For Brooke Ross, not securing the draw in overtime in the state championship game was unthinkable.
Since failure was not an option against Hinsdale Central, the New Trier senior defensive midfielder corralled a perfect draw from Kennedy Meier.
“We all sort of knew going into overtime that the draw would be most of it,” Ross said. “Kennedy put the ball in a perfect spot, and it came right to me.”
Moments later, the game was over, and the Trevians’ second state title was in hand.
Ross made a pass behind the net to George Washington commit Grace Curry, who scored to give New Trier a 12-11 win at Hinsdale Central on June 4.
“We had talked with our coaches during the overtime to see which play we should run, to see where we could score,” Curry said. “Brooke fed me the ball, and I just turned and shot.”
Ross, who scored three goals in the second half to help give New Trier an 11-10 lead with 8:06 to go, had an impressive regular season. She led the Trevians with 46 ground balls secured and was third on the team with 25 caused turnovers.
Now Ross is in a position to potentially play in college after a postgraduate year at Lawrenceville in New Jersey.
“There are a lot of schools that are interested in her,” New Trier coach Pete Collins said.
Ross was a relative latecomer to the sport, starting in seventh grade after several years playing soccer. Her high school career seemingly had just as many ups and downs as this state championship game, where the Trevians found themselves down 9-4 and 10-6.
As a freshman, she played junior varsity in support of New Trier’s 2019 state championship team, which also beat Hinsdale Central. Then her sophomore year was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic. Last season, the Trevians were eliminated in the sectional final by rival Loyola.
Ross brought leadership to the team as a senior. Collins characterizes it as a blend of setting an example for teammates and carrying a healthy swagger.
“She plays super hard,” Collins said. “She plays tennis, too, and is very mentally tough and focused.”
Added Meier: “She’s more rah-rah. She gets everyone really hyped. She pumps us up, and I want to take that to the younger people on my team. But she shows by example too. When you saw her three goals … I wanted to score.”
Meier did, giving the Trevians their 11-10 lead. Hinsdale Central scored to tie it again with 3:43 left, but the New Trier defense held.
Ross said the Trevians’ success in the second half was predicated by an impassioned halftime speech by assistant Carli Harpel.
“Carli is pretty good at giving halftime speeches, and she was like, ‘Who wants it more?’ and (talked about) playing in the moment,” Ross said. “You’re going to make those moments, and then they are going to pass.”
Ross certainly had her moments at New Trier. Now it’s time to move on.
“I’m going to miss everyone from the team — people from the 2019 team, the 2020 team, the friends I made this year, the amazing coaches we’ve had,” she said.
Gregg Voss is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
