DeLaPaz late touch pulls
St. Charles N. even with WWS
Soph's 75th-minute free kick creates conference-opening draw
By Patrick Z. McGavin
WHEATON — The first two weeks of the season proved especially illuminating for two charged and historic programs with evolving identities.
That was just the prelude.
The conference season is a whole different beast, underscored by the tenacity, toughness and spirit embodied by the players of St. Charles North and Wheaton Warrenville South.
“Our tournament with St. Charles East is a great way to start our season, and get a measuring stick for where we are at,” St. Charles North coach Eric Willson said.
“I’m not sure too much compares with these conference battles. I think this was great for this group to see what it’s like to come on the road and play a tough team and what it takes to find ways to win games.”
The North Stars had an answer for Wheaton Warrenville South in the form of a textbook free kick by sophomore midfielder Walter DeLaPaz.
His 30-yard blast in the 75th minute created the 1-1 tie in the DuKane Conference opener for both schools Tuesday night.
“I like playmaking,” DeLaPaz said. “I don’t like scoring goals. I would rather get the assists, but sometimes you have to step up.
“I had to step up.”
He created the tying shot with his outside pressure. After he punched the ball forward to one of his runners, it took a weird bounce and deflected off the hand of a Tigers’ defender.
“If you can get him on a ball on a free kick when you are at that stage of the game, I think we will take that chance each time,” Willson said.
“He made them pay for it. It was a great finish by Walter.”
His late shot nullified a strong and distinctive second half run by the Tigers (2-1-2, 0-0-1), who set off an electrifying series of actions with crisp passing and strong combination play.
During the second half blitz by Wheaton Warrenville South, senior forward Jason Weisheit attacked the North Stars’ final third as he was clipped from behind inside the box.
His penalty kick in the 45th minute gave the Tigers the crucial upper hand.
“Basically I just look one way and shoot the other way,” he said. “The keeper is going to most likely go where I am looking.”
DeLaPaz and Weisheit shared the Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match distinction for their superb play.
Wheaton Warrenville South midfielders Gabe Waszak and Gael Alfaro were particularly energized and explosive, demonstrating sharp playmaking abilities and shot creation that clearly put the North Stars on the defensive.
St. Charles North standout defender Mike DePaquale made two clearances after keeper Max Montgomery was forced off his line to deflect rocket balls launched by the Tigers.
“Once we get off halftime, with the other captains, I try to give a motivational talk and just say who wants it more,” Weisheit said.
“I think we started the second half perfectly. The energy and the intensity was right there.”
Veteran coach Guy Callipari calls this iteration of his team a blank slate with many open questions. Clearly, he has a strong foundation to work from.
“I think this group is a little bit of an unknown,” he said. “We have guys in the lineup who as freshmen won two-consecutive years. A lot of them don’t have varsity experience, so they are getting their feet wet.
“This is what it’s all about, this caliber of competition, day-in and day-out, you get one shot at each other. You have to put your best foot forward.”
St. Charles North’s Montgomery registered seven saves, with five coming in the second half. By taking into account other clearances, Wheaton Warrenville South had arguably the more dangerous scoring chances.
“I thought we did a pretty good job of rising to the occasion,” Callipari said. “We showed a lot of technical abilities and a lot of cohesiveness in our ideas. We hit the frame a little bit, and their goalie came up big on a couple of occasions.”
The North Stars (3-1-1, 0-0-1) are the defending conference champions. The new season has been a jolting one so far. The team is finding its new direction following the graduation of Chicagoland Soccer all-state players, midfielders Luke Persenico and Jared Sinnaeve.
Persenico scored 24 goals, and Sinnaeve had 15 assists in being named the Du Kane Player of the Year.
The next generation is now called upon to carve out new roles and identities.
DeLaPaz earned Chicagoland Soccer Watch List recognition for his precocious play as a freshman during the spring. Playing with Sinnaeve and Persenico had clear ripple effects.
“I think it’s awesome,” Willson said. “Guys like Walter got a chance to learn from some of those seniors. Now it’s their turn to step into a leadership and attacking role.
“It’s given them a chance to play a new spot and a new role and to carry a little bit more weight on their shoulders. That can only be a good thing for young men at this stage of their playing careers.”
DeLaPaz is settling in. He scored his second goal of the season.
“I just wanted to keep trying at the end, and that led to a free kick,” he said. “It was a little tough losing all of those seniors from the spring, but we can build off of that and show these other players how to touch the ball and move off of it.”
The North Stars had an earlier goal disallowed by an illegal touch inside the box. St. Charles North maintained its composure and methodically looked for ways to attack the Tigers’ back.
