West Chicago comes up short at Barbfest
Depleted Wildcats fall to relentless Plainfield E. in title match
By Steve Nemeth
DE KALB -- Close is said to only count in horseshoes and hand grenades.
Pardon West Chicago for feeling it also pertained to their attempt at winning DeKalb’s Barbfest tourney title.
The Wildcats were oh-so-close to a breakaway goal just minutes into Saturday’s championship match against Plainfield East.
Striking first could have had a huge boost in emotions and confidence for a West Chicago squad that was already short-handed due to injuries and spring break. Five members down, the roster was bolstered by junior varsity members who originally planned to be spectators.
When Plainfield East claimed the initial lead, the Wildcats immediately countered and yet were still down a goal at halftime. Ultimately, the Bengals prevailed by a 4-1 tally thanks to a stellar defense and a suddenly relentless attack.
West Chicago (2-2-2) is now acutely aware of just how narrow the line can be between winning and losing. The Wildcats advanced to the title match as the top team in a group that ultimately included both the third- and fifth-place finishers from the eight-school event that stretched over consecutive weekends.
Six matches into the season and the Wildcats have only been outscored twice (Saturday plus a 2-0 Upstate Eight Conference loss to West Aurora). They’ve had three shutouts including a scoreless draw with Hononegah.
All good reasons to be optimistic and positive, however, the reality of not owning a trophy still left an empty feeling that needs to be forgotten heading into a week with back-to-back road matches.
Plainfield East (5-1-2) came in averaging just over three goals per match and owning four clean-sheets.
Bengals goalie Kayla Rissman raced off her line just 3:43 into the match and managed to get enough of her fingers on the ball to produce enough spin to deflect the breakaway shot just wide. That opportunity is certainly one that Brittany Mendoza would love to have back.
Instead it was five minutes later when Plainfield East grabbed a lead on Layna Givens 12-yarder from left of center off a Natalia Gonzalez set-up at 8:16. It was Givens’ second goal of the year and the third assist for Gonzalez who would add a pair of goals en route to earning Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match status.
Over the course of the tourney, Gonzalez had five goals and three assists in addition to 40 minutes of duty in net to share a (3-0) shutout against host DeKalb. Those impressive accomplishments earned her tourney MVP honors.
It wasn’t long after the restart that West Chicago was pressing for an equalizer when a Bengals foul led to a penalty kick at 9:25. Giselle Navejas calmly and confidently converted for her fifth goal of the season.
“I start by taking a deep breathe, positioning my body, and then focusing on following through the kick with enough power and hitting it just right,” Navejas explained. “I believe converting (PKs) is one of my strengths. You practice them a lot but finishing (the chance) in a game makes you feel like a pro.”
It's not that Plainfield East is an old pro when it comes to championships. The Bengals showed the patience and maturity that led to their second-straight appearance in the Barbfest championship. In 2018, they edged out host DeKalb in group play to snap a run of nine-straight titles for the host Barbs. Granted East lost to Yorkville last year, but their response to being scored upon was quite different this time.
Coach Cosimo Patano’s crew ramped up its offensive pressure putting West Chicago goalie Hailey Rich to the test. Gonzalez and Ana Horejs turned shots from distance or free kicks into dangerous threats. With 9:54 left before intermission, that attack paid off for the Bengals as Elisa Aguilar’s corner kick found Gonzalez in position to park a 15-yarder inside the left post.
“Sometimes it’s kind of a garbage opportunity, or a chance that happens because of a ricochet or loose ball, so my job was to just clean it up,” Gonzalez said.
Before the half ended, the senior forward who is headed to Kansas for academics, had another blistering rocket from the right wing that Rich caught firmly.
East owned a 16-4 advantage for overall tries and a 14-3 edge in shots on goal in the opening half. The Bengals finished the match up 27-6 for overall attempts and 22-4 in shots on goal, plus 10-2 for corner kicks.
It was another corner kick opportunity by the same duo that paid off at 43:47.
“We had three or four corner kicks not result in anything, so I thought it was important to finish one the right way,” Gonzalez said. “I was able to volley the ball out of the air and in to build our lead.”
“Getting assists is a matter of vision,” Aguilar noted. “You look for your teammates and where they are headed or where there’s open space for them to use. Getting assists is always an amazing feeling.”
Aguilar also capped the scoring with her fourth goal on the year when she converted a penalty kick with 10:58 left in regulation.
