Back-to-back or bust for loaded Huskies
With nucleus from last year’s 3A title team intact, Naperville North fully expects to repeat
Christa Szalach blasted a ball that beautifully curled inside the near post and Naperville North earned its redemption.
The Huskies completed a dream season, outlasting St. Charles North 1-0 in the 119th minute of the Class 3A state soccer championship last June. Naperville North was runner-up to Granite City the previous season.
“Last year we came in with a big chip on our shoulder, we put it in the work and Christa scored a great goal,” senior forward Zoe Swift said. “We know last year is in the past, but we’re looking for the same result.”
A year ago the questions centered on whether the Huskies could take the next step and win a state title. Now the question turns to whether this year’s edition might surpass last year’s team that outscored its opponents by an aggregate of 75-11 and posted 15 shutouts.
Led by senior captains Swift, Szalach and Cora Climo, Naperville North returns an accomplished and frighteningly good nucleus. Nine of the 14 players that scored a goal last year return. Swift scored 25 goals, or a third of a team’s output. Sophomore forward Abbie Boswell (12 goals, 13 assists) forms a devastating 1-2 combination. Midfielders Szalach (eight goals, six assists) and Climo (six goals, 19 assists) are skilled and dangerous.
Yet, the Huskies still have company. The concentration of talent in Aurora and Naperville and along the North Shore is virtually unprecedented. The 2013 campaign appears to feature one of the deepest and most talented pools of players in memory.
“There are a lot of good seniors this year,” Plainfield North coach Jane Crowe said.
The Huskies have to stay hungry and focused. They also have to rebuild their backline with the graduation of All-Area star Jen Korn and the loss of star sophomore Kayla Sharples, who is playing club this season.
“The goal was great at the time, and we worked very hard on winning a state title,” Szalach said. “At the same time, we’ve moved on to this year. High school is one of those groups that every year there are changes, people graduate and new people come into the team.”
Naperville North has a serious advantage. “I think It will always be in the back of [opponents’] heads that we won it last year,” Climo said.