Fenwick senior Velliotis
takes center state at Marmion
Converts on PK to give Friars 1-0 Chicago Catholic League win
By Jared Birchfield
AURORA – Although Marmion honored its graduating class at Tuesday’s match, it was a Fenwick senior who got the most attention.
Friars forward Ari Velliotis converted a penalty kick in the 59th minute - the only goal of the contest - for a 1-0 Fenwick win in Chicago Catholic League Blue Division play at Powers Field.
Velliotis drilled his shot just past Cadets goalkeeper senior Emilio Filippo’s into the right side of the net for the score.
“We were tied late in the game. I knew it was a big point, so I just wanted to put it away, and that's what I did,” Velliotis said. “I noticed the keeper was toward that side so I was assuming he would dive to the left to try to pressure me to go that way so that's kind of why I went to the right.”
Neither side was able to capitalize on the few scoring opportunities they had in the first half that saw the action evenly split between the two teams.
Marmion forward Michael Hernby’s corner kick three minutes into the game was headed off by Fenwick’s Luigi Mollo.
Barry O’Neill had back-to-back chances in the 16th minute for the Cadets. First, a shot on goal was stopped by Friars keeper Greg Price. A minute later, O’Neill’s corner kick was blown behind the goal by the wind.
It looked like Fenwick midfielder Jack Powers might break the scoreless deadlock at 22:37 mark of the first half on a breakaway. However, the action stopped when the Friars were whistled for being offsides.
Six minutes later, the junior’s shot from the near corner of the penalty box was stopped by Filippo.
“I was staying back a little bit more because they were pretty quick team, and they were passing well,” Powers said. “They were playing great defense. Mostly I was actually feeding the ball across the field because they were pushing me towards the outside. I didn't get too many chances, I tried one, and the goalie saved it.”
Powers Field is one of the area’s few pitches that runs east to west. The team attacking the west goal also had to contend with a stiff breeze.
“Going against the wind in the first half created a really good opportunity, and we got through and their goalkeeper made a big save,” said Fenwick coach Craig Blazer. “That was the play in the first half.”
The first half ended with Cadet Joey Lagman’s shot bouncing off the crossbar.
In addition to the wind during the first half, Fenwick (8-3-1, 6-3-0) defender Dylan Kupiec felt his team was adjusting to the Powers Field grass.
“I think the biggest part of why we couldn't really get anything going on offense in the first half was because, for the first time all year we played on a grass field,” the senior said “It’s definitely a learning curve there, so we had to get over that. The wind also played a pretty big factor (in the first half), because you couldn't get the ball downfield or anything.”
Kupiec’s adjustment to grass included a bandaged left knee.
He added that Marmion’s formation was also challenging for Fenwick.
“It got a little messy at times, because they we're used to other teams playing one forward. They were playing two or three at times, so it got a little messy,” he said. “But we were communicating so it wasn't too bad.”
In the second half, most of the action took place on Marmion’s side of the field.
“Once the second half started and we had the wind at our backs, we were able to get the ball down the field more often,” Kupiec said.
“Second half we had the wind, and we played more in their defensive half and in our attacking half,” said Blazer. “We played a little more direct. We did that on purpose to turn their backs around. Time after time we turned their backs around, and they were forced to desperation. Then we drew the penalty kick.”
“They were tough; they were a good team,” first-year Marmion coach Gerardo Alvarez said. “They have a certain style of soccer which we couldn't defend very well to be honest with you in the second half facing the wind.”
O’Neill provided Marmion (7-4-1, 5-3-0) with its best offensive chances of the second half after Velliotis’ PK. Both attempts went wide.
“We played well. I didn't I think we play poorly by any means,” Alvarez said. “We have a certain brand which is keeping the ball, getting the guys forward, getting our wing backs forward and getting involved in the attack. We created opportunities, but we just didn't finish them.
