A Foley 1st leads WWS past Lake Park
Tigers remember teammate in emotional 2-0 victory
By Chris R. Walker
WHEATON – Tim Foley scored his first goal of his senior season on an emotional Tuesday night at Red Grange Field.
Prior to the 2-0 victory over Lake Park, the program honored Holden Wight, who died in an auto accident in the spring and would’ve been a senior the year.
“I played soccer with him throughout the years so it felt pretty special to score my first goal of the season on the night we were honoring him,” Foley said. “It felt very good for me.”
Wheaton Warrenville South (6-6-3, 3-2-1) created the game-winning goal after Chase Kedzior dispossessed a Lancer. He took the ball in a different direction before sending a pass toward the box. Diego Bautista received the ball and sent it to his left to Foley who applied the finishing touch.
Kedzior and Foley shared the Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match honor for their key efforts.
“I’ve been definitely doing that a lot this year,” Kedzior said. “Trying to win a ball up-close and then trying to take one guy on because usually there’s a lot of space, especially off transition. So, it feels good for it to finally work out. I wouldn’t say we’ve scored the most goals this season, so scoring one, especially after a play I created, feels great.”
Kedzior played soccer with Wight for seven years. Being able to play so well on a night that he was honored certainly made an impression on Kedzior.
“We used to car pool all the time so it was a long connection,” he said. “It really hurt to hear that he passed, so I’m glad we could do stuff like this to help honor him.”
There’s no doubt that Wight and his family were on the minds of the Tigers and the coaching staff.
“We wanted to give the family, who is obviously grieving, an opportunity to feel supported by a bigger sense of family,” Tigers coach Guy Callipari said. “For us to kind of have that moment to do something and play for something greater than ourselves.
“The parents were both here, Nicole and Mike, and we had some shirts and the green ribbon is the international color for mental health so we wanted to certainly support anybody who’s suffering with anxieties, depression and the like.”
As for the game, the big play came when the Tigers got the ball where they wanted it.
“We talk about the soft spot, the vital area,” Callipari said. “Our lineup is a little thin with injuries, but the guys have really stepped up to play in roles and accept responsibilities in those roles.
"We don’t have a sure-fire, typical nine (striker), but Gael (Alfara) does a great job of playing differently, which offsets the backline a little bit. He also works as a midfielder so sometimes we don’t have people in that role in the vital area, which is where most of the goals are scored.
“We did get Timmy (Foley) on the backside and were able to switch the point of attack in the soft area,” Callipari continued. “We encourage them to take shots and opportunities, first touch, and he did. It was well-placed and got the goalie leaning a bit, and he couldn’t get to it.”
Lake Park (7-7-3, 2-3-1) had some solid opportunities to pull even with Wheaton Warrenville South but just couldn’t find the equalizer.
“They moved the ball on us pretty good, so we had to settle for a physical battle and set pieces,” Lancers coach Sean Crosby said. “We had ourselves a lot of chances, but we didn’t have that final header. To get all those corners and set pieces and throws and to not put one away, that won’t happen too often for us.
“It’s tough to not get a goal, but I know we’re going in the right direction, and we’ll continue creating chances through that. Hopefully it’ll help us in the postseason and the next couple of matches.”
Crosby praised the leadership and play of senior midfielders Shane Donnelly and Devin Czeremuga.
“They cover so much ground. They were attacking; they were defending, and they were in a physical battle,” he said. “They were shooting. They were trying to get their heads on it; they were getting deep throw-ins later in the game. They were standout performers for us.”
Lake Park junior midfielder Francesco Cardone had a stong performance.
“He’s smaller but he makes up for it with his speed and technical ability,” Crosby said. “He was going into physical challenges and was even winning headers for us, and that’s not even what we ask him to do. He just kept fighting in the second half. I was happy to see the fight, the energy and the not quitting against a good team.”
The Lancers took home plenty of positives despite the loss.
“I thought we played well together and fought until the end,” Donnelly said. “They get an early goal, one of their only good chances of the game. Sometimes the ball doesn’t bounce your way, and there’s not much you can do about it.
“The coaches told us they’re happy with the takeaways they took from this game. We played as a team and results will come in other games.”
Czeremuga said it was remarkable how hard his team played.
“The effort from my team was amazing,” he said. “Everyone was playing their heart out. Sometimes it just doesn’t go our way with plays and chances.
“Everyone in our conference, every single game we’ve had, has been a good one. It’s kind of just the competitive nature of it, regardless of the records every single game in conference has been a good competition.”
“There’s no free games in conference,” Donnelly said. “And we enjoy playing in games like this that are close and a fight until the end. It’s definitely better than beating a team in a tournament like 4-0 or 5-0.
“We’re excited to host regionals on our grass field. We’ve been happy with the results we’ve gotten there and feel like we can beat any team.”
With 24:47 remaining in the first half, the public address announcer enthusiastically shared that Wheaton Warrenville South senior Marco Gonzalez was entering the game. He had been sidelined for over a month and wasn’t sure he’d play again this season. His return definitely was one of the highlights for the Tigers as well as for anyone who roots for student-athletes.
