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BARRINGTON, IL. — The Barrington High School softball team has come out with an edge for the 2026 season.
Last season ended for the Fillies with a 4-1 loss to Oswego on June 14, 2025, in the IHSA 4A state championship game at Louisville Slugger Sports Complex in Peoria, Illinois.
The loss has motivated the 2026 team. Barrington (32-0) has not lost a game since that championship game, a stretch of 339 days.
"I think losing that game just fueled us to push past the limit," senior Madi Van Ryn told USA TODAY Sports. "Knowing that we were able to bring back almost everybody but the seniors, we were able to come back and avenge our season."
"It was obviously disappointing," junior Harlow Engel added. "But we had to remember it was a really good season. The message on the bus was, 'This hurts, so we're going to remember this and we're going to come back next year even stronger.'"
Now, they are chasing that elusive state championship.
REQUIRED READING: High school basketball shot clock: Which states have it, which states don't? Why?
The Fillies — which returned six starters — take on Larkin in the Barington Regional Semifinal on Tuesday, May 19, at McHenry High School (McHenry, Illinois). That will begin the road to possible history for the program.
The 32 wins are already a school record to start a season. At home stadium — the Field of Dreams — the Fillies have won 38 straight home games, with the sectional semifinals and championship ahead, as well as the potential Super 16 games.
The Fillies are the first MSL League softball team since Prospect in 1986 to complete a perfect overall regular season.
It was not until near the end of the season that the players felt that a perfect season was possible.
"We knew it was possible once we reached 20-25 wins," Engel said. "Then we said, 'OK, this is a real possibility.' But our coaches have always said that we should strive for perfection. But we were also able to learn lessons during the season without having to lose."
The last time they were on the softball diamond, Barrington defeated Fremd for its 32nd straight win in the Mid-Suburban League Conference championship game on Thursday, May 14. The Fillies have won the MSL 18 times in program history.
That accomplishment is not enough for the players or coach Perry Peterson anymore. Barrington has appeared in the state tournament 13 times in program history, with four fourth-place, four third-place and three runner-up trophies.
Of those 13 state appearances, 12 have come under Peterson, since he took over in 1993. The Fillies have finished as the 4A state runner-up three times — 2007, 2008 and 2025.
"We just want to do better than we did last year," junior ace Katie Taraschewsky said. "We want to go for the goal we've been aiming for since Barrington softball started."
Including this season’s 32-0 record, Peterson has won 1,038 games as a high school softball coach, which ranks third all-time in Illinois history — and 14th in the country. Of those wins, 1,020 have come with Barrington, which also ranks third in the state for most at one school.
The Fillies' players agree that they are seeking the elusive championship, wanting to win especially for Peterson, who is one of the most successful coaches after 34 years of leading the program.
"That's the goal for a lot of us," Engel said of wanting to win for Peterson. "It's a big goal for Coach P and it's also a big goal for the program."
The two-run win margin was the closest game the Fillies have played since an 8-7 win over the Vikings on April 17. In fact, Barrington outscored its opponents 348-48 for the season on the back of Taraschewsky, the ace pitcher.
The Division III signee at Saint Michael's College (Colchester, Vermont) has a minuscule 1.18 ERA and a perfect 28-0 record on the season, with 143 strikeouts and 29 walks. She has fired seven shutouts, two no-hitters and limited hitters to a .195 batting average.
"It gives us a lot of confidence to be able to lean on somebody like that," Van Ryn said. "Her pitching can give us a little bit of a break offensive-wise."
For her career, Taraschewsky owns an 87-10 record, putting her just three wins behind Keenan Dolezal (90-21) for the most wins in Barrington program history. Dolezal pitched for Barrington from 2012 to 2015.
Taraschewsky threw 221 1/3 innings last season — the second most in school history. She has thrown 160 innings this season of the possible 188 innings for the team.
"It's been a lot," Taraschewsky said of her pitching workload. "But it's been fun being in the circle all the time."
Backing an elite ace has been an offense that has picked up run-rule victories in nearly half their games this season. The Fillies' offense has not had fewer than four runs in a single game this season, scoring at least double-digit runs in 22 games and at least five runs in 31 of the 32 games.
Engel — a Wichita State commit — leads the way with a .585 batting average, 62 hits, 10 doubles, four home runs and 51 RBI. Fellow junior Junior Liana Maggio has chipped in with a .495 batting average, 53 hits, 13 doubles, 54 runs, and is 25-of-26 on stolen base attempts.
Ryn — a Division III Quincy University (Quincy, Illinois) commit — has a .484 batting average with 45 hits, eight doubles, two home runs, 39 RBI and 13 stolen bases in 14 attempts. Even Taraschewsky joined in on the fun with a team-high nine home runs and nine doubles with a .453 batting average.
"It's just a wonderful group of kids to work with," Peterson said. "They've done everything we asked. ... They're motivated, they're willing to try different things, so it's been a great season."
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Barrington's IHSA softball postseason run more than just elusive title
Continue reading...
