Post by title1parent on Jun 1, 2008 5:26:43 GMT -5
It bears repeating
Unbeaten Warriors seize second straight title
June 1, 2008
By PAUL LATOUR platour@scn1.com
When Mary Wright leaped into the arms of Claire Hanold, it spurred the beginning of a well-deserved celebration for Waubonsie Valley.
But it represented something more. It signified the final melding of two championship teams.
Hanold was the veteran, the junior goalkeeper who again backstopped the Warriors to the Class AA girls soccer state title. She needed five saves to post her record-tying third shutout of the weekend, helping Waubonsie to a 3-0 victory over Belleville's Althoff High on Saturday night at North Central College.
Waubonsie Valley 3, Althoff 0
Waubonsie 2 1 - 3
Althoff 0 0 - 0
First half - 1, Waubonsie, McClellan, 5th minute; 2, Waubonsie, DiBernardo, 33rd minute.
Second half - 3, Waubonsie, Green (J. Blake), 48th minute.
Shots - Waubonsie 14, Althoff 6.
Saves - Waubonsie: Hanold 5. Althoff: Babka 3.
Corner kicks - Waubonsie 5, Althoff 0.
Wright was a newcomer to the party, a freshman defender who, along with classmate Jessica Price and senior Hillary Blake, formed an all-new back line for the Warriors. All they did this season was break the school record for fewest goals allowed with six.
"We've been through a lot together, the back line and me," said Hanold, who earned her 22nd shutout of the season and 64th of her career, good for fourth place on the state's all-time list. "They're the people I directly go to. We created a connection all year that's unexplainable."
The Warriors (26-0-1) ended the season on a 58-game unbeaten streak (56-0-2), while winning their 23rd game in a row. They did that by accomplishing something in the final they hadn't done in a while - score multiple goals.
And they did it without Bri Rodriguez, the state's Gatorade Player of the Year who tore the anterior cruciate ligament in her left knee in Friday's victory over Maine South.
After consecutive 1-0 victories in the supersectionals, quarterfinals and semifinals, the Warriors built a 2-0 halftime lead against the Crusaders (25-4-1) on goals by Kiki McClellan and Vanessa DiBernardo.
McClellan, who had a hat trick in a sectional final win over Neuqua Valley, scored first. She charged in after goalie Stephanie Babka lost control of the ball. McClellan beat two defenders to it and sent a low shot past a fallen Babka from 10 yards out in the fifth minute.
"I just went after it," said McClellan, who had eight goals this season. "It definitely gets your team pumped up (to score early), but then you have to keep in mind that you can't get lost in (the feeling). It's hard because you want to make sure you don't lose your concentration."
DiBernardo then scored her team-leading 17th goal on a shot from 20 yards out after she shook free from a defender in the 33rd minute. Megan Green completed the scoring in the 48th minute, capping a long run after taking a through pass from Jessica Blake.
After that, it was a matter of draining the clock and keeping hold of yet another shutout.
"As a defense we've worked so hard this year," Wright said. "We earned this. We got through it all and we earned it."
Losing Rodriguez only momentarily threw the Warriors off their game. They even looked comfortable without her in the final after having already played a full game without her earlier in the day.
"The team knew that we could do it," midfielder Rachel Bostick said. "We had the confidence in each other. We just had to play our game. Because, honestly, it's just moving the ball around and finding opportunities."
Waubonsie became the first repeat champions since New Trier did it in 2003 and 2004. The only other schools with consecutive titles are St. Charles, which won five straight from 1996 to 2000, and St. Viator, which did it from 2002-03 in Class A.
"It's kind of different because we're older now," Hanold said, referring to the 11 players still on the team from last season. "I felt so much younger last year. But I still can't believe we won state again."
Unbeaten Warriors seize second straight title
June 1, 2008
By PAUL LATOUR platour@scn1.com
When Mary Wright leaped into the arms of Claire Hanold, it spurred the beginning of a well-deserved celebration for Waubonsie Valley.
But it represented something more. It signified the final melding of two championship teams.
Hanold was the veteran, the junior goalkeeper who again backstopped the Warriors to the Class AA girls soccer state title. She needed five saves to post her record-tying third shutout of the weekend, helping Waubonsie to a 3-0 victory over Belleville's Althoff High on Saturday night at North Central College.
Waubonsie Valley 3, Althoff 0
Waubonsie 2 1 - 3
Althoff 0 0 - 0
First half - 1, Waubonsie, McClellan, 5th minute; 2, Waubonsie, DiBernardo, 33rd minute.
Second half - 3, Waubonsie, Green (J. Blake), 48th minute.
Shots - Waubonsie 14, Althoff 6.
Saves - Waubonsie: Hanold 5. Althoff: Babka 3.
Corner kicks - Waubonsie 5, Althoff 0.
Wright was a newcomer to the party, a freshman defender who, along with classmate Jessica Price and senior Hillary Blake, formed an all-new back line for the Warriors. All they did this season was break the school record for fewest goals allowed with six.
"We've been through a lot together, the back line and me," said Hanold, who earned her 22nd shutout of the season and 64th of her career, good for fourth place on the state's all-time list. "They're the people I directly go to. We created a connection all year that's unexplainable."
The Warriors (26-0-1) ended the season on a 58-game unbeaten streak (56-0-2), while winning their 23rd game in a row. They did that by accomplishing something in the final they hadn't done in a while - score multiple goals.
And they did it without Bri Rodriguez, the state's Gatorade Player of the Year who tore the anterior cruciate ligament in her left knee in Friday's victory over Maine South.
After consecutive 1-0 victories in the supersectionals, quarterfinals and semifinals, the Warriors built a 2-0 halftime lead against the Crusaders (25-4-1) on goals by Kiki McClellan and Vanessa DiBernardo.
McClellan, who had a hat trick in a sectional final win over Neuqua Valley, scored first. She charged in after goalie Stephanie Babka lost control of the ball. McClellan beat two defenders to it and sent a low shot past a fallen Babka from 10 yards out in the fifth minute.
"I just went after it," said McClellan, who had eight goals this season. "It definitely gets your team pumped up (to score early), but then you have to keep in mind that you can't get lost in (the feeling). It's hard because you want to make sure you don't lose your concentration."
DiBernardo then scored her team-leading 17th goal on a shot from 20 yards out after she shook free from a defender in the 33rd minute. Megan Green completed the scoring in the 48th minute, capping a long run after taking a through pass from Jessica Blake.
After that, it was a matter of draining the clock and keeping hold of yet another shutout.
"As a defense we've worked so hard this year," Wright said. "We earned this. We got through it all and we earned it."
Losing Rodriguez only momentarily threw the Warriors off their game. They even looked comfortable without her in the final after having already played a full game without her earlier in the day.
"The team knew that we could do it," midfielder Rachel Bostick said. "We had the confidence in each other. We just had to play our game. Because, honestly, it's just moving the ball around and finding opportunities."
Waubonsie became the first repeat champions since New Trier did it in 2003 and 2004. The only other schools with consecutive titles are St. Charles, which won five straight from 1996 to 2000, and St. Viator, which did it from 2002-03 in Class A.
"It's kind of different because we're older now," Hanold said, referring to the 11 players still on the team from last season. "I felt so much younger last year. But I still can't believe we won state again."