Warren blitzes Carmel for road win
Blue Devils cast early 3-goal spell, cruise to nonconferece victory
By Mike Garofola
MUNDELEIN -- It was the ultimate smash-and-grab victory for Warren on Friday at Carmel's Baker Stadium.
The Blue Devils (5-3-2) smashed home three goals in the first 11 minutes to grab a daunting advantage en route to an impressive 4-2 nonconference result over the host Corsairs.
"This was a game we really needed today," said junior Nolan Ehlers, who wore the captains armband for manager Jason Ahonen along with teammate Chris Uribe, who was in charge of watching things between the sticks for Warren.
"We have three-four seniors on our team, so there's a lot of learning going on this season, and sometimes our youth shows through. Other times we play at a higher level. We did today, especially in that first half."
The ferocity in which the visitors came out on this cool, breezy day was something Ahonen was thrilled to see. On the flip side, Carmel manager Ray Krawzak was not happy with the way his men responded to the intensity.
"It's kind of been our M.O. of late to come out flat, without energy," Krawzak said. "Our opponents are then able to exploit that to their advantage.
"Some of that, of course, was Warren's doing. (They) executed so well in that first 15-20 minutes, but a lot of that was on us as well."
The up-and-down week for the Corsairs (5-4-1) was punctuated by Warren's ability to finish its chances during its rampant quarter hour opening. Much of that firepower came from Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match Ishaan Shah, and his teammates Chris Medina, Josh Segura, Clayton Mobile and Ehlers, who opened as the lone forward in the Blue Devils 4-2-3-1 formation.
"That was the first time 'Ish" played the six in our formation, and you could he did quite well for us at that spot," said Ahohen.
"I've usually been playing the 10, but I liked playing the six today because I feel comfortable holding the ball," said Shah, a sophomore. "I see the whole field from that spot and distribute to my teammates."
Shah was one of three sophomores among the Blue Devils first 11, which also included five juniors.
"We made a decision last season to go into a full youth movement," said a happy Ahonen. "So we knew there would be growing pains along the way, but we also knew if the guys all grew together, we might have something we could eventually be very proud of."
The addition of Medina, who transferred from Waukegan, was a welcome addition to the Blue Devils midfield. The junior's crafty, technical play adds another dimension to the Blue Devils' attack.
Mobile, Segura and Shah created a corner for the visitors in the early stages. After Medina looped in his serve to the back post, Shah ran onto his mate's helper to give Warren the opening strike at seven minutes.
The Blue Devils second tally was nicely played and began just on the other side of the midline with Jovan Selakovic.
Segura latched onto the outside back's pass before sending his crossfield pass to the back post where Mobile unloaded a wicked one-timer past Carmel keeper Camden Krautsack.
With Shah looking confident in his role in the middle of the park and the rest of his mates in harmony with their runs, Warren's quick, sharp passes used the width and length of the pitch. It allowed the Blue Devils to continue to dominate the first half of the opening period.
Shah added to the Corsairs early ills when he made it 3-0 in the 11th minute. That urged the hosts to life. Carmel nearly canceled out the goal moments later when Eli Larson rattled the back post after a Michael Handel free kick.
"I'm not going to say we come back and maybe get back even, but it's perhaps a different game if we put that one in to at least make it 3-1 going into the break, instead of us chasing three goals," Krawzak said.
Just as they had earlier in the week during a 5-2 loss to fellow East Suburban Catholic Conference member St. Patrick, the Corsairs started to find their groove in the later stages of the first half and after the intermission.
"If you're looking for a positive or two to take from this game, it would have to be that there's still plenty of fight in us," Krawzak said. "We don't hang our heads and go away when we're down.
"But let's be honest, we cannot start the way we do and expect to come away with a good result. It's just not going to happen."
Warren keeper Chris Uribe had a little something to do with the Corsairs inability to pierce the Blue Devils endline. The senior was fearless in his challenges, particularly in the air, and demonstrated an ability to move in and around his box to collect, punch or persuade balls out of danger.
The Blue Devils co-captain ventured far off his line to pull down Ian McKernan's dangerous ball that was earmarked for Ryan Long. Then just before the half, Uribe likely saved Ahonen and his staff a gray hair or two when his enterprising race toward the far flag ended with a grab of another well-aimed McKernan serve.
