May 29--A bad week turned out to be the best week of the season.
In the first seven days of May, the Latin girls soccer team recorded its only loss, tallied two ties and won only once. The Romans had numerous reasons for the slide -- two concussions, a torn PCL, AP testing, unfamiliar venues, fatigue from playing catch-up due to their season's late start, among others -- but the farther they get from that middling week, the more glowingly they speak of it.
"To cope with that much adversity all at once is difficult for an adult team, let alone high school students," senior co-captain Morgan Sulger said with a laugh. "Every team needs (adversity), and we're just thankful it happened at that point of the season rather than at a more pivotal point."
After a 3-1 loss on May 7 to Niles West -- acknowledged as the most powerful team they've played this season -- the Romans (19-1-2) have run off six consecutive victories by a combined score of 25-2.
Latin, the only Chicago-area school to reach the Class 1A state semifinals, will face Rock Island Alleman (17-2-2) at 7 p.m. Friday at North Central College in Naperville. The winner plays at 5 p.m. Saturday for the 1A state title.
"I've been coaching for a long time, and I know a lot of the soccer coaches in the city," 18th-year head coach Tom Bower said. "When anybody in the city makes it (downstate), there's always a flurry of emails and congrats. 'Win one for the city,' that kind of stuff."
Latin was founded in 1888, and Bower's 2006 Class A title marked the first athletic state title in school history. This season, the Romans beat Loyola in girls hockey for the school's second championship.
Last season, the youthful Romans reached the supersectionals, so expectations and aspirations were high entering 2015. Latin is led statistically by senior forward Eve Favia (20 goals, 7 assists), senior midfielder Eden Pritikin (18 goals, 17 assists) and junior midfielder Madison Gilbreth (12 goals, 7 assists), but its spirit comes from the two senior captains, Sulger and Jessie Lucas.
"This year, we have not only six seniors but five freshmen on the team. It's a real mixture of old blood and new blood," Sulger said. "There's a large component from both sides. The way we mesh, the team bonding -- whether it's team sleepovers, dinners or whatever -- it's different. We made sure everyone felt that they were part of the team."
Latin hangs its hat on a unique depth and chemistry of multisport athletes. Its goalie, junior Catie Cronister, is committed to Wofford volleyball, and other crossover athletes play ice and field basketball and dancers.
Lucas, in classic captain fashion, spent "at least an hour" Wednesday looking up information on Rock Island Alleman. She sent her analysis to the team -- "a focus on playing the game rather than the occasion"-- in its active text-message group chat, further strengthening the city's lone 1A hope.
"We practice on a field right under the city's skyline," Lucas said. "We're really down in the city. When teams come down from the suburbs to play us, they can see the Sears (Willis) Tower, they can see the skyline, the lake's right there."
"Coming from that, we're going to remember that going down to Naperville this weekend," she added. "We're going to take the city with us."
IHSA girls soccer Class 1A finals
When: Friday-Saturday
Where: North Central College, Naperville
Schedule: Semifinals (Friday, 5 and 7 p.m.), third place (Saturday, 3 p.m.), championship (Saturday, 5 p.m.).
