Naperville C. offense overtakes Plainfield N.
5-0 win puts Redhawks in Best of West final for 5th time in 6 years
By Matt Le Cren
NAPERVILLE – A discussion of who will be Naperville Central’s leading scorer this year ultimately revolves around Nate Zain, Zack Kokes and Jimmy Kalkofen.
But Naperville Central coach Troy Adams has been touting the potential of Cameron Strang. While the junior is unlikely to lead the Redhawks in scoring because he plays center back, that doesn’t mean he won’t make an impact.
Strang literally made a big impact on Saturday morning, bagging his first varsity goal on a powerful header in the 16th minute against Plainfield North at the Best of the West Tournament.
Strang’s header, which hit the net like it was a concrete block shot out of a cannon, was the finishing statement of a three-goal salvo that turned a scoreless tie into a 3-0 game in a mere six minutes.
Stoked by the early outburst, the Redhawks dominated the Tigers in a 5-0 rout to finish 3-0-0 in Group 1 play and clinch a berth in Saturday night’s championship game against Naperville North. Naperville Central, which lost last year’s title game to Naperville North, is in the final for the fifth time in the last six years.
“I told Cam, ‘This is the best game I’ve seen you play at Central by far,'” said Adams.
He meant at both ends of the field. Strang, a junior, and senior Tanner Greenhagen highlighted a dominant effort by Naperville Central’s defense, which posted its second-consecutive shutout.
Offensively, the Redhawks (4-2-0) netted five goals for the second time in the tournament and extended their winning streak to four games.
“It was obviously the goal going in (was to reach the final), and we got the shutout too to go along with it,” Strang said. “So having everyone play their best feels good.”
One play in particular stood out for Strang. It came when he rose up to meet Rohan Bhargava’s corner kick and powered home the header to make it 3-0.
“It felt amazing,” he said. “It’s my first goal for varsity soccer and just putting it in there and having nobody even close to stopping it felt really good.”
Strang earned Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match honors, an honor several Redhawks were in the running for. Zack Kokes scored two goals for the second time in three games,
Rokas Stadalninkas had a goal and an assist, and Anthony Saavedra also dented the net for the Redhawks, who outshot Plainfield North 18-1.
Ron Marchionna and Brad Palagi shared the shutout, with Palagi making the Redhawks’ only save of the match late in the second half.
“It all starts with that defensive work-rate,” Adams said. “As soon as we lose the ball, can we sprint to get to where we need to be defensively?
“The backline has been phenomenal the last couple games. They have really done an outstanding job.”
So have Naperville Central’s attackers, who may have shaken off an early season slump. Adams will take any goal he can get, pretty or not, but he was thrilled to see three sensational goals in the early going.
Kokes got the first one on a volley off a beautiful cross from Kalkofen in the 10th minute. That was followed three minutes later by Stadalninkas scoring on a breakaway following a through-ball from Ryan Coleman.
“The first one was a series of one-touch passes and then a great finish,” Adams said. “The other one was an overlap to a give-and-go to a finish.
“On the corner kick, Cam just absolutely nailed it. It was just power. He will get his goals. He just missed a second one.”
Indeed, Strang would have had a second goal on another sharp header, but was denied by Plainfield North goalie Brandon Fox, who made a sensational diving save to tip the ball around the left post in the 43rd minute.
Fox was the lone bright spot for the Tigers (2-4-0), who finished the tournament with a 2-0 victory over Bartlett on Thursday and two losses. Fox made six saves, including a great effort to deny Kokes’ attempt at the hat trick on a breakaway in the 46th minute.
“It feels really good considering the first few games of the season we weren’t too hot offensively and defensively,” Stadalninkas said. “Now with the defensive work rate we have, everything is getting better.
“It’s starting with the defense and working its way up and through and the attackers are getting lots of goals.”
That hadn’t always been the case for the Redhawks, who lack a true star striker but have many solid players.
“They’re young kids so half of it is convincing them to buy into a belief,” Adams said. “We’ve had it before.
“I think in 2013 (when the Redhawks finished third in the state) we didn’t have that one guy who could score.
“This team is similar to that in that they have a lot of kids that are very good at attacking, but there’s not one kid that I would say is going to get 30 goals.
“One game it might be one kid getting two and other games it will be another kid getting two and another it might be (several) kids getting one. We have to think about the ‘we’ before the ‘me.’ If we do that, we’re going to be in good shape.”
