Carranza maintains family legacy at SCE
By Patrick Z. McGavin
Being the third in line was not a burden for Sebastian Carranza.
In recent years, his surname has been synonymous with St. Charles East soccer excellence. His older sisters, Chantal and Alondra, starred for the Fighting Saints as attacking and highly skilled offensive talents.
But father, Juan Carranza, was the family’s true trendsetter.
“My dad was the oldest of five brothers, and the first in his family to play,” Sebastian said. “He moved here from Mexico when he was in high school.
“After high school, he played professionally with the Chicago Sting and the [indoor] Chicago Power. My dad always had a love and passion for the game. He was also our first coach, for me and my sisters.”
Sebastian Carranza has most definitely followed in the family tradition of soccer success. He has averaged a goal a game this season to go along with five assists at forward for the Saints (5-2-1), who currently stand at no. 9 in the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25 poll.
The current ranking is perhaps fitting in one aspect, given Sebastian has taken on the role his father first staked out, the “no. 9,” or striker role, that is the offensive nerve center of most programs.
“My dad was mainly a goal scorer, and I feel like he implemented that [scoring mentality] in me at a young age,” said the three-year varsity player. “He kind of helped me. Because he played before, that gave him some knowledge of the game.
“He passed that on to me at a younger age and made me realize what my role was and how to do it effectively.”
Chantal Carranza was a two-time Chicagoland Soccer all-state forward whose senior season was erased by a torn ACL injury she suffered in the first game of the season against Fremd.
She attends Division II powerhouse Grand Valley State and played on the Lakers 2019 national championship team.
Alonda Carranza, who graduated last year, was also a two-time Chicagoland Soccer All-Stater. She earned the recognition playing as a defender her sophomore year and shifting to the middle of the attack her junior year.
Her senior year was canceled due to the pandemic. She is a freshman defender/midfielder at St. Cloud State.
Significantly, it is not just the father and children who have notable achievements in the sport. Mother Denice was a standout player at West Chicago High School.
Sebastian Carranza served as the girls’ team manager his freshman year.
“I usually would go to Alondra’s games anyway, but just to be there on the field with her before the game and see how she prepares for the game mentally was important,” Sebastian said.
His sisters set the tone and helped steer him down his own path. They also helped ground him in the subtleties of the game and the need for discipline and drive.
“My sisters already set the image for playing at St. Charles East,” he said.
“It means a lot to me to carry on. Chantal won the national championship. Alondra didn’t have a season this year, but they always pushed me to keep on playing, and keep on playing at a high level.”
Sebastian Carranza balances size, excellent speed and a superb touch on the ball. His sophomore year was interrupted by an ankle injury. Still he flashed promise and excitement, especially with his on the ball presence and creativity with the ball.
He is an amalgam, combining his father’s natural scoring instincts with his sisters’ passion and versatile playing styles.
“I think of myself as more of a technical player who has a good understanding of the game,” he said. “I like to play more in the post. I receive the ball there, and I get the players to play off of me, and I get more opportunities.
“I feel like I break the lines pretty well and make penetrating runs.”
The Saints play in a freewheeling and aggressive style that looks to constantly push forward and generate pressure. Carranza started the new season hot with an assist and game-winning goal against Lake Park.
He has married his natural talent to ever greater confidence and ease at his role and what is expected out of him.
“I feel like I have had the same role as I did my first two years, but I definitely have more confidence playing in that role,” he said. “The role is mainly to score goals and have the team play off of me in the attack, rather than just sending it up and seeing what happens.”
As the coach of both programs at St. Charles East, Vince DiNuzzo has had a close look at the three siblings.
“Sebastian has grown into a confident leader who will do whatever it takes for the team to succeed,” DiNuzzo said. “Sebastian continues to improve year after year, and he seems to make everyone around him better.”
Sebastian is his own player but traces of the personalities are there.
“In terms of similarities between the three I would say they are all very hard-working, humble and gifted players who are selfless people,” DiNuzzo said.
“They have been great to be around and coach.”
After seeing Alonda’s season postponed, Sebastian came to appreciate the very possibility of this truncated year.
