Last season, the Fenwick High School girls soccer team made a memorable run to the semifinals of the IHSA Class 2A tournament, which included a supersectional win on penalty kicks over De La Salle.
On May 30, the two teams met again in the supersectional round, but history didn’t repeat itself as the Meteors used a pair of goals by Mia Ortega to win 2-0 and advance to their first state semifinal in program history.
However, after losing 11 players from the previous year, Fenwick making a return to the supersectional was a remarkable accomplishment.
“Our girls had a very successful season,” said Fenwick coach Craig Blazer. “Us coaches are very proud of our progress, and we’re looking forward to continued progress.”
In the 37th minute, Ortega drew a foul inside the Friars’ box and was awarded a penalty kick. Her shot beat Fenwick goalkeeper Leah Hyland and broke a scoreless contest.
Five minutes into the second half, Ortega doubled De La Salle’s lead. After that, the Friars (8-10-5) generated a few opportunities, but couldn’t find the back of the net.
Junior Grace Kapsch, who moved to forward from defender this spring, was named to the Illinois High School Soccer Coaches Association All-State Team. She led Fenwick with 17 goals and five assists, while junior Susie Shank added seven goals and six assists.
They’re two of 16 returning players for the Friars in 2024.
Fenwick softball bows out in sectional semifinal
In the IHSA Class 3A St. Ignatius Sectional semifinal on May 31 at the University of Illinois at Chicago, the host Wolfpack scored twice in each of the final two innings to defeat Fenwick 5-2.
With the score tied at 1-1 in the top of the sixth, Giovanna Sanfratello hit a two-run single off Fenwick’s Talia Lorenzo. After a sacrifice fly by Ellie Kolb pulled the Friars (16-15) back within a run, Abby Lee got the Wolfpack insurance in the seventh with a two-run single of her own.
Fenwick managed to get the potential game-tying run to the plate with two outs, but Madelyn Entler’s deep fly ball to left was caught by Lauren Walton, ending the game and season for the Friars.
Lorenzo, who entered in the third in relief of starter Kailey Janda, took the loss in her final Fenwick game, allowing five runs (two unearned) on seven hits over 4.1 innings. At the plate, Sophie Stone had two of the Friars’ seven hits.
Lorenzo, Entler and Janda were named to the Girls Catholic Athletic Conference All-Red Division team. The latter two headline a list of 12 returners for next season.
