12 hours ago
‘A real challenge' to defend, Warren's Addison Stanciak is the 2025 News-Sun Girls Soccer Player of the Year
A prolific scorer, forward Addison Stanciak is always looking to deliver a finishing touch on the field.
Stanciak, who recently graduated from Warren, takes the same approach in her development as a player. Trying to become more well-rounded and less predictable, the Saint Louis recruit didn't want to depend on her right foot so much.
'I consistently tried to use my left foot,' Stanciak said. 'I used to pass a lot with it, but when I was shooting with it, I was a lot more hesitant and would switch to my right foot if possible.'
The extra touches in her game paid dividends. Stanciak, the 2025 News-Sun Girls Soccer Player of the Year, scored 28 goals and added six assists to lead the Blue Devils (12-5-2, 5-1-1) to second place in the North Suburban Conference during her senior season.
'The most challenging forwards to face are the most unpredictable ones, and Addison is extremely difficult to read, which makes marking her a real challenge,' Stevenson junior defender Annie Egeland said.
'She can shoot with both feet and is just as effective at creating chances as she is at finishing them. Her ability to adapt, make quick decisions and consistently impact the game makes her a constant threat and a major asset to any team.'
Stanciak, who was named the conference player of the year and was selected to the Illinois Soccer Coaches Association's all-state team, finished her Warren career with 78 goals and 182 points, both program records. Twenty-one of her goals were game-winners.
'The records were something important to me,' Stanciak said. 'It's a huge accomplishment and showed my progress over all four years.'
Warren coach Ryan McCabe wasn't surprised to see those records fall. He predicted greatness back in Stanciak's sophomore season.
'I gave her the kiss of death, and we joke about it,' McCabe said. 'I said she has the potential to be the greatest scorer in school history. Why did I put that pressure on a sophomore? She handled everything well.'
McCabe said Stanciak has a rare combination of speed, size and strength but also showed perseverance.
'It's tough because she always gets the best defender on her,' McCabe said. 'They game-plan around her. She knows every game coming in that she has to do well and perform. That's a very heavy burden to carry.'
Warren junior midfielder Kate Mondejar said she has been playing with Stanciak for nearly eight years and has learned she makes her teammates better.
'Addison's competitiveness is unlike anyone else's, so much so that the high standard she holds herself up to radiates throughout the team and brings those around her up with her,' Mondejar said.
Stanciak, whose father, Ron, played soccer at Marist and has been a coach for the past 15 seasons, said she's proud of her high school career.
'Looking back, I was terrified my freshman year being on a team with so many seniors,' Stanciak said. 'If I could see myself as a senior while being a freshman, I would be just shocked. … It's been completely amazing to me how my career went.'
