Deep Fenwick rolls past Steinmetz
Friars win 8-0, aim to surpass 2021 regular-season, playoff runs
By Curt Herron
RIVER FOREST -- With 15 players returning from a sectional finalist, there's understandably a lot of excitement for Fenwick as it kicks off its 2022 campaign.
With five back from the squad which lost 4-3 on a late goal to Notre Dame in the Speer Sectional championship, the Friars started fast and wrapped up an 8-0 home victory over Steinmetz in their season opener on Tuesday at the Priory in River Forest.
Two of those individuals led the way -- senior captain Ian Martinello and junior captain James Zimmer, each had two goals and an assist in the win. Junior Ian MacKinnon tallied a goal, senior captain Lucas Garcia added an assist and senior captain Max Ballarin led a defense that didn't allow the Silver Streaks to threaten during the abbreviated match.
Senior Frank Felice and juniors Jake Brecknock and Evan Hickman all added a goal and an assist while senior Ethan Briggs chipped in with a helper. Senior Finnegan Williams got the start in goal before being relieved by senior Jaxon Enter in the first half. Freshman Dominick Ballarin saw time in the shortened second half.
After seeing his squad score a flurry of goals in just over 10 minutes for a 4-0 lead in the 19th minute, Friars coach Craig Blazer was able to begin to utilize everyone on the roster. The hosts added two more scores in the opening half and another just after the intermission to reduce the duration of the match to just over an hour.
Blazer, who led DePaul University's program for 17 seasons from 2001-2017 and worked with U.S. National Team from 1993-2001, hopes that his squad comes together even more in matches Thursday against Muchin and Saturday against Latin, both at the Priory.
Next week is an important one for the squad since it faces two big challenges, hosting Notre Dame on Tuesday and then cross-town rival Oak Park and River Forest on Friday.
The Friars play six of their first seven matches at the Priory field, including a Chicago Catholic League cross-over match against Providence on September 8, before beginning competition in BodyArmor bracket play.
"We are building off of last year and the guys have worked hard throughout the summer," Blazer said. "At the start of the season we play Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday and are looking to build some chemistry and camaraderie on and off the field. With having three games in one week, it's going to test us and help us to figure out what we're doing well and where we need some help.
"After that we play some really good teams in Notre Dame and the local rivalry with Oak Park and River Forest. It goes quick, but we're looking forward to getting off to a good start. We want to use everybody on the team and everybody has a role. If we can come away with some wins, then that definitely means that we're doing some things right. I'm looking forward to it.
"This group has a lot of belief. They've worked hard, and that's translated into a lot of confidence. We're starting to show that we know how to defend and how to possess and transition and restart, so it's getting there."
Max Ballarin is joined by his junior brother John on defense and has a third brother on the team in freshman goaltender Dominick. He is excited about what the Friars accomplished a year ago and hopes that the squad can advance further this season.
"Last year we had a rough regular-season, but in the playoffs we got pretty far and went to the sectional championship, where we had a very tough loss," Max Ballarin said. "Even though a lot of the guys who played last year were seniors, a lot of the people who also started came back this year.
"We definitely have been working hard this summer and had a lot of great practices. Our chemistry is very good, because a lot of the guys are playing a second year together. So, I definitely think that we'll play a lot of good games this year. He (coach Blazer) has been leading us very well. At practice, he always tries to fix our mistakes, and at every practice we leave knowing something new.
"Everybody is very uplifting. We're all very good friends, and we're tight. Obviously, we know when we can mess around, but we also know when to get serious. If somebody is down we all try to raise each other back and that's the best part about this group this year. Last year we struggled with staying positive and lifting each other up, but we worked on that this year in the summer, and that could take us very far this year."
After getting good scoring chances from Felice, Brecknock and MacKinnon in the early stages of the match, the Friars connected for the first time in the ninth minute when Zimmer set up Martinello for a close-range goal to begin the big offensive performances for two of the team's four captains.
In the 11th minute, Felice found Brecknock in a combination featuring two of the three Friars who had a goal and an assist. Zimmer and Martinello were back at it in the 16th minute with the former scoring the first of his two goals on a short attempt to give the hosts a 3-0 advantage.
