Naperville North comes up with right
answers against Naperville Central
Rivalry game is one for the history books
By Matt Le Cren
NAPERVILLE -- One of the great things about watching rivalry games is that you never know who will step up and make a key play on the big stage.
Many fans attend to watch star players score big goals, and often they do. But on more than a few occasions, it's a role player who ends up taking a bow.
That’s what happened Saturday night at Naperville North.
Senior forward Adam Helf scored just the second goal of his varsity career in spectacular fashion in the first half, lifting the host Huskies to a historic 1-0 victory over crosstown rival Naperville Central.
The win was the 600th in program history for Naperville North. Much more important in the eyes of coach Jim Konrad, the victory gave the Huskies an early boost in the race for the DuPage Valley Conference title.
“The 600th win is probably the least significant of the things that happened tonight,” Konrad said. “The fact that we beat Central, it’s always a big game to play your crosstown rival, a team we respect so much.
“Obviously one of our big goals this year is to win the DVC, so that game has huge implications as far as the DVC is concerned, and then the fact that we got a shutout tonight.
“We’ve really struggled to get those. This is only the second one we’ve had all year, so it’s nice to get them back-to-back and shut out a great team.”
While North’s defense is beginning to round into the solid form it has long been known for, it was Helf’s individual effort that had the large crowd buzzing.
Playing a give-and-go with Chris Sullivan just past midfield, Helf dribbled 45 yards through the left side of Redhawks defense into the box before scoring on a perfectly placed shot inside the right post at the 12:13 mark of the first half.
“Before I went in, the coaches were telling me that (the Redhawks) were sitting really far back so that when the outside forward cut in, I’d have more space to go outside,” Helf said. “And that’s exactly what happened. Sully cut in and there was a lot of space on the outside where I could play a 1-2 with Sully.”
The crafty Sullivan gets a lot of attention, and rightly so, from defenses and the media alike, but others play an important roles too.
“I was so happy to see Adam score,” Naperville North defender Kevin Keane said. “He usually doesn’t get his credit. He’s a great player, and today he just turned it on, and he got a great goal.”
Helf credited the fans with boosting the natural adrenaline the Huskies have every time they face the Redhawks. His goal was the first game-winner of his career, so has he ever scored one more memorable?
“Not with the whole school behind me,” Helf said. “It’s really fun.
“I always love playing against Central, especially when all my friends are in the Dog Pound (North’s student section). It’s just a really exciting day.”
As exciting as the goal was, Helf had no idea it would be the only one of the game.
“At that point we were taking it to them, but I thought maybe it was a little bit too late in the half to get a few more,” Helf said. “But I think we really could have built on that.”
That the Huskies (6-2-0, 1-0-0) did not was a credit to the increased intensity Naperville Central showed after intermission.
“We talked to the boys at halftime and challenged them to step it up and really get after it and show a little more desire, a little more passion tonight,” Naperville Central coach Troy Adams said. “I told them the scoreboard is not what I want, but I was very pleased with the effort and desire that we showed in the second half.
“It’s not the result we want, but the challenge I issued in the second half, I thought the boys answered it.”
The Redhawks (4-4-0, 0-2-0) had to do it without one of their top scoring threats, senior Christopher Schwaiger, who suffered a concussion in Tuesday’s 3-1 loss to Glenbard North.
Senior midfielder Noah Canlas was also injured in that game, taking a knee to his back. He played in pain against the Huskies but had to leave for good with 10 minutes left.
“I’m surprised he’s walking,” Adams said. “He took some good hits here too. We’ve got to match what other teams are doing.”
Naperville Central had just one dangerous chance, which came with 16:30 to go in the second half. Jimmy Kalkofen got loose in the left corner and sent a perfect cross in front to an open Neal Hasan, but Hasan’s volley flew just wide of the right post.
The Huskies' back line of Keane and fellow seniors Nick Carballo and Jon Heitz and sophomore Mitch Konrad shut most everything else down, rarely allowing any Redhawks to forage in the penalty area.
Goalkeeper Riley Wiest made three saves and was assertive in defending corner kicks and other restarts, confidently cutting off several of both.
“At North we take a huge pride in our physicality in the defense, and we made sure that we were more physical than them,” Keane said. “I think tonight I give huge credit to Riley and the entire defense. We were all strong all game. We were winning all the 50-50s, and we just played well in the back.”
Jim Konrad was especially pleased with Wiest’s effort.
“I thought Riley was fantastic tonight,” Konrad said. “He kept us organized in the back, and I thought was very sure-handed tonight.
“Obviously they were very dangerous on their restarts. I thought their throw-ins were dangerous, so it was good that Riley was able to solve those issues.”
With two-consecutive shutouts and five-straight wins, the Huskies seemingly have answered the questions Konrad had about his defense going into the season.
“I think after losing two games against Morton and Lyons we had a few doubts, but those were two great teams,” Keane said. “To win (five) in a row after that is just a great feeling. We’re on a great ride, and we’re just going to keep going.”
Starting lineups
Naperville Central
G Joe Kallikadan
D Colin Bradley-Leon
D Frank DeStefano
D Griffin Geisler
D John Randolf
M Noah Canlas
M Joe Granato
M Nate Zain
M Felix Leyva
M Jimmy Kalkofen
F Taha Din
Naperville North
G Riley Wiest
D Nick Carballo
D Jon Heitz
D Kevin Keane
D Mitch Konrad
M Ryan Budicin
M Konrad Jurkiewicz
M Grant Borg
F Chris Sullivan
F Josh Penn
F Adam Helf
Man of the Match: Adam Helf, F, Naperville North
answers against Naperville Central
Rivalry game is one for the history books
By Matt Le Cren
NAPERVILLE -- One of the great things about watching rivalry games is that you never know who will step up and make a key play on the big stage.
