St. Francis rallies twice
to earn 2-2 draw with Hoffman Estates
Madden scores Spartans' 1st goals as they prepare for MSC Blue
By Curt Herron
ROSELLE - After being outscored 12-0 in its last two matches and getting off to an 0-3-0 start while competing in Lake Park's 31st-annual Norm Hillner Classic, St. Francis was looking for a turn-around game when it met Hoffman Estates on the final day of its season-opening tournament Saturday.
After falling behind almost immediately and trailing 1-0 at the break, the Spartans were able to even things early in the second half on a goal by Nick Madden. After Hoffman Estates quickly regained the advantage, the Spartans responded again with another Madden goal to lead them into conference play on a positive note after a 2-2 draw at Krupke Memorial Field in Roselle.
Coach Jim Winslow's squad hopes that the experiences of competing against four Class 3A squads in the first two weeks of the season pays dividends when the Spartans play schools that are closer to its 695-student size. That begins with next week with Metro Suburban Conference Blue Division road matches at St. Edward and Timothy. Class 3A league foe Riverside-Brookfield awaits Sept. 13.
Hoffman Estates (3-2-1) opened the season with one-goal victories over Deerfield and Hillner foe Wheaton North. In its next tourney games, the Hawks were outscored 11-1 in losses to Chicagoland Soccer Top 25-ranked teams Lake Park (no. 25) and York (no. 3). That left the Mid-Suburban League club hoping to build off of its conference-opening 2-1 home victory league opener over Elk Grove in a Friday home match that was played before the schools' football teams met.
The Hawks looked intent on doing just that after Jan Stefanczyk connected in the opening minute for the only first half goal. Then Connor Kurzynski scored in the 52nd minute, just over a minute after Madden, the Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match, recorded the Spartans' initial goal of the season to tie the game. The Spartans unior was back at it in the 54th minute when he hit another long-range attempt for the final tally.
"It was really exciting, especially with the first three outcomes, when we kind of got shocked since we haven't played in a while," said Madden, who hadn't scored twice in a varsity match before. "It was definitely nice to get the goals to start rolling, and I think that the team is on a roll now and people should look out for us. Especially being a smaller school, some schools don't take us seriously. So this outcome feels good, and I think for the guys this is a big step.
"It takes a lot to come out and play against big schools, and we have a big chip on our shoulders. That's why we work so hard in the offseason and all of that pays off. Scoring the goals felt real good, and it helps a lot that I have Simon (Hartle), our keeper, in the net at practice. He's awesome. I like how we didn't give up after coming in playing three hard games and getting blown out. It could have been real easy to come out here with a bad attitude, but we came out here and tied them and showed what we can do."
With 12 of its 19 players back from last year's squad, the Spartans understand how playing a lot of bigger schools pays off. The team got off to a 1-3-1 start against 3A teams and went 1-3-0 against big schools in the Plainfield Classic last fall. But the Spartans still finished with nine victories. This season, they'll only meet one more Class 3A school, Downers Grove North, in their regular-season finale tune-up for the playoffs.
This year’s edition of St. Francis futbol got a bonus when one of Illinois' all-time winningest coaches joined Winslow’s staff. Mike Taylor, who entered the llinois High school Soccer Coaches Association’s Hall of Fame in 2010, was a longtime coach at Saint Viator.
After failing to score for a seventh-consecutive half this season, St. Francis was determined to see that drought end. The Spartans put pressure on Hawks goalkeeper Gustavo Aguilar throughout the final 40 minutes. Freshman John Coco got one of the first good attempts of the second half in the 49th minute. Then Madden connected on a liner from about 30 yards a little over a minute later to tie the match at 1-1.
Hoffman Estates responded immediately and forced Spartans goalkeeper Hartle to deflect an attempt that was fired in by David Balase-Stribling. Then fellow St. Francis senior co-captain Sam Wessel had to head away a subsequent corner kick by Aron Barrios.
