March 14, 2025
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Girls soccer: 5 storylines to watch in DeKalb County in 2025

By Eddie Carifio
Sycamore's Grace Amptmann, left, Faith Schroeder, center, Sycamore's Cortni Kruizenga, right, all hug Sycamore's Anya Berry (7) after scoring the final penalty kick securing the regional title win over Kaneland on Saturday May 18, 2024, held at Kaneland High School.

Sycamore's Grace Amptmann, left, Faith Schroeder, center, Sycamore's Cortni Kruizenga, right, all hug Sycamore's Anya Berry (7) after scoring the final penalty kick securing the regional title win over Kaneland on Saturday May 18, 2024, held at Kaneland High School. (David Toney for Shaw Local/David Toney)

With the soccer season set to get underway next week, here are five things to know heading into the 2025 girls soccer season for the teams in the Daily Chronicle coverage area.

What’s next in the Sycamore, Kaneland rivalry?

Fans can probably pencil in a couple of low-scoring, one-goal games in Sycamore on April 14 and again in Maple Park on April 30. Those are the two dates the Knights and Spartans square off in interleague play.

The teams faced off three times last year, with a grand total of one regulation goal. That came in the first meeting in Sycamore, with the Knights winning 1-0.

The next two contests were even closer. Both went into PKs. Sycamore won both of them, both played on Kaneland’s field. The first win gave the Spartans a share of the I-8 crown with the Knights. The second gave Sycamore its first regional title since 2019, which was the last time before last season the Spartans won a postseason game.

That was also the last time Sycamore scored a goal in regulation against the Knights, although the Spartans have won three 0-0 games in PKs against Kaneland in that stretch.

Loaded defense returns for the Spartans

Sycamore lost Daily Chronicle 2024 Girls Soccer Player of the Year Tayla Brannstrom to graduation but returns a lot on the back line. Junior Grace Amptmann and senior Faith Schroeder are back after earning Daily Chronicle All-Area first-team selections.

Last year, the Spartans managed a total of two goals in their nine losses. Cortni Kruizenga did a lot of the heavy lifting up front for Sycamore, scoring 21 times. She’s back for her junior season looking to add to that total. Junior Izzie Segreti added 12 goals last year for Sycamore.

Kaneland will need to find new scoring source

Last year, Emily Kunzer was poised for a huge senior season but was injured early on. But Jade Schrader picked up the slack with 21 goals and 12 assists, but she too was a senior last year.

Junior Kyra Lilly could be the one to step up, having scored 12 goals and added seven assists on the year.

Zoe Gannon is back for her senior year and has been a lockdown defender for the Knights.

Indian Creek back on the pitch

It was a whirlwind couple of years for the Timberwolves. In 2023, they had their most successful season in program history, going 17-2-1 and topping the preview win record of 12.

Then last year only eight players were on the roster, so there was no varsity team for Indian Creek.

Junior Eliza Tato, senior Sally Diaz and senior Izzy Turner were all starters on the 2023 team, and all are back this season.

DeKalb looks for big leap in Year 2 under Kaylyn Brooks

The Barbs went 2-17-2 last year, losing a regional play-in game at Willowbrook.

That’s the bad news for DeKalb. But the good news is 15 of the 23 players on this year’s roster have varsity experience and almost half of those are multiyear starters.

Plus it’s the second year under Kaylyn Brooks, so familiarity with the system and chemistry should both be high.

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