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Chicago Tribune
22-05-2025
- Sport
- Chicago Tribune
Tennessee recruit Claire DeCook will graduate early. For the junior star and Naperville North, ‘this is it.'
Naperville North junior forward Claire DeCook is considered an honorary senior by her teammates. When the season ends for the outgoing senior class, DeCook will be saying goodbye to her high school playing career too. The Tennessee recruit intends to graduate in December so she can begin taking classes at the university in January and get a head start on her college soccer career. DeCook made the decision before the beginning of this season at the urging of Tennessee's coaching staff. 'They highly encourage their recruits to come early just so you get a feel for everything,' she said. 'But it's completely optional. 'My family and I talked about the advantages and everything, and we thought it was best for me, especially with all the resources they could provide. It didn't take me long at all to be like, 'Yeah, I kind of want to do this.'' DeCook, whose older sister Cameron is a student at Tennessee, is part of a new trend of high school stars graduating early. It is more common in football, but for girls soccer players, it means missing their final high school season. The decision sped up the end of a whirlwind high school career for DeCook, who was the all-area player of the year in 2024 after returning from ACL surgery. This season has felt a little surreal to her. 'It's definitely different because when you're a junior, it's like, 'Oh, you have another season,'' she said. 'I feel like everyone feels that they have more time than they do. 'Freshman and sophomore year went by so fast, and so did junior year. It was a big reality check in like, 'OK, this is my last game playing against this team.' 'So the fact that I don't have another year after this, I'm just living in the moment and making sure I get everything done now.' DeCook, as ever, is getting a lot done. She scored the game-winning goal in the fourth-seeded Huskies' 3-0 victory over 13th-seeded Plainfield East in the Class 3A Oswego Regional semifinals on Wednesday. It was DeCook's 10th goal of the season and the 40th of her career. The Huskies (12-5-3), who will play either fifth-seeded Oswego or 12th-seeded Waubonsie Valley in the regional championship game at noon Saturday, want to extend their season — and DeCook's tenure — as long as possible. 'When we did our senior night, that's when it kind of became really real, when she was wearing the senior shirt rather than the underclassman shirt,' Naperville North senior defender Emily Buescher said. 'The other three freshmen she came on the team with, they gave her her rose. That was a really big thing. 'We don't refer to her as a senior, but in the world of soccer she is.' The Minnesota-bound Buescher said it was amazing to play alongside DeCook, whom she has known since they were little. One of Buescher's club teammates, Mya Nugent, enrolled early at Minnesota. Buescher sees the benefits in doing so but opted not to do so herself. 'It is much bigger culturally with the SEC,' Buescher said. 'It gives them a lot of time to start lifting and stuff like that. 'I leave in three weeks, so I leave pretty early too. But I definitely wanted to be here. I didn't get to play high school soccer my freshman and sophomore year, so to me I could never give up this because we're a family. What would I do without this?' What will the Huskies do without DeCook? Naperville North coach Steve Goletz is going to find out sooner than he'd like. 'For Claire to have the opportunity she has is incredible, and it's because of all the hard work that she's put in since she's been a little kid,' Goletz said. 'She's going to go on and do great things. 'For us, it's sad just because of not only Claire's soccer ability but also her and her family are incredible people. We really have enjoyed some amazing memories and moments with not only Claire but also Cam. So not only are we going to miss her on the field in regards to her ability, but also the charisma and what she brings every day.' Which is considerable. 'Her work rate is incredible,' Goletz said. 'Her willingness to compete is next level. I'm just super fortunate that I've been able to coach her and sad that this is it. 'Hopefully we can continue to win and get as many games as possible with her and with this fantastic group as a whole.'
Chicago Tribune
27-03-2025
- Sport
- Chicago Tribune
A regular at shortstop, Gwen Shouse fills in at center field for Batavia. And stars. ‘It's hard to be Batman.'
Four-year varsity starter Gwen Shouse has been rock-like steady at shortstop for Batavia coach Torry Pryor, but his leadoff senior speedster is no one-trick pony. In fact, it's very likely Shouse's flexibility and willingness to adapt will carry her far at the next level next season when she takes her game to North Central College in Naperville. 'I'm not quite sure where I'll end up, probably as a utility player,' Shouse said what position she will play. 'It could be middle infield because that's where I've played for high school and a lot of travel ball, but then I do play the outfield and other spots for travel as well. 'I guess I can play anywhere, outfield or infield, and compete at most positions.' It helps make Batavia's quiet leader special, according to Pryor. 'Like I tell the girls all the time, it's hard to be Batman,' he said. 'It's easy to be Robin.' Shouse answered the call Wednesday in a 13-4 nonconference loss to Plainfield East after Pryor asked her to move to Batavia's expansive center field and cover for a player nursing a minor injury. Short fences of 189 and 183 feet down the lines due to a line of trees in left field and a property line in right are extended to a prairie-like 230 feet in straightaway center. 'You do have to cover a lot of ground, but I just try to adjust to the hitters too,' said Shouse, who handled four chances while flashing excellent range. 'I enjoy center field. It's like relaxing out there, maybe not as stressful as shortstop, where you have no time to think. 'Sometimes, it can be boring if nothing is hit to you. I had a fun time.' At the plate, the left-handed Shouse makes her mark hitting as a slapper. She singled in the first inning and scored her team's first run on a sacrifice fly by junior right fielder Amira Mendoza. Sophomore catcher Teagan Sullivan then hit a two-run homer for a short-lived 3-2 lead for the Bulldogs (0-3). Junior pitcher Mackenzie Krauch was solid, hurt by shaky defense in a seven-run second by Plainfield East (3-2). It was Pryor, who has known Shouse since she was 7 years old, who moved her to shortstop when she reached high school. He also coached her sister Liv, a 2020 Batavia grad. Gwen came up through rec leagues and travel ball playing mostly second base. 'I needed a shortstop and made the decision to bring her up to varsity and play shortstop,' said Pryor, who limited her at-bats if she struggled at the plate that first season. 'I let her concentrate on her defense, which got better. 'Then, she came back sophomore year and she's been hitting the ball ever since.' In the seventh inning Wednesday, she slapped a line drive that carried to the fence in left-center. 'She has some power,' Pryor said. How good did that double feel? 'That felt really good,' said Shouse, who didn't start slapping until she reached high school. 'I started watching YouTube videos because I wanted to see the basics on how to do the footwork and where your hands should be when hitting the ball. 'Sophomore year, I wanted to slap 30% of the time. Last year, I did it more than half the time.' It was only possible because she made the change to batting lefty earlier in her career. 'I hit righty for one year when I was 8 and then my rec league coach, Mark Rokos, suggested I switch to lefty because he said I was way too fast to be a righty,' Shouse said. Taking advantage of being closer to first base coming out of the batter's box made sense to her. But it wasn't easy. 'It was so awkward that first time and felt so unnatural,' Shouse said. 'In time, it worked out. I also write lefty.' Change and adapt. It can take you far. Originally Published: March 27, 2025 at 11:20 AM CDT