After years of club ball, Gonzalez is relishing the opportunity to play high school soccer as a senior and be part of a winning squad. Her humility shows in saying she’s one of many weapons, although the argument could be made that others like Emily Haughian, Maggie Nawa, Abbey Knoepfle, Dani Culotta, Allie Fauth, and Katie Schwartz have become weapons because of her offense.
Regardless, the Bengals now have 14 players who have contributed either goals or assists in amassing a 26-5 edge in goals.
“I’m most pleased with how we’ve come along as a team. They’re a great group who have bought in, seen things start to click, and continue to finish,” Patano said.
While the roster limitations didn’t help, West Chicago was also unable to get in rhythm offensively in part to the Bengals defense which was very evidently anchored by Devan Pranchke.
“That was a good defensive backline, very well-organized at keeping us from penetrating,” Gomez conceded. “We are banged up and the combination kept us from playing more possession and better soccer on offense.
‘As always Barbie (Castellanos) and Giselle (Navejas) were solid in midfield and able to connect things up until a finish. In addition to them, Ruby Romero did a good job in the first half when it came to clearing the ball.”
Despite not being at full strength, the Wildcats’ dynamic duo of Castellanos and Navejas kept East’s defense busy throughout the second half. In contrast to her diminutive size, Chicagoland Soccer 2018 All-State pick Castellanos was the recipient and focal point of enough defensive attention that she spent a good portion of the final 40 minutes having to get up off the ground.
“Give Plainfield East credit for doing a good job possessing the ball, but we’re capable of playing much better,” Castellanos said. “We need to continue to keep passing crisp in order to open us space. While we may be down five and bringing up some JV players, we can’t allow that to affect our mentality or confidence in all the things we can and actually do right.”
Both Castlellanos and Navejas earned all-tournament recognition with the Bengals being represented by Gonzalez, Culotta and Fauth. Hononegah claimed third place in the tournament with a 5-1 win over Larkin and the victors placed Lauren Wedig and Breanna Culver on the tourney unit with Larkin’s Kelly Leon.
Host DeKalb downed Yorkville 5-1 for fifth place and those two teams landed Grace Bauling and Katie Straznickas, respectively on the all-tournament squad. Completing the unit was Maddie Gasso from Sterling, which thumped Belvidere 7-0 in the seventh place contest.
West Chicago is back in action on Monday with a visit to Hoffman Estates followed by a trip to Hampshire on Wednesday.
Having just come off a 4-0 victory at Oswego East, the Bengals aim to stay unbeaten in Suburban Prairie Conference play when they visit Joliet Central on Thursday.
Starting lineups
Plainfield East
GK: Kayla Rissman
D Katie Schwartz
D Ana Horejs
D Devan Pranchke
D Hailey Denhert
M Elisa Aguilar
M Dani Culotta
M Peyton Street
F Natalia Gonzalez
F Allie Fauth
F Layna Givens
West Chicago
GK: Haley Rich
D Luciana Balzer
D Ruby Romero
D Evelyn Hernandez
D Joanna Velazquez
M Melissa Pani
M Giselle Navejas
M Barbie Castellanos
M Emily Ayala
F Ruby Lebo
F Brittney Mendoza
Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match: Natalia Gonzalez, sr. F, Plainfield East
Officials: Ronaldo Dematos, Sam Nachampassak
Game summary
Plainfield East 4, West Chicago 1
Plainfield East 2 2 -- 4 (5-1-2)
West Chicago 1 0 -- 1 (2-2-2)
Scoring
First half
PE -- Givens 12-yarder from left of center (Gonzalez assist), 8:16 gone
WC -- Navejas penalty kick conversion (unassisted) 9:25 gone
PE -- Gonzalez 15-yarder tucked inside left post off corner kick (Aguilar assist), 30:06 gone
Second half
PE -- Gonzalez 19-yard volley off corner inside right post (Aguilar assist), 43:47 gone
PE -- Aguilar penalty kick conversion (unassisted), 69:02 gone
Overall shots
PE 16 – 11 -- 27
WC 4 – 2 -- 6
Shots on goal
PE 14 – 8 -- 22
WC 3 – 1 -- 4
Saves (goalie)
PE (Rissman) 2 – 1 -- 3
WC (Rich, 11; defender, 1) 12 – 6 -- 18
Corner kicks
PE 6 – 4 -- 10
WC 1 – 1 -- 2
Offsides
PE 0 – 1 -- 1
WC 2 – 2 -- 4
Depleted Wildcats fall to relentless Plainfield E. in title match
By Steve Nemeth
DE KALB -- Close is said to only count in horseshoes and hand grenades.