Right after that, the Hawks moved back in front in the 52nd minute. Barrios sent a pass to Kurzynski, who connected from about 10 yards.
The final Hoffman Estates advantage didn't last long. Madden answered again in the 54th minute thanks to an approximately 25-yard attempt placed just inside the left post. After the Spartans got a long attempt from junior Justin Klein a few minutes following the tying score, both sides had good opportunities over the next few minutes but were unable to capitalize.
The match's final 12 minutes featured plenty of drama. Kurzynski sent in a long effort to Hartle, and senior Ben Fasana responding with a dangerous free kick from close to the sideline that was hauled in by Aguilar.
Shortly after Jimmy Hernandez sent a header to Hartle, Hoffman Estates attempted to score again when a variety of players just in front of the net went after a loose ball. The end result was plenty of excitement but no score.
After Coco was thwarted on a close shot, Hernandez sent in a free kick from near the sidelines to Hartle. In the final five minutes, junior Cooper Winslow was stopped on a short try. Then a cross that was headed by Fasana but was halted.
While Hoffman Estates was troubled by a late tackle that they felt could have resulted in a penalty, the Spartans had two more good opportunities in the final minute. St. Francis sophomore John Yarusso was denied on a long attempt; and junior Luc Swiatek saw his late close-range shot hauled in by Aguilar shortly before the final whistle.
"When they scored within the first minute, it was hard. We had played rough in the first three games, and we needed something to change in this game," St. Francis senior Mason Karch said. "So, once they scored, we knew that we needed to up the intensity. That's what we did for the rest of the game, and we showed that on the field. And it was a real boost in our confidence when we finally put a ball in the back of the net.
"But once they scored again to make it 2-1, we knew that we had to come back with more intensity and pick up the pace. I think this game was a good-learning moment, since it showed us what this team is capable of what we can do in the future to win games.
“These games ... help us prepare for our conference games and what we need to work on and to improve on. We're all good friends, and we have good chemistry since we've all known each other for years."
Things started off great for Hoffman Estates, which grabbed a lead they held for just under 50 minutes after Stefanczyk connected 53 seconds into the match. Throughout the remainder of the opening half, Klein, sophomore Nicolas Tsiljar and Winslow all threatened with good attempts for the Spartans while Hernandez and Chris Palmer did the same for Hoffman Estates.
"I talked to my players about controlling what they can control," Hawks coach Sean Armstrong said. "I told them that we had all of the momentum in the first half and in a 1-0 game that the next goal was going to shift the momentum. (St. Francis scored) and then we responded. I felt like we relied on calls being made, rather than putting the ball in the back of the net.
"This week, we played York, who is as good as they were last year. They haven't missed a beat, so that was a real learning experience. I had some leaders who stepped up and said they wanted to move to the backfield, my two captains, who are both four-year players, and it really helped.
“We were coming off of a grueling game last night when we beat Elk Grove 2-1. It was a very physical game, and we were down 1-0 and came back and won. In all three of our victories, we've shown a lot of mental toughness."
Starting lineups
St. Francis
GK: Simon Hartle
D: Justin Klein
D: Aaron Cook
D: Sam Wessel
D: Ben Fasana
MF: Nick Madden
MF: J.R. Diaz
MF: Mason Karch
MF: John Coco
F: Luc Swiatek
F: Patrick Spahn
Hoffman Estates
GK: Gustavo Aguilar
D: Ethan Knapp
D: Peter Guzman
D: Connor Kurzynski
D: Lani Akiti
D: Jaime Murillo
MF: Joseph O'Brien
MF: Aron Barrios
MF: Jimmy Hernandez
MF: Jan Stefanczyk
F: David Balase-Stribling
Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match:
Nick Madden, jr., MF, St. Francis
Scoring summary
First half
HE: Jan Stefanczyk (unassisted), 1'
Second half
SF: Nick Madden (unassisted), 51'
HE: Connor Kurzynski (Aron Barrios), 52'
SF: Nick Madden (unassisted), 54'
to earn 2-2 draw with Hoffman Estates
Madden scores Spartans' 1st goals as they prepare for MSC Blue
By Curt Herron
ROSELLE - After being outscored 12-0 in its last two matches and getting off to an 0-3-0 start while competing in Lake Park's 31st-annual Norm Hillner Classic, St. Francis was looking for a turn-around game when it met Hoffman Estates on the final day of its season-opening tournament Saturday.