Many fans attend to watch star players score big goals, and often they do. But on more than a few occasions, it's a role player who ends up taking a bow.
That’s what happened Saturday night at Naperville North.
Senior forward Adam Helf scored just the second goal of his varsity career in spectacular fashion in the first half, lifting the host Huskies to a historic 1-0 victory over crosstown rival Naperville Central.
The win was the 600th in program history for Naperville North. Much more important in the eyes of coach Jim Konrad, the victory gave the Huskies an early boost in the race for the DuPage Valley Conference title.
“The 600th win is probably the least significant of the things that happened tonight,” Konrad said. “The fact that we beat Central, it’s always a big game to play your crosstown rival, a team we respect so much.
“Obviously one of our big goals this year is to win the DVC, so that game has huge implications as far as the DVC is concerned, and then the fact that we got a shutout tonight.
“We’ve really struggled to get those. This is only the second one we’ve had all year, so it’s nice to get them back-to-back and shut out a great team.”
While North’s defense is beginning to round into the solid form it has long been known for, it was Helf’s individual effort that had the large crowd buzzing.
Playing a give-and-go with Chris Sullivan just past midfield, Helf dribbled 45 yards through the left side of Redhawks defense into the box before scoring on a perfectly placed shot inside the right post at the 12:13 mark of the first half.
“Before I went in, the coaches were telling me that (the Redhawks) were sitting really far back so that when the outside forward cut in, I’d have more space to go outside,” Helf said. “And that’s exactly what happened. Sully cut in and there was a lot of space on the outside where I could play a 1-2 with Sully.”
The crafty Sullivan gets a lot of attention, and rightly so, from defenses and the media alike, but others play an important roles too.
“I was so happy to see Adam score,” Naperville North defender Kevin Keane said. “He usually doesn’t get his credit. He’s a great player, and today he just turned it on, and he got a great goal.”
Helf credited the fans with boosting the natural adrenaline the Huskies have every time they face the Redhawks. His goal was the first game-winner of his career, so has he ever scored one more memorable?
“Not with the whole school behind me,” Helf said. “It’s really fun.
“I always love playing against Central, especially when all my friends are in the Dog Pound (North’s student section). It’s just a really exciting day.”
As exciting as the goal was, Helf had no idea it would be the only one of the game.
“At that point we were taking it to them, but I thought maybe it was a little bit too late in the half to get a few more,” Helf said. “But I think we really could have built on that.”
That the Huskies (6-2-0, 1-0-0) did not was a credit to the increased intensity Naperville Central showed after intermission.
“We talked to the boys at halftime and challenged them to step it up and really get after it and show a little more desire, a little more passion tonight,” Naperville Central coach Troy Adams said. “I told them the scoreboard is not what I want, but I was very pleased with the effort and desire that we showed in the second half.
“It’s not the result we want, but the challenge I issued in the second half, I thought the boys answered it.”
The Redhawks (4-4-0, 0-2-0) had to do it without one of their top scoring threats, senior Christopher Schwaiger, who suffered a concussion in Tuesday’s 3-1 loss to Glenbard North.
Senior midfielder Noah Canlas was also injured in that game, taking a knee to his back. He played in pain against the Huskies but had to leave for good with 10 minutes left.
“I’m surprised he’s walking,” Adams said. “He took some good hits here too. We’ve got to match what other teams are doing.”
Naperville Central had just one dangerous chance, which came with 16:30 to go in the second half. Jimmy Kalkofen got loose in the left corner and sent a perfect cross in front to an open Neal Hasan, but Hasan’s volley flew just wide of the right post.
The Huskies' back line of Keane and fellow seniors Nick Carballo and Jon Heitz and sophomore Mitch Konrad shut most everything else down, rarely allowing any Redhawks to forage in the penalty area.
Goalkeeper Riley Wiest made three saves and was assertive in defending corner kicks and other restarts, confidently cutting off several of both.
“At North we take a huge pride in our physicality in the defense, and we made sure that we were more physical than them,” Keane said. “I think tonight I give huge credit to Riley and the entire defense. We were all strong all game. We were winning all the 50-50s, and we just played well in the back.”
Jim Konrad was especially pleased with Wiest’s effort.
“I thought Riley was fantastic tonight,” Konrad said. “He kept us organized in the back, and I thought was very sure-handed tonight.
“Obviously they were very dangerous on their restarts. I thought their throw-ins were dangerous, so it was good that Riley was able to solve those issues.”
With two-consecutive shutouts and five-straight wins, the Huskies seemingly have answered the questions Konrad had about his defense going into the season.
“I think after losing two games against Morton and Lyons we had a few doubts, but those were two great teams,” Keane said. “To win (five) in a row after that is just a great feeling. We’re on a great ride, and we’re just going to keep going.”
Starting lineups
Naperville Central
G Joe Kallikadan
D Colin Bradley-Leon
D Frank DeStefano
D Griffin Geisler
D John Randolf
M Noah Canlas
M Joe Granato
M Nate Zain
M Felix Leyva
M Jimmy Kalkofen
F Taha Din
Naperville North
G Riley Wiest
D Nick Carballo
D Jon Heitz
D Kevin Keane
D Mitch Konrad
M Ryan Budicin
M Konrad Jurkiewicz
M Grant Borg
F Chris Sullivan
F Josh Penn
F Adam Helf
Man of the Match: Adam Helf, F, Naperville North