Hampshire celebrates seniors
with win over Cary-Grove
Whip-Purs take 4-1 decision and optimism into postseason
By Chris Walker
HAMPSHIRE – You can never underestimate the exciting possibility that what happens in a high school soccer game could become a lifetime memory.
With 28:20 on the clock in the first half of Hampshire’s home Fox Valley Conference game against Cary-Grove, seniors Juan Alva, Diego Colin and Gerardo Marquez teamed up to break up the scoreless game and inspire the Whip-Purs to 4-1 victory on Senior Night.
“It was a special moment, and I’ll definitely remember that for the rest of my life,” said Marquez of his goal from in the box that he deposited inside the far post. “We were moving the ball well and opening up spaces.
“The goal that I scored was a team goal. We were making the triangles and that’s the way you’ve got to play, the give-and-goes. I go over and the defense didn’t see me, because it was such a quick play. I’m in, and luckily the ball went in. It was a team effort.”
The team effort got the Whip-Purs (9-10-3, 5-4-0) positive results on Tuesday night as they minimized Cary-Grove’s threats while controlling the pace and majority of the action. Hampshire also beat Cary-Grove when the team’s played in the spring, earning a 3-2 victory on the road April 6.
“The past few games we’ve been treating like they are regional games,” Marquez said. “We’re just trying to build up our momentum, and I think we’re showing that our team is ready. We were playing really well today.
“We played well against (conference champion) Huntley, but shut off for like two minutes and they scored three goals which was unfortunate, because we played the rest of the game very well.
“I feel good about how we were playing today, quick passes, playing through the middle, giving and opening up the spaces. I think we’re ready for regionals.”
Sophomore Juan Martinez got up-close and personal deep in the penalty box with 24:23 remaining in the opening half. He received a ball from senior Jesse Brown and sent it home for a 2-0 advantage.
“Just finishing like that, it really helps the team morale,” Martinez said. “It was a really good one. The intensity was definitely there from us from the start to the end. We just got to keep it going like that. That’s how it should be.”
Martinez added his second goal of the game with 27:42 left in the game. Senior Diego Colin, who was named the Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match, provided the assist. He finished his final home game with a pair of helpers on the night he and his fellow seniors were recognized. His honored classmates included: Kyle Schultz; Evan Korabik; Juan Alva and Kyan Dulaca.
“Every time I have the ball, we all have our own part to do,” Colin said. “I don’t really care about who scores or assists, it’s just about getting the goal. It was our last game here with the boys, so I’m glad to take the win in our last game. We knew it might be a challenge because (Cary-Grove) beat Jacobs, but we gave our hardest effort and put the pressure on them.”
Freshman Charlie Terriquez, who won’t be eligible to celebrate his own Senior Night until 2024, joined in on the festive evening when he sped ahead of a defender and into the box before sending his shot inside the far post with 12:07 left to play to make it 4-0.
Cary-Grove put a slight damper on Hampshire’s wonderful night, breaking the shutout with 11:19 remaining with a goal from sophomore Kyle Nordegren. That was one of the few highlights for a team which suffered just its second loss by more than a single goal this season. Despite that impressive stat, the Trojans finished the regular season 5-7-1, 5-4-0.
“Our whole goal was to go in to compete to win, and we didn’t do that very well,” Trojans coach Mark Olson said. “Hat’s off to Hampshire. They had a great game.”
Olson said he’s been happy with his team’s growth during the season, and that they’ve been playing well overall.
“We came out of this relatively healthy and ready to go so we kind of did what we wanted to do,” he said. “It’s now one and done, so it’s either win or go home.”
Cary-Grove senior goalkeeper Sam Kedzior was hoping for some momentum heading into next week’s Class AA Deerfield Regional semifinal against Carmel, but instead it becomes another learning experience.
“This was not a good game to end conference on, but you learn from your losses,” he said. “We’re going to definitely not want to feel like this and we’re going to take that into practice.”
A large student section provided lots of vocal support for the Whip-Purs, even responding to some of the frequent “You’ve got to be kidding me,” yelps from disgruntled Cary-Grove fans at the officiating crew’s calls.
“I think it was crazy here tonight, the atmosphere was insane,” Hampshire senior Kacper Wujda said. “I had goose bumps. I love it. I’m sure the team all loves it.”
It was also apparent the team loves one another. Some of the group was so slow to leave afterward that they were still scattered on the pitch when the lights were turned off.
“I don’t think I’ve taken it in yet,” Brown said. “I don’t think it’s hit me yet, but it will at some point. I’m just happy we played a good game and that we played the way we did. It’s a great group. We’re always joking with each other on and off the pitch. It’s just a really great group of guys that meshes really well.”