“First off, I didn’t even think we were going to have a season, so just having a season is really nice in general, even if there is no state tournament,” he said.
“Just being able to play for the school is really nice. It’s always a different feeling than playing club soccer, for instance. You’re representing the whole school rather than just the club.”
During the long downtime of the pandemic, Carranza did everything imaginable to stay sharp and develop his skills. He did agility and training exercises in his garage, or went with his teammates Connor King and Phil Anton to available fields to practice.
The sudden IHSA reversal in late January to stage a season threw everything together pretty quickly.
Like most teams, St. Charles East is adjusting on the go.
“We didn’t really have a preseason,” he said. “As long as we keep improving as a team, with our chemistry and knowing how each other plays, once we start meshing together, I feel like we are going to be a really hard team to beat.”
An already talented roster was bolstered by transfer midfielder Gaetano D’Argento, a Bowling Green recruit. Forwards Jake Maslowski and Sam Wade provide devastating options at the top of the attack.
Sebastian is rarely in isolation.
“Our attack has pretty much stayed the same, but having Gaetano definitely helps,” Carranza said. “He’s a really good player on the ball. He has a really good IQ for the game. He knows where to position himself, and he’s a really good defender for being a no. 10.”
The experiences of his sisters are also important in weighing his own college options. A vastly shortened club season and the inverted high school schedule has upended the typical recruiting process.
“I feel like the recruiting has been a little slow this last year,” he said. “I have been trying to email a few more coaches to see what my options are so far. I’ve been trying to reach out to St. Cloud, where Alondra goes, because they just got a men’s program.”
The foundation remains unchanged. Against the compressed backdrop of a six-week season, DiNuzzo has scheduled an ambitious slate of 19 games.
Carranza, who has scored 34 goals and collected 19 assists in his prep career, has more than half of his junior season left to play. Having that platform is crucial.
“Soccer is a break from school and the outside stress that just happens,” he said. “I feel like that is what pushes me. It almost gives me a break from the real world, just having fun with friends and not really caring too much about what happens.”
By Patrick Z. McGavin
Being the third in line was not a burden for Sebastian Carranza.
In recent years, his surname has been synonymous with St. Charles East soccer excellence. His older sisters, Chantal and Alondra, starred for the Fighting Saints as attacking and highly skilled offensive talents.
But father, Juan Carranza, was the family’s true trendsetter.
“My dad was the oldest of five brothers, and the first in his family to play,” Sebastian said. “He moved here from Mexico when he was in high school.
“After high school, he played professionally with the Chicago Sting and the [indoor] Chicago Power. My dad always had a love and passion for the game. He was also our first coach, for me and my sisters.”
Sebastian Carranza has most definitely followed in the family tradition of soccer success. He has averaged a goal a game this season to go along with five assists at forward for the Saints (5-2-1), who currently stand at no. 9 in the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25 poll.
The current ranking is perhaps fitting in one aspect, given Sebastian has taken on the role his father first staked out, the “no. 9,” or striker role, that is the offensive nerve center of most programs.
“My dad was mainly a goal scorer, and I feel like he implemented that [scoring mentality] in me at a young age,” said the three-year varsity player. “He kind of helped me. Because he played before, that gave him some knowledge of the game.
“He passed that on to me at a younger age and made me realize what my role was and how to do it effectively.”
Chantal Carranza was a two-time Chicagoland Soccer all-state forward whose senior season was erased by a torn ACL injury she suffered in the first game of the season against Fremd.
She attends Division II powerhouse Grand Valley State and played on the Lakers 2019 national championship team.
Alonda Carranza, who graduated last year, was also a two-time Chicagoland Soccer All-Stater. She earned the recognition playing as a defender her sophomore year and shifting to the middle of the attack her junior year.
Her senior year was canceled due to the pandemic. She is a freshman defender/midfielder at St. Cloud State.
Significantly, it is not just the father and children who have notable achievements in the sport. Mother Denice was a standout player at West Chicago High School.
Sebastian Carranza served as the girls’ team manager his freshman year.
