Smolak is Fremd's lastest Kinsella Cup hero
Junior's golden goal in first OT gives Vikings 2-1 win
By Mike Garofola
PALATINE -- All the great Mid-Suburban League soccer rivalries contain a combination of proximity, history and a shared level of success.
Those attributes certainly come together when crosstown rivals Fremd and Palatine meet every season to play for the coveted Kinsella Cup -- the trophy that honors Jimmy Kinsella, one of the founding fathers of the Palatine Celtic Soccer Club.
This annual contest can be relied on for just about anything -- the unpredictable, surprising and on many occasions dramatic.
Thursday night at Chic Anderson Stadium, the home of the Palatine Pirates, Fremd's Beck Smolak played in his first Kinsella Cup. He entered the game a rookie and left the hero when the junior steered in the golden goal game-winner in the 86th minute to give the visitors a 2-1 victory.
The win gives the Vikings (3-2-0 overall and MSL) bragging rights to the Kinsella Cup for a fifth-consecutive season.
"It's one of our biggest games of the year, so it was great to be able to help us win the Kinsella again," said Smolak, minutes after being mobbed by his mates, who lifted the big traveling trophy in front of their hearty fans who braved the wind and the cold for the 26th-annual classic.
"We all know someone, or of someone, on the Palatine team," said Vikings junior Ryan Sapiente, whose lovely, left-footed free kick initiated the sequence that ended with Smolak finding the back of the net. "There's a lot of pride involved in playing this game, which can always become a little chippy, physical and frantic because of how big of a game it is between two teams from the same town."
"We always look forward to this night," said Fremd manager Steve Keller. "I love this game, and I know the guys do as well."
Keller, and his counterpart, Willie Filian, have more than 50 years of coaching experience and nearly 700 victories between them. Filian is nearing 400 and Keller 300.
"I've been involved with each Kinsella Cup played both on the boys side, as well as the girls," said Filian. "It's always an important game on our schedule. It's just too bad we lost our focus heading into overtime. That's how you lose games like this."
Fremd, the reigning MSL champions, graduated numerous stars from that championship club. The Vikings finished that season at 15-2-4 and ranked ninth in Chicagoland Soccer's Final 50 state-wide poll after falling in a sectional final to eventual Class 3A fourth place finisher St. Patrick.
Gone is the entire backline, starting keeper, several key pieces throughout the midfield and several men up-top.
"We lost a lot from the 2019 team, but we have a nice core back, plus some very talented new, young players," said Sapiente, who was deployed mostly as a midfielder a year ago, but now patrols the backline on the outside left, thanks in part to the natural left-footer sublime touch and field vision. "Joey Gillespie is an absolute stud of a keeper.
"We began the season 0-2-0, but we were sorting things out, especially along the back, which Keller spends so much time working and reworking," continued the junior, who hasn't ruled out playing in college, where he plans on majoring in education.
"Some of the young guys you saw tonight are going to be very good: Kenan (Mesic), Will Meyer, and Leo (Akashi) are all sophomores. So, it's going to be exciting around here for the next couple of seasons."
Akashi, who provided plenty of pace and energy after Keller brought him on at 20 minutes, made his presence felt on the scoreboard when his sublime finish after helpers from juniors Eli Schoffstall and Christian Tirado led to the opener at 32 minutes.
"Leo, Kenan and Tirado gave us a good effort tonight, but that's what we're looking from those guys this season," said Keller.
Just minutes before the Akashi goal, the aforementioned Schoffstall, who has bagged his share of game-winners during his first two years with the big club, just missed latching onto a nice early ball from Sapiente at the back post.
Moments after the whistle opened the second half, Brandon Wozniak chipped his attempt just over the Palatine net after taking a Mesic pass under control.
The home side equalized in the 48th minute after some wonderful individual work saw senior Aaron Bustamante get to the endline before providing an inch-perfect cross to the back post where an unmarked Antonio Milenkov easily finished.
As expected in this longtime rivalry, the action heated up on the bone-chilling night. Each side showed more urgency in each and every 50-50 challenge and attempt to take the lead.
The Pirates (2-3-0) had a strong wind at their back, thus giving them an advantage on balls over the top or with distribution from keeper Kyle Varela, who reached the midline with his punts.
Varela, shielded until the very last second, made a sensational late save on wicked strike from Nick Austin to keep things even in the 68th minute.
Tirado forced Varela to make a pair of strong saves in the 73rd minute from 16 yards. Moments later Mayer nearly grabbed the Vikings second goal if not for the post which deflected his close-range attempt away.
Once in the first extra period it was clear, as Filian alluded, that his lads had lost the focus to compete with an energized opponent who wanted nothing less than a victory.
Sapiente initiated the game-winner with his long free kick from just inside the midline that fell to Smolak inside the Pirates box.
"Ryan hit a great ball that hit a few people and bounced right to me," said Smolak, who made it all seem easy despite the intense pressure.
