‘Tenacious’ R. Meadows chills Prospect
Mustangs roll to big lead, collect 4-1 MSL road win
By Bill McLean
MOUNT PROSPECT — As the boys warmed up before the start of the Rolling Meadows-Prospect soccer match Thursday night, the song “Summer” by Scottish recording artist Calvin Harris shook George Gattas Memorial Stadium.
The choice was part cruel, part hopeful.
The temps during the Mid-Suburban League East matchup would range from Nome-cold to Oymyakon, Russia, frigid.
And that was when the gusty winds took a merciful breather.
Rolling Meadows partnered with the night’s 12th man — a persistent, uniform-less gale — to build a 3-0 lead in the first half and then managed it nicely when Prospect teamed up with it in the final 40 minutes.
The Mustangs left the pitch with a 4-1 win, getting two more goals from junior midfielder Gage Lockley, and a goal, two-assist effort from senior Kamil Oleksy.
“We took advantage of the wind when we had it,” said Oleksy, who recorded his first varsity goal on a penalty kick in the 64th minute. “We also were tenacious. Tenacity — that’s what I see as our identity so far this season; we don’t let anything stop us. We also play to the last second, as you saw there at the end of the first half.”
Indeed. The last goal of the first half was scored with only one tick left. The frantic sequence leading up to the dramatic tally began with a rushed corner kick from Mustangs senior midfielder/forward Arnulfo Mora, whose delivery glanced off Oleksy’s forehead in the box and bounced straight to Rolling Meadows sophomore forward Wilson Espino.
An alert Espino then struck the horn-beater to up the visitors’ advantage to 3-0. That marked Espino’s first goal in varsity togs.
“Leading 3-0 there, I wasn’t happy,” said Mustangs coach Brett Olson, who thought his team might have scored more with the wind.
Rolling Meadows improved to 3-1-0, two nights after falling 2-1 in double overtime to host and co-MSL leader Hersey, which is tied with Buffalo Grove with a 4-0-0 record.
Wind-aided Prospect (0-3-1) got on the board in the 53rd minute, thanks to some foot magic from senior captain and midfielder Declan Flanagan on a free kick. The Knight, set up just outside the top of the box, curled a right-footed shot around the Mustangs’ wall and past stunned senior goalkeeper Pablo Zarate.
“Top-notch player for us tonight,” Andrews said of Flanagan. “What a standout, no doubt. He did a lot of positive things out there. He’s a leader and a playmaker. Tonight, add ‘finisher’ to ways to describe him.”
A third-year varsity booter, Flanagan imposes his will and slew of skills each time he competes for his school. Wearing that captain’s band? It means a ton to him.
“I try my best to lead,” Flanagan said. “I’m a leader. It’s been a rough start for us, but we’ll figure it out.”
A third of the season, already, is in the books. Andrews knows his side should be able to turns things around, as long as the Knights display the kind of energy they did in the second half Thursday night for the entire 80 minutes in each of the remaining tests.
“We go up against very good teams in our league,” Andrews said. “It’s incredible, the level of competition in the Mid-Suburban League. And we’re playing a lot of games in a short period of time.
“It’s about being competitive, maximizing potential and creating memorable experiences,” he added. “I want my players to be the best versions of themselves before the end of the season.”
Next up for Prospect is a road match Saturday at New Trier, beginning at 2 p.m. in Northfield. The Trevians, who improved to 5-0-0 after a 3-0 win at Deerfield on Thursday, are ranked no. 7 in the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25.
