Freshman midfielder Elizabeth Burfeind was feeling frustrated in the first few weeks of the season as she took on the challenge of starting on the varsity for Lincoln-Way East.
Burfeind was getting scoring chances but shots weren’t going in. Her teammates, though, refused to let her get down. She then had a hat trick in an April 5 win over Herscher.
“I had all kinds of shots at the beginning of the season and didn’t quite put them away but they kept encouraging me,” said Burfeind, who now has six goals on the season. “I had a breakthrough a couple games ago (against Herscher).
“I’ve been on fire ever since, but it all comes from the support from my teammates.”
Burfeind stood out in a major way again Thursday night as she was at the center of a constant, unrelenting attack by Lincoln-Way East’s offense.
A steady wave of pressure by the Griffins, however, did not result in a goal and Wheaton North came away with a 1-0 win in the Porter Cup championship game at Lockport.
Burfeind, Kara Waishwell, Cami Butler and Bre Herlihy all put multiple shots on goal for the Griffins (10-2), who ended up with a 12-2 advantage in shots on goal.
But for the second straight year at the tournament, junior goalkeeper Zoey Bohmer was the hero for Wheaton North (6-3-1). Bohmer finished with 12 saves.
Last season, the Falcons beat the Griffins 1-0 in the shootout in a similar championship game.
“A lot of credit to their keeper,” Burfeind said. “She had some amazing saves that you don’t see very often.”
Nonetheless, Burfeind has gained some major confidence lately. She scored Tuesday in Lincoln-Way East’s 2-0 semifinal win over Lemont.
“It feels really good,” she said. “Once you get in the habit of what your team does and how you guys build, it becomes easier to read where you need to go, what you need to do in order to get those dangerous opportunities.”
Burfeind is doing way more than just scoring, too.
“She does some great things,” Lincoln-Way East coach Mike Murphy said of Burfeind. “She brings the energy to the middle of the field. She’s like the Energizer Bunny in that she never stops running.
“The offensive end is good, but I think the defensive end for her is even a little bit better. Any time someone gets the ball, she’s the person who comes after it and she’s the person who wins the ball.”
On top of that, Burfeind is a varsity rookie, too.
“As a freshman, it’s outstanding to be able to make the varsity team and start,” Murphy said. “And then to be able to contribute the way she has is just another compliment.”
Burfeind used some nifty dribbling to get around a couple defenders and draw a foul in the box in the second half. She took the ensuing penalty kick but was denied by a lunging Bohmer.
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“She made an amazing save on that shot,” Burfeind said. “I put it on frame, but unfortunately she read it right and was able to reach it. I’m going to have to go back and practice a couple more PKs.”
That was the biggest of several heartbreaking near-misses for the Griffins.
Midway through the second half, Waishwell ripped a 30-yard shot that a leaping Bohmer was able to tip off the crossbar and over.
“I think we did a good job possessing,” Waishwell said. “We just really needed to finish our shots.”
Waishwell started on varsity last season as a freshman. She sees Burfeind handling the task quite well.
“I tell her just don’t be nervous or back down,” Waishwell said. “They may be bigger and older, but she can handle anything. She’s really skilled and talented.”
Steve Millar is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