Midfielders Robert Keldani and Isaac VanDeSampel also created pressure. Forward Dawid Szlegia, who is long and rangy, was also especially active at the top of the attack.
DeLaPaz is the cool and collected one. He is also a corner specialist. St. Charles North generated four corner kicks in the second half, though none produced goals.
The cumulative pressure helped shape the flow and rhythm of the game.
“It was a great free kick by them,” Callipari said.
“Nothing you can do about that. It’s too bad our aggressive spirit in the backline let us down a little bit. If we were more composed and had vision as far as you go here and I go there, that ball would have been cleared and the game was a foregone conclusion.”
The Tigers’ youth is the great equalizer, capable of making significantly positive plays. The early trial-by-fire part of the season is still playing out.
“We have to stop giving away soft fouls in vital areas where they are having good opportunities,” Callipari said.
Sophomore midfielder Edgar Guzman had two solid opportunities in the closing moments for the Tigers, including one off an attempted clearance just inside the box.
He rushed the follow-up shot, and it jutted far wide of the mark.
Still, this was merely round one in one of the state’s deepest conferences. Both sides came out bloody and bruised though also wiser for the experience.
“Overall, I’m very pleased with the way we played,” Callipari said. “If we maintain that consistency, we are going to get better results going forward.”
Starting lineups
St. Charles North
GK: Max Montgomery
D: Zach Curtis
D: Mike DePasquale
D: Casey Kriz
MF: Isaac VanDeSampel
MF: Robert Kellldani
MF: Stefano Nava
MF: Chase Graham
MF: Walter DeLaPaz
F: Chase Bettini
F: Jacob Glanzman
Wheaton Warrenville South
GK: Jared Ferreya
D: Jerry Cuatzo
D: Brian Tunney
D: Nikhil Bawa
D: Drew Murman
MF: Chase Kedzior
MF: Gabe Waszak
MF: Edgar Guzman
MF: Gael Alfaro
F: Jason Weisheit
F: Marco Gonzalez
Chicagoland Soccer Men of the Match: Walter DeLaPaz, so., MF, St. Charles North;
Jason Weisheit, sr., F, Wheaton Warrenville South
Scoring summary
First half
No scoring
Second half
WWS—Jason Weisheit (penalty kick), 45th minute
SCN—Walter DeLaPaz (free kick), 75th minute
St. Charles N. even with WWS
Soph's 75th-minute free kick creates conference-opening draw
By Patrick Z. McGavin
WHEATON — The first two weeks of the season proved especially illuminating for two charged and historic programs with evolving identities.
That was just the prelude.
The conference season is a whole different beast, underscored by the tenacity, toughness and spirit embodied by the players of St. Charles North and Wheaton Warrenville South.
“Our tournament with St. Charles East is a great way to start our season, and get a measuring stick for where we are at,” St. Charles North coach Eric Willson said.
“I’m not sure too much compares with these conference battles. I think this was great for this group to see what it’s like to come on the road and play a tough team and what it takes to find ways to win games.”
The North Stars had an answer for Wheaton Warrenville South in the form of a textbook free kick by sophomore midfielder Walter DeLaPaz.
His 30-yard blast in the 75th minute created the 1-1 tie in the DuKane Conference opener for both schools Tuesday night.
“I like playmaking,” DeLaPaz said. “I don’t like scoring goals. I would rather get the assists, but sometimes you have to step up.
“I had to step up.”
He created the tying shot with his outside pressure. After he punched the ball forward to one of his runners, it took a weird bounce and deflected off the hand of a Tigers’ defender.
“If you can get him on a ball on a free kick when you are at that stage of the game, I think we will take that chance each time,” Willson said.
“He made them pay for it. It was a great finish by Walter.”
His late shot nullified a strong and distinctive second half run by the Tigers (2-1-2, 0-0-1), who set off an electrifying series of actions with crisp passing and strong combination play.
During the second half blitz by Wheaton Warrenville South, senior forward Jason Weisheit attacked the North Stars’ final third as he was clipped from behind inside the box.
His penalty kick in the 45th minute gave the Tigers the crucial upper hand.
“Basically I just look one way and shoot the other way,” he said. “The keeper is going to most likely go where I am looking.”
DeLaPaz and Weisheit shared the Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match distinction for their superb play.
Wheaton Warrenville South midfielders Gabe Waszak and Gael Alfaro were particularly energized and explosive, demonstrating sharp playmaking abilities and shot creation that clearly put the North Stars on the defensive.
St. Charles North standout defender Mike DePaquale made two clearances after keeper Max Montgomery was forced off his line to deflect rocket balls launched by the Tigers.
