Heniades powers Neuqua V. past S. Elgin
Senior's quick strikes, hat-trick, calm the Storm
By Steve Nemeth
SOUTH ELGIN --- In a nutshell, Neuqua Valley's Billy Heniades was too quick and ultimately too much for South Elgin to handle.
That combination overcame the Storm as the visiting Wildcats gained a 4-2 victory in Thursday’s nonconference match.
The triumph gives Neuqua Valley (10-5-0) a six-game win streak and victories in eight of the last nine outings.
While the Wildcats’ turnaround began with a trip north where they captured a Baraboo Invitational trophy, it’s probably a stretch to believe that the Wisconsin prep 90-minute game lengths now make contests back here seem like a breeze.
Neuqua’s most notable adjustment has been a more potent offense exemplified by Heniades. The Chicagoland Soccer 2016 All-State pick has been leading the team in scoring, but even he took it up a notch in claiming the Wildcats’ first hat-trick this season. That made him the clear choice as the Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match.
South Elgin entered hoping to earn three-straight wins for the first time this year, but their uneven play in the game paralleled their uneven campaign. The Storm (6-7-2) dipped back below the .500 mark.
“We didn’t start either half too well and when you concede goals that early, it really makes it difficult to win,” South Elgin coach Simon Brinklow stated.
Only 1:47 had elapsed when Heniades earned goal number one as Daniel Costea bounced an attempt off the crossbar.
“Edon (Kosova) always gets the ball to the forwards and seeing Danny line up a shot, I just wanted to get near the back post,” Heniades explained. “I try to anticipate any chance for a rebound, and that time I was able to get on the ball.”
South Elgin eventually settled into an offensive rhythm and collected a series of opportunities. Just after the 13-minute mark, Chris Stanczyk blasted a 29-yard free kick that Neuqua Valley goalie Luke Molnar had to tip over the bar. A minute later, the Storm had a golden opportunity when Molnar couldn’t quite capture a ball and Jack McCall had an open net but a tough angle and missed the far post.
Prior to the mid-point of the half, Neuqua Valley found the back of the net but that was negated by being whistled offside.
A tick past 26 minutes, the Storm got the equalizer when McCall booted an absolute cracker from 19 out on the right side. The senior’s blast left the crossbar vibrating while the ball caromed down and in. Two days before, McCall had both goals in a 2-0 Upstate Eight Valley Division win over West Chicago.
But with 8:27 left before halftime, Neuqua Valley reclaimed the lead as Nate Kuper and Anthony Safo earned assists with a combination throw-in and head flick that found T.J. Fenton in perfect position for an eight-yard strike.
Just 50 seconds into the second half, Jose Navarro earned his sixth assist feeding Heniades for a rush down the middle and a 3-1 Wildcat advantage.
“We wanted to put pressure on their defense right from the start after halftime,” Heniades noted. “When they made a weak back pass that got intercepted, as soon as I got the ball I saw the keeper was off his line enough to slot the ball home.”
While Heniades played like an MVP, the hustle play of the match belonged to Jason Benjamin. A Neuqua Valley cross appeared destined to become a Storm throw-in, but Benjamin sprinted and got enough of a touch to keep it from going out of bounds. Having gained control, he side-stepped a South Elgin defender and sent a cross that Heniades deftly re-directed by goalie Fernando Rivera.
Even players on South Elgin’s bench could be heard expressing their surprise he kept the ball in play, and then made such a stellar pass.
“That was a great play by Jason,” Heniades declared. “Not only did he get a great touch, but then he got enough separation between him and the defender to send a great ball in. I was just lucky enough to get enough on it to place it past their keeper.”
Heniades upped his team-best goal total to 11 to go along with six assists.
“As gratifying as the win is, maintaining possession and focus were the big positives,” Neuqua Valley coach Arnoldo Gonzalez said. “In the past, if we got an early lead we sometimes fell into playing the other team’s style. So the worry was: are we going to get antsy and start playing kick ball? We kept our composure and weren’t forcing it.
“Billy was clearly the MVP today, not just because of his scoring, but we asked him to do more. (We were) missing a few players; he played an attacking midfield role but then later was a holding mid,” Gonzalez noted. “Edon and Jose also played really well for us. They do their jobs and make certain we don’t lose our shape.