“When I think about defense, it starts with the guys up-top in terms of how we defend. I think our guys, up-top and in the middle of field didn't put enough pressure on their backline and midfielders, because they kept dumping balls over our back,” he continued. “We put us in that predicament. Now we're running towards our goal to defend the ball, and they had some quick and strong guys up-top and that created opportunities. They weren't doing anything flashy, but they were effective.”
Playing back-to-back games was a challenge for the Cadets.
“We had a tough game yesterday. We played at Saint Ignatius and we were down 2- 0, so we scored five goals in 20 minutes to close the game and here we go less than 24 hours later we're playing another game. It takes a toll it's tough that's why they don't do it at a professional level,” the Marmion coach said. “That's not an excuse. We don't have excuses here, they beat us. We had the opportunities to even win the game, forget tying the game. We had opportunities to win the game. We didn't capitalize, they scored their one, and that's how the game goes.”
Blazer was impressed with Marmion’s Monday win.
“Marmion is a very good team. They had a very good win the other day against Saint Ignatius which speaks volumes of the quality of the of the Catholic League," he said. “Coach Alvarez does a great job here, and we just kind of held it down right at the end.”
Velliotis’ game winning goal earned him the Chicagoland Socce Man of the Match honor.
“He's gaining confidence. He's a really good player and did a really good job tonight,” Blazer said.
Starting lineups
Fenwick
GK: Greg Price
D: Brent Bergnach
D: Joey Karris
D: Dylan Kupiec
D: Anders Luthringhausen
M: Ryan Bero
M: Luigi Mollo
M: Zach Hernandez
M: Jack Powers
F: Ari Velliotis
F: Narayan Sharma
Marmion
GK: Emilio Flippo
D: Drew Noecker
D: Lucas Brummel
D: Nathan Sowers
M: Joey Lagman
M: Barry O’Neill
F: Matthew Sullivan
F: Mactzil Lopez
F: James Lawinger
F: Michael Hemby
F: Nicolas Ruiz
Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match: Ari Velliotis, sr., F, Fenwick
Scoring summary
First half
No scoring
Second half
Fenwick – Velliotis (PK) 59 minutes
takes center state at Marmion
Converts on PK to give Friars 1-0 Chicago Catholic League win
By Jared Birchfield
AURORA – Although Marmion honored its graduating class at Tuesday’s match, it was a Fenwick senior who got the most attention.
Friars forward Ari Velliotis converted a penalty kick in the 59th minute - the only goal of the contest - for a 1-0 Fenwick win in Chicago Catholic League Blue Division play at Powers Field.
Velliotis drilled his shot just past Cadets goalkeeper senior Emilio Filippo’s into the right side of the net for the score.
“We were tied late in the game. I knew it was a big point, so I just wanted to put it away, and that's what I did,” Velliotis said. “I noticed the keeper was toward that side so I was assuming he would dive to the left to try to pressure me to go that way so that's kind of why I went to the right.”
Neither side was able to capitalize on the few scoring opportunities they had in the first half that saw the action evenly split between the two teams.
Marmion forward Michael Hernby’s corner kick three minutes into the game was headed off by Fenwick’s Luigi Mollo.
Barry O’Neill had back-to-back chances in the 16th minute for the Cadets. First, a shot on goal was stopped by Friars keeper Greg Price. A minute later, O’Neill’s corner kick was blown behind the goal by the wind.
It looked like Fenwick midfielder Jack Powers might break the scoreless deadlock at 22:37 mark of the first half on a breakaway. However, the action stopped when the Friars were whistled for being offsides.
Six minutes later, the junior’s shot from the near corner of the penalty box was stopped by Filippo.
“I was staying back a little bit more because they were pretty quick team, and they were passing well,” Powers said. “They were playing great defense. Mostly I was actually feeding the ball across the field because they were pushing me towards the outside. I didn't get too many chances, I tried one, and the goalie saved it.”
Powers Field is one of the area’s few pitches that runs east to west. The team attacking the west goal also had to contend with a stiff breeze.
“Going against the wind in the first half created a really good opportunity, and we got through and their goalkeeper made a big save,” said Fenwick coach Craig Blazer. “That was the play in the first half.”
