The exultation of Warren’s Ellen Szostak was unmistakable Monday.
The senior forward worked tirelessly to make a complete recovery from offseason foot surgery.
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“Finishing last year so strong, I was excited from the second that season ended to all school year,” Szostak said. “I could not wait for the season to start knowing this team was going to be so good (and) we were going places.”
Szostak was in the right place against Stevenson, scoring off a cross from midfielder Lindsey Hardiman in the 27th minute to ignite the Blue Devils to a 3-1 victory in Gurnee. The win capped an unbeaten run in North Suburban play.
Warren (17-1-1, 6-0-1) captured its first North Suburban title and has had the best regular season in program history, according coach Ryan McCabe.
Szostak has been a model of grit, determination and resilience. After a breakout junior year, she began experiencing pain in her right foot last fall.
“There were two bones there that were fused together, and they had to go in and separate them,” Szostak said. “They also took a centimeter of a bone in my foot. That was in December and I was cleared to play in the middle of March.”
After working her way into the Blue Devils’ stacked lineup, Szostak sprained her lateral collateral ligament on April 8 against Wheaton Warrenville South. That necessitated wearing a heavy brace.
“That was the farthest I was set back, not necessarily physically, but mentally I dropped pretty low,” she said. “It was a climb to come back from that to where I am today.”
Now, Szostak is playing free and without worry. The goal against the Patriots was her third in two games and sixth for the season.
“When I have come in, I have tried to make as much of an impact as possible,” Szostak said. “I am playing on the outside, but I have been working on getting into the middle more because my ball control is better.”
Senior midfielder Kaitlyn Chomko scored her 15th and 16th goals for the Blue Devils.
Stevenson’s record is deceiving. The Patriots (4-8-2, 2-5) have been victimized by tough luck, losing four conference games by one goal apiece.
Junior forward Brianna Van Zanten confirmed the Patriots have been on the cusp of getting over the hump. She scored off a corner kick from Jill Stein in the 55th minute.
“We have played very hard every game throughout the season, but we just have not been able to get that result,” Van Zanten said. “It is unfortunate because have been there in every single game.”
Patrick Z. McGavin is a freelance writer for the News-Sun.