Iverson hat-trick lifts Naperville N over NV
Unbeaten Huskies top Neuqua Valley 3-0, extend win streak to 40
By Matt Le Cren
NAPERVILLE -- The eighth time was the charm for Ty Konrad and Colin Iverson.
So was the ninth.
After coming up short on numerous dead ball scoring opportunities, including seven corner kicks, Iverson headed home consecutive corner kicks from Konrad late in the second half against Neuqua Valley on Friday.
Iverson later scored on a third header -- this time off a Christian Romano throw-in -- to complete his first career hat-trick. That gave the top-ranked Huskies a 3-0 victory in their Class 3A regional final.
Naperville North now has won five-straight regional championships and 27 overall since 1985. The Huskies (21-0-0) extended their winning streak to 40 games and advanced to Tuesday’s Geneva Sectional semifinals, where they will face 16th-seed Batavia.
Konrad now leads the Huskies with 12 assists, while the Bowling Green-bound Iverson has a team-high 15 goals, matching his 2017 total but in eight fewer matches.
Konrad’s strategy on corner kicks is always the same and is no secret to opponents.
“I look for Colin’s head, get good timing with the ball, so he can get a nice clear hit on it,” Konrad said. “He does a good job.
“As a forward it’s really nice (to play with Colin). Basically if they kick the ball out anywhere when I’m up-top it’s like a scoring opportunity, because (all you have to do) is find Colin’s head. It just makes it a lot easier to attack when you have a lot of threats.”
You don’t have to tell Neuqua Valley that. The 10th-seeded Wildcats, who finished 8-8-2, gave up four goals in two games to the Huskies this year. All of them came on Iverson headers, two on corners and two on Romano throw-ins.
“The thing is he has the size, and he’s not afraid of going up,” Neuqua Valley coach Arnoldo Gonzalez said. “There are some players with size that don’t go up.
“When you have someone that size, and he likes going up for headers, my God, that’s money.”
The Huskies have cashed in repeatedly with Iverson, though the Wildcats did an admirable job of keeping him at bay for the first 63 minutes Friday. As dominant as he’s been, Iverson said he’s been having trouble being as effective as he would like, which is why he was stunned to tally the hat-trick in the final home game of his career.
“I honestly don’t know (how he scored three), but coach (Jim Konrad) was really on me to time my runs better, because this season I’ve kind of been off,” Iverson said.
“I just kind of waited a little bit longer to time the run a little bit better. That helped a lot.”
Iverson finally broke through in the 64th minute. Konrad sent his serve from the right, high to the far post, and Iverson bounced the header past Neuqua goalie Dylan Soto for a 1-0 lead.
Iverson also converted his next chance, nodding home another Konrad corner in the 71st minute. He completed his hat trick in the 75th minute, flicking a back-header inside the far post after a long toss from Romano.
“The second half we had the wind at our back which really helped, and we were able to ping the ball at times,” Jim Konrad said. “Eventually we get the break and the first goal.
“It’s tough to defend and defend and defend, and Iverson is so good. He had a couple really good chances in the first half he probably should have scored on.”
That was the scenario Gonzalez was hoping for -- hold on for dear life and somehow convert on a counterattack.
It nearly happened in the 42nd minute when star midfielder Jose Navarro, who took the only two shots the visitors mustered, had a wide-open goal after teammate Jaison Chisnell saved a ball from going over the end line.
Chisnell’s back header caught North goalie Tom Welch out of a position and the ball went over Welch’s outstretched arm back to Navarro, who was standing just outside the 6. Navarro had to leap to get his noggin on it, but his header went over the crossbar.
“This is the thing – if you’re going to lose, I’d rather lose to the no. 1 seed than an 8 or a 9 or any other seed,” Gonzalez said. “Any time we play them it’s always been a great game.
“Earlier in the season we played them, and it was a 1-0 game. So I knew it was going to come down to them getting one or us getting one and can we keep that lead.
“We had our chances. Navarro had a very clear open net. I know it was a little high, and he had to get up on that ball and he missed it, but we were going to have to be sharp and capitalize.”
Instead, it was the Huskies who capitalized, though it took longer than expected for them to do it. Gradually, though, they tilted the field to their advantage as the second half progressed. They pressured the Wildcats into booting the ball out of bounds and it inevitably cost Neuqua.
“We started off well and then in the second part of the first half we dropped,” Gonzalez said. “It was almost like we were holding on. I said we can’t hold off, we need to continue to do our thing.
