Naperville N. stays sharp, blanks Lyons
Huskies remain perfect, unscored upon, with 2-0 win
By Matt Le Cren
NAPERVILLE – George Ladas doesn’t get to play a lot of minutes but when he does, he makes them count.
The senior reserve midfielder has been huge for Naperville North in the early going. For the second-straight game, Ladas came off the bench and scored a goal for the Huskies, who knocked off Lyons 2-0 Thursday to remain unbeaten and unscored upon.
“My role is to fill any run to any spot, just light a spark on the field because I don’t get that much time in the field,” Ladas said. “Every time I go on, I try ... to get them going.”
Ladas did just that against the Lions (1-1-0), who had fought the reigning state champs to a standstill for 38 minutes.
Naperville North's Jack Barry sent the ball in from the left side looking for the head of 6-foot-5 defender Colin Iverson in front. The heavily guarded Iverson only got a piece of the ball, which bounced toward the back post, where Ladas was waiting.
Ladas calmly fired the ball into the open net with 1:24 to go in the first half.
“I always go by the old saying that always go for every run and every ball, because I know if Colin gets a tip on it, it’s going to go back post and you’ve just got to finish it,” Ladas said. “Colin is usually the main guy trying to get the ball, and if he’s not in a good position to score, he’s usually looking to flick it on.
“I knew that most of their guys were focused on taking Colin out of the game, and they lost track of the back post, and it was just wide open.”
Iverson was one of the most prolific defenders in the state last year as he bagged 10 goals and five assists. He is drawing much more attention from opposing teams on re-starts this season, but still found the back of the net against the Lions, bouncing a powerful header past Lyons keeper Matt Vear for his first goal of the season at the 20:23 mark of the second half.
Vear matched Naperville North all-state keeper Tommy Welch by making four saves but it wasn’t enough.
“I feel like we played pretty well,” Vear said. “Defensively we were pretty sound all game, didn’t give up too much cheap stuff.
“Offensively we created, we got some good looks in. We just couldn’t find the back of the net, which is fine. We’ll work on that in practice.”
Defense figures to be the Lions’ strength, at least initially, and they surrendered only six shots on frame. Against a team that is so deadly on set pieces, though, that was enough to spell defeat.
“We just gave up two throw-ins, they got two runs and just hit them in,” Vear said.
“They’re very physical and tall, so obviously we need to do a better job of just communicating and working on defending balls in the air because they’re known to put a lot in the back of the net from those set pieces.”
Indeed, the Huskies have converted so many such chances over the past two years that Naperville North coach Jim Konrad is almost apologetic about it.
“Our restarts, our boys believe in,” Konrad said. “We happen to have a group of guys this year and last year that are built to be good on restarts.
“So you put a program that believes in that with a bunch of kids that are good at it and it has been a good recipe for us. At times it feels a little bit cheap, but we’ll take it any way we can get it.”
When the Huskies score, Jack Barry usually has a hand in it. The throw-in specialist did it again by setting up both goals. His connection to Iverson was far from the first time the two have hooked up for a goal.
“Jack and I just have a good connection,” Iverson said. “I feel like we click a lot.
“It’s just really fun to be out there with the guys and be a part of the offense sometimes.”
Konrad likes what he sees so far from the Huskies, who are experienced but still figuring things out.
“That was a nice finish that Colin had and then that one that he couldn’t quite get to, he helped it on and George made the run at the right time and was able to finish it,” Konrad said. “So I’m happy for George.
“He’s been a great addition to the midfield. He comes in and gives us quality minutes and tackles hard and plays simple.”
Other than that, the Huskies (3-0-0) didn’t get much offense, but they didn’t need to thanks to their terrific defense. The backline of Iverson, Mitch Konrad, Ethan Harvey and Matt Bilardello gave up just six shots, including one in the first half, and Welch was terrific again when he had to be, making the stop of the game with 31:55 to go in the second half.
Charles Hall made a 35-yard run up the middle of the Naperville North defense before being confronted by the backline at the top of the box. Hall dished to his right to Adam McGahay, whose 21-yard rocket appeared ticketed for the lower left corner until the 6-foot-6 Welch made a diving stop.
“(The Lions) are a great team,” Iverson said. “They put up a great fight.
“Tom made a couple of great saves, and I felt like we played well as a team. It’s just nice to see our team click.”
