Neuqua V. rallies, holds off Waubonsie V.
Fenton goal, great defense leads shorthanded Wildcats to 2-1 win
By Matt Le Cren
NAPERVILLE – Giacomo Parrino had already scored one goal and was poised to tally another as he teed up a penalty kick after being taken down midway through the first half.
The Waubonsie Valley senior was brimming with confidence knowing if he converted the Warriors would have a commanding lead over rival Neuqua Valley.
But Dylan Soto had other ideas.
The Neuqua Valley goalkeeper lunged to his left and made a kick save on Parrino’s penalty kick. Two minutes later, Billy Heniades tied the game for the host Wildcats with a penalty kick of his own.
That sequence swung the pendulum of momentum in favor of Neuqua Valley, which got the go-ahead goal from T.J. Fenton 29 seconds into the second half and then held on for a 2-1 DuPage Valley Conference victory.
The Wildcats (7-5-0, 1-2-0) did it despite playing shorthanded for the final 22:45 after defender Nathan Ashta was ejected.
“It’s good to get the ‘W,’” Neuqua Valley coach Arnoldo Gonzalez said. “It was good to see them bounce back today.
“The last few games, we get scored on, and it’s head down. It was different this game. I don’t know if it was because it was Waubonsie or they just really wanted it.”
Soto turned in the best performance of his career, making seven saves, including two in the early going to tip liners from Rogelio Grimaldo and Brandon Garduno over the crossbar.
But Waubonsie Valley (5-4-1, 2-1-0) struck first. Parrino gave the Warriors the lead with 27:37 to go by scoring on a breakaway after being sprung on a lead pass from defender Will Kruchten.
So when Parrino was awarded the penalty, it was clear the visitors were in control.
“I was trying to look the opposite way before I shoot the ball,” Parrino said. “I guess (Soto) knew that.
“Most of this team knows me so they probably know that, but after (the stop) you’ve got to keep your head up and keep on going. You can’t give up because there’s still the whole game left to play.”
As it turns out, Soto didn’t know about Parrino’s strategy.
“I don’t really read them,” Soto said. “I just go with my gut, like what side. I just play mind games with them and do what I need to do.”
Granted the reprieve, Neuqua Valley went on the attack and two minutes later Ryan Matthews was tripped in the box. Heniades converted at the 18:32 mark.
Aside from a weak header from Heniades that Waubonsie Valley goalie Vince Rullo saved with 14:00 left, that was the only shot for the Wildcats in the first half, yet they went to the intermission tied 1-1.
The tie didn’t last long. Fenton got free in the box, turned and buried a 15-yard shot with his left foot just 29 ticks after play resumed. It was his third goal of the season and turned out to be his first game-winner.
“Once we got our two goals, that is what got us going and got us through the rest of the game,” Soto said.
But there was plenty of drama left. The Warriors went to the power play but were unable to take advantage, getting only three shots after Ashta was sent off.
Part of that was due to the injury suffered by Waubonsie Valley midfielder Mitch Mueller, who missed 11 minutes early in the second half with a leg injury. The playmaker returned but was limited and not much of a factor.
“It’s a tough decision for a coach,” Waubonsie Valley coach Jose Garcia said. “Do you decide to switch players around, especially when we lose Mitch Mueller in the midfield?
“That’s a big hit for us so now it’s not only trying to adjust to become a more attacking-minded team, (but also) to how do we replace one of our top players.”
The Warriors' adjustments didn’t work well against a Neuqua Valley team that started to control the midfield and even gained some possession in the final third, forcing three corner kicks late in the game and consistently eating time off the clock.
“We became a little lethargic in the midfield and started losing possession,” Garcia said. “We just spread out a little too much in the midfield.
“We lacked the work rate in the middle and the outsides, but the boys played hard and they tried their best. Eventually we started getting our rhythm back.”
Indeed, the Warriors nearly got the equalizer and would have if not for the alert play of defender Jose Navarro, who cleared a shot from Parrino off the line with 6:30 remaining.
Grimaldo’s long pass from the left wing into space was chased down by Parrino, who won a challenge from the charging Soto in the right side of the box and fired on the empty net.
Navarro, however, got over in time to block it and eventually clear it under pressure.
“I was thinking in my mind, ‘Oh, my God, I’m screwed,’” Soto said. “(Navarro) comes in and clears it out.
“He’s like our clean-up guy. He saves our behinds.”
