On a night when the Tinley Park girls soccer team honored one of its own and raised money for breast cancer research, senior forward/midfielder Gianna Butler was playing for her grandmas.
Janis Butler and Dorothy Malito are both breast cancer survivors.
“They both fought it, and now they’re living their best lives, and I’m so happy for them,” Gianna Butler said. “It meant a lot to me that Tinley was representing for breast cancer.”
Butler, an Illinois Wesleyan recruit, scored two goals Thursday to lead the host Titans to an 8-0 South Suburban Blue win over T.F. United.
Lakeland commit Addie Weed added two goals and two assists for Tinley Park (12-1, 8-0), which won its ninth straight game. Alexandria Rocha, Madilynn Kosmos, Gracie Fitzgerald and Kit Gormley each added one goal, while Maggie Stachowicz recorded the shutout.
Angela Mendez made five saves for T.F. United (1-9, 1-7).
Tinley Park honored 2011 graduate Christine Hermann, a former soccer player who died last year after a battle with breast cancer. The players wore special pink jerseys that said “Forever On Our Roster.”
Titans coach Kelsey Neylon was a teammate of Hermann’s in high school.
“It means a lot to do this,” Neylon said. “I love her family, too. It was nice to honor her and to be there for them as well. One thing I take so much pride in being an alumnus here is this program and being teammates, showing the girls that it’s more than just on the field.
“It’s off the field and later in life, too. It was pretty much emotional for me, talking in the beginning and thinking of our girls being on the field and having those relationships that are so much more than just soccer.”
Butler is experiencing those close bonds with her Tinley Park teammates. On a special night, she said the Titans were determined to show who they are.
“We just wanted to go out there and represent what the Tinley Park Titan family is all about,” Butler said. “We’re all about family. We’re all about resilience. We just all want to play together and bring energy.”
Butler scored twice in the first half as the Titans opened up a 4-0 lead.
Neylon said Butler is capable of playing any position on the field.
“She excels everywhere,” Neylon said. “She’s our anywhere-we-need-her player. She’s huge. I’m so proud of her. Her competitive drive, her hard work and her ability to pump everyone up and make them want to do better is really what I see in her.”
Butler’s teammates certainly appreciate her flexibility.
“She’s a big part of our team,” Weed said of Butler. “She’s all about teamwork. We’ve moved her into a couple different positions — center mid, forward, outside wing — and in every single position, she’s impacted our team.
“She’s crushing it at forward now. She’s doing amazing up there.”
Butler is having a blast doing it.
“I like myself up top a lot,” Butler said. “I like using my speed, getting those through balls. It’s a fun position playing forward.”
Butler was also a volleyball player for the Titans.
“That was fun, too,” she said. “It’s good to be on different teams, get a different vibe and connect with different people. I like being in sports and being competitive and instead of just being soccer, soccer, soccer, it’s good to explore.”
Soccer, however, is her future. In fact, Thursday was a big day for more than just the benefit game.
It was also Butler’s signing day as she made her commitment to Illinois Wesleyan official.
“I’m very happy I have it all figured out,” she said. “I didn’t know exactly where I wanted to go in the beginning. I’m glad I found somewhere close to home and to be able to play at the next level.
“I found my spot.”