“Second half, same thing. It was almost like a showcase of throw-ins and corners. Many of them could have been avoided.
“It was just in their head, (kick it) out of bounds and regroup. No (you can’t do that), you’re playing North. This is what they do.”
Despite a tremendous defensive effort and brilliant play from Soto, who made nine saves, the better team prevailed. Neuqua midfielder David Kuhn, who with Navarro, Tom Bludgeon and John Pochyly engaged in a stirring battle for control of the game with North’s Zach Smith, Cesar Recendez, Nata Rojas and Ali Khorfan, could sense North’s breakthrough coming.
“I saw (Iverson) before one play before going up for a header,” Kuhn said. “He started slapping himself on his legs, maybe to wake himself up.
“It was like he was saying to himself, ‘I’ve got to get up (in the air); I’ve got to get it in.’ I think it was the next one he got it in.”
Was Iverson slapping himself to pump himself up or to stay warm?
“Kind of a little of both,” Iverson said. “We had a two-minute break there (for an injury), and I started getting a little bit cold.
“It kind of helps me jump a little bit higher. I do whatever I can to help myself.”
It worked on the next two corners.
“Ty obviously played two great balls,” Iverson said. “Every ball is not going to be perfect, but I also need to time my runs a lot better. I think I did that on those two.”
Kuhn was not surprised.
“You give them a throw-in within the 30 with your back to your goal line, it’s basically a corner,” Kuhn said. “Anything that goes out, it (will result) in a 50-50 ball in the air and when they have Colin Iverson running in and Myles (Barry), I know they practice their plays for hours and hours.
“So the fact that we held them off that long, I was proud of my boys there.”
Neuqua’s backline of Anthony Safo, Mac Lehman, Declan Nugent and Brandon Szabo was stalwart and Soto had his best performance of the season.
Just moments before Iverson’s first goal, North’s Patrick Koenig intercepted a quick free kick by the Wildcats and quickly launched a 30-yard rocket from the right wing.
Soto was caught off his line a bit but somehow raced backward and leaped into the air to punch the ball over the crossbar.
It was the last, and most spectacular, stop of the season for Soto, who earlier had twice denied Iverson on headers. The senior also stopped a point-blank header from Rojas, who also was denied on a sharp shot from inside the box in the 30th minute when Soto dove to his right and hung on to the ball at a moment when giving up a rebound would have led to a North goal.
Soto also made diving saves in the final two minutes of the first half on a 25-yard bullet off the toe of Recendez and another shot from Rojas.
“Soto was unbelievable tonight,” Kuhn said. “He had some world-class saves, some amazing saves.”
Jim Konrad was equally impressed.
“Their keeper was incredible,” he said. “That save he had on Patrick was amazing.”
Yet the veteran Naperville North maestro was not surprised it took so long to solve the Wildcats.
“Neuqua is a very good team, and we knew they were going to give us a problem,” he said. “The last time we won 1-0 on a fluky goal.
“Their midfield is a special group of guys. They’re very good on the ball, they can control it. And Jose is one of the best players in the area, so you knew there was a chance they could break free and hit one. They scored two great goals against Central.
“But I’m really proud of my midfielders. I thought Nata, Zach and Cesar did an incredible job of limiting their options. Cesar won a million head balls for us which really helped us.”
The Huskies were impressed with the effort the Wildcats brought, which made the win that much sweeter.
“They played a great game,” Iverson said. “(The regional title) means everything to us.
“We all put a lot of time and effort into this, and it feels good to win. (The season) has been a blast.
“I love these guys, and I love playing with them, but we’re not done yet. Our goal is to win the state championship.”
Starting lineups
Neuqua Valley
GK Dylan Soto
D Anthony Safo
D Mac Lehman
D Declan Nugent
D Brandon Szabo
M Tom Bludgeon
M David Kuhn
M Jose Navarro
M John Pochyly
F Ryan Matthews
F Jaison Chisnell
Naperville North
GK Tom Welch
D Colin Iverson
D Christian Romano
D Cam Ferus
D Myles Barry
M Cesar Recendez
M Zach Smith
M Ali Khorfan
M Nata Rojas
F Patrick Koenig
F Ty Konrad
Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match – Colin Iverson, sr., D, Naperville North
Scoring summary
First half
No scoring
Second half
Naperville North – Colin Iverson (Ty Konrad) 16:45
Naperville North – Iverson (Konrad) 8:41
Naperville North – Iverson (Christian Romano) 5:15
Unbeaten Huskies top Neuqua Valley 3-0, extend win streak to 40
By Matt Le Cren
NAPERVILLE -- The eighth time was the charm for Ty Konrad and Colin Iverson.