For Navarro, the play was instinctual.
“So much was going through my mind,” Navarro said. “I saw Giacomo beat one guy, then (defender) Edon (Kosova) ran out and so did Dylan.
“I just dropped back, and there was so much adrenaline I can’t even think of anything. I got the ball and someone was running at me. Nothing else was going through my mind except getting it out.”
Parrino gave kudos to the clearance and the Wildcats’ ability to protect the lead while shorthanded.
“That was great,” Parrino said. “That takes a lot to drop back. Playing 11 against 10 for 20-plus minutes, that’s insane.”
So is the way a soccer game can turn on a dime. The Warriors were poised to retain a share of the DVC lead while keeping the Wildcats winless in the league standings.
Neither happened, but that’s how it works in rivalries.
“A lot of our players are good friends with players on that team so it’s always a fun, competitive rivalry that we’ve always had,” Garcia said. “It’s something to look forward to every year.”
Despite the loss, which was their third in a row, the Warriors still have a lot to look forward to.
“We started off (the season) well,” Parrino said. “I think we’re going to keep doing well.
“This was our third DVC game. We’ve won two so we’re pretty confident and looking forward to the other games.”
So, suddenly, is Neuqua Valley.
“The last two games we figured out how to play, came together as a team,” Navarro said. “We know how to pull through.”
Starting lineups
Waubonsie Valley
GK Vince Rullo
D Charles Zehnal
D Will Kruchten
D Sebastian Martinez
D Brandon Garduno
M Mitch Mueller
M Rogelio Grimaldo
M Noah Glorioso
M Justin Fitzpatrick
F Stephen Spano
F Giacomo Parrino
Neuqua Valley
GK Dylan Soto
D Edo Kosova
D Jose Navarro
D Matthew Miller
D Daniel Laverde
M Amish Gupta
M Daniel Costea
M Parker Domschke
M T.J. Fenton
F Billy Heniades
F David Kuhn
Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match – Dylan Soto, GK, Neuqua Valley
Scoring summary
1st Half
Waubonsie – Giacomo Parrino (Will Kruchten) 27:37
Neuqua – Billy Heniades (PK) 18:32
2nd Half
Neuqua – T.J. Fenton 39:31
Fenton goal, great defense leads shorthanded Wildcats to 2-1 win
By Matt Le Cren
NAPERVILLE – Giacomo Parrino had already scored one goal and was poised to tally another as he teed up a penalty kick after being taken down midway through the first half.
The Waubonsie Valley senior was brimming with confidence knowing if he converted the Warriors would have a commanding lead over rival Neuqua Valley.
But Dylan Soto had other ideas.
The Neuqua Valley goalkeeper lunged to his left and made a kick save on Parrino’s penalty kick. Two minutes later, Billy Heniades tied the game for the host Wildcats with a penalty kick of his own.
That sequence swung the pendulum of momentum in favor of Neuqua Valley, which got the go-ahead goal from T.J. Fenton 29 seconds into the second half and then held on for a 2-1 DuPage Valley Conference victory.
The Wildcats (7-5-0, 1-2-0) did it despite playing shorthanded for the final 22:45 after defender Nathan Ashta was ejected.
“It’s good to get the ‘W,’” Neuqua Valley coach Arnoldo Gonzalez said. “It was good to see them bounce back today.
“The last few games, we get scored on, and it’s head down. It was different this game. I don’t know if it was because it was Waubonsie or they just really wanted it.”
Soto turned in the best performance of his career, making seven saves, including two in the early going to tip liners from Rogelio Grimaldo and Brandon Garduno over the crossbar.
But Waubonsie Valley (5-4-1, 2-1-0) struck first. Parrino gave the Warriors the lead with 27:37 to go by scoring on a breakaway after being sprung on a lead pass from defender Will Kruchten.
So when Parrino was awarded the penalty, it was clear the visitors were in control.
“I was trying to look the opposite way before I shoot the ball,” Parrino said. “I guess (Soto) knew that.
“Most of this team knows me so they probably know that, but after (the stop) you’ve got to keep your head up and keep on going. You can’t give up because there’s still the whole game left to play.”
As it turns out, Soto didn’t know about Parrino’s strategy.
“I don’t really read them,” Soto said. “I just go with my gut, like what side. I just play mind games with them and do what I need to do.”