Warren went on the offense with a nice read and interception from Luke Schoenbrunn. Coming out of the back, the senior's try went close from 35 yards all before the Blue Devils backliner helped Nelvi Barrera test Corsairs new keeper, Richardo Murua just before the break.
"I was real pleased with that first half of soccer," began Ahonen.
"It was mostly one-way traffic for us with nice combination work, finding our guys in the middle especially 'Ish' who directed the attack really well, and everyone we brought on made a contribution in one of our best halves of soccer thus far.
"I thought we got a little sloppy in the second half, but then, Carmel played better as well. That's going to be a part of that learning curve we'll be going through from here on out."
The home side nearly pulled one back just after the intermission, and if not for Selakovic's retreat the Corsairs' McKernan would have finished what Shane Farrell and Sean Seidl started.
Handel, who is the Corsairs free kick specialist, drove a handful of quality efforts on or near frame in the second half. His first of the period went wide from 30 yards in the 50th minute.
Another by Handel forced Uribe into action just after the hour, but it was a bending 30-yard blast by McKernan that forced to Uribe to save at the upper 90 to keep the Warren three-goal advance in the 65th minute.
Warren put a dent in the Corsairs fight-back when Edward Luna, one of two sophomores Ahonen recently brought up, scored goal number four. He dragged his low drive under Murua after collectinga Jackson Moats' corner.
Matt Duffy, who made a sensational varsity debut with four goals in the Corsairs 5-2 home win over Marian Central on Wednesday, continued his remarkable start with the varsity when he bagged two goals in the final three minutes.
The JV call-up now averages three goals per game in his young varsity career.
"It was nice to see him come through once again," Krawzak said. "He's been a nice boost for our attack. As I said was happy to see us play hard in that second half, but our focus has to be the same from the opening whistle and not just half way, as it was in that first half."
Krawzak's men will have to tidy things up quickly. They have a quick turnaround with a 10 a.m. visit from league foe Joilet Catholic on Saturday.
Warren will ready itself for a stretch of four North Suburban Conference games which begins Tuesday at Zion-Benton and continues at home vs. rival Lake Zurich on Thursday.
"Our effort was very good, and we finished our chances in that first half," said Shah. "We've just got to continue playing that way for 80 minutes.
"The toughest thing for our young players has been to adjust to playing varsity soccer. It's an attitude adjustment ... I am progressing each time we go out."
This nonconference triumph is an important one in many ways according to Ahonen, who has an eye on the upcoming sectional seeding process as well as a strong finish down the stretch for his lads.
"We had hoped to play Lake Forest yesterday, but that was canceled (due to a starting time miscommunication). So getting a nice win against a team in our sectional today was good for us," began Ahonen.
"It's been fun to see a young team begin to find its way.
"The two guys you talked to today are both first-class players who have a high work ethic, which is something that carries on through to the rest of the team."
"Our backline is starting to come around also, and its players such as Max Floriani, another sophmore, and Luke (Schoenbrunn) are leading the way.
"I really like this group. They are hardworking and want to get better. And we all know that will pay off later on."
Starting lineups (4-2-3-1)
Warren
G- Chris Uribe
D- Jovan Selakovic
D- Max Floriani
D- Luke Schoenbrunn
D- Noah Schwab
M- Ishaan Shah
M- Sebastian Rodriguez
M- Josh Segura
M- Chris Medina
M- Clayton Mobile
F- Nolan Ehlers
Carmel (4-1-4-1)
G- Camden Krautsack
D- Riley Pierson
D- Eli Larson
D- Joe Baude
D- Michael Handel
M- Shane Farrell
M- Matt Grzesiak
M- Sean Seidl
M- Ian McKernan
M- Aidan Day
F- Ryan Long
Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match: Ishaan Shah. so., MF, Warren
Referee: Todd Abraham
Scoring summary
First half
Warren: Shah (Ehlers) 7'
Warren: Mobile (Segura) 9'
Warren: Shah (Rodriguez) 11'
Second half
Warren: Luna (Moats) 69'
Carmel: Duffy (U/A) 77'
Carmel: Duffy (U/A) 80'
Blue Devils cast early 3-goal spell, cruise to nonconferece victory
By Mike Garofola
MUNDELEIN -- It was the ultimate smash-and-grab victory for Warren on Friday at Carmel's Baker Stadium.