“It was awesome, so exciting to be back,” he said. “I got mono, and my spleen was big so I wasn’t cleared for a month. It’s tough, but I’m just happy to play anything.”
Gonzalez was able to give the Tigers some good minutes after his hiatus.
“I felt like we moved the ball really well through the middle,” he said. “We have a tendency to keep it on one side, but when we switch the point of the attack that’s when we’re really dangerous, when we use our wingers and we play through the midfield to the other-side winger. I felt like we did a pretty good job of that, especially in the first half.”
His return is more impactful than just his play.
“He’s such a quality person and leader for us,” Callipari said. “And he’s the voice of reason for us. He leads by example as a player and a leader, and it’s nice to have him back.
“Issa (Husseini) is recovering from surgery so we’ll miss him the rest of the season, and Semin (Razman) has a hamstring issue.
“He (Razman) is very clever and confident with the ball, and it’s nice to have that comfort level on the field. We’re hoping to have him back for the playoffs.”
Cardone took a corner kick for Lake Park with 37 seconds remaining that gave the Lancers one final chance to tie the game. Senior goalkeeper Andrew Swacha came downfield and tried to send in a shot but had it carom off a defender. Wheaton Warrenville South took the ball the other way, and Kedzior scored an empty-netter with eight seconds remaining.
“That’s the second goal I’ve had with under 10 seconds remaining in the last two games so it’s been kind of fun,” Kedzior said. “There was so much pressure. I am a much better player on my right foot than my left, and it came there. I was definitely nervous, but I’m glad it went in.”
Starting lineups
Lake Park
GK: Andrew Swacha
D: Jakub Tourillott
D: Jack Tucci
D: Oscar Sagan
MF: Shane Donnelly
MF: Nick Garonda
MF: Rodrigo Diaz
MF: Francisco Cardone
MF: Devin Czeremuga
F: Anthony Juarez
F: Alessandro Scalera
Wheaton Warrenville South
GK: Jared Ferreyra
D: Tim Foley
D: Aaron Escareno
D: Jerry Cuatzo
D: Brooks Becker
MF: Chase Kedzior
MF: Diego Bautista
MF: Jack Beres
MF: Nikhil Bawa
MF: Gael Alfara
F: Jet Oehrlein
Chicagoland Soccer Men of the Match:
Chase Kedzior, sr., MF, Wheaton Warrenville South
Tim Foley, sr., D, Wheaton Warrenville South
Scoring summary
First half
WWS: Tim Foley (Diego Bautista), 13:01
Second half
WWS: Chase Kedzior (unassisted), 79:52
Tigers remember teammate in emotional 2-0 victory
By Chris R. Walker
WHEATON – Tim Foley scored his first goal of his senior season on an emotional Tuesday night at Red Grange Field.
Prior to the 2-0 victory over Lake Park, the program honored Holden Wight, who died in an auto accident in the spring and would’ve been a senior the year.
“I played soccer with him throughout the years so it felt pretty special to score my first goal of the season on the night we were honoring him,” Foley said. “It felt very good for me.”
Wheaton Warrenville South (6-6-3, 3-2-1) created the game-winning goal after Chase Kedzior dispossessed a Lancer. He took the ball in a different direction before sending a pass toward the box. Diego Bautista received the ball and sent it to his left to Foley who applied the finishing touch.
Kedzior and Foley shared the Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match honor for their key efforts.
“I’ve been definitely doing that a lot this year,” Kedzior said. “Trying to win a ball up-close and then trying to take one guy on because usually there’s a lot of space, especially off transition. So, it feels good for it to finally work out. I wouldn’t say we’ve scored the most goals this season, so scoring one, especially after a play I created, feels great.”
Kedzior played soccer with Wight for seven years. Being able to play so well on a night that he was honored certainly made an impression on Kedzior.
“We used to car pool all the time so it was a long connection,” he said. “It really hurt to hear that he passed, so I’m glad we could do stuff like this to help honor him.”
There’s no doubt that Wight and his family were on the minds of the Tigers and the coaching staff.
“We wanted to give the family, who is obviously grieving, an opportunity to feel supported by a bigger sense of family,” Tigers coach Guy Callipari said. “For us to kind of have that moment to do something and play for something greater than ourselves.
“The parents were both here, Nicole and Mike, and we had some shirts and the green ribbon is the international color for mental health so we wanted to certainly support anybody who’s suffering with anxieties, depression and the like.”
As for the game, the big play came when the Tigers got the ball where they wanted it.
“We talk about the soft spot, the vital area,” Callipari said. “Our lineup is a little thin with injuries, but the guys have really stepped up to play in roles and accept responsibilities in those roles.
"We don’t have a sure-fire, typical nine (striker), but Gael (Alfara) does a great job of playing differently, which offsets the backline a little bit. He also works as a midfielder so sometimes we don’t have people in that role in the vital area, which is where most of the goals are scored.
“We did get Timmy (Foley) on the backside and were able to switch the point of attack in the soft area,” Callipari continued. “We encourage them to take shots and opportunities, first touch, and he did. It was well-placed and got the goalie leaning a bit, and he couldn’t get to it.”