The Redhawks have kept their shape defensively while using their outside backs more aggressively in the attack. The key to that approach is communication.
“I’d say the midfielders’ communication with the defenders in order to know who is going up and when (has been crucial),” Stadalninkas said. “That communication has been perfect recently because the outside midfielders will stay when they know an outside back is going to release, and outside backs will stay when they know holding mids are going to release.
“With that we can change our play, and we’re not doing the same cardboard, cookie-cutter style every single time. We’re switching it up.”
Now the Redhawks will get their first of at least two cracks at switching up the narrative with crosstown rival Naperville North, which has had their number in recent years.
The Huskies (6-0-1) beat Benet 4-0 Saturday morning for their third-straight shutout and sixth of the season. North has allowed only one goal so far and is attempting to become the first school to win the Best of the West title three-straight times.
“The goal is to beat them,” Strang said. “Obviously they’re a good team so we’ll play our best, and hopefully we’ll put up five goals against them, too.”
A low-scoring game seems more likely, but don’t count the Redhawks out.
“That would be a big statement to make,” Stadalninkas said.
Starting lineups
Plainfield North
GK Brandon Fox
D Oliver Fisher
D Colin Russell
D Kanon Woodill
M John Seeley
M Yousef Ismail
M Shea Bechtel
M Patrick Elster
M Nathan Green
F Brian Bertoni
F Adan Juarez Jr.
Naperville Central
GK Ron Marchionna
D Jake Crawford
D Cameron Strang
D Rokas Stadalninkas
M Rohan Bhargava
M Nico Couropmitree
M Owen Jarrell
M Nate Zain
F Ryan Coleman
F Zack Kokes
F Jimmy Kalkofen
Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match – Cameron Strang, jr., D, Naperville Central
Scoring summary
1st Half
Naperville Central : Zack Kokes (Jimmy Kalkofen) 30:49
Naperville Central: Rokas Stadalninkas (Ryan Coleman) 27:30
Naperville Central: Cameron Strang (Rohan Bhargava) 24:31
2nd Half
Naperville Central: Kokes (Stadalninkas) 34:21
Naperville Central: Anthony Saavedra 10:16
5-0 win puts Redhawks in Best of West final for 5th time in 6 years
By Matt Le Cren
NAPERVILLE – A discussion of who will be Naperville Central’s leading scorer this year ultimately revolves around Nate Zain, Zack Kokes and Jimmy Kalkofen.
But Naperville Central coach Troy Adams has been touting the potential of Cameron Strang. While the junior is unlikely to lead the Redhawks in scoring because he plays center back, that doesn’t mean he won’t make an impact.
Strang literally made a big impact on Saturday morning, bagging his first varsity goal on a powerful header in the 16th minute against Plainfield North at the Best of the West Tournament.
Strang’s header, which hit the net like it was a concrete block shot out of a cannon, was the finishing statement of a three-goal salvo that turned a scoreless tie into a 3-0 game in a mere six minutes.
Stoked by the early outburst, the Redhawks dominated the Tigers in a 5-0 rout to finish 3-0-0 in Group 1 play and clinch a berth in Saturday night’s championship game against Naperville North. Naperville Central, which lost last year’s title game to Naperville North, is in the final for the fifth time in the last six years.
“I told Cam, ‘This is the best game I’ve seen you play at Central by far,'” said Adams.
He meant at both ends of the field. Strang, a junior, and senior Tanner Greenhagen highlighted a dominant effort by Naperville Central’s defense, which posted its second-consecutive shutout.
Offensively, the Redhawks (4-2-0) netted five goals for the second time in the tournament and extended their winning streak to four games.
“It was obviously the goal going in (was to reach the final), and we got the shutout too to go along with it,” Strang said. “So having everyone play their best feels good.”
One play in particular stood out for Strang. It came when he rose up to meet Rohan Bhargava’s corner kick and powered home the header to make it 3-0.
“It felt amazing,” he said. “It’s my first goal for varsity soccer and just putting it in there and having nobody even close to stopping it felt really good.”
Strang earned Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match honors, an honor several Redhawks were in the running for. Zack Kokes scored two goals for the second time in three games,
Rokas Stadalninkas had a goal and an assist, and Anthony Saavedra also dented the net for the Redhawks, who outshot Plainfield North 18-1.
