St. Charles East explodes vs. Metea Valley
Desario PK ignites offense in 7-1 win
By Patrick Z. McGavin
ST. CHARLES — The penalty kick is the great unknown. Nothing unsettles, or changes the dynamic quite like it.
Metea Valley opened the scoring against St. Charles East by converting a penalty kick in the 21st minute.
After the game was tied seven minutes, St. Charles East was awarded its own spot-kick opportunity. Elia Desario was not going to look back with any kind of regret.
“It has already happened a few times this season where we got off to a slow start, and then once we tied it up or got the second goal, we really started to score more goals,” he said.
The senior defender is the penalty kick specialist for the Saints.
“His penalty taking ability is outstanding,” forward Mason Brockmeyer said.
His penalty kick in the 34th minute seemed to cut St. Charles East loose.
The Fighting Saints, ranked 11th in the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25, scored three goals during a five-minute burst that led to an improbable 7-1 victory over Metea Valley in the third place game of the St. Charles Invitational on Saturday.
“We knew what we were getting into today,” Metea Valley coach Josh Robinson said. “We were working hard, but unfortunately our mindset hurt us today. After giving up the tying goal, they got the penalty. The third one came really fast off a lack of organization on our part, and it really deflated us.”
The two teams came precariously close to playing in the championship of the tournament.
Metea Valley (3-3-0) beat eventual tournament runnerup Maine South and no. 17 St. Charles North in pool play before suffering a stunning upset loss against Wheaton Academy.
The (5-1-0) Fighting Saints suffered a heartbreaking loss, on penalty kicks, against West Chicago.
Generally speaking, the third place game is always a bittersweet experience.
“We are six games into the year, in a very difficult tournament, against a very good team,” Robinson siad.
“We knew they would possess the ball. They are a very talented team. Today was a bit disheartening, because the mental part got in our way.”
St. Charles East had a statement to make.
“We know for the sectional seed, it is always important to win,” Desario said. “That’s what we talked about before the game.
“We know West Chicago and York are the two teams in our sectional that we have to beat. We played one of them already, and we got York next week.”
The Saints gave the defending Class 3A state champion Dukes their most significant challenge during an epic nine-round penalty shootout in the sectional final last year.
They have the cruel, first-hand experience of how a penalty alters the emotional balance.
Metea Valley took the lead after midfielder Michael Senese converted his attempt after he was fouled inside the box in the 21st minute.
The Mustangs are a team in transition, with just four returners back from a group that beat Naperville Central and finished second to Naperville North in the DuPage Valley Conference last year.
Forward Erick Mena is the leader, a quick and assertive attacking piece who makes the rest of the offense flow.
Midfielder Daniel Wilkinson is another aggressive and skilled talent who impacts the offensive flow.
Center back Aiden Pufundt is the leader of a backline that is almost completely rebuilt from a year ago and rounding into form.
But St. Charles East had all the right moves Saturday.
Fast, athletic and difficult to contain in space, the Saints provide a series of challenges.
They have a signature talent in Brockmeyer, who has taken over for the graduated Chicagoland Soccer all-stater Sebastian Carranza as the offensive focal point.
He is far from the only weapon.
“I think the team passes the ball really well coming out of the back,” freshman forward Aiden Wostl said.
“Our chemistry in general is really good. We enjoy playing together, and I think that really helps on the field.”
A skilled two-way threat who toggles between providing support in the back and solidifying the middle, Marcus Walker delivered the equalizer in the 28th minute.
St. Charles East came alive.
A six-goal differential is hard to figure. The penalty kick late in the first half swung the game.
Desario, who also played outstanding defense in the second half to limit the Mustangs, earned Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match honors for his dynamic all-around play.
The Saints were energized and hungry for more. Metea Valley struggled to contain their attack.
“When Elia goes to his penalty spot, we know it’s a goal,” Brockmeyer said. “Everything about his play is fantastic.”
Just moments after the penalty kick put the Saints up 2-1, Brockmeyer turned loose in space.
Getting a through ball over the top, he won a foot race against Metea Valley keeper Ravi Shah, who ran hard off his line to try and intercept the ball.
Brockmeyer got there first, and punched the ball over the top from about 18 yards for the 3-1 lead.
A minute later, Brockmeyer got loose on the right wing and made a terrific cross that forward Colin Leatherbury buried from 12 yards for the commanding 4-1 halftime lead.
St. Charles East put away four goals in about 10 minutes of play.
“We are able to utilize all the skills we have on our team,” Brockmeyer said. “We have players who score in many different ways.