Fenwick went up 4-0 in the 19th minute when MacKinnon fired in a shot from about 15 yards following an assist from Brecknock. Perhaps the most impressive goal of the match came a short time later, in the 22nd minute, when Briggs sent a pass to Hickman, who connected with a bicycle kick from 10 yards.
The Friars took a 6-0 lead in the 26th minute when Martinello scored from close range. While several new players got their legs under them, Fenwick cruised into intermission with a comfortable lead.
Shortly after the teams returned to the field, the hosts assured that the afternoon's play would be shortened when Brecknock sent in a corner that Garcia got a touch on before Zimmer put it away in the 42nd minute. A short time later, Felice completed the scoring following an assist from Hickman.
Starting lineups
Steinmetz
G: Marcos Nivela
D: Javier Lemer
D: Deangelo Martinez
M: Joseph Sanchez
M: Aaron Encarnacion
M: Jordy Moreno
M: Ricardo Maroquin
M: Edwin Avilez
M: Fabrizzio Cuadros
F: Benjamin Mojica
F: Anfhenry Zelaya
Fenwick
G: Finnegan Williams
D: John Ballarin
D: Evan Hickman
D: Max Ballarin
D: Ian MacKinnon
M: Lucas Garcia
M: Frank Felice
M: Matt Bero
M: Jake Brecknock
F: Ian Martinello
F: James Zimmer
Chicagoland Soccer Men of the Match:
Ian Martinello, sr., F, Fenwick;
James Zimmer, jr., F, Fenwick
Scoring summary
First half
F: Ian Martinello (James Zimmer), 9'
F: Jake Brecknock (Frank Felice), 11'
F: James Zimmer (Ian Martinello), 16'
F: Ian MacKinnon (Jake Brecknock), 19'
F: Evan Hickman (Ethan Briggs), 22'
F: Ian Martinello, 26'
Second half
F: James Zimmer (Lucas Garcia), 42'
F: Frank Felice (Evan Hickman), 45'
Friars win 8-0, aim to surpass 2021 regular-season, playoff runs
By Curt Herron
RIVER FOREST -- With 15 players returning from a sectional finalist, there's understandably a lot of excitement for Fenwick as it kicks off its 2022 campaign.
With five back from the squad which lost 4-3 on a late goal to Notre Dame in the Speer Sectional championship, the Friars started fast and wrapped up an 8-0 home victory over Steinmetz in their season opener on Tuesday at the Priory in River Forest.
Two of those individuals led the way -- senior captain Ian Martinello and junior captain James Zimmer, each had two goals and an assist in the win. Junior Ian MacKinnon tallied a goal, senior captain Lucas Garcia added an assist and senior captain Max Ballarin led a defense that didn't allow the Silver Streaks to threaten during the abbreviated match.
Senior Frank Felice and juniors Jake Brecknock and Evan Hickman all added a goal and an assist while senior Ethan Briggs chipped in with a helper. Senior Finnegan Williams got the start in goal before being relieved by senior Jaxon Enter in the first half. Freshman Dominick Ballarin saw time in the shortened second half.
After seeing his squad score a flurry of goals in just over 10 minutes for a 4-0 lead in the 19th minute, Friars coach Craig Blazer was able to begin to utilize everyone on the roster. The hosts added two more scores in the opening half and another just after the intermission to reduce the duration of the match to just over an hour.
Blazer, who led DePaul University's program for 17 seasons from 2001-2017 and worked with U.S. National Team from 1993-2001, hopes that his squad comes together even more in matches Thursday against Muchin and Saturday against Latin, both at the Priory.
Next week is an important one for the squad since it faces two big challenges, hosting Notre Dame on Tuesday and then cross-town rival Oak Park and River Forest on Friday.
The Friars play six of their first seven matches at the Priory field, including a Chicago Catholic League cross-over match against Providence on September 8, before beginning competition in BodyArmor bracket play.