“Obviously Jason made a beautifully impossible play. Not only getting the ball, but then whipping it back for an assist. In the second half, he especially outworked his opponents.”
The potential to make things interesting existed for South Elgin after a Neuqua foul led to a penalty kick with 21:10 still remaining. A.J. Kirkby stepped up for the conversion and his second goal of the season to go with six assists.
“Any time I get that opportunity I walk up there with confidence and try to make eye contact the goalie,” Kirkby explained. “If I can get a read, great. But basically I decide where I’m going and then focus on solid contact.
“Having graduated both top forwards, we knew our offense might be a question at the start of the year, but we’ve been starting to score more,” Kirkby said. “Beyond the first 10 minutes of both halves, we didn’t’ play too badly. Perhaps it didn’t show as much today, but our defense is solid and if we can get a few wins for some momentum, we can surprise some folks.”
That’s pretty much what Brinklow is counting on.
After beating West Chicago, South Elgin moved to 2-2-0 in the UEC Valley. Unless the Storm lose their finale and West Chicago (1-2-1) slips by Glenbard East (2-1-1), South should do no worse than fourth. But a Storm triumph in Tuesday’s visit to East Aurora (2-1-1) combined with a Bartlett (0-4-0) upset of West Aurora (3-1-0), and a mathematical tie is a possibility.
That type of speculation doesn’t interest Brinklow.
“We’ve got four games left that start with East Aurora. Those four represent a chance for us to get some real momentum for the postseason,” Brinklow said. “Today we made too many mistakes in individual areas. But if we cut those out, better results are possible. Jack has played real well up-top, and Eduardo (Carrillo) has come back from an injury and doing well in the midfield.”
Neuqua Valley returns home to host Addison Trail in its final nonconference outing before concluding the season with four-straight DuPage Valley Conference matches. The Wildcats obviously want to improve a 2-2-0 DVC record visiting Wheaton North and hosting Lake Park, Glenbard North, and second-ranked and defending Class 3A champion Naperville North.
“At the beginning of this season we let in too many goals, so our focus has been to score more, concede less,” Kosova said. “We lost a lot of seniors and had a slow start, but our team chemistry has really come together, and now we’re racking up wins. Today we learned we’re an eighth seed (in the Class 3A state tournament), last year we were third. Maybe we’re not a three again, but eight seems low. We can use that for motivation to get another regional title and more.”
Starting lineups
Neuqua Valley
GK Luke Molnar
D Nate Kuper
D Edon Kosova
D Jose Navarro
D Matt Miller
M Parker Domschke
M David Kuhn
M Jason Benjamin
M Daniel Costea
F Daniel Laverde
F Billy Heniades
South Elgin
GK Fernando Rivera
D Royce Robinson
D Sergio Briones
D A.J. Kirkby
D Zack Rys
M Rolando Martinez
M Julian Defensor
M Eduardo Carrillo
F Chris Stanczyk
F Jack McCall
F Liam Swangren
Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match: Billy Herniades, sr., F, Neuqua Valley
Officials: Chuck Raksinh (center), Rauel Farfan, Richard Zawislak
Game summary
Neuqua Valley 4, South Elgin 2
Neuqua Valley 2 2 -- 4 10-5-0
South Elgin 1 1 -- 2 6-7-2
Scoring
NV – Herniates four-yard finish from middle (Costea assist), 1:47 gone
SE – McCall 18-yard cracker from right side off crossbar down and in (unassisted), 26:01 gone
NV – Fenton eight-yard strike off stellar throw-in and head flick (Safo, Kuper assists), 31:33 gone
NV – Heniades rushing the middle to finish textbook cross (Navarro assist), 40:50 gone
NV – Heniades seven-yard redirect near right post (Benjamin assist), 52:55 gone
SE – Kirkby penalty kick conversion, 58:51 gone
Shots
NV 8 -- 7 -- 15
SE 4 -- 4 -- 8
Shots on goal
NV 7 -- 4 -- 11
SE 3 -- 3 -- 6
Saves (goalie)
NV 4 (Molnar, 2, 72', Ramsey, 2, 8')
SE 7 (Rivera, 5/2)
Corner kicks
NV 1 -- 2 -- 3
SE 3 -- 2 -- 5
Offsides
NV 1 -- 0 -- 1
SE 0 – 2 -- 2
Senior's quick strikes, hat-trick, calm the Storm
By Steve Nemeth
SOUTH ELGIN --- In a nutshell, Neuqua Valley's Billy Heniades was too quick and ultimately too much for South Elgin to handle.