Pardon West Chicago for feeling it also pertained to their attempt at winning DeKalb’s Barbfest tourney title.
The Wildcats were oh-so-close to a breakaway goal just minutes into Saturday’s championship match against Plainfield East.
Striking first could have had a huge boost in emotions and confidence for a West Chicago squad that was already short-handed due to injuries and spring break. Five members down, the roster was bolstered by junior varsity members who originally planned to be spectators.
When Plainfield East claimed the initial lead, the Wildcats immediately countered and yet were still down a goal at halftime. Ultimately, the Bengals prevailed by a 4-1 tally thanks to a stellar defense and a suddenly relentless attack.
West Chicago (2-2-2) is now acutely aware of just how narrow the line can be between winning and losing. The Wildcats advanced to the title match as the top team in a group that ultimately included both the third- and fifth-place finishers from the eight-school event that stretched over consecutive weekends.
Six matches into the season and the Wildcats have only been outscored twice (Saturday plus a 2-0 Upstate Eight Conference loss to West Aurora). They’ve had three shutouts including a scoreless draw with Hononegah.
All good reasons to be optimistic and positive, however, the reality of not owning a trophy still left an empty feeling that needs to be forgotten heading into a week with back-to-back road matches.
Plainfield East (5-1-2) came in averaging just over three goals per match and owning four clean-sheets.
Bengals goalie Kayla Rissman raced off her line just 3:43 into the match and managed to get enough of her fingers on the ball to produce enough spin to deflect the breakaway shot just wide. That opportunity is certainly one that Brittany Mendoza would love to have back.
Instead it was five minutes later when Plainfield East grabbed a lead on Layna Givens 12-yarder from left of center off a Natalia Gonzalez set-up at 8:16. It was Givens’ second goal of the year and the third assist for Gonzalez who would add a pair of goals en route to earning Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match status.
Over the course of the tourney, Gonzalez had five goals and three assists in addition to 40 minutes of duty in net to share a (3-0) shutout against host DeKalb. Those impressive accomplishments earned her tourney MVP honors.
It wasn’t long after the restart that West Chicago was pressing for an equalizer when a Bengals foul led to a penalty kick at 9:25. Giselle Navejas calmly and confidently converted for her fifth goal of the season.
“I start by taking a deep breathe, positioning my body, and then focusing on following through the kick with enough power and hitting it just right,” Navejas explained. “I believe converting (PKs) is one of my strengths. You practice them a lot but finishing (the chance) in a game makes you feel like a pro.”
It's not that Plainfield East is an old pro when it comes to championships. The Bengals showed the patience and maturity that led to their second-straight appearance in the Barbfest championship. In 2018, they edged out host DeKalb in group play to snap a run of nine-straight titles for the host Barbs. Granted East lost to Yorkville last year, but their response to being scored upon was quite different this time.
Coach Cosimo Patano’s crew ramped up its offensive pressure putting West Chicago goalie Hailey Rich to the test. Gonzalez and Ana Horejs turned shots from distance or free kicks into dangerous threats. With 9:54 left before intermission, that attack paid off for the Bengals as Elisa Aguilar’s corner kick found Gonzalez in position to park a 15-yarder inside the left post.
“Sometimes it’s kind of a garbage opportunity, or a chance that happens because of a ricochet or loose ball, so my job was to just clean it up,” Gonzalez said.
Before the half ended, the senior forward who is headed to Kansas for academics, had another blistering rocket from the right wing that Rich caught firmly.
East owned a 16-4 advantage for overall tries and a 14-3 edge in shots on goal in the opening half. The Bengals finished the match up 27-6 for overall attempts and 22-4 in shots on goal, plus 10-2 for corner kicks.
It was another corner kick opportunity by the same duo that paid off at 43:47.
“We had three or four corner kicks not result in anything, so I thought it was important to finish one the right way,” Gonzalez said. “I was able to volley the ball out of the air and in to build our lead.”
“Getting assists is a matter of vision,” Aguilar noted. “You look for your teammates and where they are headed or where there’s open space for them to use. Getting assists is always an amazing feeling.”
Aguilar also capped the scoring with her fourth goal on the year when she converted a penalty kick with 10:58 left in regulation.