"We are building off of last year and the guys have worked hard throughout the summer," Blazer said. "At the start of the season we play Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday and are looking to build some chemistry and camaraderie on and off the field. With having three games in one week, it's going to test us and help us to figure out what we're doing well and where we need some help.
"After that we play some really good teams in Notre Dame and the local rivalry with Oak Park and River Forest. It goes quick, but we're looking forward to getting off to a good start. We want to use everybody on the team and everybody has a role. If we can come away with some wins, then that definitely means that we're doing some things right. I'm looking forward to it.
"This group has a lot of belief. They've worked hard, and that's translated into a lot of confidence. We're starting to show that we know how to defend and how to possess and transition and restart, so it's getting there."
Max Ballarin is joined by his junior brother John on defense and has a third brother on the team in freshman goaltender Dominick. He is excited about what the Friars accomplished a year ago and hopes that the squad can advance further this season.
"Last year we had a rough regular-season, but in the playoffs we got pretty far and went to the sectional championship, where we had a very tough loss," Max Ballarin said. "Even though a lot of the guys who played last year were seniors, a lot of the people who also started came back this year.
"We definitely have been working hard this summer and had a lot of great practices. Our chemistry is very good, because a lot of the guys are playing a second year together. So, I definitely think that we'll play a lot of good games this year. He (coach Blazer) has been leading us very well. At practice, he always tries to fix our mistakes, and at every practice we leave knowing something new.
"Everybody is very uplifting. We're all very good friends, and we're tight. Obviously, we know when we can mess around, but we also know when to get serious. If somebody is down we all try to raise each other back and that's the best part about this group this year. Last year we struggled with staying positive and lifting each other up, but we worked on that this year in the summer, and that could take us very far this year."
After getting good scoring chances from Felice, Brecknock and MacKinnon in the early stages of the match, the Friars connected for the first time in the ninth minute when Zimmer set up Martinello for a close-range goal to begin the big offensive performances for two of the team's four captains.
In the 11th minute, Felice found Brecknock in a combination featuring two of the three Friars who had a goal and an assist. Zimmer and Martinello were back at it in the 16th minute with the former scoring the first of his two goals on a short attempt to give the hosts a 3-0 advantage.
Fenwick went up 4-0 in the 19th minute when MacKinnon fired in a shot from about 15 yards following an assist from Brecknock. Perhaps the most impressive goal of the match came a short time later, in the 22nd minute, when Briggs sent a pass to Hickman, who connected with a bicycle kick from 10 yards.
The Friars took a 6-0 lead in the 26th minute when Martinello scored from close range. While several new players got their legs under them, Fenwick cruised into intermission with a comfortable lead.
Shortly after the teams returned to the field, the hosts assured that the afternoon's play would be shortened when Brecknock sent in a corner that Garcia got a touch on before Zimmer put it away in the 42nd minute. A short time later, Felice completed the scoring following an assist from Hickman.
Starting lineups
Steinmetz
G: Marcos Nivela
D: Javier Lemer
D: Deangelo Martinez
M: Joseph Sanchez
M: Aaron Encarnacion
M: Jordy Moreno
M: Ricardo Maroquin
M: Edwin Avilez
M: Fabrizzio Cuadros
F: Benjamin Mojica
F: Anfhenry Zelaya
Fenwick
G: Finnegan Williams
D: John Ballarin
D: Evan Hickman
D: Max Ballarin
D: Ian MacKinnon
M: Lucas Garcia
M: Frank Felice
M: Matt Bero
M: Jake Brecknock
F: Ian Martinello
F: James Zimmer
Chicagoland Soccer Men of the Match:
Ian Martinello, sr., F, Fenwick;
James Zimmer, jr., F, Fenwick
Scoring summary
First half
F: Ian Martinello (James Zimmer), 9'
F: Jake Brecknock (Frank Felice), 11'
F: James Zimmer (Ian Martinello), 16'
F: Ian MacKinnon (Jake Brecknock), 19'
F: Evan Hickman (Ethan Briggs), 22'
F: Ian Martinello, 26'
Second half
F: James Zimmer (Lucas Garcia), 42'
F: Frank Felice (Evan Hickman), 45'