The good times make things even better.
“We’re trying to enjoy winning as much as we can and just enjoying being around each other,” Brown said. “I’m enjoying being able to play with such good players, and such good teammates and having such good people all around you.
“It’s been a fun experience, and I’ve got the pleasure of playing with a lot of these guys a long time. Then some new guys have come onto the squad over the years. It’s been such a great experience.”
It’s been an intriguing fall for Hampshire which didn’t earn victory no. 1 until its sixth game (6-0 over Harlem on Aug. 28) but is heading into the postseason with a 4-1-0 record in its last five games. The lone loss came against Huntley.
“There were some frustrating days,” Hampshire senior Adrian Milkewicz said. “There were some happy days, sad days, frustrating days, mad days, but it’s all the life of a footballer.
“Basically, you’ve got mixed emotions every single day. There’s good days and bad days. When there’s bad days you’ve got to shake it off and always have a good mentality and yeah, just got to have a strong mentality and keep a positive mindset coming into the game.”
Tuesday was a highlight.
“It’s a good ending to the season,” Milkewicz said. “We started off not the way we really wanted to start, but once the season went on the boys got closer to each other. We started playing 1-2 touches and better passes to each other and as the games went on, practices went on, weeks went on, the boys got closer to each other, games got better, results were looking the way we wanted to.”
Now they’ll look to continue to get the results they’ve been seeking.
“We’re just going to try keeping our mentality straight and eating healthy,” Wujda said. “It’s not just all on the pitch, you’ve got to take care of yourself off the pitch as well.”
Like coaches throughout the state, Hampshire coach Chayanne Martinez has a group of guys whose sport was a victim of the pandemic. For many Whip-Purs next week’s postseason game will be their first.
Terriquez was in seventh grade, as a matter of fact, when the Whip-Purs last played a postseason game (a 1-0 loss to Sycamore in the Hampshire Regional championship game, Oct. 26, 2019).
“No more than maybe four or five (players) have playoff experience and that’s a part of preparing mentally,” Martinez said. “And that’s what we’re going to be working on this next week. We have a week to prepare, and we want to go in strong mentally as well as physically.”
Martinez acknowledged that the Whip-Purs had a mental breakdown in the loss to Huntley. Perhaps in the end, it can be a learning experience that helps Hampshire as do-or-die games begin next week.
“We talked about it prior to the season that you can’t mentally shutoff, because no matter how well you’re possessing the game or how well you’re playing those little things will happen,” he said. “You have to be ready to be mentally tough to finish.
“We’re happy knowing we can take other teams, and we have gotten better as the season has gone on. The game before (Huntley) and games after that we’ve done really well, and I’m very happy to see the development going into the regionals.”
Coachable kids are undoubtedly going to get better.
“This group is very coachable, and that was the best thing about the past few years with them,” Martinez said, “They really listen to (assistant) coach (Jose Maria Garcia Martinez) and my advice. It’s the small details in the game that really make a big difference: releasing the ball quicker; finding the run.
“It’s been clicking this second half of the season and that’s what we’ve been working for all season since the beginning. The results don’t go our way right away, but the most important thing is developing and developing and eventually results are going to come. This is the way we want to go forward.”
Hampshire will take on Jefferson in the Class 3A Grant Regional semifinal at 6:30 p.m. on Oct. 19.
The J-Hawks (10-7-0, 5-3-0) have won five-straight games and finish their season on Thursday against Hononegah. They beat the Whip-Purs 2-1 during an Auburn Knights Invitational game Aug. 28.
Starting lineups
Cary-Grove
GK Sam Kedzior
D Kameron Fadden
D Jacob Motz
D Brandon Burtschi
MF Jose Dimas
MF Anthony Warfield
MF Thomas Latawiec
MF Kyle Nordengren
MF Tyler Nordengren
F Jack Eggenberger
F Lukas Klipp
Hampshire
GK Kyle Schultz
D Evan Korabik
D Jesse Brown
D Kacper Wujda
D Adrian Milkiewicz
MF Niklas Kaistinen
MF Gerardo Marquez
F Juan Alva
F Diego Colin
F Juan Martinez
F Kyan Dulaca
Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match: Diego Colin, sr., F, Hampshire
Scoring summary
First half
H: Gerardo Marquez (Diego Colin), 11th minute
H: Juan Martinez (Jesse Brown), 15th minute
Second half
H: Martinez (Colin), 52nd minute
H: Charlie Terriquez (unassisted), 67th minute
C: Kyle Nordengren (unassisted), 68th minute
with win over Cary-Grove
Whip-Purs take 4-1 decision and optimism into postseason
By Chris Walker
HAMPSHIRE – You can never underestimate the exciting possibility that what happens in a high school soccer game could become a lifetime memory.