So was the ninth.
After coming up short on numerous dead ball scoring opportunities, including seven corner kicks, Iverson headed home consecutive corner kicks from Konrad late in the second half against Neuqua Valley on Friday.
Iverson later scored on a third header -- this time off a Christian Romano throw-in -- to complete his first career hat-trick. That gave the top-ranked Huskies a 3-0 victory in their Class 3A regional final.
Naperville North now has won five-straight regional championships and 27 overall since 1985. The Huskies (21-0-0) extended their winning streak to 40 games and advanced to Tuesday’s Geneva Sectional semifinals, where they will face 16th-seed Batavia.
Konrad now leads the Huskies with 12 assists, while the Bowling Green-bound Iverson has a team-high 15 goals, matching his 2017 total but in eight fewer matches.
Konrad’s strategy on corner kicks is always the same and is no secret to opponents.
“I look for Colin’s head, get good timing with the ball, so he can get a nice clear hit on it,” Konrad said. “He does a good job.
“As a forward it’s really nice (to play with Colin). Basically if they kick the ball out anywhere when I’m up-top it’s like a scoring opportunity, because (all you have to do) is find Colin’s head. It just makes it a lot easier to attack when you have a lot of threats.”
You don’t have to tell Neuqua Valley that. The 10th-seeded Wildcats, who finished 8-8-2, gave up four goals in two games to the Huskies this year. All of them came on Iverson headers, two on corners and two on Romano throw-ins.
“The thing is he has the size, and he’s not afraid of going up,” Neuqua Valley coach Arnoldo Gonzalez said. “There are some players with size that don’t go up.
“When you have someone that size, and he likes going up for headers, my God, that’s money.”
The Huskies have cashed in repeatedly with Iverson, though the Wildcats did an admirable job of keeping him at bay for the first 63 minutes Friday. As dominant as he’s been, Iverson said he’s been having trouble being as effective as he would like, which is why he was stunned to tally the hat-trick in the final home game of his career.
“I honestly don’t know (how he scored three), but coach (Jim Konrad) was really on me to time my runs better, because this season I’ve kind of been off,” Iverson said.
“I just kind of waited a little bit longer to time the run a little bit better. That helped a lot.”
Iverson finally broke through in the 64th minute. Konrad sent his serve from the right, high to the far post, and Iverson bounced the header past Neuqua goalie Dylan Soto for a 1-0 lead.
Iverson also converted his next chance, nodding home another Konrad corner in the 71st minute. He completed his hat trick in the 75th minute, flicking a back-header inside the far post after a long toss from Romano.
“The second half we had the wind at our back which really helped, and we were able to ping the ball at times,” Jim Konrad said. “Eventually we get the break and the first goal.
“It’s tough to defend and defend and defend, and Iverson is so good. He had a couple really good chances in the first half he probably should have scored on.”
That was the scenario Gonzalez was hoping for -- hold on for dear life and somehow convert on a counterattack.
It nearly happened in the 42nd minute when star midfielder Jose Navarro, who took the only two shots the visitors mustered, had a wide-open goal after teammate Jaison Chisnell saved a ball from going over the end line.
Chisnell’s back header caught North goalie Tom Welch out of a position and the ball went over Welch’s outstretched arm back to Navarro, who was standing just outside the 6. Navarro had to leap to get his noggin on it, but his header went over the crossbar.
“This is the thing – if you’re going to lose, I’d rather lose to the no. 1 seed than an 8 or a 9 or any other seed,” Gonzalez said. “Any time we play them it’s always been a great game.
“Earlier in the season we played them, and it was a 1-0 game. So I knew it was going to come down to them getting one or us getting one and can we keep that lead.
“We had our chances. Navarro had a very clear open net. I know it was a little high, and he had to get up on that ball and he missed it, but we were going to have to be sharp and capitalize.”
Instead, it was the Huskies who capitalized, though it took longer than expected for them to do it. Gradually, though, they tilted the field to their advantage as the second half progressed. They pressured the Wildcats into booting the ball out of bounds and it inevitably cost Neuqua.
“We started off well and then in the second part of the first half we dropped,” Gonzalez said. “It was almost like we were holding on. I said we can’t hold off, we need to continue to do our thing.
