A gamer is someone who plays video games. It also refers to a person who seems to always perform well under pressure.
For a group of New Trier High School students, both definitions apply.
New Trier’s esports club recently finished an impressive debut season that saw one of its teams advance all the way to the national finals.
The club’s “Valorant” team recorded a comeback victory in the championship of the High School Esports League Spring Major’s Central Division tournament on April 24 to earn a bid to national competition May 19-21 in Kansas City.
During a best-of-three match in the central championships, New Trier was in trouble in the second round after losing the first 14 wins to 12 to Minnetonka High School out of Minnesota. That’s when senior Kush Arora came through with a huge play to knock off one of his opponents. He then finished off the rest of them to earn a win and set the tone for the rest of the match.
Arora and company won the second round 13-9 and dominated the third 13-1.
“The moment we won that (point), we just played our game,” Arora said. “When we won that second round, we knew we were set to win the whole thing.”
“Valorant” is a five-on-five, first-person shooter game, and Arora and the rest of the team compiled a 7-1 record during spring competition before dominating en route to the regional tournament finale.
Esports club sponsor Ryan Dunn, a gamer himself, very much enjoyed watching the tense championship bout.
“It was exciting,” he said. “The students start winning and realizing it is a reality that they might win it all. It was neck and neck when one of our players made a huge play. That changed the momentum of the game.”
New Trier esports players compete in a “Valorant” national tournament on May 19.
Dunn plays a lot of video games — “probably more than is healthy,” he said. It is something he can share with students, many of whom have consistently asked him about starting a club at New Trier.
Within the past year, the Illinois High School Association brought esports into its fold, providing it with a formal state competition series. Dunn said that move by the IHSA was the catalyst for New Trier starting a club last fall.
“It’s our very first year. We had 30 kids in the fall and that’s almost doubled to about 60 in the spring,” he said.
The esports club is open to all students, and members play a variety of games from “Valorant” to “League of Legends” to “Rocket League” and more.
While other team’s saw success, Arora’s “Valorant” squad advanced the furthest, and he said plenty goes into being successful in competitions.
The team scouts its opponents, watching their previous matches on Twitch to pick up on tendencies and anything else it can exploit.
Then, he said, once in the gamechair, it’s a mental game as much as a technical one.
“In any esports competition, it’s about your mentality and confidence going into a match,” Arora said. “You can be the best player in the world but not right mentally or confident in your skills. Our mentality drove us to the end.”
New Trier’s “Valorant” team didn’t place in the national finals, but it’s just the beginning for the esports club.
Other North Shore gamers also found esports success this school year.
Highland Park High School student Erick Chavez with his state title after winning the “FIFA” tournament.
Highland Park’s Erick Chavez went unbeaten (5-0) in the “FIFA ’23” state championships, which features a double elimination tournament. Chavez won his title match 3-2.
The state series also features tournaments for “Mario Kart 8 Deluxe,” “Rocket League” and “Smash Bros. Crew Battle.”
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Eileen Dooley is a senior and All-State attacker for the Ramblers, who have advanced to the state’s final four. The Evanston resident will play for and attend Marquette University next school year.
1. Do you have any pregame rituals or superstitions?
Honestly, not really. If it’s an away game, we all just listen to music on the bus. But for me, not really. I’m pretty boring.
2. Why is Marquette a good fit for you?
I wanted to stay in the Midwest. It’s a quick, hour drive. My sister (Maeve, Loyola 2022) is a freshman there who also plays lacrosse.
3. How did you get into lacrosse?
I’ve done camps since kindergarten but I started club in fourth grade. I just love being part of a team — my club team and my high school team. It’s so much fun going on trips and tournaments with the high school team. I love being with everybody. The club team has awesome coaches that have shown so much support.
4. What is your favorite thing to do off the field?
Probably just hang out with friends. I go to the beach, tan. I also do a lot of babysitting, which I really like to do.