With 28:20 on the clock in the first half of Hampshire’s home Fox Valley Conference game against Cary-Grove, seniors Juan Alva, Diego Colin and Gerardo Marquez teamed up to break up the scoreless game and inspire the Whip-Purs to 4-1 victory on Senior Night.
“It was a special moment, and I’ll definitely remember that for the rest of my life,” said Marquez of his goal from in the box that he deposited inside the far post. “We were moving the ball well and opening up spaces.
“The goal that I scored was a team goal. We were making the triangles and that’s the way you’ve got to play, the give-and-goes. I go over and the defense didn’t see me, because it was such a quick play. I’m in, and luckily the ball went in. It was a team effort.”
The team effort got the Whip-Purs (9-10-3, 5-4-0) positive results on Tuesday night as they minimized Cary-Grove’s threats while controlling the pace and majority of the action. Hampshire also beat Cary-Grove when the team’s played in the spring, earning a 3-2 victory on the road April 6.
“The past few games we’ve been treating like they are regional games,” Marquez said. “We’re just trying to build up our momentum, and I think we’re showing that our team is ready. We were playing really well today.
“We played well against (conference champion) Huntley, but shut off for like two minutes and they scored three goals which was unfortunate, because we played the rest of the game very well.
“I feel good about how we were playing today, quick passes, playing through the middle, giving and opening up the spaces. I think we’re ready for regionals.”
Sophomore Juan Martinez got up-close and personal deep in the penalty box with 24:23 remaining in the opening half. He received a ball from senior Jesse Brown and sent it home for a 2-0 advantage.
“Just finishing like that, it really helps the team morale,” Martinez said. “It was a really good one. The intensity was definitely there from us from the start to the end. We just got to keep it going like that. That’s how it should be.”
Martinez added his second goal of the game with 27:42 left in the game. Senior Diego Colin, who was named the Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match, provided the assist. He finished his final home game with a pair of helpers on the night he and his fellow seniors were recognized. His honored classmates included: Kyle Schultz; Evan Korabik; Juan Alva and Kyan Dulaca.
“Every time I have the ball, we all have our own part to do,” Colin said. “I don’t really care about who scores or assists, it’s just about getting the goal. It was our last game here with the boys, so I’m glad to take the win in our last game. We knew it might be a challenge because (Cary-Grove) beat Jacobs, but we gave our hardest effort and put the pressure on them.”
Freshman Charlie Terriquez, who won’t be eligible to celebrate his own Senior Night until 2024, joined in on the festive evening when he sped ahead of a defender and into the box before sending his shot inside the far post with 12:07 left to play to make it 4-0.
Cary-Grove put a slight damper on Hampshire’s wonderful night, breaking the shutout with 11:19 remaining with a goal from sophomore Kyle Nordegren. That was one of the few highlights for a team which suffered just its second loss by more than a single goal this season. Despite that impressive stat, the Trojans finished the regular season 5-7-1, 5-4-0.
“Our whole goal was to go in to compete to win, and we didn’t do that very well,” Trojans coach Mark Olson said. “Hat’s off to Hampshire. They had a great game.”
Olson said he’s been happy with his team’s growth during the season, and that they’ve been playing well overall.
“We came out of this relatively healthy and ready to go so we kind of did what we wanted to do,” he said. “It’s now one and done, so it’s either win or go home.”
Cary-Grove senior goalkeeper Sam Kedzior was hoping for some momentum heading into next week’s Class AA Deerfield Regional semifinal against Carmel, but instead it becomes another learning experience.
“This was not a good game to end conference on, but you learn from your losses,” he said. “We’re going to definitely not want to feel like this and we’re going to take that into practice.”
A large student section provided lots of vocal support for the Whip-Purs, even responding to some of the frequent “You’ve got to be kidding me,” yelps from disgruntled Cary-Grove fans at the officiating crew’s calls.
“I think it was crazy here tonight, the atmosphere was insane,” Hampshire senior Kacper Wujda said. “I had goose bumps. I love it. I’m sure the team all loves it.”
It was also apparent the team loves one another. Some of the group was so slow to leave afterward that they were still scattered on the pitch when the lights were turned off.
“I don’t think I’ve taken it in yet,” Brown said. “I don’t think it’s hit me yet, but it will at some point. I’m just happy we played a good game and that we played the way we did. It’s a great group. We’re always joking with each other on and off the pitch. It’s just a really great group of guys that meshes really well.”