Count Lyons coach Paul Labbato among those impressed by the Huskies.
“They’ve got what it takes,” Labbato said. “They’re very composed, they’re very athletic and strong, and they have good soccer players along with that.
“It’s hard to score on them, their keeper is fantastic, and besides that their backline does a nice job of defending 1-v.-1 and keeping everything in front of them. It’s hard to get behind them.
“Everyone on their team does their job and does it well and when they get those opportunities down in the box, they’re pretty deadly.”
The Lions aren’t as deadly offensively despite a 5-0 season-opening win over Young. Their core strength is in back, where Vear and center backs Tate Riordan and Nick Jacobs are returning starters. Senior Eric Gradilla, who can play defense or forward, also returns, as does Hall.
But graduation claimed most of Lyons 2016 offense and the question will be how to replace it.
“We need to find our scoring niche,” Labbato said. “We are really searching for those scorers, but we have capable players.
“We’re just looking for the combinations against teams like this, and that’s why we play them. If we can find our scoring, and we can continue the strong defense that we played today, we’re excited about the year.”
So are the players.
“Our expectations are pretty high,” Vear said. “I think we have about 15 seniors on this team.
“We’re all competing at a high level in travel. We just need to put the pieces together in high school and build from there.
“We’re looking to go for state this year, build upon this loss and get better from it.”
Starting lineups
Lyons
GK Matt Vear
D Tate Riordan
D Sam DeBoer
D Eric Gradilla
D Quinn Frazer
D Nick Jacobs
M Charles Hall
M Luke Lusson
M Phil Panolpoulos
F Charlie Clarke
F Adam McGahay
Naperville North
GK Tommy Welch
D Ethan Harvey
D Mitch Konrad
D Colin Iverson
D Matt Bilardello
M Cesar Recendez
M Will Ritzmann
M Jack Barry
F Jack Hill
F Patrick Koenig
F Ty Konrad
Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match: Colin Iverson, D, Naperville North
Scoring summary
First Half
Naperville North – George Ladas (Colin Iverson, Jack Barry) 39th minute
Second Half
Naperville North – Iverson (Barry) 60th minute
Huskies remain perfect, unscored upon, with 2-0 win
By Matt Le Cren
NAPERVILLE – George Ladas doesn’t get to play a lot of minutes but when he does, he makes them count.
The senior reserve midfielder has been huge for Naperville North in the early going. For the second-straight game, Ladas came off the bench and scored a goal for the Huskies, who knocked off Lyons 2-0 Thursday to remain unbeaten and unscored upon.
“My role is to fill any run to any spot, just light a spark on the field because I don’t get that much time in the field,” Ladas said. “Every time I go on, I try ... to get them going.”
Ladas did just that against the Lions (1-1-0), who had fought the reigning state champs to a standstill for 38 minutes.
Naperville North's Jack Barry sent the ball in from the left side looking for the head of 6-foot-5 defender Colin Iverson in front. The heavily guarded Iverson only got a piece of the ball, which bounced toward the back post, where Ladas was waiting.
Ladas calmly fired the ball into the open net with 1:24 to go in the first half.
“I always go by the old saying that always go for every run and every ball, because I know if Colin gets a tip on it, it’s going to go back post and you’ve just got to finish it,” Ladas said. “Colin is usually the main guy trying to get the ball, and if he’s not in a good position to score, he’s usually looking to flick it on.
“I knew that most of their guys were focused on taking Colin out of the game, and they lost track of the back post, and it was just wide open.”
Iverson was one of the most prolific defenders in the state last year as he bagged 10 goals and five assists. He is drawing much more attention from opposing teams on re-starts this season, but still found the back of the net against the Lions, bouncing a powerful header past Lyons keeper Matt Vear for his first goal of the season at the 20:23 mark of the second half.
Vear matched Naperville North all-state keeper Tommy Welch by making four saves but it wasn’t enough.
“I feel like we played pretty well,” Vear said. “Defensively we were pretty sound all game, didn’t give up too much cheap stuff.
“Offensively we created, we got some good looks in. We just couldn’t find the back of the net, which is fine. We’ll work on that in practice.”
Defense figures to be the Lions’ strength, at least initially, and they surrendered only six shots on frame. Against a team that is so deadly on set pieces, though, that was enough to spell defeat.