5. What is your dream job?
I think I’m majoring in business, so something in business, but I don’t really know. Maybe a lawyer. I have a lot of friends whose parents are (lawyers) and it seems like a really cool job. I always hear about interesting cases and I feel like I could be passionate about that.
6. If you could play another sport, what would it be?
I played basketball my freshman year and tennis up to junior year. I stopped tennis just to focus on lacrosse so I’d probably just continue with that. I’ve played since I was young with my dad and sister and it’s super fun.
7. What is your favorite TV show right now?
Right now, I’m watching “Selling Sunset” on Netflix. They just came out with a new season and it’s fun to watch. My all-time favorite is “Gossip Girl.” I’ve watched the entire thing like three times.
8. If you’re in Walgreens with a couple bucks, what are you buying?
Trolli gummy worms. It’s my favorite candy. They are so good.
9. What is something people don’t know about you?
I have celiac disease, which is like a gluten allergy, so I’m just on a super strict, gluten-free diet. I was diagnosed in fourth grade, but there are usually like substitutions for most things.
10. How has your senior season gone and what will it take to win a state championship?
The start of the season was a little bit slow. The games in Illinois we won but didn’t play our best. Our trip out to (Washington,) D.C. we went 2-2 and played all right. We came back and went out again to Colorado and went 2-2 again there. Since then, we definitely played better. Our team now is a completely different team. We have improved so much. Since the Colorado trip, we played two Ohio teams, two Massachusetts teams and Illinois teams and haven’t lost. We’ve been a whole different team. Now, it’s the playoffs. We just got a huge win against new trier. … So we’re super excited. On more practice until (the state finals), we just gotta lock in and get it done.
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Township High School District 113 officials on Tuesday, May 30, continued to discuss enhanced security and safety measures at both of the district’s schools, and “no option is off the table,” according to district leadership.
District 113 board president Dan Struck opened the board of education meeting by reading a statement addressing recent criticism of the district’s security measures nearly two months after a student brought a firearm to Highland Park High School, causing a two-hour lockdown on April 4.
“Any suggestion that the 113 board and administration do not take security seriously is personally offensive,” Struck said. “ … Sitting on the board, each of us embrace the fact that our high schools are central to the lives of our shared communities. It is deplorable to suggest that any of us on this board are callous toward the safety of any of the children in our schools.”
Struck defended the district’s approach to security by noting that it within the past year it spent funds on enhanced communications, coordination, detection and monitoring systems, additional security staff, enhancing its school resource officer coverage and more.
Outside the district’s administrative offices in Highland Park prior to the meeting, approximately 20 people gathered to say the district’s efforts are not enough and urged the School Board to support metal detectors and additional armed security guards at D113 schools.
The rally was organized by an advocacy group operating as Parents for Securing Our Schools. Several public commenters who supported heightened safety measures donned yellow shirts at the meeting with the group’s name. Group organizers Suzanne Wahl, Enrique Perez and Jenny Harjung all addressed the board during public comment, as well.
It is deplorable to suggest that any of us on this board are callous toward the safety of any of the children in our schools”
Dan Struck, D113 School Board president
The board “will continue to approve expenditures for enhanced security and safety measures consistent with the best available guidance,” Struck said during the meeting, adding that the district is “considering the available options and no option is off the table.”
Struck did not provide specifics on potential enhancements, saying “security is an appropriate topic for closed session and it would make little sense to provide a roadmap to the multilayered levels of security employed by 113 in open session.”
District 113 Superintendent Dr. Bruce Law was absent from the meeting because of a family emergency, Struck said.
The board president, however, did note that the district is “testing the feasibility of one of those security measures on an ongoing basis.”
“The board and administration are committed to basing their decisions on the best available security studies in governmental, law enforcement and expert guidance,” he said. “The actions taken by 113 will be based on the best available factual information and research.”
The district recently released a survey to gather more insight and feedback on the community’s feelings toward the potential of metal detectors or weapons-detection systems in Highland Park and Deerfield High Schools.