The first half ended with Cadet Joey Lagman’s shot bouncing off the crossbar.
In addition to the wind during the first half, Fenwick (8-3-1, 6-3-0) defender Dylan Kupiec felt his team was adjusting to the Powers Field grass.
“I think the biggest part of why we couldn't really get anything going on offense in the first half was because, for the first time all year we played on a grass field,” the senior said “It’s definitely a learning curve there, so we had to get over that. The wind also played a pretty big factor (in the first half), because you couldn't get the ball downfield or anything.”
Kupiec’s adjustment to grass included a bandaged left knee.
He added that Marmion’s formation was also challenging for Fenwick.
“It got a little messy at times, because they we're used to other teams playing one forward. They were playing two or three at times, so it got a little messy,” he said. “But we were communicating so it wasn't too bad.”
In the second half, most of the action took place on Marmion’s side of the field.
“Once the second half started and we had the wind at our backs, we were able to get the ball down the field more often,” Kupiec said.
“Second half we had the wind, and we played more in their defensive half and in our attacking half,” said Blazer. “We played a little more direct. We did that on purpose to turn their backs around. Time after time we turned their backs around, and they were forced to desperation. Then we drew the penalty kick.”
“They were tough; they were a good team,” first-year Marmion coach Gerardo Alvarez said. “They have a certain style of soccer which we couldn't defend very well to be honest with you in the second half facing the wind.”
O’Neill provided Marmion (7-4-1, 5-3-0) with its best offensive chances of the second half after Velliotis’ PK. Both attempts went wide.
“We played well. I didn't I think we play poorly by any means,” Alvarez said. “We have a certain brand which is keeping the ball, getting the guys forward, getting our wing backs forward and getting involved in the attack. We created opportunities, but we just didn't finish them.
“When I think about defense, it starts with the guys up-top in terms of how we defend. I think our guys, up-top and in the middle of field didn't put enough pressure on their backline and midfielders, because they kept dumping balls over our back,” he continued. “We put us in that predicament. Now we're running towards our goal to defend the ball, and they had some quick and strong guys up-top and that created opportunities. They weren't doing anything flashy, but they were effective.”
Playing back-to-back games was a challenge for the Cadets.
“We had a tough game yesterday. We played at Saint Ignatius and we were down 2- 0, so we scored five goals in 20 minutes to close the game and here we go less than 24 hours later we're playing another game. It takes a toll it's tough that's why they don't do it at a professional level,” the Marmion coach said. “That's not an excuse. We don't have excuses here, they beat us. We had the opportunities to even win the game, forget tying the game. We had opportunities to win the game. We didn't capitalize, they scored their one, and that's how the game goes.”
Blazer was impressed with Marmion’s Monday win.
“Marmion is a very good team. They had a very good win the other day against Saint Ignatius which speaks volumes of the quality of the of the Catholic League," he said. “Coach Alvarez does a great job here, and we just kind of held it down right at the end.”
Velliotis’ game winning goal earned him the Chicagoland Socce Man of the Match honor.
“He's gaining confidence. He's a really good player and did a really good job tonight,” Blazer said.
Starting lineups
Fenwick
GK: Greg Price
D: Brent Bergnach
D: Joey Karris
D: Dylan Kupiec
D: Anders Luthringhausen
M: Ryan Bero
M: Luigi Mollo
M: Zach Hernandez
M: Jack Powers
F: Ari Velliotis
F: Narayan Sharma
Marmion
GK: Emilio Flippo
D: Drew Noecker
D: Lucas Brummel
D: Nathan Sowers
M: Joey Lagman
M: Barry O’Neill
F: Matthew Sullivan
F: Mactzil Lopez
F: James Lawinger
F: Michael Hemby
F: Nicolas Ruiz
Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match: Ari Velliotis, sr., F, Fenwick
Scoring summary
First half
No scoring
Second half
Fenwick – Velliotis (PK) 59 minutes