Last season ended for the Fillies with a 4-1 loss to Oswego on June 14, 2025, in the IHSA 4A state championship game at Louisville Slugger Sports Complex in Peoria, Illinois.
The loss has motivated the 2026 team. Barrington (32-0) has not lost a game since that championship game, a stretch of 339 days.
"I think losing that game just fueled us to push past the limit," senior Madi Van Ryn told USA TODAY Sports. "Knowing that we were able to bring back almost everybody but the seniors, we were able to come back and avenge our season."
"It was obviously disappointing," junior Harlow Engel added. "But we had to remember it was a really good season. The message on the bus was, 'This hurts, so we're going to remember this and we're going to come back next year even stronger.'"
Now, they are chasing that elusive state championship.
REQUIRED READING: High school basketball shot clock: Which states have it, which states don't? Why?
The Fillies — which returned six starters — take on Larkin in the Barington Regional Semifinal on Tuesday, May 19, at McHenry High School (McHenry, Illinois). That will begin the road to possible history for the program.
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Another record-setting season for Barrington softball under Perry Peterson
The 32 wins are already a school record to start a season. At home stadium — the Field of Dreams — the Fillies have won 38 straight home games, with the sectional semifinals and championship ahead, as well as the potential Super 16 games.
The Fillies are the first MSL League softball team since Prospect in 1986 to complete a perfect overall regular season.
It was not until near the end of the season that the players felt that a perfect season was possible.
"We knew it was possible once we reached 20-25 wins," Engel said. "Then we said, 'OK, this is a real possibility.' But our coaches have always said that we should strive for perfection. But we were also able to learn lessons during the season without having to lose."
The last time they were on the softball diamond, Barrington defeated Fremd for its 32nd straight win in the Mid-Suburban League Conference championship game on Thursday, May 14. The Fillies have won the MSL 18 times in program history.
That accomplishment is not enough for the players or coach Perry Peterson anymore. Barrington has appeared in the state tournament 13 times in program history, with four fourth-place, four third-place and three runner-up trophies.
Of those 13 state appearances, 12 have come under Peterson, since he took over in 1993. The Fillies have finished as the 4A state runner-up three times — 2007, 2008 and 2025.
"We just want to do better than we did last year," junior ace Katie Taraschewsky said. "We want to go for the goal we've been aiming for since Barrington softball started."
Including this season’s 32-0 record, Peterson has won 1,038 games as a high school softball coach, which ranks third all-time in Illinois history — and 14th in the country. Of those wins, 1,020 have come with Barrington, which also ranks third in the state for most at one school.
The Fillies' players agree that they are seeking the elusive championship, wanting to win especially for Peterson, who is one of the most successful coaches after 34 years of leading the program.
"That's the goal for a lot of us," Engel said of wanting to win for Peterson. "It's a big goal for Coach P and it's also a big goal for the program."
Katie Taraschewsky leading the charge for Barrington in pitching circle
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The two-run win margin was the closest game the Fillies have played since an 8-7 win over the Vikings on April 17. In fact, Barrington outscored its opponents 348-48 for the season on the back of Taraschewsky, the ace pitcher.
The Division III signee at Saint Michael's College (Colchester, Vermont) has a minuscule 1.18 ERA and a perfect 28-0 record on the season, with 143 strikeouts and 29 walks. She has fired seven shutouts, two no-hitters and limited hitters to a .195 batting average.
"It gives us a lot of confidence to be able to lean on somebody like that," Van Ryn said. "Her pitching can give us a little bit of a break offensive-wise."
For her career, Taraschewsky owns an 87-10 record, putting her just three wins behind Keenan Dolezal (90-21) for the most wins in Barrington program history. Dolezal pitched for Barrington from 2012 to 2015.
Taraschewsky threw 221 1/3 innings last season — the second most in school history. She has thrown 160 innings this season of the possible 188 innings for the team.
"It's been a lot," Taraschewsky said of her pitching workload. "But it's been fun being in the circle all the time."
Explosive offense
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Backing an elite ace has been an offense that has picked up run-rule victories in nearly half their games this season. The Fillies' offense has not had fewer than four runs in a single game this season, scoring at least double-digit runs in 22 games and at least five runs in 31 of the 32 games.
Engel — a Wichita State commit — leads the way with a .585 batting average, 62 hits, 10 doubles, four home runs and 51 RBI. Fellow junior Junior Liana Maggio has chipped in with a .495 batting average, 53 hits, 13 doubles, 54 runs, and is 25-of-26 on stolen base attempts.
Ryn — a Division III Quincy University (Quincy, Illinois) commit — has a .484 batting average with 45 hits, eight doubles, two home runs, 39 RBI and 13 stolen bases in 14 attempts. Even Taraschewsky joined in on the fun with a team-high nine home runs and nine doubles with a .453 batting average.
"It's just a wonderful group of kids to work with," Peterson said. "They've done everything we asked. ... They're motivated, they're willing to try different things, so it's been a great season."
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Barrington's IHSA softball postseason run more than just elusive title
Continue reading...