After falling behind almost immediately and trailing 1-0 at the break, the Spartans were able to even things early in the second half on a goal by Nick Madden. After Hoffman Estates quickly regained the advantage, the Spartans responded again with another Madden goal to lead them into conference play on a positive note after a 2-2 draw at Krupke Memorial Field in Roselle.
Coach Jim Winslow's squad hopes that the experiences of competing against four Class 3A squads in the first two weeks of the season pays dividends when the Spartans play schools that are closer to its 695-student size. That begins with next week with Metro Suburban Conference Blue Division road matches at St. Edward and Timothy. Class 3A league foe Riverside-Brookfield awaits Sept. 13.
Hoffman Estates (3-2-1) opened the season with one-goal victories over Deerfield and Hillner foe Wheaton North. In its next tourney games, the Hawks were outscored 11-1 in losses to Chicagoland Soccer Top 25-ranked teams Lake Park (no. 25) and York (no. 3). That left the Mid-Suburban League club hoping to build off of its conference-opening 2-1 home victory league opener over Elk Grove in a Friday home match that was played before the schools' football teams met.
The Hawks looked intent on doing just that after Jan Stefanczyk connected in the opening minute for the only first half goal. Then Connor Kurzynski scored in the 52nd minute, just over a minute after Madden, the Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match, recorded the Spartans' initial goal of the season to tie the game. The Spartans unior was back at it in the 54th minute when he hit another long-range attempt for the final tally.
"It was really exciting, especially with the first three outcomes, when we kind of got shocked since we haven't played in a while," said Madden, who hadn't scored twice in a varsity match before. "It was definitely nice to get the goals to start rolling, and I think that the team is on a roll now and people should look out for us. Especially being a smaller school, some schools don't take us seriously. So this outcome feels good, and I think for the guys this is a big step.
"It takes a lot to come out and play against big schools, and we have a big chip on our shoulders. That's why we work so hard in the offseason and all of that pays off. Scoring the goals felt real good, and it helps a lot that I have Simon (Hartle), our keeper, in the net at practice. He's awesome. I like how we didn't give up after coming in playing three hard games and getting blown out. It could have been real easy to come out here with a bad attitude, but we came out here and tied them and showed what we can do."
With 12 of its 19 players back from last year's squad, the Spartans understand how playing a lot of bigger schools pays off. The team got off to a 1-3-1 start against 3A teams and went 1-3-0 against big schools in the Plainfield Classic last fall. But the Spartans still finished with nine victories. This season, they'll only meet one more Class 3A school, Downers Grove North, in their regular-season finale tune-up for the playoffs.
This year’s edition of St. Francis futbol got a bonus when one of Illinois' all-time winningest coaches joined Winslow’s staff. Mike Taylor, who entered the llinois High school Soccer Coaches Association’s Hall of Fame in 2010, was a longtime coach at Saint Viator.
After failing to score for a seventh-consecutive half this season, St. Francis was determined to see that drought end. The Spartans put pressure on Hawks goalkeeper Gustavo Aguilar throughout the final 40 minutes. Freshman John Coco got one of the first good attempts of the second half in the 49th minute. Then Madden connected on a liner from about 30 yards a little over a minute later to tie the match at 1-1.
Hoffman Estates responded immediately and forced Spartans goalkeeper Hartle to deflect an attempt that was fired in by David Balase-Stribling. Then fellow St. Francis senior co-captain Sam Wessel had to head away a subsequent corner kick by Aron Barrios.
