Wheaton N. fast from the gate vs. Batavia
Falcons strike twice early to roll in DKC opener
By Gary Larsen
WHEATON -- With unusual combinations of sports seasons currently overlapping, odd circumstances now rule the day during the COVID-19-adjusted spring schedule.
“Three of my guys are still playing basketball. They had a game last night; they played with us today, and they have another (basketball) game tomorrow night,” Wheaton North coach Rob Stassen said. “And three of our guys were playing club (soccer) last weekend in Cincinnati. So it’s a lot to manage."
Stassen spoke while standing on the concourse adjacent to Wheaton North’s home stadium. His Falcons and players from visiting Batavia were hurried off the field after their game so Wheaton North’s football team could begin practice at 9 p.m. on a Tuesday night — another odd occurrence in this oddest of school years.
Socially-distanced, mask-wearing soccer fans had just watched the Bulldogs and Falcons square off in a season-opening game for both teams. Wheaton North won 6-0 in the DuKane Conference tilt, but the result was truly secondary to the importance of the day.
After a 16-month hiatus from high school soccer and a year of American life defined by a pandemic, players from both teams were thrilled to roam the pitch with their mates again.
“It’s a fresh start. It’s been a while since we all played soccer together,” Batavia junior Ryan Kahley said. “A lot of us are excited to get it going again. We have a lot to work on, but we’re grateful to be out here.”
Wheaton North senior Jarrett Baumgartner couldn’t agree more.
“We were hoping we were going to get a season and any season is great to have,” Baumgartner said. “If we can get a conference season in and maybe even playoffs, we’re going to be happy. Your senior year, you just want to play, and just coming to practice this year made us all so happy.”
On a field surrounded by three-foot high snowbanks, the Falcons (1-0-0) wasted no time offering a chilly reception for Batavia (0-0-1). In fact they only wasted 23 seconds, the time that elapsed after the opening kickoff before North’s Erik Rozanski scored the first goal of his team’s season, on an assist from Gyan Patel.
A mere four minutes later, Patel made it 2-0 on a goal from 10 yards off a feed from Baumgartner, and Wheaton North had Batavia planted quickly and firmly in a hole.
“We obviously weren’t ready right out of the gate,” Batavia coach Mark Gianfrancesco said. “Giving up two goals in the first five minutes — you have to be ready right away, when the whistle goes off. If you’re not, teams are going to hurt you."
Batavia tried to answer. Kahley ran down a ball over the top and got behind the Wheaton North defense at 10 minutes. but Falcons' keeper Sam Wakeman was on the spot to snare Kahley’s point-blank volley to keep his sheet clean.
A Batavia corner kick went untouched across the box at 12 minutes and the Bulldogs had a chance to cut the Falcons’ lead in half when Luke Bianco lined up a penalty kick after a foul in the box at 19 minutes.
Wakeman came up big again, diving to his right and hitting the turf to smother the Bianco’s shot. Wakeman was vocal and assertive throughout and his coach tipped his hat to his junior keeper at game’s end.
“I love that kid,” Stassen said. “He’s one of the most improved players ever. To have a goalkeeper that plays with his feet and never touches the ball with his hands is amazing.
"(Batavia's Bianco and Kahley) were phenomenal so how do you work against them? Sam played with his feet. He made them run 40 up to him and 40 yards back. And his passion and confidence stand out. His hands and feet are great, his vision is great, and he’s just a player.”
Wakeman’s save eliminated any momentum Batavia might have gained.
“We could have cut it to 2-1 and that would have been nice,” Gianfrancesco said. “It might have given a boost to the guys at that point.”
Two minutes after Wakeman’s PK save, Baumgartner was taken down in the box and converted his PK to give Wheaton North a 3-0 lead at 21 minutes. When Graham Stephenson reached the endline on the right side and centered a ball to the near post, Crystian Powell was there to stretch the back netting at 35 minutes for a 4-0 lead.
Baumgartner and Ethan Martinez were relentless on the outside all night, and midfielders Rozanski, Graham Stephenson and Diego Evangelista shined for a Falcons' attack that played more cohesive soccer than season-opening games typically offer.
“We hustled and passed well today. I felt like we had about 70 percent possession,” Baumgartner said. “I like that we were talking the whole time, and we were playing as a team. And five different guys scoring six goals — that’s good.”
Stassen was pleased with his side’s play on opening day and applauded the approach his boys bring to the game.
“It’s such a fun group. You can have the worst day possible and spend an hour with these guys and it turns you around,” Stassen said. “It’s fun. It’s not work. They have the best attitude, and they all support each other.”
North made it 5-0 at 45 minutes when Baumgartner again reached the endline on the left side and crossed to the far post, where Martinez buried it. Powell scored his second goal of the night in the game’s waning seconds off a feed from Evangelista for the final tally.
Batavia played the first contest of a 15-game season Tuesday. The Bulldogs will play every DKC team twice plus one nonconference game against West Aurora.
Gianfrancesco was happier with his side’s second half play after the rough first 40 minutes.
