Irrespective of the game, Benet’s Sadie Sterbenz has just one objective.
“I actually wish to win,” Sterbenz mentioned. “Successful is my factor.”
Sterbenz did a number of successful throughout her junior 12 months, incomes state medals in basketball and soccer. She was a backup 5-foot-8 guard on the Benet ladies basketball workforce that completed fourth in Class 4A and was a star defender on the women soccer workforce that took second in Class 2A.
Sterbenz, who has dedicated to play soccer at Center Tennessee State, loved the varied roles. She noticed motion in 14 video games throughout the basketball season however didn’t thoughts the restricted minutes coach Joe Kilbride doled out.
“Kilbride at all times says we’d like workforce gamers, and I’ll do something to assist my workforce win,” Sterbenz mentioned. “I’ll encourage everybody to have excessive spirits always. I knew that was an important a part of our workforce. It was actually enjoyable.”
Indiana-bound guard Lenee Beaumont mentioned Sterbenz will play a bigger position as a senior.
“She’s a stud defender,” Beaumont mentioned. “She will guard principally anybody.”
The identical is true in soccer. Sterbenz has been a starter the previous two seasons, first at heart again and this previous season as an out of doors again.
The latter place was new to Sterbenz, who shortly acclimated when coach Gerard Oconer requested her to modify.
“I did no matter Oconer requested of me,” Sterbenz mentioned. “So when he wanted me to step up, I stepped up.”
It didn’t take lengthy. Sterbenz bagged two targets and an help in a 4-0 win over Wheaton Academy within the season opener.
“She wasn’t in a position to do a lot with us the primary week of preseason as a result of she was nonetheless with basketball,” Oconer mentioned. “So for her to return contemporary off basketball season and be capable to carry out like that was fairly spectacular.”
Sterbenz continued her spectacular play all through the season, ending with three targets and 5 assists whereas headlining a protection that allowed simply 18 targets in 27 matches.
She was a serious motive why the Redwings (22-5) battled defending state champion Troy Triad to the ultimate whistle in a 1-0 loss within the state championship recreation.
“That was her finest recreation defensively,” Oconer mentioned. “Sadie is at all times going to be an ultra-aggressive, tremendous aggressive, hard-nosed defender, and she or he performed with a number of poise and composure and performed underneath management.
“She was simply laser-focused that recreation, and that’s one of many large the explanation why we actually didn’t quit that many good scoring alternatives to Triad.”
Oconer marveled at how Sterbenz excelled in her roles in each sports activities. Sitting on the bench in basketball gave Sterbenz empathy for the soccer reserves, particularly the youthful ones who appeared as much as her.
“Probably the most distinctive conditions of the dynamic of our workforce was we had 4 freshmen,” Oconer mentioned. “The final three or 4 weeks of the season, all 4 freshmen gravitated towards her.
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“She was just like the pied piper. Wherever Sadie went, they adopted.”
Which was tremendous with Sterbenz.
“They’re simply nice ladies,” Sterbenz mentioned. “I had a extremely enjoyable time hanging out with them.
“Our workforce is only one large household, and we’re all associates. So I didn’t even have a look at them as freshmen. I have a look at them as my teammates and a few of my closest associates. That’s how our complete workforce thinks.”
As happy as Sterbenz was with successful two medals, she needs to finish her Benet profession with a state championship or two.
“It was a giant expertise for each sports activities,” Sterbenz mentioned. “I’m pleased with what we did, however we nonetheless need that first-place medal.”
Matt Le Cren is a contract reporter for the Naperville Solar.