Senior co-captains Lucy Drenth and Raleigh Jesswein are working to minimize growing pains for the Riverside Brookfield High School girls soccer team.
After graduating seven seniors, many of them starters, the Bulldogs already are 2-0 with two shutout victories.
“It was definitely tough to fill that gap but I think we have a lot of great players coming up,” Drenth said.
“The seniors and juniors, any returning varsity players, have stepped up in being a leader. We’ve worked really well as a team to get to know each other, our playing styles. When you do have a whole new team, it does take time to adjust and I think everybody has done a really great job of keeping that in mind.”
The Bulldogs did begin with a solid foundation.
Drenth, Jesswein and seniors Ella Caputo and Isa Hernandez are in their fourth varsity seasons.
Also back are seniors Katie Doyle and Abby Jurkovic, juniors Abby Ford, Mariana Giron, Michelle Panduro, Audrey Raymond and Sofia Sanchez.
Varsity newcomers are senior Taryn Schultz, juniors Mia Alcaraz, Mia Rodriguez, Aylin Romero, Margaux Super and Maya Tennicott and sophomores Jocelyn Jaimes and Ruby Boyle.
“We are excited for the season. We have a lot of talented players on the team and have been working hard these past weeks in tryouts,” RBHS coach Ivek Halic responded.
Last season, the Bulldogs were 13-8-2 and reached the Class 3A Lyons Township Regional final before losing to the host Lions 3-0. They also shared the championship for their final season in the Metro Suburban Conference at 5-1. This year, RBHS is in the Upstate Eight Conference.
“Winning conference, or at least doing our best to win conference, would be very satisfying for everybody,” Jesswein said. “That’s something a lot of us have set our sights on.”
Caputo (Drury) and Doyle (Knox) will play collegiately.
Caputo was third on the team last season in goals (10) and assists (10).
Panduro (7 goals, 5 assists) also was among the top scorers. Also contributing were Jurkovic (4 goals, 4 assists), Drenth (2 goals, assist), Hernandez (goal, 2 assists), Jesswein and Raymond (goal, assist each), Doyle (2 assists) and Ford and Giron (assist each).
Drenth returns to center defense after the 2024 Bulldogs recorded 10 shutouts. Others with experience on the back line include Raymond, Ford, Jurkovic and Jesswein, who usually played defensive center midfield. The 5-foot-11 Tennicott takes over as goalie.
“Getting those first few games under our belt will be helpful to kind of see the adjustments where we need to,” Drenth said.
“I’m excited to finally be in a position where I can really be that leader and senior. At the end of I really hope to keep everybody positive and pumped up and help wherever I can, whether soccer, off the field, help that team chemistry.”
The jelling is happening quickly. RBHS beat Willowbrook 2-0 Saturday and Hancock 5-0 Thursday as part of the Windy City Classic.
Rodriguez scored both goals against Willowbrook with assists from Panduro and Jurkovic. Panduro (goal, assist), Romero (2 assists), Boyle, Raymond, Alcaraz and Rodriguez (goal) and Ford and Jurkovic (assist) accounted for the scoring against Hancock.
“Even though we’re a new team, I feel like our chemistry on the field will be pretty good,” Jesswein said.
“Being there, being a helpful person, being someone to talk to is a way I think I can be really impactful. I think (we captains) will do a great job in keeping everybody’s spirits positive and hoping everyone has a great time.”
LTHS girls soccer
Lyons Township senior and two-time all-state forward Caroline Mortonson has seen numerous changes throughout four seasons as a varsity starter.
“From being a freshman to a senior, you get four whole different perspectives,” said Mortonson, a Miami (Ohio) recruit.
“It’s different being one of the older people, having to be one of the leaders of the team. Usually I didn’t really have to do anything and follow what the seniors said. It’s different to see the freshmen and sophomores in your situation.”
One thing does remain constant. The Lions are going to be good.
Expectations remain high, even with several new faces following last year’s 19-4-2 season that ended with losing to Class 3A state champion New Trier 1-0 in the Dominican Super-Sectional after losing in the sectional finals the past two years.
Mortonson is the only returning active starter from the super-sectional lineup, but the Lions have nine other returning letterwinners, many that saw significant 2024 action, and promising underclassmen.
The Lions played Whitney Young to a scoreless tie in Friday’s season opener.
“It’s a very solid overall group that seems to enjoy playing together and for each other,” LTHS coach Bill Lanspeary responded.
“Our past success has set a standard that the younger players in the program strive to reach. They work hard to be a part of this program and this team. Their hard work year round has kept us really competitive.”
Mortonson was second in scoring last season with 11 goals and had a team-best nine assists. She’s among six seniors after graduating eight starters.
Other returning letterwinners are senior forwards Estelle Giustini (5 goals, assist in 2024), Claire Parkhill (2 goals) and Catie Brejcha (2 goals), senior defenders Grace Lanspeary (goal) and Sofia D’Antonio (goal), junior goalie Anna Bigenwald, junior midfielder Carolina Capizzi, sophomore defender Claire Mortonson (4 goals, assist) and sophomore midfielder Avery Lusk.
Capizzi (DePaul) and Bigenwald (Loyola) already have verbally committed for college soccer.
Varsity newcomers are senior Avery Eagan (forward), juniors Quinn Conway (forward), Audrey McCarty (defense) and Charlie Wichman (goalie), sophomores Grace Chevalier (defense), Izzy Dullick (forward), Aufie Griffin (midfield), and Maura Schneider (forward) and freshmen Lauren Salvino (midfield/forward), Emma Thimm (midfield) and Lila Tower (defense/midfield).
What would be the Lions’ two other returning starters are team managers – junior Zibby Michaelson, who had a team-high 13 goals last season, and goalie Nora Ezike, who will play basketball at Stanford.
“I feel like everybody has the expectation and mentality to win games and do well so everyone’s putting in 100 effort to get back to where we were last year,” Caroline Mortonson said.
Bigenwald, who often split time with Ezike, and Grace Lanspeary and Mortonson as outside defenders were significant contributors for another staunch defense that recorded 16 shutouts and allowed just 11 goals.
“Just working hard at practice (is important). Everyone knows the expectations from how far we made it (in 2024),” Grace Lanspeary said.
“I think we have really good chemistry. We’ve been getting along really well wince the first practice. Every season is different. It’s really fun getting to play with new people.”
Capizzi returns to the lineup after missing all of 2024 with a broken foot and then mid-season surgery after being an offensive spark as a freshman. Capizzi did return in June to play at club nationals with Galaxy.
“I feel like I’ve returned to where I was,” Capizzi said. “We’ve been focusing on just having good chemistry on and off the field. We have a really good environment here.”
The Lions have won 11 straight regionals. They beat York 2-0 in the sectional finals after the Dukes snapped their streak of six straight West Suburban Conference Silver titles with a victory on penalty kicks.
“A lot of new faces and expect a lot of players to contribute,” Bill Lanspeary responded. “We’re going to need contributions from everyone to be successful. Success is hard to define, but our players and our program has high expectations. If this group continues to work hard and play together, that will lead us to a successful season.”