Kane County Chronicle Girls Soccer Player of the Year: St. Charles North’s Laney Stark

Whenever a new player gets introduced to a team, there’s always going to be the question of how they’ll fit in with the team.

St. Charles North had to deal with a situation like that in 2023 with Laney Stark, who transferred from Bartlett after moving into the area.

More than a year later, it’s safe to say it couldn’t have been a more seamless transition.

Stark, the 2024 Kane County Chronicle Girls Soccer Player of the Year, was a crucial piece for the North Stars in her senior season. She led the team with 20 goals and 12 assists to a second-place state finish in Class 3A, their best finish since 2012.

“Laney is the type of player that it doesn’t matter what game it is, whether it’s an early-season game against a nonconference opponent or a state championship game, she has a goal scorer’s mindset,” St. Charles North coach Brian Harks said. “She has the confidence, the composure and the skill in front of the net regardless of the magnitude of the game. And the fact she’s able to do that day in and day out is impressive.”

That mindset was present throughout the North Stars’ postseason run, especially in the final three games of the season. Stark scored the game-winning goals in both the supersectional against Naperville Central and the state semifinal against Fremd.

But it was the state championship match where she shone the brightest.

Against a New Trier team that had given up only one goal since April 11, Stark found the back of the net twice, including in the final 90 seconds of play when she sent a shot past not just the goalie but the entire New Trier team to force overtime against the soccer powerhouse.

“Even looking back on it, I’m just like, ‘How did I do that?’ ” Stark said. “It’s just so amazing that we did that and I did that.

“I was looking at those pictures from that moment the other day and just seeing how happy we were after knowing the game wasn’t over and how crazy the whole situation was. It was awesome.”

Being in a position to win the state title was something Stark originally didn’t see happening when she joined the team in 2023. Her only connection to the team had been midfielder Juliana Park. She had played soccer with Park when they were young.

But after establishing that connection again – as well as growing close with the other players on the North Stars – the dream of making it to state seemed more achievable in Stark’s eyes.

“A lot of it had to do with our seniors having the experience through the past couple years and I think we all just wanted the same thing,” Stark said. “And we all care about each other so much. Even outside of the soccer field we’re all really good friends. And so I think it really just brought us together because we all cared about each other and wanted the same thing.”

Stark is set to play soccer at the University of Wisconsin in Green Bay starting next season. While it may be the end of her high school career, Stark hopes she is remembered for always fighting for the team to get it to the next level, a feat she achieved multiple times throughout the season.

“I would say that it’s never really over and I think I showed that through our last few games,” Stark said. “Even though you may think it’s over, it’s never really done until that final buzzer goes off.”

Throughout the season, Harks talked about playing to uphold the traditions and legacy of players from the past in order to influence the future. Even though Stark’s tenure at St. Charles North wasn’t as long as some of the other players, he feels the impact she left will be just as great.

“I know that there are several little girls out there, my daughter included, who watch her and say, ‘One day, I want that to be me,’ ” Harks said. “The things that she has done will continue to motivate players for years to come well after she’s gone, just as players that came before her have motivated other players on this team.”