That combination overcame the Storm as the visiting Wildcats gained a 4-2 victory in Thursday’s nonconference match.
The triumph gives Neuqua Valley (10-5-0) a six-game win streak and victories in eight of the last nine outings.
While the Wildcats’ turnaround began with a trip north where they captured a Baraboo Invitational trophy, it’s probably a stretch to believe that the Wisconsin prep 90-minute game lengths now make contests back here seem like a breeze.
Neuqua’s most notable adjustment has been a more potent offense exemplified by Heniades. The Chicagoland Soccer 2016 All-State pick has been leading the team in scoring, but even he took it up a notch in claiming the Wildcats’ first hat-trick this season. That made him the clear choice as the Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match.
South Elgin entered hoping to earn three-straight wins for the first time this year, but their uneven play in the game paralleled their uneven campaign. The Storm (6-7-2) dipped back below the .500 mark.
“We didn’t start either half too well and when you concede goals that early, it really makes it difficult to win,” South Elgin coach Simon Brinklow stated.
Only 1:47 had elapsed when Heniades earned goal number one as Daniel Costea bounced an attempt off the crossbar.
“Edon (Kosova) always gets the ball to the forwards and seeing Danny line up a shot, I just wanted to get near the back post,” Heniades explained. “I try to anticipate any chance for a rebound, and that time I was able to get on the ball.”
South Elgin eventually settled into an offensive rhythm and collected a series of opportunities. Just after the 13-minute mark, Chris Stanczyk blasted a 29-yard free kick that Neuqua Valley goalie Luke Molnar had to tip over the bar. A minute later, the Storm had a golden opportunity when Molnar couldn’t quite capture a ball and Jack McCall had an open net but a tough angle and missed the far post.
Prior to the mid-point of the half, Neuqua Valley found the back of the net but that was negated by being whistled offside.
A tick past 26 minutes, the Storm got the equalizer when McCall booted an absolute cracker from 19 out on the right side. The senior’s blast left the crossbar vibrating while the ball caromed down and in. Two days before, McCall had both goals in a 2-0 Upstate Eight Valley Division win over West Chicago.
But with 8:27 left before halftime, Neuqua Valley reclaimed the lead as Nate Kuper and Anthony Safo earned assists with a combination throw-in and head flick that found T.J. Fenton in perfect position for an eight-yard strike.
Just 50 seconds into the second half, Jose Navarro earned his sixth assist feeding Heniades for a rush down the middle and a 3-1 Wildcat advantage.
“We wanted to put pressure on their defense right from the start after halftime,” Heniades noted. “When they made a weak back pass that got intercepted, as soon as I got the ball I saw the keeper was off his line enough to slot the ball home.”
While Heniades played like an MVP, the hustle play of the match belonged to Jason Benjamin. A Neuqua Valley cross appeared destined to become a Storm throw-in, but Benjamin sprinted and got enough of a touch to keep it from going out of bounds. Having gained control, he side-stepped a South Elgin defender and sent a cross that Heniades deftly re-directed by goalie Fernando Rivera.
Even players on South Elgin’s bench could be heard expressing their surprise he kept the ball in play, and then made such a stellar pass.
“That was a great play by Jason,” Heniades declared. “Not only did he get a great touch, but then he got enough separation between him and the defender to send a great ball in. I was just lucky enough to get enough on it to place it past their keeper.”
Heniades upped his team-best goal total to 11 to go along with six assists.
“As gratifying as the win is, maintaining possession and focus were the big positives,” Neuqua Valley coach Arnoldo Gonzalez said. “In the past, if we got an early lead we sometimes fell into playing the other team’s style. So the worry was: are we going to get antsy and start playing kick ball? We kept our composure and weren’t forcing it.
“Billy was clearly the MVP today, not just because of his scoring, but we asked him to do more. (We were) missing a few players; he played an attacking midfield role but then later was a holding mid,” Gonzalez noted. “Edon and Jose also played really well for us. They do their jobs and make certain we don’t lose our shape.