The result was another deeply satisfying rivalry win. Now the Vikings look ahead to getting back in the MSL race.
"With six sophomores, the issue is to get them up to speed and learning to play with patience and confidence," Keller said. "Tonight you saw a lot of our young guys do just that.
"We still have a long way to go. We're still adjusting and sorting things out, but we've been playing much better than we were during that first week of the season."
Fremd will welcome MSL West Division rival Hoffman Estates on Tuesday; the Pirates face Schaumburg to begin a busy week of three games.
Here's a brief history of the previous Kinsella Cup results:
2019
Fremd 2, Palatine 1 (2 OT)
Jake Schoffstall's 25-yard freekick took this contest in the 92nd minute to give the Vikings three important points as it ran its league record to 8-0-2 to secure a spot in the MSL Cup one week later.
2018
Fremd 5, Palatine 0
Ryan Sapiente's older brother Connor assisted on the first goal of the game, while current stars Eli Schoffstall and Nick Austin, added to the scoreline and help send the Vikings seven points clear of their nearest opponent in the division race.
2017
Fremd 1, Palatine 0
Matt Austin (Nick's older brother) scores in the sixth minute to give the Vikings their second-straight, one-goal victory over Palatine.
2016
Fremd 2, Palatine 1
The Kinsella Cup traveled back to the south side of Palatine when Josh Kasser, who earned Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match honor, kept the Pirates out of the back of his net with some terrific glove work. Teammate Michael Lebarge scored the eventual game-winner.
Starting lineups
Fremd (4-4-2)
G- Joey Gillespie
D- Ryan Sapiente
D- Aidan Johnston
D- Beck Smolak
D- Will Stewart
M- Will Mayer
M- Brandon Wozniak
M- Kenan Mesic
M- Joey Rodino
F- Nick Austin
F- Eli Schostall
Palatine (3-5-2)
G- Kyle Varela
D- Christopher Mejia
D- Ray Navarrete
D- Mockton Cuadra
M- Wiktor Pajak
M- Arian Mejial
M- Aaron Bustamante
M- Matt Geisel
M- William Braznell
F- Omar Marin
F- Antonio Milenkov
Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match: Beck Smolak, jr., D, Fremd
Referee: Adrian Warbiecki
Scoring summary
First half
Fremd: Akashi (Schoffstall) 32'
Second half
Palatine: Milenkov (Bustamante) 48'
First OT
Fremd: Smolak (Sapiente) 86'
Junior's golden goal in first OT gives Vikings 2-1 win
By Mike Garofola
PALATINE -- All the great Mid-Suburban League soccer rivalries contain a combination of proximity, history and a shared level of success.
Those attributes certainly come together when crosstown rivals Fremd and Palatine meet every season to play for the coveted Kinsella Cup -- the trophy that honors Jimmy Kinsella, one of the founding fathers of the Palatine Celtic Soccer Club.
This annual contest can be relied on for just about anything -- the unpredictable, surprising and on many occasions dramatic.
Thursday night at Chic Anderson Stadium, the home of the Palatine Pirates, Fremd's Beck Smolak played in his first Kinsella Cup. He entered the game a rookie and left the hero when the junior steered in the golden goal game-winner in the 86th minute to give the visitors a 2-1 victory.
The win gives the Vikings (3-2-0 overall and MSL) bragging rights to the Kinsella Cup for a fifth-consecutive season.
"It's one of our biggest games of the year, so it was great to be able to help us win the Kinsella again," said Smolak, minutes after being mobbed by his mates, who lifted the big traveling trophy in front of their hearty fans who braved the wind and the cold for the 26th-annual classic.
"We all know someone, or of someone, on the Palatine team," said Vikings junior Ryan Sapiente, whose lovely, left-footed free kick initiated the sequence that ended with Smolak finding the back of the net. "There's a lot of pride involved in playing this game, which can always become a little chippy, physical and frantic because of how big of a game it is between two teams from the same town."
"We always look forward to this night," said Fremd manager Steve Keller. "I love this game, and I know the guys do as well."
Keller, and his counterpart, Willie Filian, have more than 50 years of coaching experience and nearly 700 victories between them. Filian is nearing 400 and Keller 300.
"I've been involved with each Kinsella Cup played both on the boys side, as well as the girls," said Filian. "It's always an important game on our schedule. It's just too bad we lost our focus heading into overtime. That's how you lose games like this."
Fremd, the reigning MSL champions, graduated numerous stars from that championship club. The Vikings finished that season at 15-2-4 and ranked ninth in Chicagoland Soccer's Final 50 state-wide poll after falling in a sectional final to eventual Class 3A fourth place finisher St. Patrick.
Gone is the entire backline, starting keeper, several key pieces throughout the midfield and several men up-top.
