Wauconda senior midfielder Karsten Ternes has been among the tallest players on the field since an early age.
But his skills didn’t necessarily keep pace with his body.
“I’ve always been bigger than everyone else,” Ternes said. “I kept growing and growing, and I would adapt to my height and size.”
Ternes’ career hit a crossroads in sixth grade, when he failed to make the final cut for a travel team slated to play in a tournament in California. His cousin Cade, now a junior midfielder at Antioch, did make the team.
“When I was younger, I was told I needed to work on my technical ability,” Ternes said. “That was a turning point for me. I knew I had to get more technical and quicker. A switch turned on for me. I knew I had to turn it up now and be more dedicated to the sport.”
His father, Pete, who played at Illinois State and coached at Lake Zurich, said Ternes “looked at it as a challenge” and became a different player.
“He was always going to be a big and physical player, but he needed to get skills with his feet, so that got him into futsal and really concentrating on his technique,” Pete Ternes said.
Karsten Ternes, the 2023 News-Sun Boys Soccer Player of the Year, has been on the fast track ever since. A four-year starter and three-year captain, the 6-foot-4, 200-pound Ternes raised the bar for the program by leading Wauconda (13-3-2, 6-2) to its first Northern Lake County Conference title and being named to the all-state team as a defensive midfielder this season.
Wauconda coach Tim Miller said he did a lot of research and is “pretty confident saying he’s the first boys all-state player in program history.”
A defender for three years, Ternes doubled his career goals total by scoring nine times this season. His ability to score off set pieces was particularly important. He also had four assists and was named the conference player of the year.
“Karsten is the most physically imposing and talented six in the state,” Miller said, referring to Ternes’ position. “He was the backbone of a very talented team. … As a player, he can do it all on the field. He can defend the top players in the state, then can turn around and run our midfield with ease. His most deadly skill is free kicks and the ability to score in the air.”
Ternes’ impact on the Bulldogs extends beyond statistics, victories and awards, however. His selfless attitude and commitment to helping younger players will last for several years, according to Miller.
“Karsten approached every single session with the mindset to work hard and give max effort,” Miller said. “Whether we were doing set pieces, fitness or scrimmaging, Karsten’s level never fell. His teammates saw his level of commitment and preparation. Building a culture of winning is difficult, and it doesn’t happen overnight. … Karsten laid a foundation for other players to follow and emulate.”
Ternes, who started every game of his career except the first of his freshman season, has several college offers but hasn’t committed. He said the Bulldogs’ success this season “meant the world to me.”
“Since the start of my freshman year, when we were not so good, every year we’ve progressed,” he said. “I knew we could win the conference this year. We had a passion for teamwork and were dedicated.”
Bobby Narang is a freelance reporter for the News-Sun.