“Obviously Jason made a beautifully impossible play. Not only getting the ball, but then whipping it back for an assist. In the second half, he especially outworked his opponents.”
The potential to make things interesting existed for South Elgin after a Neuqua foul led to a penalty kick with 21:10 still remaining. A.J. Kirkby stepped up for the conversion and his second goal of the season to go with six assists.
“Any time I get that opportunity I walk up there with confidence and try to make eye contact the goalie,” Kirkby explained. “If I can get a read, great. But basically I decide where I’m going and then focus on solid contact.
“Having graduated both top forwards, we knew our offense might be a question at the start of the year, but we’ve been starting to score more,” Kirkby said. “Beyond the first 10 minutes of both halves, we didn’t’ play too badly. Perhaps it didn’t show as much today, but our defense is solid and if we can get a few wins for some momentum, we can surprise some folks.”
That’s pretty much what Brinklow is counting on.
After beating West Chicago, South Elgin moved to 2-2-0 in the UEC Valley. Unless the Storm lose their finale and West Chicago (1-2-1) slips by Glenbard East (2-1-1), South should do no worse than fourth. But a Storm triumph in Tuesday’s visit to East Aurora (2-1-1) combined with a Bartlett (0-4-0) upset of West Aurora (3-1-0), and a mathematical tie is a possibility.
That type of speculation doesn’t interest Brinklow.
“We’ve got four games left that start with East Aurora. Those four represent a chance for us to get some real momentum for the postseason,” Brinklow said. “Today we made too many mistakes in individual areas. But if we cut those out, better results are possible. Jack has played real well up-top, and Eduardo (Carrillo) has come back from an injury and doing well in the midfield.”
Neuqua Valley returns home to host Addison Trail in its final nonconference outing before concluding the season with four-straight DuPage Valley Conference matches. The Wildcats obviously want to improve a 2-2-0 DVC record visiting Wheaton North and hosting Lake Park, Glenbard North, and second-ranked and defending Class 3A champion Naperville North.
“At the beginning of this season we let in too many goals, so our focus has been to score more, concede less,” Kosova said. “We lost a lot of seniors and had a slow start, but our team chemistry has really come together, and now we’re racking up wins. Today we learned we’re an eighth seed (in the Class 3A state tournament), last year we were third. Maybe we’re not a three again, but eight seems low. We can use that for motivation to get another regional title and more.”
Starting lineups
Neuqua Valley
GK Luke Molnar
D Nate Kuper
D Edon Kosova
D Jose Navarro
D Matt Miller
M Parker Domschke
M David Kuhn
M Jason Benjamin
M Daniel Costea
F Daniel Laverde
F Billy Heniades
South Elgin
GK Fernando Rivera
D Royce Robinson
D Sergio Briones
D A.J. Kirkby
D Zack Rys
M Rolando Martinez
M Julian Defensor
M Eduardo Carrillo
F Chris Stanczyk
F Jack McCall
F Liam Swangren
Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match: Billy Herniades, sr., F, Neuqua Valley
Officials: Chuck Raksinh (center), Rauel Farfan, Richard Zawislak
Game summary
Neuqua Valley 4, South Elgin 2
Neuqua Valley 2 2 -- 4 10-5-0
South Elgin 1 1 -- 2 6-7-2
Scoring
NV – Herniates four-yard finish from middle (Costea assist), 1:47 gone
SE – McCall 18-yard cracker from right side off crossbar down and in (unassisted), 26:01 gone
NV – Fenton eight-yard strike off stellar throw-in and head flick (Safo, Kuper assists), 31:33 gone
NV – Heniades rushing the middle to finish textbook cross (Navarro assist), 40:50 gone
NV – Heniades seven-yard redirect near right post (Benjamin assist), 52:55 gone
SE – Kirkby penalty kick conversion, 58:51 gone
Shots
NV 8 -- 7 -- 15
SE 4 -- 4 -- 8
Shots on goal
NV 7 -- 4 -- 11
SE 3 -- 3 -- 6
Saves (goalie)
NV 4 (Molnar, 2, 72', Ramsey, 2, 8')
SE 7 (Rivera, 5/2)
Corner kicks
NV 1 -- 2 -- 3
SE 3 -- 2 -- 5
Offsides
NV 1 -- 0 -- 1
SE 0 – 2 -- 2