“They keep playing to the end,” Gianfrancesco said. “There was definitely improvement in the second half. Now we’ve got to work on connecting and seeing where the angles are to get up the field.
“I thought Riley Miller and Quinn Salyers did a nice job in the center in back — not right away but they acclimated as the game progressed. Will Bardol in the middle was an engine for us and Luke and Ryan up top have got skill. They can combine together and get in behind, once they find their groove.
“We’ve got another game Thursday (vs. Lake Park) so we’re right back at it. So there’s no time to dwell on it. We need to make adjustments, work on our communication, improve on a couple things and hopefully create a few more chances.”
While Baumgartner and Stassen agreed that Wheaton North's passing and speed of play need to improve, the team’s cohesion level for a season-opening game stood out. The Falcons played to feet, kept making runs, and played unselfish soccer throughout.
The script may need work, but every Falcon stuck to it on the season’s opening day.
“We’ve got a lot of returning guys, and our seniors have been playing since freshmen year together,” Baumgartner said. “And our juniors and Diego (Evangelista), our sophomore, stepped up. They’re coming on and they’re playing well right away."
A shutout for Wakeman and his defenders was also good news for the Falcons.
“The backline was good. They were able to move the ball and possess,” Stassen said.
“We all know males — we like to talk and we don’t like to listen — but our backline loves to listen to Sam. And Kyle Schauer and Tristan Mackay are two solid center backs who are born leaders.”
Wheaton North will only play DKC teams in its 14-game schedule. The Falcons next play at St. Charles North on Thursday.
Starting lineups
Wheaton North
GK: Sam Wakeman
D: Kyle Schauer
D: Tristan Mackay
D: Noah Froebe
D: Crystian Powell
M: Diego Evangelista
M: Erik Rozanski
M: Graham Stephenson
M: Ethan Martinez
F: Jarrett Baumgartner
F: Gyan Patel
Batavia
GK: Logan Saenz
D: Riley Miller
D: Quinn Salyers
D: Emir Haskovic
D: Manasas Monarrez
M: Dylan Knapp
M: Rodrigo Maldonado
M: Ben Hanson
M: Will Bardol
F: Luke Bianco
F: Ryan Kahley
Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match: Jarrett Baumgartner, sr., F, Wheaton North
Scoring summary
First half
Wheaton North — Rozanski (Patel) 1 minute
Wheaton North — Patel (Baumgartner) 19 minutes
Wheaton North — Baumgartner (PK) 21 minutes
Wheaton North — Powell (Stephenson) 35 minutes
Second half
Wheaton North — Martinez (Baumgartner) 45 minutes
Wheaton North — Powell (Evangelista) 80 minutes
Falcons strike twice early to roll in DKC opener
By Gary Larsen
WHEATON -- With unusual combinations of sports seasons currently overlapping, odd circumstances now rule the day during the COVID-19-adjusted spring schedule.
“Three of my guys are still playing basketball. They had a game last night; they played with us today, and they have another (basketball) game tomorrow night,” Wheaton North coach Rob Stassen said. “And three of our guys were playing club (soccer) last weekend in Cincinnati. So it’s a lot to manage."
Stassen spoke while standing on the concourse adjacent to Wheaton North’s home stadium. His Falcons and players from visiting Batavia were hurried off the field after their game so Wheaton North’s football team could begin practice at 9 p.m. on a Tuesday night — another odd occurrence in this oddest of school years.
Socially-distanced, mask-wearing soccer fans had just watched the Bulldogs and Falcons square off in a season-opening game for both teams. Wheaton North won 6-0 in the DuKane Conference tilt, but the result was truly secondary to the importance of the day.
After a 16-month hiatus from high school soccer and a year of American life defined by a pandemic, players from both teams were thrilled to roam the pitch with their mates again.
“It’s a fresh start. It’s been a while since we all played soccer together,” Batavia junior Ryan Kahley said. “A lot of us are excited to get it going again. We have a lot to work on, but we’re grateful to be out here.”
Wheaton North senior Jarrett Baumgartner couldn’t agree more.
“We were hoping we were going to get a season and any season is great to have,” Baumgartner said. “If we can get a conference season in and maybe even playoffs, we’re going to be happy. Your senior year, you just want to play, and just coming to practice this year made us all so happy.”
On a field surrounded by three-foot high snowbanks, the Falcons (1-0-0) wasted no time offering a chilly reception for Batavia (0-0-1). In fact they only wasted 23 seconds, the time that elapsed after the opening kickoff before North’s Erik Rozanski scored the first goal of his team’s season, on an assist from Gyan Patel.
A mere four minutes later, Patel made it 2-0 on a goal from 10 yards off a feed from Baumgartner, and Wheaton North had Batavia planted quickly and firmly in a hole.
“We obviously weren’t ready right out of the gate,” Batavia coach Mark Gianfrancesco said. “Giving up two goals in the first five minutes — you have to be ready right away, when the whistle goes off. If you’re not, teams are going to hurt you."
Batavia tried to answer. Kahley ran down a ball over the top and got behind the Wheaton North defense at 10 minutes. but Falcons' keeper Sam Wakeman was on the spot to snare Kahley’s point-blank volley to keep his sheet clean.