Jim Hobart — a representative from Public Opinion Strategies, the firm that conducted the survey and gathered input — presented the results to board members May 30, reporting that the survey received 1,286 responses over eight days. Hobart told board members that the response was high and the firm was confident the survey data was representative of the district’s community.
Survey data showed significant community support for weapons-detection systems as the preferred method of added security measures over metal detectors.
Seventy-seven percent of participants responded in favor of the systems, which the question said “scan for weapons but allow for faster entry.”
When asked about installing metal detectors, which the survey noted would “require people to remove belts and empty their pockets of keys, phones, etc.,” 45 percent of participants responded positively.
Seventy-five percent agreed with a question asking if metal detectors or a weapons-detection system would make them feel safer, with just over 70 percent of the students, nearly 80 percent of parents and 61 percent of district staff in agreement.
The board and community members devoted significant discussion to a survey question that asked about new security measures at every entrance, which, according to the question, “could require cutting funding for extracurricular activities such as performing arts programs, visual arts programs, or athletics.”
Forty percent of participants responded in favor of this question while 60 percent answered in opposition. Hobart described it as a “rubber meets the road” question, saying that it’s common in public opinion polling for supportive respondents to also express hesitancy with funding.
The district did not provide any funding information about added security measures or extracurricular activities that it says may be impacted.
Board members also discussed safety and security with consultant Paul Timm, the director of education safety at Allegion, a company specializing in building security. Timm told the board he’s conducted roughly 2,000 school security assessments since 1999.
The board asked Timm about the pros and cons of weapons-detection systems, the reasons schools enhance safety measures, the best perceived deterrents and more.
Fourteen members of the public addressed the board during the public-comment portion of the meeting. Nine commenters expressed varying levels of support for the district adding either metal detectors, weapons-detection systems, more armed security guards or all three, and four district residents urged the board against these measures.
Wahl, a founder of Parents SOS that rallied outside prior to the meeting, asked for immediate action.
“Do your job,” Wahl said. “Protect my daughter and all our children before it is too late. No more lockdowns for our family, and no more tragedies for our community.”
Sheldon Langer, who said he’s been a resident of Highland Park since 1983, pushed the board to be proactive.
“Have something in place just in case,” he said. “What is the problem with that?”
A few commenters shared displeasures about the survey sent out, calling the question about extracurricular funding misleading and the data unreliable.
Several speakers also used public-comment time to note the security that was in place for the board’s meeting — but there was more to that story.
Prior to entering the district offices, attendees were wanded with a portable metal detector and the bags and belongings of some were checked. Multiple police officers were present before, during and after the board’s session.
District 113 Director of Communications Karen Warner said the added security was in response to reports of armed individuals who would attend the meeting. The district reportedly contacted police and postponed the board’s recognition of three groups.
Highland Park High School students were on hand and addressed the board Tuesday, expressing adamant opposition against metal detectors and weapons-detection systems.
“These systems do not serve their intended purpose and taking money away from our arts and athletics would be a great misappropriation,” said Anna Neblo, a junior at HPHS. “As a student-athlete and as an artist, I passionately agree and I also firmly believe that these systems will provide us with a false sense of security.
“If the district wants to invest that money in violence prevention in our community, I applaud them but respectfully encourage that they seek the root of the issue, not the fruit of it.”
Neblo also said that she and several of her classmates have concerns that these measures will lead to “discriminatory treatment within our institution.”
“I predict that these systems will be applied differently across the student body in ways that do not promote the overall safety of our community but serve to stigmatize and burden students unjustly,” she said. “I don’t want to live and go to school in a community that creates invidious distinctions between us.”
Spencer Sabath, a recent graduate of HPHS, referred to metal detectors as performative solutions and pleaded with the board to “follow the facts.”
“We’ve tried for 330 days to be HP strong but Highland Park’s wounds have slashed too deep for many of us to hold out hope, to convince ourselves that our remaining strength has not been spent,” he said. “And on these wounds, the empty promises and safety and security posed by metal detectors only draw further blood and sear us deeper.”
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New Trier had Libertyville on the ropes for a full 100 minutes of soccer Tuesday night in Northfield but couldn’t land the knockout blow.