After years of club ball, Gonzalez is relishing the opportunity to play high school soccer as a senior and be part of a winning squad. Her humility shows in saying she’s one of many weapons, although the argument could be made that others like Emily Haughian, Maggie Nawa, Abbey Knoepfle, Dani Culotta, Allie Fauth, and Katie Schwartz have become weapons because of her offense.
Regardless, the Bengals now have 14 players who have contributed either goals or assists in amassing a 26-5 edge in goals.
“I’m most pleased with how we’ve come along as a team. They’re a great group who have bought in, seen things start to click, and continue to finish,” Patano said.
While the roster limitations didn’t help, West Chicago was also unable to get in rhythm offensively in part to the Bengals defense which was very evidently anchored by Devan Pranchke.
“That was a good defensive backline, very well-organized at keeping us from penetrating,” Gomez conceded. “We are banged up and the combination kept us from playing more possession and better soccer on offense.
‘As always Barbie (Castellanos) and Giselle (Navejas) were solid in midfield and able to connect things up until a finish. In addition to them, Ruby Romero did a good job in the first half when it came to clearing the ball.”
Despite not being at full strength, the Wildcats’ dynamic duo of Castellanos and Navejas kept East’s defense busy throughout the second half. In contrast to her diminutive size, Chicagoland Soccer 2018 All-State pick Castellanos was the recipient and focal point of enough defensive attention that she spent a good portion of the final 40 minutes having to get up off the ground.
“Give Plainfield East credit for doing a good job possessing the ball, but we’re capable of playing much better,” Castellanos said. “We need to continue to keep passing crisp in order to open us space. While we may be down five and bringing up some JV players, we can’t allow that to affect our mentality or confidence in all the things we can and actually do right.”
Both Castlellanos and Navejas earned all-tournament recognition with the Bengals being represented by Gonzalez, Culotta and Fauth. Hononegah claimed third place in the tournament with a 5-1 win over Larkin and the victors placed Lauren Wedig and Breanna Culver on the tourney unit with Larkin’s Kelly Leon.
Host DeKalb downed Yorkville 5-1 for fifth place and those two teams landed Grace Bauling and Katie Straznickas, respectively on the all-tournament squad. Completing the unit was Maddie Gasso from Sterling, which thumped Belvidere 7-0 in the seventh place contest.
West Chicago is back in action on Monday with a visit to Hoffman Estates followed by a trip to Hampshire on Wednesday.
Having just come off a 4-0 victory at Oswego East, the Bengals aim to stay unbeaten in Suburban Prairie Conference play when they visit Joliet Central on Thursday.
Starting lineups
Plainfield East
GK: Kayla Rissman
D Katie Schwartz
D Ana Horejs
D Devan Pranchke
D Hailey Denhert
M Elisa Aguilar
M Dani Culotta
M Peyton Street
F Natalia Gonzalez
F Allie Fauth
F Layna Givens
West Chicago
GK: Haley Rich
D Luciana Balzer
D Ruby Romero
D Evelyn Hernandez
D Joanna Velazquez
M Melissa Pani
M Giselle Navejas
M Barbie Castellanos
M Emily Ayala
F Ruby Lebo
F Brittney Mendoza
Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match: Natalia Gonzalez, sr. F, Plainfield East
Officials: Ronaldo Dematos, Sam Nachampassak
Game summary
Plainfield East 4, West Chicago 1
Plainfield East 2 2 -- 4 (5-1-2)
West Chicago 1 0 -- 1 (2-2-2)
Scoring
First half
PE -- Givens 12-yarder from left of center (Gonzalez assist), 8:16 gone
WC -- Navejas penalty kick conversion (unassisted) 9:25 gone
PE -- Gonzalez 15-yarder tucked inside left post off corner kick (Aguilar assist), 30:06 gone
Second half
PE -- Gonzalez 19-yard volley off corner inside right post (Aguilar assist), 43:47 gone
PE -- Aguilar penalty kick conversion (unassisted), 69:02 gone
Overall shots
PE 16 – 11 -- 27
WC 4 – 2 -- 6
Shots on goal
PE 14 – 8 -- 22
WC 3 – 1 -- 4
Saves (goalie)
PE (Rissman) 2 – 1 -- 3
WC (Rich, 11; defender, 1) 12 – 6 -- 18
Corner kicks
PE 6 – 4 -- 10
WC 1 – 1 -- 2
Offsides
PE 0 – 1 -- 1
WC 2 – 2 -- 4