Burke leads defense, Kenagy
offense in Benet Academy win
Redwings deny Bolingbrook 2nd Toyota Park win
By Steve Nemeth
BRIDGEPORT -- It might be true that Bolingbrook had a bad weekend, but Harrison Burke and the rest of the Benet Academy defense had no sympathy for the Raiders’ plight.
Two days before, Bolingbrook and Bloom battled to a 0-0 deadlock. That was the first time all year the Raiders had yet to score while compiling a 34-10 goals to goals-allowed ratio, but it was still part of a six-match (4-0-2) unbeaten streak.
Which is why Burke and company took satisfaction in shutting down Bolingbrook (9-2-2) to make certain yet another stellar offensive outing by Kyle Kenagy was all Benet Academy (8-2-0) needed for a 2-0 victory Sunday at Toyota Park.
It was the second game of Sunday’s prep tripleheader conducted by the Chicago Fire and it was one week after Bolingbrook captured the championship of Reavis’ Windy City Tournament with a 4-0 thumping of Lincoln-Way North on the same field.
The Raiders became the first school to play twice in the same season at Toyota Park since the Fire began welcoming prep boys contests in the fall of 2013 and girls matches last spring.
Burke’s leadership of the Redwing defense earned him Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match status, plus the joy of a sixth clean sheet for Benet.
“We did a good job with our defensive shifts,” Burke noted. “In order to cover their shooters, we had to shift defensively to keep them covered. As defenders, we seldom get to score, so for us a shutout is basically our goal.”
Burke, along with backline mates Richie Michalik, Bennett Curtis and Dustin Uher, limited Bolingbrook’s attack. Konrad Bayer (three first-half saves) and Nick Senak (two second-half stops) were the beneficiaries of that effort and shared the shutout.
“Harrison may be the best 1 v. 1 defender in our program for a long time,” said Redwing coach Sean Wesley. “Not to jinx him, but I’m not sure I’ve seen him make a mistake this season.
"He’s always looking to help out teammates, track the ball to be in the right place at the right time. He has great feet and pace, he’s basically relentless.
“Our team defense in back really was disruptive throughout the match and both goalies did their job. I thought 11 (Bolingbrook’s Juan Flores) is one of the best attackers we’ve seen so far.
“Another plus, we got to play everyone, and I thought every guy represented Benet well.”
Kenagy continued to represent the pinnacle of the Redwing offense with a seven-yard header that sliced into the upper right corner off a set-up by Michalik, who posted his second assist.
“He’s an All-Midwest candidate,” Bolingbrook coach Jamie Clemmons said shrugging at the thought of Kenagy’s score 12:41 into the match. “That was a textbook header. We moved the ball around well, possessed it enough to get (scoring) chances, but that’s not enough. They finished theirs.”
Bolingbrook’s Flores – the MVP of the Windy City Tourney with two goals against Lincoln-Way North – went wide left shortly before Kenagy’s goal. Teammate Kofi Intsiful had a 20-yard laser stopped by Bayer, who did the same to a Chris Zemeno blast 12:09 prior to the halftime whistle.
“We need others to step up and help Luis up top,” Clemmons said. “We’ve struggled to support him on offense and that makes him more of a target. Mark (Becerra) was a rock in the middle for us. He kept us in the game or at least in reach.”
While Benet’s Omar Kashow went wide off a breakaway, the Raiders’ Cristian Gutierrez almost tied the contest five minutes into the second half with a rocket that Senak tipped wide with a dive to his right.
Bolingbrook’s Brian Najera bent an 18-yard direct kick around Benet Academy’s defensive wall, but Senak punched that attempt out and the Redwings sent the ball upfield to dodge that bullet.
Benet Academy held a 13-8 advantage for overall attempts as well as a 10-5 edge in shots on frame and a 3-2 lead for corner kicks.
Yale-bound Kenagy put the game away with 4:42 to play thanks to sophomore defender Bennett Curtis’ through ball that led to a breakaway. The senior fought free from a defender and tucked a low shot under the rushing goalie and inside the left post.
So which scoring effort did Kenagy enjoy more?
“A header or a shot give you the same feeling if they go in; they’re both fun,” said Kenagy, who has a team-high 12 goals and five match-winners.
“Today was an amazing team defensive effort. Shutting them out was the big difference, and I have to say any of my goals are due to the team behind me. They provide the chances I get to finish.
“Something else I don’t believe gets written about is our coaching staff. I have to give them props for how they prepare us, and I’m not just talking about before a game. It starts over the summer.
Coach Wesley, coach (Manny) Aguilar, and coach (Martin) Uscila are the reason this program keeps winning no matter how many seniors left the year before.”
Starting lineups
Bolingbrook
GK: Colin Magdziarz
D: John Lund
D: Jacob Perakis
D: Luis Coloma
MF: Jorge Navas
MF: Christopher Zemeno
MF: Cristian Gutierrez
MF: Maco Becerra
F: Brian Najera
F: Juan Alcantara
F: Luis Flores
Benet Academy
GK: Konrad Bayer
D: Richie Michalik
D: Bennett Curtis
D: Harrison Burke
D: Dustin Uher
MF: Connor Mote
MF: Riley Guay
MF: Andrew Heaton
MF: Daniel Morefield
F: Patrick Cleary
F: Kyle Kenagy
Man of the Match: Harrison Burke, Benet Academy
Officials: John Rita; Vince DeFranco; Steve Cetera.
offense in Benet Academy win
Redwings deny Bolingbrook 2nd Toyota Park win
By Steve Nemeth
BRIDGEPORT -- It might be true that Bolingbrook had a bad weekend, but Harrison Burke and the rest of the Benet Academy defense had no sympathy for the Raiders’ plight.
