Carmel emerges from long break with win
Corsairs play foot golf to stay busy before 5-0 win versus Marian
By Rusty Silber
MUNDELEIN -- Carmel had to find something to do during an unscheduled nine-day break in game action mixed with missed practice due to wet fields and a weather-related match cancellation.
So, Carmel coach Ray Krawzak decided to venture away from the soccer field and take the team to out to play foot golf for a day.
It seemed to all work out after Carmel opened its East Suburban Catholic Conference season with a 5-0 shutout win over Marian on Saturday afternoon.
Carmel's last game was a 4-0 loss to Grayslake North back on August 30. Since then, they had to postpone a home game against Notre Dame because of inclement weather, and more importantly find a way to keep the team together.
"We did have a soccer golf event," Krawzak said. "We all went to a foot golf place and played soccer golf together. It was good! We did it in Schaumburg. It was fun, and it was a team-building thing. Honesty, we couldn't do anything because of lightning and a soggy field. We just had to find other stuff to do. We had limited practices."
Fortunately, the Corsairs managed to get back on the practice field for preparation for its league opener. They were able to practice a few days and start putting the game plan back together.
"The last couple of days we've had some really good practices," Krawzak added. "We just focused working on the turf. It was really good to see it."
On Saturday, it all came together the right way for Carmel with an output of five goals and one of its best games of the early season. The result put the Corsairs back on track in a hurry. And seeing their defense pull together after a the shutout loss was a relief.
"I did like our performance more in the back," Krawzak said. "We had better decision-making by Joe Baude, Eli Larson and goalkeeper Camden Krautsack. There wasn't that many dangerous attacks, but they kept things organized. I think our midfield did a great job and dominated. When they play well, we all play well."
Carmel (3-2-0, 1-0-0) was led by Shane Farrell with a pair of goals, Matt Grzesiak added a goal and an assist in the decisive first half. Aidan Day and Aidan Harrison concluded the scoring.
"Everything got a little easier once we got the first goal in," Krawzak said. "It was a grueling process getting the ball into the back of the net. Once we get a momentum out of it, that's how we operate. We had the advantage for the whole second half."
It took some time getting the scoring going for the Corsairs, even though Carmel had some shots around the frame and a few on goal. It was a matter of just getting the right foot on the ball and the finishing touch.
Then it happened. Day broke through after taking a pass from Grzesiak for the first goal in the 26th minute.
"I just saw the ball played into me," said Day, a sophomore forward who scored his second goal of the season. "I looked up and saw the goalie; I saw he was coming out. I looked into the corner and saw it and sent it in there."
Grzesiak added the second goal en route to Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match honors. He took a pass from Farrell, made a run and beat the keeper for a 2-0 Corsairs in the 35th minute.
"I just had a good touch forward and played the ball low so the keeper couldn't get to it," Grzesiak said. "It was a good ball by Shane (Farrell) to set me up."
The junior midfielder has been a big part of the young and improving Carmel midfield -- as a group they seem to be getting better in each match. It will take time after graduating a very talented group of players that graduated last year, however, the young players are starting to get a grasp of what's being asked of them by the coaches.
"I'm getting forward and when the ball is played in, I just try to make the most of my opportunity," Grzesiak said. "I think our offense is doing OK with what we've got. We've been able to put a lot of chances together, and we were able to put away some today."
Farrell scored unassisted goals in the 62nd and 75th minutes.
Harrison added the capper in the 77th minute.
Carmel's attack forced Marian keeper Kyle Rusin into 12 saves. At the other end of the field, Carmel keeper Krautsack recorded a clean-sheet without needing to make a save.
Marian (1-3-0, 0-3-0) will look for growth throughout the season.
"It's to the level I expect from my kids," Marian Catholic coach Diego Herrera said. "It's my first year taking over the program fully. So there are going to be some bumps in the road.
"I thought Carmel played well, I think they played the long ball a lot. That's what hurt us a lot. Once, I saw them scoring more, I changed things up to work on my defense."
Starting lineups
Marian
GK-Kyle Rusin
D-Thomas Cellini
D-Josh Malloy
D-Jonathan Avendano
D-Robert Kain
MF-Mark Martin
MF-Joshua Giraldo
MF-John Ringo
MF-Fernando Alvarez
MF-Jasper Waddington
F-Christian Zarco
CarmelL
GK-Camden Krautsack
D-Eli Larson
D-Michael Handel
D-Joe Baude
D-Riley Pierson
MF-Ian McKernan
MF-Ryan Long
MF-Shane Farrell
MF-Matt Grzesiak
F-Aidan Day
F-Sean Seidl
Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match: Matt Grzesiak, jr., MF, Carmel
Referees: Tom Bonkman (center), Dragan Micic, Gary Gobert
Scoring summary
First half
Carmel-Day (Grzesiak), 26
Carmel-Grzesiak (Farrell), 35
Second half
Carmel-Farrell (unassisted), 62
Carmel-Farrell (unassisted), 75
Carmel-Harrison (unassisted), 77
Corsairs play foot golf to stay busy before 5-0 win versus Marian
By Rusty Silber
MUNDELEIN -- Carmel had to find something to do during an unscheduled nine-day break in game action mixed with missed practice due to wet fields and a weather-related match cancellation.
