Even though Jack Schmidtke plays three sports for South Elgin, soccer has always been the one that consumes the most time and holds the most sway for the senior central defender.

It goes beyond the goals and the assists and even the shutouts.

“Honestly, for as long as I can remember, soccer has been my identity,” he said. “I’ve lived through it, cried more than I ever have on this field. I’ve put in more hours than I have for anything else.”

That’s why Schmidtke wore his heart on his sleeve Tuesday night for the Storm during a 2-0 loss to Glenbrook North in the Class 3A Barrington Supersectional.

It was a bittersweet conclusion of a four-year varsity career for Schmidtke as South Elgin (22-4-1) saw a nine-game winning streak snapped. The Spartans (20-2-3) scored twice in the second h

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