Two days before, Bolingbrook and Bloom battled to a 0-0 deadlock. That was the first time all year the Raiders had yet to score while compiling a 34-10 goals to goals-allowed ratio, but it was still part of a six-match (4-0-2) unbeaten streak.
Which is why Burke and company took satisfaction in shutting down Bolingbrook (9-2-2) to make certain yet another stellar offensive outing by Kyle Kenagy was all Benet Academy (8-2-0) needed for a 2-0 victory Sunday at Toyota Park.
It was the second game of Sunday’s prep tripleheader conducted by the Chicago Fire and it was one week after Bolingbrook captured the championship of Reavis’ Windy City Tournament with a 4-0 thumping of Lincoln-Way North on the same field.
The Raiders became the first school to play twice in the same season at Toyota Park since the Fire began welcoming prep boys contests in the fall of 2013 and girls matches last spring.
Burke’s leadership of the Redwing defense earned him Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match status, plus the joy of a sixth clean sheet for Benet.
“We did a good job with our defensive shifts,” Burke noted. “In order to cover their shooters, we had to shift defensively to keep them covered. As defenders, we seldom get to score, so for us a shutout is basically our goal.”
Burke, along with backline mates Richie Michalik, Bennett Curtis and Dustin Uher, limited Bolingbrook’s attack. Konrad Bayer (three first-half saves) and Nick Senak (two second-half stops) were the beneficiaries of that effort and shared the shutout.
“Harrison may be the best 1 v. 1 defender in our program for a long time,” said Redwing coach Sean Wesley. “Not to jinx him, but I’m not sure I’ve seen him make a mistake this season.
"He’s always looking to help out teammates, track the ball to be in the right place at the right time. He has great feet and pace, he’s basically relentless.
“Our team defense in back really was disruptive throughout the match and both goalies did their job. I thought 11 (Bolingbrook’s Juan Flores) is one of the best attackers we’ve seen so far.
“Another plus, we got to play everyone, and I thought every guy represented Benet well.”
Kenagy continued to represent the pinnacle of the Redwing offense with a seven-yard header that sliced into the upper right corner off a set-up by Michalik, who posted his second assist.
“He’s an All-Midwest candidate,” Bolingbrook coach Jamie Clemmons said shrugging at the thought of Kenagy’s score 12:41 into the match. “That was a textbook header. We moved the ball around well, possessed it enough to get (scoring) chances, but that’s not enough. They finished theirs.”
Bolingbrook’s Flores – the MVP of the Windy City Tourney with two goals against Lincoln-Way North – went wide left shortly before Kenagy’s goal. Teammate Kofi Intsiful had a 20-yard laser stopped by Bayer, who did the same to a Chris Zemeno blast 12:09 prior to the halftime whistle.
“We need others to step up and help Luis up top,” Clemmons said. “We’ve struggled to support him on offense and that makes him more of a target. Mark (Becerra) was a rock in the middle for us. He kept us in the game or at least in reach.”
While Benet’s Omar Kashow went wide off a breakaway, the Raiders’ Cristian Gutierrez almost tied the contest five minutes into the second half with a rocket that Senak tipped wide with a dive to his right.
Bolingbrook’s Brian Najera bent an 18-yard direct kick around Benet Academy’s defensive wall, but Senak punched that attempt out and the Redwings sent the ball upfield to dodge that bullet.
Benet Academy held a 13-8 advantage for overall attempts as well as a 10-5 edge in shots on frame and a 3-2 lead for corner kicks.
Yale-bound Kenagy put the game away with 4:42 to play thanks to sophomore defender Bennett Curtis’ through ball that led to a breakaway. The senior fought free from a defender and tucked a low shot under the rushing goalie and inside the left post.
So which scoring effort did Kenagy enjoy more?
“A header or a shot give you the same feeling if they go in; they’re both fun,” said Kenagy, who has a team-high 12 goals and five match-winners.
“Today was an amazing team defensive effort. Shutting them out was the big difference, and I have to say any of my goals are due to the team behind me. They provide the chances I get to finish.
“Something else I don’t believe gets written about is our coaching staff. I have to give them props for how they prepare us, and I’m not just talking about before a game. It starts over the summer.
Coach Wesley, coach (Manny) Aguilar, and coach (Martin) Uscila are the reason this program keeps winning no matter how many seniors left the year before.”
Starting lineups
Bolingbrook
GK: Colin Magdziarz
D: John Lund
D: Jacob Perakis
D: Luis Coloma
MF: Jorge Navas
MF: Christopher Zemeno
MF: Cristian Gutierrez
MF: Maco Becerra
F: Brian Najera
F: Juan Alcantara
F: Luis Flores
Benet Academy
GK: Konrad Bayer
D: Richie Michalik
D: Bennett Curtis
D: Harrison Burke
D: Dustin Uher
MF: Connor Mote
MF: Riley Guay
MF: Andrew Heaton
MF: Daniel Morefield
F: Patrick Cleary
F: Kyle Kenagy
Man of the Match: Harrison Burke, Benet Academy
Officials: John Rita; Vince DeFranco; Steve Cetera.