3/25, I plan to see @BAVsoccer at @GBWGirlsSoccer, and on Thursday, 3/27, I should be at the @WindyCityRam championship game.
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