A Batavia corner kick went untouched across the box at 12 minutes and the Bulldogs had a chance to cut the Falcons’ lead in half when Luke Bianco lined up a penalty kick after a foul in the box at 19 minutes.
Wakeman came up big again, diving to his right and hitting the turf to smother the Bianco’s shot. Wakeman was vocal and assertive throughout and his coach tipped his hat to his junior keeper at game’s end.
“I love that kid,” Stassen said. “He’s one of the most improved players ever. To have a goalkeeper that plays with his feet and never touches the ball with his hands is amazing.
"(Batavia's Bianco and Kahley) were phenomenal so how do you work against them? Sam played with his feet. He made them run 40 up to him and 40 yards back. And his passion and confidence stand out. His hands and feet are great, his vision is great, and he’s just a player.”
Wakeman’s save eliminated any momentum Batavia might have gained.
“We could have cut it to 2-1 and that would have been nice,” Gianfrancesco said. “It might have given a boost to the guys at that point.”
Two minutes after Wakeman’s PK save, Baumgartner was taken down in the box and converted his PK to give Wheaton North a 3-0 lead at 21 minutes. When Graham Stephenson reached the endline on the right side and centered a ball to the near post, Crystian Powell was there to stretch the back netting at 35 minutes for a 4-0 lead.
Baumgartner and Ethan Martinez were relentless on the outside all night, and midfielders Rozanski, Graham Stephenson and Diego Evangelista shined for a Falcons' attack that played more cohesive soccer than season-opening games typically offer.
“We hustled and passed well today. I felt like we had about 70 percent possession,” Baumgartner said. “I like that we were talking the whole time, and we were playing as a team. And five different guys scoring six goals — that’s good.”
Stassen was pleased with his side’s play on opening day and applauded the approach his boys bring to the game.
“It’s such a fun group. You can have the worst day possible and spend an hour with these guys and it turns you around,” Stassen said. “It’s fun. It’s not work. They have the best attitude, and they all support each other.”
North made it 5-0 at 45 minutes when Baumgartner again reached the endline on the left side and crossed to the far post, where Martinez buried it. Powell scored his second goal of the night in the game’s waning seconds off a feed from Evangelista for the final tally.
Batavia played the first contest of a 15-game season Tuesday. The Bulldogs will play every DKC team twice plus one nonconference game against West Aurora.
Gianfrancesco was happier with his side’s second half play after the rough first 40 minutes.
“They keep playing to the end,” Gianfrancesco said. “There was definitely improvement in the second half. Now we’ve got to work on connecting and seeing where the angles are to get up the field.
“I thought Riley Miller and Quinn Salyers did a nice job in the center in back — not right away but they acclimated as the game progressed. Will Bardol in the middle was an engine for us and Luke and Ryan up top have got skill. They can combine together and get in behind, once they find their groove.
“We’ve got another game Thursday (vs. Lake Park) so we’re right back at it. So there’s no time to dwell on it. We need to make adjustments, work on our communication, improve on a couple things and hopefully create a few more chances.”
While Baumgartner and Stassen agreed that Wheaton North's passing and speed of play need to improve, the team’s cohesion level for a season-opening game stood out. The Falcons played to feet, kept making runs, and played unselfish soccer throughout.
The script may need work, but every Falcon stuck to it on the season’s opening day.
“We’ve got a lot of returning guys, and our seniors have been playing since freshmen year together,” Baumgartner said. “And our juniors and Diego (Evangelista), our sophomore, stepped up. They’re coming on and they’re playing well right away."
A shutout for Wakeman and his defenders was also good news for the Falcons.
“The backline was good. They were able to move the ball and possess,” Stassen said.
“We all know males — we like to talk and we don’t like to listen — but our backline loves to listen to Sam. And Kyle Schauer and Tristan Mackay are two solid center backs who are born leaders.”
Wheaton North will only play DKC teams in its 14-game schedule. The Falcons next play at St. Charles North on Thursday.
Starting lineups
Wheaton North
GK: Sam Wakeman
D: Kyle Schauer
D: Tristan Mackay
D: Noah Froebe
D: Crystian Powell
M: Diego Evangelista
M: Erik Rozanski
M: Graham Stephenson
M: Ethan Martinez
F: Jarrett Baumgartner
F: Gyan Patel
Batavia
GK: Logan Saenz
D: Riley Miller
D: Quinn Salyers
D: Emir Haskovic
D: Manasas Monarrez
M: Dylan Knapp
M: Rodrigo Maldonado
M: Ben Hanson
M: Will Bardol
F: Luke Bianco
F: Ryan Kahley
Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match: Jarrett Baumgartner, sr., F, Wheaton North
Scoring summary
First half
Wheaton North — Rozanski (Patel) 1 minute
Wheaton North — Patel (Baumgartner) 19 minutes
Wheaton North — Baumgartner (PK) 21 minutes
Wheaton North — Powell (Stephenson) 35 minutes
Second half
Wheaton North — Martinez (Baumgartner) 45 minutes
Wheaton North — Powell (Evangelista) 80 minutes