New-look Loyola grinds out win at Young
2nd half goals from Miedema, Leider propel Ramblers offense
By Michael Wojtychiw
CHICAGO - The first day of competition marked a number of firsts for Loyola. Manager Justin Dunn, who took over the reins as leader of the Ramblers program, was making his head coaching debut, and the team was looking to establish a new core after key varsity players like Tommy Zipprich, Michael Sullivan, Dylan Gripman and Oscar Blazer graduated to the college game.
There might be new faces, but the same Loyola stepped out onto the field in the season opener against Young at the Michelle Obama Athletic Complex.
The Ramblers did just what they did in their abbreviated spring season -- walk away with a win, this time defeating the host Dolphins 2-0.
"It's been a bit of a whirlwind the past couple weeks," Dunn said. "Having to deal with everything in a running a program, especially as a 24 year-old that's also a teacher at a different school, it's tough.
"But I knew a lot of the guys returning and that's been really helpful, especially the senior leaders who have been helpful in creating the environment and the rhetoric that we want to have. We knew the guys from last year were leaving, but we're really confident in who we have. It's all about building that chemistry, team environment.
"It's been a change of 'Hey we now don't have these individuals, but we just need to play as a team and in the culture we've built.'"
"The guys who graduated taught us so much," Loyola defender Ryan Leider said. "They really taught us how to be leaders, how to go full out all the time, even if it's in training or working out. We need to be examples for the younger players, and that's what we're trying to show them as well."
The Ramblers came out on fire, peppering Young keeper Jackson Sprenger with three shots in the first 10 minutes, including one just moments into the game.
The one thing they weren't able to do was put the ball into the back of the net.
"It was frustrating right off the bat, especially putting a ball on net right away," Leider said.
While the Loyola offense was consistently on the attack, its backline was keeping the Dolphins from putting any pressure on Ainsworth.
That changed, however, midway through the first half after the teams broke for a water break.
"I think the guys kind of calmed down after the beginning there," Young manager Ross LaBauex said. "It's the first game and the kids are excited. After that first portion though we were able to do some things there."
LaBauex, who doubles as Young's girls soccer coach in the spring, took over the boys program for the abbreviated spring season.
Even though the spring wasn't exactly what he'd have hoped for his first season at the helm, it helped coming into the fall season knowing what he might have returning.
"We tried to get guys as much playing time, but I think we saw what we had coming back," he said.
Much like the first half, the Ramblers came out hot in the second half, but this time didn't let up. A Leider shot with 31 minutes, 38 seconds remaining hit the post, marking arguably the best scoring chance the visitors had had in a while.
The attack paid off about eight minutes later.
Guillermo Echevarria brought the ball down the left side before crossing it over to Miedema, whose hit the post.
However, this time, Leider was there to pick up the rebound and slot the ball past the keeper for a 1-0 lead with 24:18 remaining.
"That's kind of just how I play," he said. "Whenever you go towards goal, there's a chance of something good happening. I was there at the right place to put the ball away."
Then it was Miedema's turn to get in on the scoring, this time without hitting the post. His goal with 18:04 remaining put the game out of reach at 2-0.
"I recognized that the center back was starting to turn his back and coach is always telling me if I see that, just go towards goal," he said. "I saw him doing that and automatically accelerated. Took my first couple touches and kind of had to beat him in a 50-50 ball. Once I was past him, I knew it was just me and the goalie.
"I took my time, tried to get myself some space and put it in the back of the net."
A year after joining the Loyola program, Dunn took over the head coaching job earlier this month when it was announced by FC United that former manager Baer Fisher and his family were moving to Arizona.
Becoming a head coach so quickly wasn't something that the New Trier and Knox College graduate really saw in the cards, but he knows how he wants his senior-heavy squad to play.
"Obviously you don't want to play in the channel the entire game, so we're working on playing in the outside, as well as the midfield," Dunn said. "The goal is to eventually get the ball upfield. But like most teams, we have some things to work on."
After struggling through the spring, Young will look to improve with a young, inexperienced squad. The Chicago Public League's Premier North Division will be a challenge and the nonconference schedule won't be any easier. That starts with three games in the Windy City Classic this week, starting tonight (Tuesday) with a matchup with one of the Chicago Public League Premier South Division heavyweights – Solorio.
LaBauex put the early season in perspective.
"The goal is to be trending upward as the season progresses," he said.
Starting lineups
Loyola
GK: Alex Ainsworth
D: Andrew Newton
D: Liam Drekhoff
D: Niko Douvalakis
D: Ryan Leider
D: John Phillips
M: Joey Vehovsky
M: Joseph Roscoe
M: Oliver Szorc
F: Frank Miedema
F: Guillermo Echevarria
Young
GK: Jackson Sprenger
D: Ivo Hoying
D: Garen Petrulis
D: Nathaniel Chmielowicz
D: Dieter Boecler
MF: Colin Moran
MF: Reese Kruschke
MF: Gabriel Lopez
F: Cesar Lopez
F: Diego Delgado
F: Brandon Baarsma
Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match:
Ryan Leider, sr,, defender, Loyola
Scoring summary
First half
No scoring
Second half
Loyola - Ryan Leider, 56th minute
Loyola - Frank Miedema, 62nd minute
2nd half goals from Miedema, Leider propel Ramblers offense
By Michael Wojtychiw
CHICAGO - The first day of competition marked a number of firsts for Loyola. Manager Justin Dunn, who took over the reins as leader of the Ramblers program, was making his head coaching debut, and the team was looking to establish a new core after key varsity players like Tommy Zipprich, Michael Sullivan, Dylan Gripman and Oscar Blazer graduated to the college game.