“We have so many dynamic players, and the chemistry we have helped us open the flood gates.”
Metea Valley senior Orland Velazquez took over at keeper in the second half. He was brilliant, making five outstanding saves and thwarting some of the Saints’ top scoring chances.
The math favored the Saints’ forward push. Wostl, Max Dodrill and Jake Walker put the exclamation point on the dominant performance with second half goals.
Saints coach Vince DiNuzzo stressed the need for improvement.
“We still have a lot of room for growth,” he said. “Even today, we put in seven goals, but we left a lot out there.
“We are driving home our ability to finish our chances has to continue to improve.”
The one-sided loss obscured the otherwise strong play by the Mustangs in the tournament.
Metea Valley also has room to grow and develop.
“There are awesome benchmarks along the way where we are always trying to be quality,” Robinson said.
“There are different things to play for. We are trying to set up a schedule that is not all waiting on what happens at the end of the year. We start conference Tuesday, so there is always something to jump back into right away.”
Starting lineups
Metea Valley
GK: Ravi Shah
D: Julian Ordaz
D: Aiden Pufundt
D: Arju Basu
D: Cameron Leys
MF: Tony Cuautie
MF: Anthony Hildreth
MF: Michael Senese
F: Adrian Gonzalez
F: Abel Lopez
F: Erick Mena
St. Charles East
GK: Jordan Rolon
D: Jake Walker
D: Connor Brown
D: Griffin Counts
D: Elia Desario
MF: Marcus Walker
MF: Logan Lewarchick
MF: Jack Harrington
MF: Ryan Vandeveer
F: Colin Leatherbury
F: Mason Brockmeyer
Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match: Elia Desario, sr., D, St. Charles East
Scoring summary
First half
Metea Valley—Michael Senese (penalty kick), 21st minute
St. Charles East—Marcus Walker (Logan Lewarchick), 28th minute
St. Charles East—Elia Desario (penalty kick), 34th minute
St. Charles East—Mason Brockmeyer (Lewarchick), 37th minute
St. Charles East—Colin Leatherbury (Brockmeyer), 38th minute
Second half
St. Charles East—Aiden Wostl (Ryan Vandeveer), 56th minute
St. Charles East—Max Dodrill (Brandon Ccotteleer), 60th minute
St. Charles East—Jake Walker (Leatherbury), 80th minute
Desario PK ignites offense in 7-1 win
By Patrick Z. McGavin
ST. CHARLES — The penalty kick is the great unknown. Nothing unsettles, or changes the dynamic quite like it.
Metea Valley opened the scoring against St. Charles East by converting a penalty kick in the 21st minute.
After the game was tied seven minutes, St. Charles East was awarded its own spot-kick opportunity. Elia Desario was not going to look back with any kind of regret.
“It has already happened a few times this season where we got off to a slow start, and then once we tied it up or got the second goal, we really started to score more goals,” he said.
The senior defender is the penalty kick specialist for the Saints.
“His penalty taking ability is outstanding,” forward Mason Brockmeyer said.
His penalty kick in the 34th minute seemed to cut St. Charles East loose.
The Fighting Saints, ranked 11th in the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25, scored three goals during a five-minute burst that led to an improbable 7-1 victory over Metea Valley in the third place game of the St. Charles Invitational on Saturday.
“We knew what we were getting into today,” Metea Valley coach Josh Robinson said. “We were working hard, but unfortunately our mindset hurt us today. After giving up the tying goal, they got the penalty. The third one came really fast off a lack of organization on our part, and it really deflated us.”
The two teams came precariously close to playing in the championship of the tournament.
Metea Valley (3-3-0) beat eventual tournament runnerup Maine South and no. 17 St. Charles North in pool play before suffering a stunning upset loss against Wheaton Academy.
The (5-1-0) Fighting Saints suffered a heartbreaking loss, on penalty kicks, against West Chicago.
Generally speaking, the third place game is always a bittersweet experience.
“We are six games into the year, in a very difficult tournament, against a very good team,” Robinson siad.
“We knew they would possess the ball. They are a very talented team. Today was a bit disheartening, because the mental part got in our way.”
St. Charles East had a statement to make.
“We know for the sectional seed, it is always important to win,” Desario said. “That’s what we talked about before the game.
“We know West Chicago and York are the two teams in our sectional that we have to beat. We played one of them already, and we got York next week.”
The Saints gave the defending Class 3A state champion Dukes their most significant challenge during an epic nine-round penalty shootout in the sectional final last year.
They have the cruel, first-hand experience of how a penalty alters the emotional balance.