"We lost a lot from the 2019 team, but we have a nice core back, plus some very talented new, young players," said Sapiente, who was deployed mostly as a midfielder a year ago, but now patrols the backline on the outside left, thanks in part to the natural left-footer sublime touch and field vision. "Joey Gillespie is an absolute stud of a keeper.
"We began the season 0-2-0, but we were sorting things out, especially along the back, which Keller spends so much time working and reworking," continued the junior, who hasn't ruled out playing in college, where he plans on majoring in education.
"Some of the young guys you saw tonight are going to be very good: Kenan (Mesic), Will Meyer, and Leo (Akashi) are all sophomores. So, it's going to be exciting around here for the next couple of seasons."
Akashi, who provided plenty of pace and energy after Keller brought him on at 20 minutes, made his presence felt on the scoreboard when his sublime finish after helpers from juniors Eli Schoffstall and Christian Tirado led to the opener at 32 minutes.
"Leo, Kenan and Tirado gave us a good effort tonight, but that's what we're looking from those guys this season," said Keller.
Just minutes before the Akashi goal, the aforementioned Schoffstall, who has bagged his share of game-winners during his first two years with the big club, just missed latching onto a nice early ball from Sapiente at the back post.
Moments after the whistle opened the second half, Brandon Wozniak chipped his attempt just over the Palatine net after taking a Mesic pass under control.
The home side equalized in the 48th minute after some wonderful individual work saw senior Aaron Bustamante get to the endline before providing an inch-perfect cross to the back post where an unmarked Antonio Milenkov easily finished.
As expected in this longtime rivalry, the action heated up on the bone-chilling night. Each side showed more urgency in each and every 50-50 challenge and attempt to take the lead.
The Pirates (2-3-0) had a strong wind at their back, thus giving them an advantage on balls over the top or with distribution from keeper Kyle Varela, who reached the midline with his punts.
Varela, shielded until the very last second, made a sensational late save on wicked strike from Nick Austin to keep things even in the 68th minute.
Tirado forced Varela to make a pair of strong saves in the 73rd minute from 16 yards. Moments later Mayer nearly grabbed the Vikings second goal if not for the post which deflected his close-range attempt away.
Once in the first extra period it was clear, as Filian alluded, that his lads had lost the focus to compete with an energized opponent who wanted nothing less than a victory.
Sapiente initiated the game-winner with his long free kick from just inside the midline that fell to Smolak inside the Pirates box.
"Ryan hit a great ball that hit a few people and bounced right to me," said Smolak, who made it all seem easy despite the intense pressure.
The result was another deeply satisfying rivalry win. Now the Vikings look ahead to getting back in the MSL race.
"With six sophomores, the issue is to get them up to speed and learning to play with patience and confidence," Keller said. "Tonight you saw a lot of our young guys do just that.
"We still have a long way to go. We're still adjusting and sorting things out, but we've been playing much better than we were during that first week of the season."
Fremd will welcome MSL West Division rival Hoffman Estates on Tuesday; the Pirates face Schaumburg to begin a busy week of three games.
Here's a brief history of the previous Kinsella Cup results:
2019
Fremd 2, Palatine 1 (2 OT)
Jake Schoffstall's 25-yard freekick took this contest in the 92nd minute to give the Vikings three important points as it ran its league record to 8-0-2 to secure a spot in the MSL Cup one week later.
2018
Fremd 5, Palatine 0
Ryan Sapiente's older brother Connor assisted on the first goal of the game, while current stars Eli Schoffstall and Nick Austin, added to the scoreline and help send the Vikings seven points clear of their nearest opponent in the division race.
2017
Fremd 1, Palatine 0
Matt Austin (Nick's older brother) scores in the sixth minute to give the Vikings their second-straight, one-goal victory over Palatine.
2016
Fremd 2, Palatine 1
The Kinsella Cup traveled back to the south side of Palatine when Josh Kasser, who earned Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match honor, kept the Pirates out of the back of his net with some terrific glove work. Teammate Michael Lebarge scored the eventual game-winner.
Starting lineups
Fremd (4-4-2)
G- Joey Gillespie
D- Ryan Sapiente
D- Aidan Johnston
D- Beck Smolak
D- Will Stewart
M- Will Mayer
M- Brandon Wozniak
M- Kenan Mesic
M- Joey Rodino
F- Nick Austin
F- Eli Schostall
Palatine (3-5-2)
G- Kyle Varela
D- Christopher Mejia
D- Ray Navarrete
D- Mockton Cuadra
M- Wiktor Pajak
M- Arian Mejial
M- Aaron Bustamante
M- Matt Geisel
M- William Braznell
F- Omar Marin
F- Antonio Milenkov
Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match: Beck Smolak, jr., D, Fremd
Referee: Adrian Warbiecki
Scoring summary
First half
Fremd: Akashi (Schoffstall) 32'
Second half
Palatine: Milenkov (Bustamante) 48'
First OT
Fremd: Smolak (Sapiente) 86'