Footnotes: Rolling Meadows senior Kamil Oleksy received the program’s purple “Heart and Hustle” belt after the win. It’s a weekly award. He had a combined goal and three assists against Hersey and Prospect in a three-day stretch. Junior midfielder Gage Lockley (five goals through four games) had earned the recognition the previous week. … Senior midfielder Declan Flanagan and senior back Gavin Kafkakis serve at Prospect’s co-captains. … Flanagan took four-consecutive corner kicks in a little more than a minute at the end of the game at Prospect. Remember the scene in the movie “Tin Cup,” when Kevin Costner’s character kept asking for another ball from his caddy after several of his golf shots found water? Flanagan, minus a golf club and the assessed penalty shots, resembled that character’s actions in an entirely different sport. … Rolling Meadow’s Lockley appeared poised to record his first career varsity hat-trick after netting the game’s first two goals in the first half. The opener occurred in the sixth minute. His second was a bending beaut, coming 30 minutes later via his right-footed corner kick. … Rolling Meadows coach Brett Olson on Oleksy: “He’s come a long way since his freshman year. One of the fastest kids we have. He’s coachable, too. Kamil listens well and puts in the work.” … The strongest leg in the MSL? The right one on Rolling Meadows senior defender and free kick specialist Ryan Stubitsch’s frame has to be in the running for that distinction. Imagine if he were a punter in football. Oleksy was asked to do just that after Thursday’s game. “Ryan would be able to kick it 50 yards each time,” he said. … Quick takes on Prospect Knights during their game vs. Rolling Meadows: Reserve junior defender David Marshall came up big on several Rolling Meadows possessions, thwarting dangerous scoring chances; senior forwards Alejandro Martinez and Eryk Limanowka connected well on give-and-go sequences; and junior keeper Alejandro Rider-Leiner smothered a Stubitsch free kick for a save in the 26th minute.
Starting lineups
Rolling Meadows
GK Pablo Zarate
D Luke Bieda
D Joey Bloss
D Ryan Stubitsch
D Nikolay Pavlov
M Kamil Oleksy
M Tyler Dawson
M Gage Lockley
M Edwin Fuentes
F Arnulfo Mora
F Wilson Espino
Prospect
GK Alejandro Rider-Leiner
D Ari Kemperas
D Gavin Kafkakis
D Rick Lytle
M Steven Lopez
M Gabriel Predescu
M Declan Flanagan
M Sebastian Ayala
F Alejandro Martinez
F Eryk Limanowka
F John Wilkins
Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match: Kamil Oleksy, sr., MF, Rolling Meadows
Scoring summary
First half
RM — Lockley (Oleksy), 6’
RM — Lockley (UA), 36’
RM — Espino (Oleksy), 40’
Second half
Prospect — Flanagan (UA), 53’
RM — Oleksy (PK), 64’
Mustangs roll to big lead, collect 4-1 MSL road win
By Bill McLean
MOUNT PROSPECT — As the boys warmed up before the start of the Rolling Meadows-Prospect soccer match Thursday night, the song “Summer” by Scottish recording artist Calvin Harris shook George Gattas Memorial Stadium.
The choice was part cruel, part hopeful.
The temps during the Mid-Suburban League East matchup would range from Nome-cold to Oymyakon, Russia, frigid.
And that was when the gusty winds took a merciful breather.
Rolling Meadows partnered with the night’s 12th man — a persistent, uniform-less gale — to build a 3-0 lead in the first half and then managed it nicely when Prospect teamed up with it in the final 40 minutes.
The Mustangs left the pitch with a 4-1 win, getting two more goals from junior midfielder Gage Lockley, and a goal, two-assist effort from senior Kamil Oleksy.
“We took advantage of the wind when we had it,” said Oleksy, who recorded his first varsity goal on a penalty kick in the 64th minute. “We also were tenacious. Tenacity — that’s what I see as our identity so far this season; we don’t let anything stop us. We also play to the last second, as you saw there at the end of the first half.”
Indeed. The last goal of the first half was scored with only one tick left. The frantic sequence leading up to the dramatic tally began with a rushed corner kick from Mustangs senior midfielder/forward Arnulfo Mora, whose delivery glanced off Oleksy’s forehead in the box and bounced straight to Rolling Meadows sophomore forward Wilson Espino.
An alert Espino then struck the horn-beater to up the visitors’ advantage to 3-0. That marked Espino’s first goal in varsity togs.
“Leading 3-0 there, I wasn’t happy,” said Mustangs coach Brett Olson, who thought his team might have scored more with the wind.
Rolling Meadows improved to 3-1-0, two nights after falling 2-1 in double overtime to host and co-MSL leader Hersey, which is tied with Buffalo Grove with a 4-0-0 record.