Ron Marchionna and Brad Palagi shared the shutout, with Palagi making the Redhawks’ only save of the match late in the second half.
“It all starts with that defensive work-rate,” Adams said. “As soon as we lose the ball, can we sprint to get to where we need to be defensively?
“The backline has been phenomenal the last couple games. They have really done an outstanding job.”
So have Naperville Central’s attackers, who may have shaken off an early season slump. Adams will take any goal he can get, pretty or not, but he was thrilled to see three sensational goals in the early going.
Kokes got the first one on a volley off a beautiful cross from Kalkofen in the 10th minute. That was followed three minutes later by Stadalninkas scoring on a breakaway following a through-ball from Ryan Coleman.
“The first one was a series of one-touch passes and then a great finish,” Adams said. “The other one was an overlap to a give-and-go to a finish.
“On the corner kick, Cam just absolutely nailed it. It was just power. He will get his goals. He just missed a second one.”
Indeed, Strang would have had a second goal on another sharp header, but was denied by Plainfield North goalie Brandon Fox, who made a sensational diving save to tip the ball around the left post in the 43rd minute.
Fox was the lone bright spot for the Tigers (2-4-0), who finished the tournament with a 2-0 victory over Bartlett on Thursday and two losses. Fox made six saves, including a great effort to deny Kokes’ attempt at the hat trick on a breakaway in the 46th minute.
“It feels really good considering the first few games of the season we weren’t too hot offensively and defensively,” Stadalninkas said. “Now with the defensive work rate we have, everything is getting better.
“It’s starting with the defense and working its way up and through and the attackers are getting lots of goals.”
That hadn’t always been the case for the Redhawks, who lack a true star striker but have many solid players.
“They’re young kids so half of it is convincing them to buy into a belief,” Adams said. “We’ve had it before.
“I think in 2013 (when the Redhawks finished third in the state) we didn’t have that one guy who could score.
“This team is similar to that in that they have a lot of kids that are very good at attacking, but there’s not one kid that I would say is going to get 30 goals.
“One game it might be one kid getting two and other games it will be another kid getting two and another it might be (several) kids getting one. We have to think about the ‘we’ before the ‘me.’ If we do that, we’re going to be in good shape.”
The Redhawks have kept their shape defensively while using their outside backs more aggressively in the attack. The key to that approach is communication.
“I’d say the midfielders’ communication with the defenders in order to know who is going up and when (has been crucial),” Stadalninkas said. “That communication has been perfect recently because the outside midfielders will stay when they know an outside back is going to release, and outside backs will stay when they know holding mids are going to release.
“With that we can change our play, and we’re not doing the same cardboard, cookie-cutter style every single time. We’re switching it up.”
Now the Redhawks will get their first of at least two cracks at switching up the narrative with crosstown rival Naperville North, which has had their number in recent years.
The Huskies (6-0-1) beat Benet 4-0 Saturday morning for their third-straight shutout and sixth of the season. North has allowed only one goal so far and is attempting to become the first school to win the Best of the West title three-straight times.
“The goal is to beat them,” Strang said. “Obviously they’re a good team so we’ll play our best, and hopefully we’ll put up five goals against them, too.”
A low-scoring game seems more likely, but don’t count the Redhawks out.
“That would be a big statement to make,” Stadalninkas said.
Starting lineups
Plainfield North
GK Brandon Fox
D Oliver Fisher
D Colin Russell
D Kanon Woodill
M John Seeley
M Yousef Ismail
M Shea Bechtel
M Patrick Elster
M Nathan Green
F Brian Bertoni
F Adan Juarez Jr.
Naperville Central
GK Ron Marchionna
D Jake Crawford
D Cameron Strang
D Rokas Stadalninkas
M Rohan Bhargava
M Nico Couropmitree
M Owen Jarrell
M Nate Zain
F Ryan Coleman
F Zack Kokes
F Jimmy Kalkofen
Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match – Cameron Strang, jr., D, Naperville Central
Scoring summary
1st Half
Naperville Central : Zack Kokes (Jimmy Kalkofen) 30:49
Naperville Central: Rokas Stadalninkas (Ryan Coleman) 27:30
Naperville Central: Cameron Strang (Rohan Bhargava) 24:31
2nd Half
Naperville Central: Kokes (Stadalninkas) 34:21
Naperville Central: Anthony Saavedra 10:16