The Naperville North Girls Soccer Program will have to wait another year to try and repeat as state champions after the IHSA cancelled all spring sport state tournaments. This Team Profile is sponsored by Molly Maids of the Aurora Naperville Area.
No Girls Soccer in 2020
Heading into the 2019 state playoffs, Naperville North girls soccer did not appear to have its usual swagger. The Huskies won only 1 game in the final three weeks of the regular season and entered regional play with a fairly pedestrian 8-5-4 record. But once the post season in class 3A arrived, the ever-dangerous Huskies rediscovered both their bark and their bite. After a 3rd place finish in 2018, North came up big in the clutch by winning the semi final against Lyons and the state championship over Barrington via penalty kicks. The thrilling victory was the third state championship of the decade for coach Steve Goletz and the 4th in program history. North did lose 12 seniors from the 2019 team, including both goalies and captains Reilly Riggs and Katie Murphy. The Huskies were not an offensive juggernaut a year ago, but they were set to return two of their top goal scorers in 2020. Leah Schumate found the net 8 times to go with 6 assists last season and Purdue bound Hannah Martin was ready to roll for her senior season after 17 goals a year ago. Returning starters like Emily Dulik and Emily Magee were also ready to take on bigger roles as the Huskies hoped to defend their title. Despite the immense challenges that would have stood in the way of a Huskie repeat, including uber-talented local teams like Waubonsie Valley, Naperville Central, Neuqua Valley and Metea Valley waiting in the sectionals. Naperville North certainly would have remained the team to beat.
While not being able to compete for a chance to defended their championships is a bitter pill to swallow for the 2020 seniors, the silver lining is that they will always have the memories of hoisting the state championship trophy.
Check out other teams who’s seasons were cancelled in our Athlete Profiles.