Wind-aided Prospect (0-3-1) got on the board in the 53rd minute, thanks to some foot magic from senior captain and midfielder Declan Flanagan on a free kick. The Knight, set up just outside the top of the box, curled a right-footed shot around the Mustangs’ wall and past stunned senior goalkeeper Pablo Zarate.
“Top-notch player for us tonight,” Andrews said of Flanagan. “What a standout, no doubt. He did a lot of positive things out there. He’s a leader and a playmaker. Tonight, add ‘finisher’ to ways to describe him.”
A third-year varsity booter, Flanagan imposes his will and slew of skills each time he competes for his school. Wearing that captain’s band? It means a ton to him.
“I try my best to lead,” Flanagan said. “I’m a leader. It’s been a rough start for us, but we’ll figure it out.”
A third of the season, already, is in the books. Andrews knows his side should be able to turns things around, as long as the Knights display the kind of energy they did in the second half Thursday night for the entire 80 minutes in each of the remaining tests.
“We go up against very good teams in our league,” Andrews said. “It’s incredible, the level of competition in the Mid-Suburban League. And we’re playing a lot of games in a short period of time.
“It’s about being competitive, maximizing potential and creating memorable experiences,” he added. “I want my players to be the best versions of themselves before the end of the season.”
Next up for Prospect is a road match Saturday at New Trier, beginning at 2 p.m. in Northfield. The Trevians, who improved to 5-0-0 after a 3-0 win at Deerfield on Thursday, are ranked no. 7 in the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25.
Footnotes: Rolling Meadows senior Kamil Oleksy received the program’s purple “Heart and Hustle” belt after the win. It’s a weekly award. He had a combined goal and three assists against Hersey and Prospect in a three-day stretch. Junior midfielder Gage Lockley (five goals through four games) had earned the recognition the previous week. … Senior midfielder Declan Flanagan and senior back Gavin Kafkakis serve at Prospect’s co-captains. … Flanagan took four-consecutive corner kicks in a little more than a minute at the end of the game at Prospect. Remember the scene in the movie “Tin Cup,” when Kevin Costner’s character kept asking for another ball from his caddy after several of his golf shots found water? Flanagan, minus a golf club and the assessed penalty shots, resembled that character’s actions in an entirely different sport. … Rolling Meadow’s Lockley appeared poised to record his first career varsity hat-trick after netting the game’s first two goals in the first half. The opener occurred in the sixth minute. His second was a bending beaut, coming 30 minutes later via his right-footed corner kick. … Rolling Meadows coach Brett Olson on Oleksy: “He’s come a long way since his freshman year. One of the fastest kids we have. He’s coachable, too. Kamil listens well and puts in the work.” … The strongest leg in the MSL? The right one on Rolling Meadows senior defender and free kick specialist Ryan Stubitsch’s frame has to be in the running for that distinction. Imagine if he were a punter in football. Oleksy was asked to do just that after Thursday’s game. “Ryan would be able to kick it 50 yards each time,” he said. … Quick takes on Prospect Knights during their game vs. Rolling Meadows: Reserve junior defender David Marshall came up big on several Rolling Meadows possessions, thwarting dangerous scoring chances; senior forwards Alejandro Martinez and Eryk Limanowka connected well on give-and-go sequences; and junior keeper Alejandro Rider-Leiner smothered a Stubitsch free kick for a save in the 26th minute.
Starting lineups
Rolling Meadows
GK Pablo Zarate
D Luke Bieda
D Joey Bloss
D Ryan Stubitsch
D Nikolay Pavlov
M Kamil Oleksy
M Tyler Dawson
M Gage Lockley
M Edwin Fuentes
F Arnulfo Mora
F Wilson Espino
Prospect
GK Alejandro Rider-Leiner
D Ari Kemperas
D Gavin Kafkakis
D Rick Lytle
M Steven Lopez
M Gabriel Predescu
M Declan Flanagan
M Sebastian Ayala
F Alejandro Martinez
F Eryk Limanowka
F John Wilkins
Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match: Kamil Oleksy, sr., MF, Rolling Meadows
Scoring summary
First half
RM — Lockley (Oleksy), 6’
RM — Lockley (UA), 36’
RM — Espino (Oleksy), 40’
Second half
Prospect — Flanagan (UA), 53’
RM — Oleksy (PK), 64’