The good times make things even better.
“We’re trying to enjoy winning as much as we can and just enjoying being around each other,” Brown said. “I’m enjoying being able to play with such good players, and such good teammates and having such good people all around you.
“It’s been a fun experience, and I’ve got the pleasure of playing with a lot of these guys a long time. Then some new guys have come onto the squad over the years. It’s been such a great experience.”
It’s been an intriguing fall for Hampshire which didn’t earn victory no. 1 until its sixth game (6-0 over Harlem on Aug. 28) but is heading into the postseason with a 4-1-0 record in its last five games. The lone loss came against Huntley.
“There were some frustrating days,” Hampshire senior Adrian Milkewicz said. “There were some happy days, sad days, frustrating days, mad days, but it’s all the life of a footballer.
“Basically, you’ve got mixed emotions every single day. There’s good days and bad days. When there’s bad days you’ve got to shake it off and always have a good mentality and yeah, just got to have a strong mentality and keep a positive mindset coming into the game.”
Tuesday was a highlight.
“It’s a good ending to the season,” Milkewicz said. “We started off not the way we really wanted to start, but once the season went on the boys got closer to each other. We started playing 1-2 touches and better passes to each other and as the games went on, practices went on, weeks went on, the boys got closer to each other, games got better, results were looking the way we wanted to.”
Now they’ll look to continue to get the results they’ve been seeking.
“We’re just going to try keeping our mentality straight and eating healthy,” Wujda said. “It’s not just all on the pitch, you’ve got to take care of yourself off the pitch as well.”
Like coaches throughout the state, Hampshire coach Chayanne Martinez has a group of guys whose sport was a victim of the pandemic. For many Whip-Purs next week’s postseason game will be their first.
Terriquez was in seventh grade, as a matter of fact, when the Whip-Purs last played a postseason game (a 1-0 loss to Sycamore in the Hampshire Regional championship game, Oct. 26, 2019).
“No more than maybe four or five (players) have playoff experience and that’s a part of preparing mentally,” Martinez said. “And that’s what we’re going to be working on this next week. We have a week to prepare, and we want to go in strong mentally as well as physically.”
Martinez acknowledged that the Whip-Purs had a mental breakdown in the loss to Huntley. Perhaps in the end, it can be a learning experience that helps Hampshire as do-or-die games begin next week.
“We talked about it prior to the season that you can’t mentally shutoff, because no matter how well you’re possessing the game or how well you’re playing those little things will happen,” he said. “You have to be ready to be mentally tough to finish.
“We’re happy knowing we can take other teams, and we have gotten better as the season has gone on. The game before (Huntley) and games after that we’ve done really well, and I’m very happy to see the development going into the regionals.”
Coachable kids are undoubtedly going to get better.
“This group is very coachable, and that was the best thing about the past few years with them,” Martinez said, “They really listen to (assistant) coach (Jose Maria Garcia Martinez) and my advice. It’s the small details in the game that really make a big difference: releasing the ball quicker; finding the run.
“It’s been clicking this second half of the season and that’s what we’ve been working for all season since the beginning. The results don’t go our way right away, but the most important thing is developing and developing and eventually results are going to come. This is the way we want to go forward.”
Hampshire will take on Jefferson in the Class 3A Grant Regional semifinal at 6:30 p.m. on Oct. 19.
The J-Hawks (10-7-0, 5-3-0) have won five-straight games and finish their season on Thursday against Hononegah. They beat the Whip-Purs 2-1 during an Auburn Knights Invitational game Aug. 28.
Starting lineups
Cary-Grove
GK Sam Kedzior
D Kameron Fadden
D Jacob Motz
D Brandon Burtschi
MF Jose Dimas
MF Anthony Warfield
MF Thomas Latawiec
MF Kyle Nordengren
MF Tyler Nordengren
F Jack Eggenberger
F Lukas Klipp
Hampshire
GK Kyle Schultz
D Evan Korabik
D Jesse Brown
D Kacper Wujda
D Adrian Milkiewicz
MF Niklas Kaistinen
MF Gerardo Marquez
F Juan Alva
F Diego Colin
F Juan Martinez
F Kyan Dulaca
Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match: Diego Colin, sr., F, Hampshire
Scoring summary
First half
H: Gerardo Marquez (Diego Colin), 11th minute
H: Juan Martinez (Jesse Brown), 15th minute
Second half
H: Martinez (Colin), 52nd minute
H: Charlie Terriquez (unassisted), 67th minute
C: Kyle Nordengren (unassisted), 68th minute