So, Carmel coach Ray Krawzak decided to venture away from the soccer field and take the team to out to play foot golf for a day.
It seemed to all work out after Carmel opened its East Suburban Catholic Conference season with a 5-0 shutout win over Marian on Saturday afternoon.
Carmel's last game was a 4-0 loss to Grayslake North back on August 30. Since then, they had to postpone a home game against Notre Dame because of inclement weather, and more importantly find a way to keep the team together.
"We did have a soccer golf event," Krawzak said. "We all went to a foot golf place and played soccer golf together. It was good! We did it in Schaumburg. It was fun, and it was a team-building thing. Honesty, we couldn't do anything because of lightning and a soggy field. We just had to find other stuff to do. We had limited practices."
Fortunately, the Corsairs managed to get back on the practice field for preparation for its league opener. They were able to practice a few days and start putting the game plan back together.
"The last couple of days we've had some really good practices," Krawzak added. "We just focused working on the turf. It was really good to see it."
On Saturday, it all came together the right way for Carmel with an output of five goals and one of its best games of the early season. The result put the Corsairs back on track in a hurry. And seeing their defense pull together after a the shutout loss was a relief.
"I did like our performance more in the back," Krawzak said. "We had better decision-making by Joe Baude, Eli Larson and goalkeeper Camden Krautsack. There wasn't that many dangerous attacks, but they kept things organized. I think our midfield did a great job and dominated. When they play well, we all play well."
Carmel (3-2-0, 1-0-0) was led by Shane Farrell with a pair of goals, Matt Grzesiak added a goal and an assist in the decisive first half. Aidan Day and Aidan Harrison concluded the scoring.
"Everything got a little easier once we got the first goal in," Krawzak said. "It was a grueling process getting the ball into the back of the net. Once we get a momentum out of it, that's how we operate. We had the advantage for the whole second half."
It took some time getting the scoring going for the Corsairs, even though Carmel had some shots around the frame and a few on goal. It was a matter of just getting the right foot on the ball and the finishing touch.
Then it happened. Day broke through after taking a pass from Grzesiak for the first goal in the 26th minute.
"I just saw the ball played into me," said Day, a sophomore forward who scored his second goal of the season. "I looked up and saw the goalie; I saw he was coming out. I looked into the corner and saw it and sent it in there."
Grzesiak added the second goal en route to Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match honors. He took a pass from Farrell, made a run and beat the keeper for a 2-0 Corsairs in the 35th minute.
"I just had a good touch forward and played the ball low so the keeper couldn't get to it," Grzesiak said. "It was a good ball by Shane (Farrell) to set me up."
The junior midfielder has been a big part of the young and improving Carmel midfield -- as a group they seem to be getting better in each match. It will take time after graduating a very talented group of players that graduated last year, however, the young players are starting to get a grasp of what's being asked of them by the coaches.
"I'm getting forward and when the ball is played in, I just try to make the most of my opportunity," Grzesiak said. "I think our offense is doing OK with what we've got. We've been able to put a lot of chances together, and we were able to put away some today."
Farrell scored unassisted goals in the 62nd and 75th minutes.
Harrison added the capper in the 77th minute.
Carmel's attack forced Marian keeper Kyle Rusin into 12 saves. At the other end of the field, Carmel keeper Krautsack recorded a clean-sheet without needing to make a save.
Marian (1-3-0, 0-3-0) will look for growth throughout the season.
"It's to the level I expect from my kids," Marian Catholic coach Diego Herrera said. "It's my first year taking over the program fully. So there are going to be some bumps in the road.
"I thought Carmel played well, I think they played the long ball a lot. That's what hurt us a lot. Once, I saw them scoring more, I changed things up to work on my defense."
Starting lineups
Marian
GK-Kyle Rusin
D-Thomas Cellini
D-Josh Malloy
D-Jonathan Avendano
D-Robert Kain
MF-Mark Martin
MF-Joshua Giraldo
MF-John Ringo
MF-Fernando Alvarez
MF-Jasper Waddington
F-Christian Zarco
CarmelL
GK-Camden Krautsack
D-Eli Larson
D-Michael Handel
D-Joe Baude
D-Riley Pierson
MF-Ian McKernan
MF-Ryan Long
MF-Shane Farrell
MF-Matt Grzesiak
F-Aidan Day
F-Sean Seidl
Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match: Matt Grzesiak, jr., MF, Carmel
Referees: Tom Bonkman (center), Dragan Micic, Gary Gobert
Scoring summary
First half
Carmel-Day (Grzesiak), 26
Carmel-Grzesiak (Farrell), 35
Second half
Carmel-Farrell (unassisted), 62
Carmel-Farrell (unassisted), 75
Carmel-Harrison (unassisted), 77