There might be new faces, but the same Loyola stepped out onto the field in the season opener against Young at the Michelle Obama Athletic Complex.
The Ramblers did just what they did in their abbreviated spring season -- walk away with a win, this time defeating the host Dolphins 2-0.
"It's been a bit of a whirlwind the past couple weeks," Dunn said. "Having to deal with everything in a running a program, especially as a 24 year-old that's also a teacher at a different school, it's tough.
"But I knew a lot of the guys returning and that's been really helpful, especially the senior leaders who have been helpful in creating the environment and the rhetoric that we want to have. We knew the guys from last year were leaving, but we're really confident in who we have. It's all about building that chemistry, team environment.
"It's been a change of 'Hey we now don't have these individuals, but we just need to play as a team and in the culture we've built.'"
"The guys who graduated taught us so much," Loyola defender Ryan Leider said. "They really taught us how to be leaders, how to go full out all the time, even if it's in training or working out. We need to be examples for the younger players, and that's what we're trying to show them as well."
The Ramblers came out on fire, peppering Young keeper Jackson Sprenger with three shots in the first 10 minutes, including one just moments into the game.
The one thing they weren't able to do was put the ball into the back of the net.
"It was frustrating right off the bat, especially putting a ball on net right away," Leider said.
While the Loyola offense was consistently on the attack, its backline was keeping the Dolphins from putting any pressure on Ainsworth.
That changed, however, midway through the first half after the teams broke for a water break.
"I think the guys kind of calmed down after the beginning there," Young manager Ross LaBauex said. "It's the first game and the kids are excited. After that first portion though we were able to do some things there."
LaBauex, who doubles as Young's girls soccer coach in the spring, took over the boys program for the abbreviated spring season.
Even though the spring wasn't exactly what he'd have hoped for his first season at the helm, it helped coming into the fall season knowing what he might have returning.
"We tried to get guys as much playing time, but I think we saw what we had coming back," he said.
Much like the first half, the Ramblers came out hot in the second half, but this time didn't let up. A Leider shot with 31 minutes, 38 seconds remaining hit the post, marking arguably the best scoring chance the visitors had had in a while.
The attack paid off about eight minutes later.
Guillermo Echevarria brought the ball down the left side before crossing it over to Miedema, whose hit the post.
However, this time, Leider was there to pick up the rebound and slot the ball past the keeper for a 1-0 lead with 24:18 remaining.
"That's kind of just how I play," he said. "Whenever you go towards goal, there's a chance of something good happening. I was there at the right place to put the ball away."
Then it was Miedema's turn to get in on the scoring, this time without hitting the post. His goal with 18:04 remaining put the game out of reach at 2-0.
"I recognized that the center back was starting to turn his back and coach is always telling me if I see that, just go towards goal," he said. "I saw him doing that and automatically accelerated. Took my first couple touches and kind of had to beat him in a 50-50 ball. Once I was past him, I knew it was just me and the goalie.
"I took my time, tried to get myself some space and put it in the back of the net."
A year after joining the Loyola program, Dunn took over the head coaching job earlier this month when it was announced by FC United that former manager Baer Fisher and his family were moving to Arizona.
Becoming a head coach so quickly wasn't something that the New Trier and Knox College graduate really saw in the cards, but he knows how he wants his senior-heavy squad to play.
"Obviously you don't want to play in the channel the entire game, so we're working on playing in the outside, as well as the midfield," Dunn said. "The goal is to eventually get the ball upfield. But like most teams, we have some things to work on."
After struggling through the spring, Young will look to improve with a young, inexperienced squad. The Chicago Public League's Premier North Division will be a challenge and the nonconference schedule won't be any easier. That starts with three games in the Windy City Classic this week, starting tonight (Tuesday) with a matchup with one of the Chicago Public League Premier South Division heavyweights – Solorio.
LaBauex put the early season in perspective.
"The goal is to be trending upward as the season progresses," he said.
Starting lineups
Loyola
GK: Alex Ainsworth
D: Andrew Newton
D: Liam Drekhoff
D: Niko Douvalakis
D: Ryan Leider
D: John Phillips
M: Joey Vehovsky
M: Joseph Roscoe
M: Oliver Szorc
F: Frank Miedema
F: Guillermo Echevarria
Young
GK: Jackson Sprenger
D: Ivo Hoying
D: Garen Petrulis
D: Nathaniel Chmielowicz
D: Dieter Boecler
MF: Colin Moran
MF: Reese Kruschke
MF: Gabriel Lopez
F: Cesar Lopez
F: Diego Delgado
F: Brandon Baarsma
Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match:
Ryan Leider, sr,, defender, Loyola
Scoring summary
First half
No scoring
Second half
Loyola - Ryan Leider, 56th minute
Loyola - Frank Miedema, 62nd minute