“We just gave up two throw-ins, they got two runs and just hit them in,” Vear said.
“They’re very physical and tall, so obviously we need to do a better job of just communicating and working on defending balls in the air because they’re known to put a lot in the back of the net from those set pieces.”
Indeed, the Huskies have converted so many such chances over the past two years that Naperville North coach Jim Konrad is almost apologetic about it.
“Our restarts, our boys believe in,” Konrad said. “We happen to have a group of guys this year and last year that are built to be good on restarts.
“So you put a program that believes in that with a bunch of kids that are good at it and it has been a good recipe for us. At times it feels a little bit cheap, but we’ll take it any way we can get it.”
When the Huskies score, Jack Barry usually has a hand in it. The throw-in specialist did it again by setting up both goals. His connection to Iverson was far from the first time the two have hooked up for a goal.
“Jack and I just have a good connection,” Iverson said. “I feel like we click a lot.
“It’s just really fun to be out there with the guys and be a part of the offense sometimes.”
Konrad likes what he sees so far from the Huskies, who are experienced but still figuring things out.
“That was a nice finish that Colin had and then that one that he couldn’t quite get to, he helped it on and George made the run at the right time and was able to finish it,” Konrad said. “So I’m happy for George.
“He’s been a great addition to the midfield. He comes in and gives us quality minutes and tackles hard and plays simple.”
Other than that, the Huskies (3-0-0) didn’t get much offense, but they didn’t need to thanks to their terrific defense. The backline of Iverson, Mitch Konrad, Ethan Harvey and Matt Bilardello gave up just six shots, including one in the first half, and Welch was terrific again when he had to be, making the stop of the game with 31:55 to go in the second half.
Charles Hall made a 35-yard run up the middle of the Naperville North defense before being confronted by the backline at the top of the box. Hall dished to his right to Adam McGahay, whose 21-yard rocket appeared ticketed for the lower left corner until the 6-foot-6 Welch made a diving stop.
“(The Lions) are a great team,” Iverson said. “They put up a great fight.
“Tom made a couple of great saves, and I felt like we played well as a team. It’s just nice to see our team click.”
Count Lyons coach Paul Labbato among those impressed by the Huskies.
“They’ve got what it takes,” Labbato said. “They’re very composed, they’re very athletic and strong, and they have good soccer players along with that.
“It’s hard to score on them, their keeper is fantastic, and besides that their backline does a nice job of defending 1-v.-1 and keeping everything in front of them. It’s hard to get behind them.
“Everyone on their team does their job and does it well and when they get those opportunities down in the box, they’re pretty deadly.”
The Lions aren’t as deadly offensively despite a 5-0 season-opening win over Young. Their core strength is in back, where Vear and center backs Tate Riordan and Nick Jacobs are returning starters. Senior Eric Gradilla, who can play defense or forward, also returns, as does Hall.
But graduation claimed most of Lyons 2016 offense and the question will be how to replace it.
“We need to find our scoring niche,” Labbato said. “We are really searching for those scorers, but we have capable players.
“We’re just looking for the combinations against teams like this, and that’s why we play them. If we can find our scoring, and we can continue the strong defense that we played today, we’re excited about the year.”
So are the players.
“Our expectations are pretty high,” Vear said. “I think we have about 15 seniors on this team.
“We’re all competing at a high level in travel. We just need to put the pieces together in high school and build from there.
“We’re looking to go for state this year, build upon this loss and get better from it.”
Starting lineups
Lyons
GK Matt Vear
D Tate Riordan
D Sam DeBoer
D Eric Gradilla
D Quinn Frazer
D Nick Jacobs
M Charles Hall
M Luke Lusson
M Phil Panolpoulos
F Charlie Clarke
F Adam McGahay
Naperville North
GK Tommy Welch
D Ethan Harvey
D Mitch Konrad
D Colin Iverson
D Matt Bilardello
M Cesar Recendez
M Will Ritzmann
M Jack Barry
F Jack Hill
F Patrick Koenig
F Ty Konrad
Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match: Colin Iverson, D, Naperville North
Scoring summary
First Half
Naperville North – George Ladas (Colin Iverson, Jack Barry) 39th minute
Second Half
Naperville North – Iverson (Barry) 60th minute