Lake Park (7-7-3, 2-3-1) had some solid opportunities to pull even with Wheaton Warrenville South but just couldn’t find the equalizer.
“They moved the ball on us pretty good, so we had to settle for a physical battle and set pieces,” Lancers coach Sean Crosby said. “We had ourselves a lot of chances, but we didn’t have that final header. To get all those corners and set pieces and throws and to not put one away, that won’t happen too often for us.
“It’s tough to not get a goal, but I know we’re going in the right direction, and we’ll continue creating chances through that. Hopefully it’ll help us in the postseason and the next couple of matches.”
Crosby praised the leadership and play of senior midfielders Shane Donnelly and Devin Czeremuga.
“They cover so much ground. They were attacking; they were defending, and they were in a physical battle,” he said. “They were shooting. They were trying to get their heads on it; they were getting deep throw-ins later in the game. They were standout performers for us.”
Lake Park junior midfielder Francesco Cardone had a stong performance.
“He’s smaller but he makes up for it with his speed and technical ability,” Crosby said. “He was going into physical challenges and was even winning headers for us, and that’s not even what we ask him to do. He just kept fighting in the second half. I was happy to see the fight, the energy and the not quitting against a good team.”
The Lancers took home plenty of positives despite the loss.
“I thought we played well together and fought until the end,” Donnelly said. “They get an early goal, one of their only good chances of the game. Sometimes the ball doesn’t bounce your way, and there’s not much you can do about it.
“The coaches told us they’re happy with the takeaways they took from this game. We played as a team and results will come in other games.”
Czeremuga said it was remarkable how hard his team played.
“The effort from my team was amazing,” he said. “Everyone was playing their heart out. Sometimes it just doesn’t go our way with plays and chances.
“Everyone in our conference, every single game we’ve had, has been a good one. It’s kind of just the competitive nature of it, regardless of the records every single game in conference has been a good competition.”
“There’s no free games in conference,” Donnelly said. “And we enjoy playing in games like this that are close and a fight until the end. It’s definitely better than beating a team in a tournament like 4-0 or 5-0.
“We’re excited to host regionals on our grass field. We’ve been happy with the results we’ve gotten there and feel like we can beat any team.”
With 24:47 remaining in the first half, the public address announcer enthusiastically shared that Wheaton Warrenville South senior Marco Gonzalez was entering the game. He had been sidelined for over a month and wasn’t sure he’d play again this season. His return definitely was one of the highlights for the Tigers as well as for anyone who roots for student-athletes.
“It was awesome, so exciting to be back,” he said. “I got mono, and my spleen was big so I wasn’t cleared for a month. It’s tough, but I’m just happy to play anything.”
Gonzalez was able to give the Tigers some good minutes after his hiatus.
“I felt like we moved the ball really well through the middle,” he said. “We have a tendency to keep it on one side, but when we switch the point of the attack that’s when we’re really dangerous, when we use our wingers and we play through the midfield to the other-side winger. I felt like we did a pretty good job of that, especially in the first half.”
His return is more impactful than just his play.
“He’s such a quality person and leader for us,” Callipari said. “And he’s the voice of reason for us. He leads by example as a player and a leader, and it’s nice to have him back.
“Issa (Husseini) is recovering from surgery so we’ll miss him the rest of the season, and Semin (Razman) has a hamstring issue.
“He (Razman) is very clever and confident with the ball, and it’s nice to have that comfort level on the field. We’re hoping to have him back for the playoffs.”
Cardone took a corner kick for Lake Park with 37 seconds remaining that gave the Lancers one final chance to tie the game. Senior goalkeeper Andrew Swacha came downfield and tried to send in a shot but had it carom off a defender. Wheaton Warrenville South took the ball the other way, and Kedzior scored an empty-netter with eight seconds remaining.
“That’s the second goal I’ve had with under 10 seconds remaining in the last two games so it’s been kind of fun,” Kedzior said. “There was so much pressure. I am a much better player on my right foot than my left, and it came there. I was definitely nervous, but I’m glad it went in.”
Starting lineups
Lake Park
GK: Andrew Swacha
D: Jakub Tourillott
D: Jack Tucci
D: Oscar Sagan
MF: Shane Donnelly
MF: Nick Garonda
MF: Rodrigo Diaz
MF: Francisco Cardone
MF: Devin Czeremuga
F: Anthony Juarez
F: Alessandro Scalera
Wheaton Warrenville South
GK: Jared Ferreyra
D: Tim Foley
D: Aaron Escareno
D: Jerry Cuatzo
D: Brooks Becker
MF: Chase Kedzior
MF: Diego Bautista
MF: Jack Beres
MF: Nikhil Bawa
MF: Gael Alfara
F: Jet Oehrlein
Chicagoland Soccer Men of the Match:
Chase Kedzior, sr., MF, Wheaton Warrenville South
Tim Foley, sr., D, Wheaton Warrenville South
Scoring summary
First half
WWS: Tim Foley (Diego Bautista), 13:01
Second half
WWS: Chase Kedzior (unassisted), 79:52