“Once we get off halftime, with the other captains, I try to give a motivational talk and just say who wants it more,” Weisheit said.
“I think we started the second half perfectly. The energy and the intensity was right there.”
Veteran coach Guy Callipari calls this iteration of his team a blank slate with many open questions. Clearly, he has a strong foundation to work from.
“I think this group is a little bit of an unknown,” he said. “We have guys in the lineup who as freshmen won two-consecutive years. A lot of them don’t have varsity experience, so they are getting their feet wet.
“This is what it’s all about, this caliber of competition, day-in and day-out, you get one shot at each other. You have to put your best foot forward.”
St. Charles North’s Montgomery registered seven saves, with five coming in the second half. By taking into account other clearances, Wheaton Warrenville South had arguably the more dangerous scoring chances.
“I thought we did a pretty good job of rising to the occasion,” Callipari said. “We showed a lot of technical abilities and a lot of cohesiveness in our ideas. We hit the frame a little bit, and their goalie came up big on a couple of occasions.”
The North Stars (3-1-1, 0-0-1) are the defending conference champions. The new season has been a jolting one so far. The team is finding its new direction following the graduation of Chicagoland Soccer all-state players, midfielders Luke Persenico and Jared Sinnaeve.
Persenico scored 24 goals, and Sinnaeve had 15 assists in being named the Du Kane Player of the Year.
The next generation is now called upon to carve out new roles and identities.
DeLaPaz earned Chicagoland Soccer Watch List recognition for his precocious play as a freshman during the spring. Playing with Sinnaeve and Persenico had clear ripple effects.
“I think it’s awesome,” Willson said. “Guys like Walter got a chance to learn from some of those seniors. Now it’s their turn to step into a leadership and attacking role.
“It’s given them a chance to play a new spot and a new role and to carry a little bit more weight on their shoulders. That can only be a good thing for young men at this stage of their playing careers.”
DeLaPaz is settling in. He scored his second goal of the season.
“I just wanted to keep trying at the end, and that led to a free kick,” he said. “It was a little tough losing all of those seniors from the spring, but we can build off of that and show these other players how to touch the ball and move off of it.”
The North Stars had an earlier goal disallowed by an illegal touch inside the box. St. Charles North maintained its composure and methodically looked for ways to attack the Tigers’ back.
Midfielders Robert Keldani and Isaac VanDeSampel also created pressure. Forward Dawid Szlegia, who is long and rangy, was also especially active at the top of the attack.
DeLaPaz is the cool and collected one. He is also a corner specialist. St. Charles North generated four corner kicks in the second half, though none produced goals.
The cumulative pressure helped shape the flow and rhythm of the game.
“It was a great free kick by them,” Callipari said.
“Nothing you can do about that. It’s too bad our aggressive spirit in the backline let us down a little bit. If we were more composed and had vision as far as you go here and I go there, that ball would have been cleared and the game was a foregone conclusion.”
The Tigers’ youth is the great equalizer, capable of making significantly positive plays. The early trial-by-fire part of the season is still playing out.
“We have to stop giving away soft fouls in vital areas where they are having good opportunities,” Callipari said.
Sophomore midfielder Edgar Guzman had two solid opportunities in the closing moments for the Tigers, including one off an attempted clearance just inside the box.
He rushed the follow-up shot, and it jutted far wide of the mark.
Still, this was merely round one in one of the state’s deepest conferences. Both sides came out bloody and bruised though also wiser for the experience.
“Overall, I’m very pleased with the way we played,” Callipari said. “If we maintain that consistency, we are going to get better results going forward.”
Starting lineups
St. Charles North
GK: Max Montgomery
D: Zach Curtis
D: Mike DePasquale
D: Casey Kriz
MF: Isaac VanDeSampel
MF: Robert Kellldani
MF: Stefano Nava
MF: Chase Graham
MF: Walter DeLaPaz
F: Chase Bettini
F: Jacob Glanzman
Wheaton Warrenville South
GK: Jared Ferreya
D: Jerry Cuatzo
D: Brian Tunney
D: Nikhil Bawa
D: Drew Murman
MF: Chase Kedzior
MF: Gabe Waszak
MF: Edgar Guzman
MF: Gael Alfaro
F: Jason Weisheit
F: Marco Gonzalez
Chicagoland Soccer Men of the Match: Walter DeLaPaz, so., MF, St. Charles North;
Jason Weisheit, sr., F, Wheaton Warrenville South
Scoring summary
First half
No scoring
Second half
WWS—Jason Weisheit (penalty kick), 45th minute
SCN—Walter DeLaPaz (free kick), 75th minute