The Blue Devils (5-3-2) smashed home three goals in the first 11 minutes to grab a daunting advantage en route to an impressive 4-2 nonconference result over the host Corsairs.
"This was a game we really needed today," said junior Nolan Ehlers, who wore the captains armband for manager Jason Ahonen along with teammate Chris Uribe, who was in charge of watching things between the sticks for Warren.
"We have three-four seniors on our team, so there's a lot of learning going on this season, and sometimes our youth shows through. Other times we play at a higher level. We did today, especially in that first half."
The ferocity in which the visitors came out on this cool, breezy day was something Ahonen was thrilled to see. On the flip side, Carmel manager Ray Krawzak was not happy with the way his men responded to the intensity.
"It's kind of been our M.O. of late to come out flat, without energy," Krawzak said. "Our opponents are then able to exploit that to their advantage.
"Some of that, of course, was Warren's doing. (They) executed so well in that first 15-20 minutes, but a lot of that was on us as well."
The up-and-down week for the Corsairs (5-4-1) was punctuated by Warren's ability to finish its chances during its rampant quarter hour opening. Much of that firepower came from Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match Ishaan Shah, and his teammates Chris Medina, Josh Segura, Clayton Mobile and Ehlers, who opened as the lone forward in the Blue Devils 4-2-3-1 formation.
"That was the first time 'Ish" played the six in our formation, and you could he did quite well for us at that spot," said Ahohen.
"I've usually been playing the 10, but I liked playing the six today because I feel comfortable holding the ball," said Shah, a sophomore. "I see the whole field from that spot and distribute to my teammates."
Shah was one of three sophomores among the Blue Devils first 11, which also included five juniors.
"We made a decision last season to go into a full youth movement," said a happy Ahonen. "So we knew there would be growing pains along the way, but we also knew if the guys all grew together, we might have something we could eventually be very proud of."
The addition of Medina, who transferred from Waukegan, was a welcome addition to the Blue Devils midfield. The junior's crafty, technical play adds another dimension to the Blue Devils' attack.
Mobile, Segura and Shah created a corner for the visitors in the early stages. After Medina looped in his serve to the back post, Shah ran onto his mate's helper to give Warren the opening strike at seven minutes.
The Blue Devils second tally was nicely played and began just on the other side of the midline with Jovan Selakovic.
Segura latched onto the outside back's pass before sending his crossfield pass to the back post where Mobile unloaded a wicked one-timer past Carmel keeper Camden Krautsack.
With Shah looking confident in his role in the middle of the park and the rest of his mates in harmony with their runs, Warren's quick, sharp passes used the width and length of the pitch. It allowed the Blue Devils to continue to dominate the first half of the opening period.
Shah added to the Corsairs early ills when he made it 3-0 in the 11th minute. That urged the hosts to life. Carmel nearly canceled out the goal moments later when Eli Larson rattled the back post after a Michael Handel free kick.
"I'm not going to say we come back and maybe get back even, but it's perhaps a different game if we put that one in to at least make it 3-1 going into the break, instead of us chasing three goals," Krawzak said.
Just as they had earlier in the week during a 5-2 loss to fellow East Suburban Catholic Conference member St. Patrick, the Corsairs started to find their groove in the later stages of the first half and after the intermission.
"If you're looking for a positive or two to take from this game, it would have to be that there's still plenty of fight in us," Krawzak said. "We don't hang our heads and go away when we're down.
"But let's be honest, we cannot start the way we do and expect to come away with a good result. It's just not going to happen."
Warren keeper Chris Uribe had a little something to do with the Corsairs inability to pierce the Blue Devils endline. The senior was fearless in his challenges, particularly in the air, and demonstrated an ability to move in and around his box to collect, punch or persuade balls out of danger.
The Blue Devils co-captain ventured far off his line to pull down Ian McKernan's dangerous ball that was earmarked for Ryan Long. Then just before the half, Uribe likely saved Ahonen and his staff a gray hair or two when his enterprising race toward the far flag ended with a grab of another well-aimed McKernan serve.