Instead, the Wildcats (18-2-2) provided the final strike with their fifth straight converted penalty kick to clinch the decisive shootout and eliminate the Trevians (23-3-1) a game away from the state finals.
“Nobody wants it to go to penalty kicks unless you win. It’s a tough way to end,” New Trier coach Jim Burnside said. “It’s not on anyone’s shoulders. You go out and play 100 minutes and do the best you can. … I’m really, really proud of our girls.”
Sadie Grace Richardson (16) wins the ball in the air for the Trevians in the supersectional.
The penalty-kick session was a game of inches. While each team made its first shot, New Trier’s second attempt banged down off the crossbar and landed just in front of the goal line.
Facing a goal deficit, Trevians goalie Caroline Hague also got her hands on Libertyville’s third attempt, but the ball bounced into the side netting.
The Wildcats flawless penalty-kick performance secured them a supersectional victory on May 30 and one of four spots in the IHSA Class 3A finals on Friday-Saturday, June 2-3. They will face Barrington on June, while Lincoln-Way East and O’Fallon will square off in the second semifinal.
New Trier’s season comes to a close with regional and sectional championships, and the Trevians were among the final eight teams in IHSA Class 3A. The finish was a two-round playoff improvement from the 2022 season, as the Trevians improved from 11 wins — their lowest total since at least 1997 — to 23 year over year.
“It was a great season. I don’t think anyone thought we’d have this type of season after last season,” Burnside said. “Kids stepped up all over the place. I’m so so proud of each individual, all 23 kids, whether they saw five games or 29 games.
“They are now a great team that New Trier and we will remember for a long time.”
New Trier junior Charlotte Dellin (15) fights off a Libertyville defender.
While the Trevians controlled early action, the Wildcats took over for the final 20 minutes of the first half, which include missed shots off the post and crossbar.
In the second half, the matched turned more physical as the time on the clock waned. Each team was called for five fouls in the half. Overall, New Trier was called for 12 to Libertyville’s six.
After successive shutout wins in sectional play, New Trier’s defense was again up to the task against Libertyville, recording their fourth shutout in five playoff contests. It, however, would not have been possible if not for sophomore defensive back Kennedy Colegrove, who cleared a ball off the goal line after it was sent past her keeper with 12 minutes to play.
The Trevians also created chances in the second half, earning five corner kicks in the half. On the Trevs’ best chance, with three minutes to go, Sadie Grace Richardson headed a corner ball off the turf and just over an open net on the far post.
Speaking generally, Burnside said the Trevs did not have the magic touch Tuesday night.
“Bottom line is (Libertyville is) a good team. They are a good, athletic team, so it’s going to make it harder to create those chances,” he said. “I thought we did a good job and we had to make that final touch and it was hard for us. It was a battle. Those chances don’t come that often against good teams.”
In overtime, with both teams clearly tired from 80 minutes of physical and high-level soccer, chances were few and far between in 20 extra minutes of scoreless play.
Then, each team put out their five for penalty kicks.
Sadie Grace Richardson looks to pull away from a Wildcats defender.
After it was over, with Libertyville not missing a shot, New Trier senior Lida Dodge was proud of how her team went out.
“We just kept trying to do everything we could,” she said. “We gave everything we had to try to win. I think we played our best. We all love each other so much and we just wanted to keep going and play next weekend.”
Dodge, who is off to Purdue University next school year, said New Trier soccer has made a special impact on who she is “on and off the field.”
They’ve helped me grow as a person,” she said of her coaches and teammates.
Burnside said that Dodge and her fellow seniors — such as Richardson, Nora Westol, Clara Deliduka and Lauren Caldwell — left a mark that will remain on future classes of Trevians.
“This senior class has just done an amazing job of setting the tone for soccer but setting the tone for NTGS culture,” he said. “And they bought into it. We will miss these seniors. It’s an intangible. You don’t see all of them out there starting, you don’t see all of them getting great minutes, but they are all great teammates.”
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