What to know about Chatham Glenwood’s new defense after winning 2A girls soccer state title
The Chatham Glenwood girls soccer team won the Class 2A state title. But that was last season.
Its defense indeed brandishes a new look. It graduated all-state center backs Haden Vlcek (twice in 2023 and 2022) and Ali Matthews (2021) — not to mention all-Central State Eight Conference special mention Carly Wilcoxen.
Vlcek, the State Journal-Register's Large School Girls Soccer Player of the Year, departed early for Indiana University while Ali Matthews completed her first season at Western Illinois University with eight starts over the fall.
That defense yielded just two goals throughout the postseason en route to the team’s first state title since 2013.
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Junior Delaney Kyes is virtually the only returning starter on the back line and now shifts over from the outside to the center. Senior all-state goalkeeper Abi Stephens provides further peace of mind.
“We’re stepping into some big shoes here,” Kyes said, “but I think we have girls on the team who can definitely fill those empty spots for us this year.”
Defensive pillar
Kyes is no stranger to the center back position from club.
Kyes said she has played soccer since she was 2 years old. Her dad, Brad, has been a source of inspiration. He served as her first coach for about 10 years. He is also the assistant principal at the high school.
“He definitely pushes me to do my best and I’m very grateful for him,” Kyes said.
Lipe has seen Kyes flourish since freshman year. She initially came off the bench as a midfielder before winning a starting role on defense last season. Lipe will count on her as a leader this year.
“I think she’ll do well,” Lipe said.
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Veteran at the net
It also helps to have an experienced goalkeeper like Stephens, who helped post 16 shutouts last season. She will play at Lincoln Land Community College next year.
“Abi’s a beast,” Kyes said of Stephens. “We love her. She comes in clutch for us.”
Stephens first attempted goalkeeping as early as 8 years old. She eventually learned from one of the best, Gigi Yurevich. Stephens surfaced in the limelight once Yurevich left for NCAA Division II Maryville University.
Yurevich provided a blueprint on how to be a successful goalkeeper.
“Watching her play is how everything clicked for me,” Stephens said. “Watching what she did, I’ve been able to take everything that I’ve learned and training for and it clicked into the game.
“In training, I knew how to do it and I would be able to do it really well, but then I would get into a game and I got lost. I think watching how Gigi took it in a game really set it there for me and I went with it.”
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Finding the right combination
Kyes and Stephens certainly form the backbone while Lipe has a medley of other options on defense.
The rest of the defense included Karley Hawkins, junior Ellie Johnson, freshman Kinsley Zellers and even junior standout Rowann Law in a 3-1 CS8 win over Sacred Heart-Griffin.
Zellers stepped in as the other center back with Kyes.
“She’s a stud,” Kyes said of Zellers. “Just talking to each other and trying to figure out where everyone’s going to be on the field, it’s an adjustment but we’re doing well.”
Kyes knows the team has a target on its back but said they just have to keep their cool.
“We enjoy that kind of pressure,” Lipe said. “The kids are thriving off it and taking it as a challenge. We know we’re going to get everybody’s best game and it’s only going to make us better. It’s going to be a constant climb that we want to be on until the end of the season, so we can be playing well.”
This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: Delaney Kyes, Abi Stephens lead defense for Chatham Glenwood soccer
