Girls soccer has experienced tremendous growth in the three years it has been an Illinois High School Association-sanctioned sport. The number of schools participating has increased and so has the caliber of the competition. The 1990 Tribune Girls All-State Soccer Team is evidence of just how good the competition has become. In the past, picking 11 first-team players was relatively easy. This year, selecting 22 players to the first and second teams was a difficult task, let alone deciding the top 11.
”Competition is absolutely better,” said St. Charles coach Tim Dailey.
”We made it to the final eight as a team this year which, in the past, wouldn`t have been as big an accomplishment.
”It`s not just parity, but a great number of talented teams with talented players. It`s getting almost to the point where boys soccer is, it`s that good.”
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Evanston coach Bob Wilheim concurs. ”Girls soccer is mirroring the growth of boys,” he said. ”There are more and more skilled kids coming in to play girls soccer. We`re getting the athletes now.
”We`re still not getting the specialist, like boys soccer does, but maybe that`s more healthy. I don`t believe any of these girls will be able to become professional soccer players anywhere.”
Maybe not, but Tribune first-team selections are definitely the cream of a big crop.
In goal for the second straight season is New Trier`s Chrissy Scavo.
The defenders are Palatine`s Laura Markus, Libertyville junior Jori Seymour and Downers Grove South`s Keri Wold, all repeat selections.
The midfield is solid with St. Charles` Tracy Foster, Naperville North junior Chris Johnson and Downers Grove South`s Renee Zygmuntowicz, another repeat choice.
The formidable forward line returns Laura Demke of Cary-Grove, who scored 205 goals over four seasons; Stacey Dolezal of Hoffman Estates, who had 40 goals this season; two-time pick Erica Handelman of Evanston who scored 35 this season; and Schaumburg`s Alison Lester, who scored 28 this season.
Lester, one of the finest all-round forwards in the state, helped the Saxons attain the No. 1 ranking most of this season. Her presence made Schaumburg a state contender until it was upset by Hoffman Estates in Tuesday`s Conant sectional.
”She`s a pretty fine player,” said Palatine coach Chris Norton, who has coached and seen some of the best. ”I`d have a hard time turning away a player with her ability.”
Lester began exhibiting that ability early on. As a 6-year-old, she started kicking and catching soccer balls.
”I started out as a goalie,” she said. ”I switched to forward when I was 12. I was really small and I was getting beat by high shots. I quit playing goal because I was intimidated.”
Lester has gone from from being intimidated to playing the intimidator. Her ability to run through opponents is uncanny, as is her overall game sense. Those qualities earned Lester a scholarship to Notre Dame.
”I`ve seen her take breakaways by three and four people,” said Schaumburg coach Paul Golisch. ”For a thin girl, she`s awfully tough. The first time we played Hoffman Estates during the regular season, we were down 3-2. Time was running down in overtime; there were less than 5 minutes left. Alison got the ball, beat three people and went in to score.
”The first player she beat with a nice move. The second she beat with a power move. The last she beat with a speed move.”
Then, Lester beat the goalie.
”I`m not so much surprised with what she did this season as I am pleased,” said Golisch. ”The big thing is she`s a complete player. She made a great impact during the state tournament last year. I began to see what she could do then and I decided to build the team around her this year. I put her at center forward and the results were great.”
After scoring 17 goals as a junior, Lester improved to 28 goals and 9 assists this season. Many of those were scored against formidable opponents.
”We ended on such a high last year (fourth place in state) that I was just determined to have a good season,” she said. ”I went to the state select camp, and our high school team started running together to get in shape in January and February. I was looking forward to the season. I knew it would be my last.”
Last, but certainly not her least.
”She`s the type of player who would do well anywhere at any position,”
said Golisch. ”We needed speed at midfield and put her there for a couple games, and she came through. There was no complaining or anything. She didn`t hesitate.
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