“I usually would go to Alondra’s games anyway, but just to be there on the field with her before the game and see how she prepares for the game mentally was important,” Sebastian said.
His sisters set the tone and helped steer him down his own path. They also helped ground him in the subtleties of the game and the need for discipline and drive.
“My sisters already set the image for playing at St. Charles East,” he said.
“It means a lot to me to carry on. Chantal won the national championship. Alondra didn’t have a season this year, but they always pushed me to keep on playing, and keep on playing at a high level.”
Sebastian Carranza balances size, excellent speed and a superb touch on the ball. His sophomore year was interrupted by an ankle injury. Still he flashed promise and excitement, especially with his on the ball presence and creativity with the ball.
He is an amalgam, combining his father’s natural scoring instincts with his sisters’ passion and versatile playing styles.
“I think of myself as more of a technical player who has a good understanding of the game,” he said. “I like to play more in the post. I receive the ball there, and I get the players to play off of me, and I get more opportunities.
“I feel like I break the lines pretty well and make penetrating runs.”
The Saints play in a freewheeling and aggressive style that looks to constantly push forward and generate pressure. Carranza started the new season hot with an assist and game-winning goal against Lake Park.
He has married his natural talent to ever greater confidence and ease at his role and what is expected out of him.
“I feel like I have had the same role as I did my first two years, but I definitely have more confidence playing in that role,” he said. “The role is mainly to score goals and have the team play off of me in the attack, rather than just sending it up and seeing what happens.”
As the coach of both programs at St. Charles East, Vince DiNuzzo has had a close look at the three siblings.
“Sebastian has grown into a confident leader who will do whatever it takes for the team to succeed,” DiNuzzo said. “Sebastian continues to improve year after year, and he seems to make everyone around him better.”
Sebastian is his own player but traces of the personalities are there.
“In terms of similarities between the three I would say they are all very hard-working, humble and gifted players who are selfless people,” DiNuzzo said.
“They have been great to be around and coach.”
After seeing Alonda’s season postponed, Sebastian came to appreciate the very possibility of this truncated year.
“First off, I didn’t even think we were going to have a season, so just having a season is really nice in general, even if there is no state tournament,” he said.
“Just being able to play for the school is really nice. It’s always a different feeling than playing club soccer, for instance. You’re representing the whole school rather than just the club.”
During the long downtime of the pandemic, Carranza did everything imaginable to stay sharp and develop his skills. He did agility and training exercises in his garage, or went with his teammates Connor King and Phil Anton to available fields to practice.
The sudden IHSA reversal in late January to stage a season threw everything together pretty quickly.
Like most teams, St. Charles East is adjusting on the go.
“We didn’t really have a preseason,” he said. “As long as we keep improving as a team, with our chemistry and knowing how each other plays, once we start meshing together, I feel like we are going to be a really hard team to beat.”
An already talented roster was bolstered by transfer midfielder Gaetano D’Argento, a Bowling Green recruit. Forwards Jake Maslowski and Sam Wade provide devastating options at the top of the attack.
Sebastian is rarely in isolation.
“Our attack has pretty much stayed the same, but having Gaetano definitely helps,” Carranza said. “He’s a really good player on the ball. He has a really good IQ for the game. He knows where to position himself, and he’s a really good defender for being a no. 10.”
The experiences of his sisters are also important in weighing his own college options. A vastly shortened club season and the inverted high school schedule has upended the typical recruiting process.
“I feel like the recruiting has been a little slow this last year,” he said. “I have been trying to email a few more coaches to see what my options are so far. I’ve been trying to reach out to St. Cloud, where Alondra goes, because they just got a men’s program.”
The foundation remains unchanged. Against the compressed backdrop of a six-week season, DiNuzzo has scheduled an ambitious slate of 19 games.
Carranza, who has scored 34 goals and collected 19 assists in his prep career, has more than half of his junior season left to play. Having that platform is crucial.
“Soccer is a break from school and the outside stress that just happens,” he said. “I feel like that is what pushes me. It almost gives me a break from the real world, just having fun with friends and not really caring too much about what happens.”