Dave Melton's top 10 girls soccer teams and 25 players to watch in Northwest Indiana for the 2025 season
1. Crown Point (14-3): The defending Duneland Athletic Conference champion Bulldogs, who also won a Class 3A sectional title, bring back their top scorer, senior forward Hannah Pesich (15 goals), and starting goalkeeper, senior Sam Quick (4 shutouts). Senior defender Jordan Villeneuve and senior midfielder Addy Sabau also are key players, and sophomore forward Ariana Schutt is an additional scoring threat.
2. Lake Central (13-4): Longtime boys soccer coach Jereme Rainwater adds the girls program to his responsibilities and inherits a lineup that features multiple key producers from last season, including senior midfielder Phoebe Fogarty (10 goals), sophomore forward Claire Widstrand (8 goals, 7 assists) and senior defender Olivia Connelly. Rainwater also raved about freshman forward Ella Crowley, who should make an immediate impact.
3. Valparaiso (14-5-2): Leading the Vikings after their 3A regional runner-up finish last season is junior forward Mia Smith (14 goals), who was an all-state sprinter in the spring. The defense also has a veteran presence, senior Grace Ely, while newer varsity players like junior midfielder Ainslee McGinty and sophomore defender Gabby Bilek should be lineup fixtures.
4. Chesterton (7-10): Senior forward Adey Avey is healthy again and looking for her fourth double-digit goal season. Senior forward Eva Montes and senior midfielder Claire Vrahoretis will also help the Trojans score goals, while senior defenders Salina Ford and Alice Fancher will help prevent them.
5. Munster (11-6-1): The defending Northwest Crossroads Conference champion Mustangs return their leading scorer, senior forward Maya Maldonado (11 goals), and senior goalkeeper Jenna Krieg. They provide bookends for a team that should remain a conference contender.
6. Hobart (14-3-1): The Brickies have advanced from four wins in 2020 to NCC title contention. Junior forward Kurah Krucina (19 goals, 9 assists) and junior midfielder Addy Hendricks (11 goals, 18 assists) return, and the defense is led by juniors Olivia Mehay and Emma Bullington.
7. Lowell (7-8-1): Seniors lead at every level of the field for the Red Devils with defender Ginny Banek, midfielder Brooke Miller (6 assists) and forward Kaelen Lulinski (14 goals). But a trio of freshmen are expected to start: midfielder Emma Hamilton and defenders Lilly Oman and Camille Joppek.
8. Hanover Central (18-3): The graduation of Kiara Desiderio, who scored 241 career goals, leaves a sizable hole for the 2A semistate runner-up Wildcats. But junior goalkeeper Layla Nestor (8 shutouts) returns.
9. Highland (12-6): After winning a 2A sectional title last season, the Trojans will be anchored by senior defender Addison Hill. But veterans are all over the field with junior midfielder Grace Houchin, junior midfielder Savannah Ballard, senior midfielder Payton Bailey, sophomore forward Elise Barreiro and junior forward Madelyn Gora.
10. Wheeler (12-6): The Bearcats, who have won two straight sectional titles and nine in 13 seasons, are led by senior forward Jessica Surufka (14 goals). Senior defender/midfielder Sadie Bolan and senior goalkeeper Ashlynne Trinidad also are key players.
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Chicago Tribune
19 hours ago
- Chicago Tribune
Dave Melton's top 10 girls soccer teams and 25 players to watch in Northwest Indiana for the 2025 season
Crown Point and Munster will try to defend their conference titles, but challenges await both teams. 1. Crown Point (14-3): The defending Duneland Athletic Conference champion Bulldogs, who also won a Class 3A sectional title, bring back their top scorer, senior forward Hannah Pesich (15 goals), and starting goalkeeper, senior Sam Quick (4 shutouts). Senior defender Jordan Villeneuve and senior midfielder Addy Sabau also are key players, and sophomore forward Ariana Schutt is an additional scoring threat. 2. Lake Central (13-4): Longtime boys soccer coach Jereme Rainwater adds the girls program to his responsibilities and inherits a lineup that features multiple key producers from last season, including senior midfielder Phoebe Fogarty (10 goals), sophomore forward Claire Widstrand (8 goals, 7 assists) and senior defender Olivia Connelly. Rainwater also raved about freshman forward Ella Crowley, who should make an immediate impact. 3. Valparaiso (14-5-2): Leading the Vikings after their 3A regional runner-up finish last season is junior forward Mia Smith (14 goals), who was an all-state sprinter in the spring. The defense also has a veteran presence, senior Grace Ely, while newer varsity players like junior midfielder Ainslee McGinty and sophomore defender Gabby Bilek should be lineup fixtures. 4. Chesterton (7-10): Senior forward Adey Avey is healthy again and looking for her fourth double-digit goal season. Senior forward Eva Montes and senior midfielder Claire Vrahoretis will also help the Trojans score goals, while senior defenders Salina Ford and Alice Fancher will help prevent them. 5. Munster (11-6-1): The defending Northwest Crossroads Conference champion Mustangs return their leading scorer, senior forward Maya Maldonado (11 goals), and senior goalkeeper Jenna Krieg. They provide bookends for a team that should remain a conference contender. 6. Hobart (14-3-1): The Brickies have advanced from four wins in 2020 to NCC title contention. Junior forward Kurah Krucina (19 goals, 9 assists) and junior midfielder Addy Hendricks (11 goals, 18 assists) return, and the defense is led by juniors Olivia Mehay and Emma Bullington. 7. Lowell (7-8-1): Seniors lead at every level of the field for the Red Devils with defender Ginny Banek, midfielder Brooke Miller (6 assists) and forward Kaelen Lulinski (14 goals). But a trio of freshmen are expected to start: midfielder Emma Hamilton and defenders Lilly Oman and Camille Joppek. 8. Hanover Central (18-3): The graduation of Kiara Desiderio, who scored 241 career goals, leaves a sizable hole for the 2A semistate runner-up Wildcats. But junior goalkeeper Layla Nestor (8 shutouts) returns. 9. Highland (12-6): After winning a 2A sectional title last season, the Trojans will be anchored by senior defender Addison Hill. But veterans are all over the field with junior midfielder Grace Houchin, junior midfielder Savannah Ballard, senior midfielder Payton Bailey, sophomore forward Elise Barreiro and junior forward Madelyn Gora. 10. Wheeler (12-6): The Bearcats, who have won two straight sectional titles and nine in 13 seasons, are led by senior forward Jessica Surufka (14 goals). Senior defender/midfielder Sadie Bolan and senior goalkeeper Ashlynne Trinidad also are key players.