“Second half, same thing. It was almost like a showcase of throw-ins and corners. Many of them could have been avoided.
“It was just in their head, (kick it) out of bounds and regroup. No (you can’t do that), you’re playing North. This is what they do.”
Despite a tremendous defensive effort and brilliant play from Soto, who made nine saves, the better team prevailed. Neuqua midfielder David Kuhn, who with Navarro, Tom Bludgeon and John Pochyly engaged in a stirring battle for control of the game with North’s Zach Smith, Cesar Recendez, Nata Rojas and Ali Khorfan, could sense North’s breakthrough coming.
“I saw (Iverson) before one play before going up for a header,” Kuhn said. “He started slapping himself on his legs, maybe to wake himself up.
“It was like he was saying to himself, ‘I’ve got to get up (in the air); I’ve got to get it in.’ I think it was the next one he got it in.”
Was Iverson slapping himself to pump himself up or to stay warm?
“Kind of a little of both,” Iverson said. “We had a two-minute break there (for an injury), and I started getting a little bit cold.
“It kind of helps me jump a little bit higher. I do whatever I can to help myself.”
It worked on the next two corners.
“Ty obviously played two great balls,” Iverson said. “Every ball is not going to be perfect, but I also need to time my runs a lot better. I think I did that on those two.”
Kuhn was not surprised.
“You give them a throw-in within the 30 with your back to your goal line, it’s basically a corner,” Kuhn said. “Anything that goes out, it (will result) in a 50-50 ball in the air and when they have Colin Iverson running in and Myles (Barry), I know they practice their plays for hours and hours.
“So the fact that we held them off that long, I was proud of my boys there.”
Neuqua’s backline of Anthony Safo, Mac Lehman, Declan Nugent and Brandon Szabo was stalwart and Soto had his best performance of the season.
Just moments before Iverson’s first goal, North’s Patrick Koenig intercepted a quick free kick by the Wildcats and quickly launched a 30-yard rocket from the right wing.
Soto was caught off his line a bit but somehow raced backward and leaped into the air to punch the ball over the crossbar.
It was the last, and most spectacular, stop of the season for Soto, who earlier had twice denied Iverson on headers. The senior also stopped a point-blank header from Rojas, who also was denied on a sharp shot from inside the box in the 30th minute when Soto dove to his right and hung on to the ball at a moment when giving up a rebound would have led to a North goal.
Soto also made diving saves in the final two minutes of the first half on a 25-yard bullet off the toe of Recendez and another shot from Rojas.
“Soto was unbelievable tonight,” Kuhn said. “He had some world-class saves, some amazing saves.”
Jim Konrad was equally impressed.
“Their keeper was incredible,” he said. “That save he had on Patrick was amazing.”
Yet the veteran Naperville North maestro was not surprised it took so long to solve the Wildcats.
“Neuqua is a very good team, and we knew they were going to give us a problem,” he said. “The last time we won 1-0 on a fluky goal.
“Their midfield is a special group of guys. They’re very good on the ball, they can control it. And Jose is one of the best players in the area, so you knew there was a chance they could break free and hit one. They scored two great goals against Central.
“But I’m really proud of my midfielders. I thought Nata, Zach and Cesar did an incredible job of limiting their options. Cesar won a million head balls for us which really helped us.”
The Huskies were impressed with the effort the Wildcats brought, which made the win that much sweeter.
“They played a great game,” Iverson said. “(The regional title) means everything to us.
“We all put a lot of time and effort into this, and it feels good to win. (The season) has been a blast.
“I love these guys, and I love playing with them, but we’re not done yet. Our goal is to win the state championship.”
Starting lineups
Neuqua Valley
GK Dylan Soto
D Anthony Safo
D Mac Lehman
D Declan Nugent
D Brandon Szabo
M Tom Bludgeon
M David Kuhn
M Jose Navarro
M John Pochyly
F Ryan Matthews
F Jaison Chisnell
Naperville North
GK Tom Welch
D Colin Iverson
D Christian Romano
D Cam Ferus
D Myles Barry
M Cesar Recendez
M Zach Smith
M Ali Khorfan
M Nata Rojas
F Patrick Koenig
F Ty Konrad
Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match – Colin Iverson, sr., D, Naperville North
Scoring summary
First half
No scoring
Second half
Naperville North – Colin Iverson (Ty Konrad) 16:45
Naperville North – Iverson (Konrad) 8:41
Naperville North – Iverson (Christian Romano) 5:15