Girls soccer notes: Dundee-Crown’s Berkley Mensik makes splash in high school debut

Berkley Mensik has had quite the high school soccer debut.

The Dundee-Crown senior is playing her first season with the Chargers after playing club for the past three seasons, and through two matches it looks like the Notre Dame-bound player has adjusted to the high school game.

“The beginning of the season has been great and so positive,” Mensik said. “I’m just so excited to keep building with the team and keep our winning streak hopefully going.”

Dundee-Crown has started the season 2-0 thanks in part to Mensik’s sharp shooting. She scored two goals in the Chargers’ 3-1 win over Streamwood and five goals in a 8-3 win over Hoffman Estates.

Mensik has enjoyed her transition to high school soccer. She didn’t expect the team chemistry would be so positive but she enjoys the team building she and her teammates have gone through early in the season.

“The transition overall has been great,” Mensik said. “I’m having a lot more fun playing in high school. I think it’s the freedom of the play, being able to play with new players who are so talented, so I just really like the difference of my teammates and the amazing coaches Dundee-Crown has.”

Mensik knows she’ll need to make adjustments as the season moves on and more coaches pay closer attention to her. She’ll also be focused on helping the program take its next step as it tries to compete for a conference title and a deep postseason run.

“That’s the motivation,” Mensik said. “Making Dundee-Crown girls soccer known.”

Adjusting on the fly

Crystal Lake Central players have shown their ability to make adjustments through three matches this season.

The Tigers made mid-game adjustments in their 8-0 win over Marian Central on Monday when the players struggled to push through the Hurricanes defense.

Crystal Lake Central coaches and players know they’ll need to keep making adjustments if they want to compete for a conference title, as well as go deep in the postseason.

[ Photos: Crystal Lake Central vs. Marian Central girls soccer ]

“There are going to be really intense games coming up, so all we can do is reflect on the stuff we need to work on from this game and improve on it,” Olivia Anderson said after the win against Marian. “We found certain things that are key to success, we made certain things work, and when we worked, we got goals.”

The Tigers started to move the ball in a productive way instead of creating too many touches, which helped the team score six goals in the second half Monday.

Tigers coach Sarah Fack has worked with different lineups through three matches to see which one works best. Watching five different players score Monday encouraged Fack that her players can adjust.

“Adjusting is going to be more and more important as we get deeper into the season,” Fack said. “Games get closer and closer down the line.”

Hot start

Richmond-Burton has picked up where it left off last season with an outpouring of goals through three matches this season.

The Rockets (2-0-1) have scored 13 goals and have made adjustments with some different lineups this year.

“They’ve really picked up and done everything that’s been asked of them,” Richmond-Burton coach Casey DeCaluwe said. “Early on, we’re doing well.”

Reese Frericks has scored two goals in each of the Rockets first three games, including a goal with 49 seconds left to tie Monday’s match against Grayslake North. Margaret Slove and Brianna Maldonando have each scored three times while Layne Frericks also scored one so far.

The Rockets have been successful while still trying to figure out new roles. The team’s midfield is different with the return of Jordan Otto, who is easing back into competition after she sustained a knee injury last spring.

Given the wet conditions, DeCaluwe has been cautious with Otto early, while other early injuries have forced the team to adjust.

“Kids are just stepping up in roles that we’re asking of them and they’re not batting an eye, they’re just going out there, fulfilling the position,” DeCaluwe said. “It’s been nice to see, I would just like to see some more consistency in our lineup.”

Catching up

Marian Central coach Brittany Solomon knew the first few matches of the season would be important with a young roster.

When the Hurricanes had two of their matches postponed last week because of weather, Solomon lost two opportunities for her players to grow and learn.

The team showed its inexperience Monday against Crystal Lake Central when it failed to get a shot on goal and struggled to move the ball past midfield.

In upcoming matches Solomon wants her players to work on ball control through the center and shifting forward, moving as a team.

“The best thing that we can take [away] is to look at where our strengths worked really well and finding those weaknesses, playing those drills and activities at practice, get that game ready and game speed,” Solomon said.