Metea Valley took the lead after midfielder Michael Senese converted his attempt after he was fouled inside the box in the 21st minute.
The Mustangs are a team in transition, with just four returners back from a group that beat Naperville Central and finished second to Naperville North in the DuPage Valley Conference last year.
Forward Erick Mena is the leader, a quick and assertive attacking piece who makes the rest of the offense flow.
Midfielder Daniel Wilkinson is another aggressive and skilled talent who impacts the offensive flow.
Center back Aiden Pufundt is the leader of a backline that is almost completely rebuilt from a year ago and rounding into form.
But St. Charles East had all the right moves Saturday.
Fast, athletic and difficult to contain in space, the Saints provide a series of challenges.
They have a signature talent in Brockmeyer, who has taken over for the graduated Chicagoland Soccer all-stater Sebastian Carranza as the offensive focal point.
He is far from the only weapon.
“I think the team passes the ball really well coming out of the back,” freshman forward Aiden Wostl said.
“Our chemistry in general is really good. We enjoy playing together, and I think that really helps on the field.”
A skilled two-way threat who toggles between providing support in the back and solidifying the middle, Marcus Walker delivered the equalizer in the 28th minute.
St. Charles East came alive.
A six-goal differential is hard to figure. The penalty kick late in the first half swung the game.
Desario, who also played outstanding defense in the second half to limit the Mustangs, earned Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match honors for his dynamic all-around play.
The Saints were energized and hungry for more. Metea Valley struggled to contain their attack.
“When Elia goes to his penalty spot, we know it’s a goal,” Brockmeyer said. “Everything about his play is fantastic.”
Just moments after the penalty kick put the Saints up 2-1, Brockmeyer turned loose in space.
Getting a through ball over the top, he won a foot race against Metea Valley keeper Ravi Shah, who ran hard off his line to try and intercept the ball.
Brockmeyer got there first, and punched the ball over the top from about 18 yards for the 3-1 lead.
A minute later, Brockmeyer got loose on the right wing and made a terrific cross that forward Colin Leatherbury buried from 12 yards for the commanding 4-1 halftime lead.
St. Charles East put away four goals in about 10 minutes of play.
“We are able to utilize all the skills we have on our team,” Brockmeyer said. “We have players who score in many different ways.
“We have so many dynamic players, and the chemistry we have helped us open the flood gates.”
Metea Valley senior Orland Velazquez took over at keeper in the second half. He was brilliant, making five outstanding saves and thwarting some of the Saints’ top scoring chances.
The math favored the Saints’ forward push. Wostl, Max Dodrill and Jake Walker put the exclamation point on the dominant performance with second half goals.
Saints coach Vince DiNuzzo stressed the need for improvement.
“We still have a lot of room for growth,” he said. “Even today, we put in seven goals, but we left a lot out there.
“We are driving home our ability to finish our chances has to continue to improve.”
The one-sided loss obscured the otherwise strong play by the Mustangs in the tournament.
Metea Valley also has room to grow and develop.
“There are awesome benchmarks along the way where we are always trying to be quality,” Robinson said.
“There are different things to play for. We are trying to set up a schedule that is not all waiting on what happens at the end of the year. We start conference Tuesday, so there is always something to jump back into right away.”
Starting lineups
Metea Valley
GK: Ravi Shah
D: Julian Ordaz
D: Aiden Pufundt
D: Arju Basu
D: Cameron Leys
MF: Tony Cuautie
MF: Anthony Hildreth
MF: Michael Senese
F: Adrian Gonzalez
F: Abel Lopez
F: Erick Mena
St. Charles East
GK: Jordan Rolon
D: Jake Walker
D: Connor Brown
D: Griffin Counts
D: Elia Desario
MF: Marcus Walker
MF: Logan Lewarchick
MF: Jack Harrington
MF: Ryan Vandeveer
F: Colin Leatherbury
F: Mason Brockmeyer
Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match: Elia Desario, sr., D, St. Charles East
Scoring summary
First half
Metea Valley—Michael Senese (penalty kick), 21st minute
St. Charles East—Marcus Walker (Logan Lewarchick), 28th minute
St. Charles East—Elia Desario (penalty kick), 34th minute
St. Charles East—Mason Brockmeyer (Lewarchick), 37th minute
St. Charles East—Colin Leatherbury (Brockmeyer), 38th minute
Second half
St. Charles East—Aiden Wostl (Ryan Vandeveer), 56th minute
St. Charles East—Max Dodrill (Brandon Ccotteleer), 60th minute
St. Charles East—Jake Walker (Leatherbury), 80th minute