Right after that, the Hawks moved back in front in the 52nd minute. Barrios sent a pass to Kurzynski, who connected from about 10 yards.
The final Hoffman Estates advantage didn't last long. Madden answered again in the 54th minute thanks to an approximately 25-yard attempt placed just inside the left post. After the Spartans got a long attempt from junior Justin Klein a few minutes following the tying score, both sides had good opportunities over the next few minutes but were unable to capitalize.
The match's final 12 minutes featured plenty of drama. Kurzynski sent in a long effort to Hartle, and senior Ben Fasana responding with a dangerous free kick from close to the sideline that was hauled in by Aguilar.
Shortly after Jimmy Hernandez sent a header to Hartle, Hoffman Estates attempted to score again when a variety of players just in front of the net went after a loose ball. The end result was plenty of excitement but no score.
After Coco was thwarted on a close shot, Hernandez sent in a free kick from near the sidelines to Hartle. In the final five minutes, junior Cooper Winslow was stopped on a short try. Then a cross that was headed by Fasana but was halted.
While Hoffman Estates was troubled by a late tackle that they felt could have resulted in a penalty, the Spartans had two more good opportunities in the final minute. St. Francis sophomore John Yarusso was denied on a long attempt; and junior Luc Swiatek saw his late close-range shot hauled in by Aguilar shortly before the final whistle.
"When they scored within the first minute, it was hard. We had played rough in the first three games, and we needed something to change in this game," St. Francis senior Mason Karch said. "So, once they scored, we knew that we needed to up the intensity. That's what we did for the rest of the game, and we showed that on the field. And it was a real boost in our confidence when we finally put a ball in the back of the net.
"But once they scored again to make it 2-1, we knew that we had to come back with more intensity and pick up the pace. I think this game was a good-learning moment, since it showed us what this team is capable of what we can do in the future to win games.
“These games ... help us prepare for our conference games and what we need to work on and to improve on. We're all good friends, and we have good chemistry since we've all known each other for years."
Things started off great for Hoffman Estates, which grabbed a lead they held for just under 50 minutes after Stefanczyk connected 53 seconds into the match. Throughout the remainder of the opening half, Klein, sophomore Nicolas Tsiljar and Winslow all threatened with good attempts for the Spartans while Hernandez and Chris Palmer did the same for Hoffman Estates.
"I talked to my players about controlling what they can control," Hawks coach Sean Armstrong said. "I told them that we had all of the momentum in the first half and in a 1-0 game that the next goal was going to shift the momentum. (St. Francis scored) and then we responded. I felt like we relied on calls being made, rather than putting the ball in the back of the net.
"This week, we played York, who is as good as they were last year. They haven't missed a beat, so that was a real learning experience. I had some leaders who stepped up and said they wanted to move to the backfield, my two captains, who are both four-year players, and it really helped.
“We were coming off of a grueling game last night when we beat Elk Grove 2-1. It was a very physical game, and we were down 1-0 and came back and won. In all three of our victories, we've shown a lot of mental toughness."
Starting lineups
St. Francis
GK: Simon Hartle
D: Justin Klein
D: Aaron Cook
D: Sam Wessel
D: Ben Fasana
MF: Nick Madden
MF: J.R. Diaz
MF: Mason Karch
MF: John Coco
F: Luc Swiatek
F: Patrick Spahn
Hoffman Estates
GK: Gustavo Aguilar
D: Ethan Knapp
D: Peter Guzman
D: Connor Kurzynski
D: Lani Akiti
D: Jaime Murillo
MF: Joseph O'Brien
MF: Aron Barrios
MF: Jimmy Hernandez
MF: Jan Stefanczyk
F: David Balase-Stribling
Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match:
Nick Madden, jr., MF, St. Francis
Scoring summary
First half
HE: Jan Stefanczyk (unassisted), 1'
Second half
SF: Nick Madden (unassisted), 51'
HE: Connor Kurzynski (Aron Barrios), 52'
SF: Nick Madden (unassisted), 54'