USA Today
20 hours ago
- USA Today
USC football countdown to kickoff—Charles White in focus
The countdown to USC's 2025 football season is officially on! The Trojans kick off their new campaign 12 days from today. You need something to help you while away the days and hours in the spring and summer. This is one way to do so. In this new series, countdown to kickoff, we will be counting down the days by highlighting a notable Trojan who wore each number. Today, we look at USC Heisman Trophy running back Charles White. Position: Running back Years played at USC: 1976-1979 Career highlights: Of all of the great running backs that have come through USC, none have rushed for more yards than White. He finished his four-year career in Cardinal and Gold with 6,245 yards and, the next closest, Marcus Allen, sits more than 1,400 yards behind. In both 1978 and 1979, White earned Unanimous All-American honors. In 1978, he led the Trojans to the national championship, and in 1979, he became USC's third Heisman Trophy winner. White is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame. After USC: The Cleveland Browns selected White with the 27th overall pick in the 1980 NFL Draft. He went on to play eight seasons in the league—four with Cleveland and four with the Los Angeles Rams. His best season in the league came in 1987 with Los Angeles, when he rushed for 1,374 yards and 11 touchdowns. That season, he was namedto the Pro Bowl and first-team All-Pro. From 1993-1997, White served as the running backs coach at USC. In his later years, he struggled with dementia, likely caused by CTE from his playing days and years of struggling with drug use. White passed away in 2023 at the age of 64. The Trojans honored him during the 2023 season.
Chicago Tribune
a day ago
- Chicago Tribune
A fractured vertebra didn't stop Chesterton's Adey Avey. What can? ‘She's doing things not all kids can do.'
Even when Chesterton forward Adey Avey's legs started to go numb last season, she refused to leave the field. Her pain always started in her back and sometimes left her without feeling in her legs. 'I just didn't want to let the team down,' Avey said. 'I felt like, if I were to sit out for a practice or miss a game because I was injured, I'd be letting them down. I wanted to show them that I was here and that I wanted to play my part.' Despite the discomfort, Avey still scored a career-high 17 goals as a junior, leading the Trojans (7-10) for the third straight season and increasing her total to 47, and she was an all-state third-team pick. But Chesterton coach Ben Forgey said her physical struggles were obvious. 'She didn't have the same burst, that same freedom of movement,' Forgey said. 'She was in the training room all season. She wanted to tough through everything, but it wasn't the same Adey that we've come to expect.' Avey said she couldn't recall a specific incident that triggered the pain. She first noticed it at some point during summer 2024, and it worsened as the season progressed. 'I went to physical therapy, and I went to see a few other people to see what it was,' she said. 'They thought it was a joint issue, so I just played my whole season with it. But I was pushing through every play. Each foul was just awful.' Chesterton's season ended with a 2-1 loss to Valparaiso in the first round of the Class 3A Portage Sectional on Oct. 8, and a few weeks later, an MRI revealed the source of Avey's pain. She had suffered a fracture of her fifth lumbar vertebra. She was out of action for four months while she wore a back brace. Avey said she'd juggle a ball while she was sitting down or watch soccer with her family to boost her spirits. But her view from the sidelines during the travel season was not one she enjoyed. 'Even though I couldn't play, I still went to every single one of my club practices, and the hardest part for me was seeing everyone else on my team getting to do what I loved to do the most,' she said. Avey's brace came off in early February, and she returned to the field soon after. She said it took her about a month to shake off the rust. Healthy again, Avey begins her final high school season understanding the importance of taking care of her body. 'I prioritize my health more now,' she said. 'I'm eating better. I'm taking things like recovery and stretching seriously.' Teammates like senior midfielder Claire Vrahoretis, one of her closest friends, said Avey has been noticeably more upbeat during the preseason. 'You can tell that her head is a lot clearer now, that she's not being bothered as much by her injuries,' Vrahoretis said. 'It's a lot easier for her to just play the way that she plays.' When Avey is healthy, she plays with a combination of speed, strength and skill that sometimes leaves Forgey in disbelief on the sidelines. 'She's just so deceptive,' Forgey said. 'These defenders think they're going to take the ball from her, but she pairs her elite dribbling ability with strength and pace. Sometimes when I'm watching some of our games back, I'll see myself on camera with my hands on my head because she's doing things not all kids can do.' More moments like those could be coming this season, when Avey hopes to be the engine that drives Chesterton deep into the playoffs. 'It's my last ride, so I'm looking forward to going as far as I can with this group,' she said.