Granted the reprieve, Neuqua Valley went on the attack and two minutes later Ryan Matthews was tripped in the box. Heniades converted at the 18:32 mark.
Aside from a weak header from Heniades that Waubonsie Valley goalie Vince Rullo saved with 14:00 left, that was the only shot for the Wildcats in the first half, yet they went to the intermission tied 1-1.
The tie didn’t last long. Fenton got free in the box, turned and buried a 15-yard shot with his left foot just 29 ticks after play resumed. It was his third goal of the season and turned out to be his first game-winner.
“Once we got our two goals, that is what got us going and got us through the rest of the game,” Soto said.
But there was plenty of drama left. The Warriors went to the power play but were unable to take advantage, getting only three shots after Ashta was sent off.
Part of that was due to the injury suffered by Waubonsie Valley midfielder Mitch Mueller, who missed 11 minutes early in the second half with a leg injury. The playmaker returned but was limited and not much of a factor.
“It’s a tough decision for a coach,” Waubonsie Valley coach Jose Garcia said. “Do you decide to switch players around, especially when we lose Mitch Mueller in the midfield?
“That’s a big hit for us so now it’s not only trying to adjust to become a more attacking-minded team, (but also) to how do we replace one of our top players.”
The Warriors' adjustments didn’t work well against a Neuqua Valley team that started to control the midfield and even gained some possession in the final third, forcing three corner kicks late in the game and consistently eating time off the clock.
“We became a little lethargic in the midfield and started losing possession,” Garcia said. “We just spread out a little too much in the midfield.
“We lacked the work rate in the middle and the outsides, but the boys played hard and they tried their best. Eventually we started getting our rhythm back.”
Indeed, the Warriors nearly got the equalizer and would have if not for the alert play of defender Jose Navarro, who cleared a shot from Parrino off the line with 6:30 remaining.
Grimaldo’s long pass from the left wing into space was chased down by Parrino, who won a challenge from the charging Soto in the right side of the box and fired on the empty net.
Navarro, however, got over in time to block it and eventually clear it under pressure.
“I was thinking in my mind, ‘Oh, my God, I’m screwed,’” Soto said. “(Navarro) comes in and clears it out.
“He’s like our clean-up guy. He saves our behinds.”
For Navarro, the play was instinctual.
“So much was going through my mind,” Navarro said. “I saw Giacomo beat one guy, then (defender) Edon (Kosova) ran out and so did Dylan.
“I just dropped back, and there was so much adrenaline I can’t even think of anything. I got the ball and someone was running at me. Nothing else was going through my mind except getting it out.”
Parrino gave kudos to the clearance and the Wildcats’ ability to protect the lead while shorthanded.
“That was great,” Parrino said. “That takes a lot to drop back. Playing 11 against 10 for 20-plus minutes, that’s insane.”
So is the way a soccer game can turn on a dime. The Warriors were poised to retain a share of the DVC lead while keeping the Wildcats winless in the league standings.
Neither happened, but that’s how it works in rivalries.
“A lot of our players are good friends with players on that team so it’s always a fun, competitive rivalry that we’ve always had,” Garcia said. “It’s something to look forward to every year.”
Despite the loss, which was their third in a row, the Warriors still have a lot to look forward to.
“We started off (the season) well,” Parrino said. “I think we’re going to keep doing well.
“This was our third DVC game. We’ve won two so we’re pretty confident and looking forward to the other games.”
So, suddenly, is Neuqua Valley.
“The last two games we figured out how to play, came together as a team,” Navarro said. “We know how to pull through.”
Starting lineups
Waubonsie Valley
GK Vince Rullo
D Charles Zehnal
D Will Kruchten
D Sebastian Martinez
D Brandon Garduno
M Mitch Mueller
M Rogelio Grimaldo
M Noah Glorioso
M Justin Fitzpatrick
F Stephen Spano
F Giacomo Parrino
Neuqua Valley
GK Dylan Soto
D Edo Kosova
D Jose Navarro
D Matthew Miller
D Daniel Laverde
M Amish Gupta
M Daniel Costea
M Parker Domschke
M T.J. Fenton
F Billy Heniades
F David Kuhn
Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match – Dylan Soto, GK, Neuqua Valley
Scoring summary
1st Half
Waubonsie – Giacomo Parrino (Will Kruchten) 27:37
Neuqua – Billy Heniades (PK) 18:32
2nd Half
Neuqua – T.J. Fenton 39:31