1. Cream rising to the top. Neuqua Valley and Naperville North are rounding into form after early struggles. Neuqua has won seven straight games, while Naperville North upset Lyons 3-2 on a last-minute goal by Olivia Stapleton and then knocked off Geneva 2-0 as Stapleton scored again.
2. Get ready, get set. The Naperville Invite quarterfinals are Thursday. Naperville North (5-4-2) will host Neuqua Valley (7-4-2) at 7 p.m., with the winner playing New Trier (14-0) or Fremd in Friday’s semifinals at Naperville Central. Waubonsie Valley (9-1-3) faces Palatine (7-4-2) at Fremd, with the winner facing Barrington (8-1-2) or Loyola (14-1). The final is noon Saturday at Central.
3. Strange, but true. Naperville Central freshman Caitlin Reice suffered a back injury when she was bucked off a horse and into a wall over spring break. “I got that email and I was like, ‘Aw, come on,’” Naperville Central coach Ed Watson said. “In 22 years of coaching I had never heard that one before.” Reice returned to the lineup last week and has played well on defense.