Warren went on the offense with a nice read and interception from Luke Schoenbrunn. Coming out of the back, the senior's try went close from 35 yards all before the Blue Devils backliner helped Nelvi Barrera test Corsairs new keeper, Richardo Murua just before the break.
"I was real pleased with that first half of soccer," began Ahonen.
"It was mostly one-way traffic for us with nice combination work, finding our guys in the middle especially 'Ish' who directed the attack really well, and everyone we brought on made a contribution in one of our best halves of soccer thus far.
"I thought we got a little sloppy in the second half, but then, Carmel played better as well. That's going to be a part of that learning curve we'll be going through from here on out."
The home side nearly pulled one back just after the intermission, and if not for Selakovic's retreat the Corsairs' McKernan would have finished what Shane Farrell and Sean Seidl started.
Handel, who is the Corsairs free kick specialist, drove a handful of quality efforts on or near frame in the second half. His first of the period went wide from 30 yards in the 50th minute.
Another by Handel forced Uribe into action just after the hour, but it was a bending 30-yard blast by McKernan that forced to Uribe to save at the upper 90 to keep the Warren three-goal advance in the 65th minute.
Warren put a dent in the Corsairs fight-back when Edward Luna, one of two sophomores Ahonen recently brought up, scored goal number four. He dragged his low drive under Murua after collectinga Jackson Moats' corner.
Matt Duffy, who made a sensational varsity debut with four goals in the Corsairs 5-2 home win over Marian Central on Wednesday, continued his remarkable start with the varsity when he bagged two goals in the final three minutes.
The JV call-up now averages three goals per game in his young varsity career.
"It was nice to see him come through once again," Krawzak said. "He's been a nice boost for our attack. As I said was happy to see us play hard in that second half, but our focus has to be the same from the opening whistle and not just half way, as it was in that first half."
Krawzak's men will have to tidy things up quickly. They have a quick turnaround with a 10 a.m. visit from league foe Joilet Catholic on Saturday.
Warren will ready itself for a stretch of four North Suburban Conference games which begins Tuesday at Zion-Benton and continues at home vs. rival Lake Zurich on Thursday.
"Our effort was very good, and we finished our chances in that first half," said Shah. "We've just got to continue playing that way for 80 minutes.
"The toughest thing for our young players has been to adjust to playing varsity soccer. It's an attitude adjustment ... I am progressing each time we go out."
This nonconference triumph is an important one in many ways according to Ahonen, who has an eye on the upcoming sectional seeding process as well as a strong finish down the stretch for his lads.
"We had hoped to play Lake Forest yesterday, but that was canceled (due to a starting time miscommunication). So getting a nice win against a team in our sectional today was good for us," began Ahonen.
"It's been fun to see a young team begin to find its way.
"The two guys you talked to today are both first-class players who have a high work ethic, which is something that carries on through to the rest of the team."
"Our backline is starting to come around also, and its players such as Max Floriani, another sophmore, and Luke (Schoenbrunn) are leading the way.
"I really like this group. They are hardworking and want to get better. And we all know that will pay off later on."
Starting lineups (4-2-3-1)
Warren
G- Chris Uribe
D- Jovan Selakovic
D- Max Floriani
D- Luke Schoenbrunn
D- Noah Schwab
M- Ishaan Shah
M- Sebastian Rodriguez
M- Josh Segura
M- Chris Medina
M- Clayton Mobile
F- Nolan Ehlers
Carmel (4-1-4-1)
G- Camden Krautsack
D- Riley Pierson
D- Eli Larson
D- Joe Baude
D- Michael Handel
M- Shane Farrell
M- Matt Grzesiak
M- Sean Seidl
M- Ian McKernan
M- Aidan Day
F- Ryan Long
Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match: Ishaan Shah. so., MF, Warren
Referee: Todd Abraham
Scoring summary
First half
Warren: Shah (Ehlers) 7'
Warren: Mobile (Segura) 9'
Warren: Shah (Rodriguez) 11'
Second half
Warren: Luna (Moats) 69'
Carmel: Duffy (U/A) 77'
Carmel: Duffy (U/A) 80'