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WHEATON ACADEMY WARRIORS |
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Warriors ready to get rolling into their season
By D.J. Wanberg
The same concept could be applied to the Wheaton Academy girls’ soccer team as it strives to be as successful as it can as this current season unfolds. On Monday, it played one of those games that can push a team in the right direction. In just their fourth game of the season and first home game in almost three weeks, the Warriors exploded offensively in the second half for five unanswered goals to prevail over Immaculate Conception, 9-3. The win moved Wheaton to 2-2 overall and 2-0 in the Suburban Christian Conference. IC came into the game having more season-experience and goes home 7-2, 1-2. Wheaton coach Scott Marksberry said the Warriors' small dent into their schedule wasn't intentional. Three scheduled games were put on hold, two because of weather with another just having to be rescheduled. He said the Warrior’s performance against the Knights had nothing but positives and came at an opportune time. "We need to be hitting our stride. We have eight games over the next 12 days," Marksberry said. The Warriors are right back at home, Tuesday, April 12 when St. Edward comes calling for a 6:30 p.m. contest. Against the Knights, Wheaton had a 4-2 halftime lead after it looked like both teams would spend the game's 90 minutes answering goal for goal. Crystal Thomas put the Warriors on the scoreboard first just 49 seconds into the game. The Warriors' defense kept the Knights’ offense from entering Wheaton territory for the first 2:41 of the contest. IC struck and tied the game at 36:09 and about seven minutes later Kate Rogers scored the first of her two goals, when the Knights’ defense failed to clear the ball from right in front of their own net and Rogers slammed it home. That lead lasted for about two minutes and then Wheaton scored twice to take their halftime lead. Ally Witt scored the first of her five goals with 5:13 remaining with some nice maneuvering through the Knight’s defense. Rogers closed out the first half scoring about a minute later. After she hit the crossbar, she was able to grab the rebound in the scramble in front of the net and make her shot. Although the Warriors led at intermission, they weren't happy with their first-half performance. "We weren't playing our game," Thomas said. "We took it to them in the second half." According to Marksberry, it was about being dominant. "We finally took ownership in the second half. We were winning balls and attacking the goal," he said. Witt put the game out of reach, scoring three of her goals in the first 5:52 of the second half. While Thomas, Rogers and Witt were the main weapons on offense, others played a role in securing the victory as well and still others had their moments during the contest. Goalkeeper Kristen Morency finished with six saves in earning the win. Sara Tonne (one save) relieved Morency once Wheaton had the big lead in the second half and finished up. Defensively, Kerrin Clancy, Sarah Janus, Ali Grant and Brigitta Engebretsen were key in shutting down the Knight attack in the second half and keeping it in check when it was running well in the first half. Offensively, Lexi Youngberg, Molly Cook and Emily Nickell either made good passes to set up scoring chances or saw the chances through only to see their shots go hide or wide despite their skill in seeing the play through. The Warriors now head into the majority of their schedule with a victory that can act like a pair of hands, pushing them down the path to where they want to be when this season is said and done.
Marksberry is confident the team will continue to focus on the work needed to be done to keep that success going. "The girls have an appreciation of the tradition, but they don't have a sense of entitlement," he said. "We're coming together. It just takes a little time." "We want to give glory to God in the soccer we play and play the best that we can," Witt said. |
Coverage sponsored by:
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Seeing a pack of runners in a track or cross-country race and then seeing a runner break free from that pack and take control of the race is not an uncommon sight.
It's been a remarkable last couple of seasons for the Warriors as they placed third last season in Class 2A after winning the state title the season before.
