Herrera squared drives York past St. Patrick
Brothers score each goals in 3-1 win over Shamrocks
By Patrick Z. McGavin
CHICAGO — A lot of coaching is a feel, a sense of what is possible, in the players in front of you. Jordan Stopka had what could probably most accurately be called an epiphany.
The York coach watched sophomore midfielder Gustavo Herrera during a summer league game when everything crystallized.
“He’s awesome,” Stopka said. “I love that kid, and I would have taken him during the spring, but he was just too small. He grew a little bit.
“He has some of the best vision of any kid I’ve ever seen, whether it be an 18-year old and somebody his age—he’s only 15. In a summer league game, he made one quick pass, and that convinced me. I don’t even care what happens in tryouts—I’m taking that kid if he can make that pass.”
Herrera had the perfect role model, his older brother Jose Herrera, a junior forward who saw time during the truncated spring season.
“We train a lot together, and he always pushes me,” Gustavo Herrera said. “Even if I am tired or I am not very motivated, he is there to help me do my best.”
The Herrera brothers made a spectacular season debut by combining for the scoring in the Dukes’ impressive 3-1 victory over St. Patrick at Read-Dunning Stadium on the northwest side Thursday night.
Jose Herrera scored two goals and Gustavo Herrera had a goal and assist. The brothers shared the Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match distinction for their excellent play.
“I like to make diagonal runs a bunch, and I try to get open, sometimes get an opening in the middle and then pass it off,” Jose Herrera said.
His creativity and ability to shoot off the dribble makes him particularly dangerous. He scored the game-winner in the 51st minute off a beautiful ball slotted by forward Kevin Gliatis.
The brothers punctuated their outstanding and memorable first varsity game together by collaborating on the final Dukes’ score in the 63rd minute.
Pushing the ball through the middle, Gustavo played the ball to his streaking brother on the right wing. Jose Herrera finished with a kinetic and sharp volley.
The game marked an emotional homecoming for Stopka, in his second year directing the Dukes’ program. He helped transform the Shamrocks into a state power.
He coached four years at the lower levels and was part of the varsity staff of head coaches Kyle McClure and Melchor Castro during their Class 3A fourth place finish in 2019.
Senior midfielders Ivan Guerrero and Conor Day, senior defender Ben Elvira and senior keeper Bryant Alvarez are the only players left from that Final Four team.
Clearly the new generation talents that Stopka helped develop are now ready to take up the baton.
“It was very exciting, because we are coming back. We are playing, and it’s our season,” said St. Patrick midfielder Rafael Rios, who scored the Shamrocks’ goal.
Both teams felt a palpable exhilaration at the return of the season, especially coming so close to the truncated and adjusted spring season that featured no state tournament for the first time in 50 years.
The two teams also had their originally scheduled season debuts scratched Tuesday night by inclement weather. The Shamrocks actually got in about 20 minutes against St. Ignatius, where they fell behind 3-1.
The lightning hit, wiping out any record of the game.
“Compared with the St. Ignatius game, tonight was night and day,” McClure said. “I wasn’t sure we would be able to play at this level this early in the season.
“I think we took a lot of positives.”
York (1-0-0) features two Chicagoland Soccer all-state players in midfielder Sam Musial and Gliatis. Stopka also has some gifted newcomers making the leap from the academy side, like defensive midfielder Kacper Janowski.
The Dukes showed impressive cohesion jamming together the existing talent with the strong new talent.
A nervy midfielder who showed superb instincts, balance and shot-making creativity, Gustavo Herrera secured the only goal of the first half in the 16th minute.
Positioned in the center of the field just above the box, he alertly controlled a loose ball by hammering a half volley, corkscrewing his body perfectly to drill the ball inside the far post.
“The nerves were settling in at the beginning, but after the goal, I felt confident with the ball,” he said. “It came right to me, and I just thought, ‘Why not?’
“I let it go, and it went to a perfect position where the goalie couldn’t get to it, and that got the team going. It was a great moment.”
St. Patrick (0-1-0) recovered well and showed greater movement off the ball, leading to some intriguing set pieces and open actions.
Defender Gael Quinonez created some sharp play off his free kicks that yielded significant pressure against the Dukes.
One of the wave of crafty and dynamic players in the middle of the attack, Rios finally broke through for the Shamrocks at the start of the second half.
Moving down the right edge, he smashed a shot that smacked off the post. He stayed with the ball as it played out the opposite side.
Taking a quick throw-in from sophomore forward Jorge Parra, Rios cut between two Dukes’ defenders and rifled a short volley for the equalizer in the 48th minute.
“The first ball got to me, and I hit the post, and I kind of got mad about that,” Rios said. “I got the second opportunity, and the keeper was not able to receive the ball.”
The two goals by Jose Herrera marked the difference. The third goal turned out to be vital after Duke midfielder Joe Hernandez was issued a red card in the 70th minute.
York played the final 10:22 with just nine field players.
“We switched a couple of things, and we stayed compact,” Stopka said. “Even though we only had 10 men, people were flying all over the place.
“We played pretty good defense.”
Despite the loss, the Shamrocks looked sharp and aggressive. Midfielder Jason Torres hit the post in the 67th minute. Xavier Gamez also had a ball pushed just wide of the frame.
St. Patrick is still seeking its identity and clear shape after a three-year run of two state trophies, and some of the top individual playmakers in the state, like three-time Chicagoland Soccer all-stater Joshua Torres, who now plays at Illinois-Chicago.
“We had a quick turnaround from the spring, but we have been able to play a lot of games,” Rios said. “We’ve had a lot of practice, a lot of hard work to get better, and we just have to continue to play hard.
“It’s not going to be easy.”
McClure was encouraged by the more connected and intuitive play and the sharp contrast from two days earlier.
Growth is progress, even in defeat.
“The story of the game was I thought we created as many strong opportunities as they did,” he said. “They were a little better at finishing. That’s something we have to work on.
“The good thing about having a fairly young team like we do is that we feel we are going to get better on a week-to-week basis.”
Starting lineups
York
GK: Ricardo Torres
D: Ryder Kohl
D: Connor Bare
D: Kacper Janowski
D: Brendan Haran
MF: Sam Musial
MF: Joe Hernandez
MF: Yael Sylvestre
MF: Gustavo Herrera
F: Jose Herrera
F: Kevin Gliatis
St. Patrick
GK: Jake Zavala
D: Ben Elvira
D: Gael Quinonez
D: Jason Torres
D: Rafael Ramirez
MF: Xavier Gamez
MF: Conor Day
MF: Ivan Guerrero
MF: Jason Torres
F: Jorge Parra
F: Nicholas Leon
Chicagoland Soccer Men of the Match: Jose Herrera, jr., F, York;
Gustavo Herrera, so.,, MF, York
Scoring summary
First half
York—Gustavo Herrera (unassisted), 16th minute
Second half
St. Patrick—Rafael Rios (Jorge Parra), 48th minute
York—Jose Herrera (Kevin Gliatis), 51st minute
York—Jose Herrera (Gustavo Herrera), 63rd minute
Brothers score each goals in 3-1 win over Shamrocks
By Patrick Z. McGavin
CHICAGO — A lot of coaching is a feel, a sense of what is possible, in the players in front of you. Jordan Stopka had what could probably most accurately be called an epiphany.
The York coach watched sophomore midfielder Gustavo Herrera during a summer league game when everything crystallized.
“He’s awesome,” Stopka said. “I love that kid, and I would have taken him during the spring, but he was just too small. He grew a little bit.
“He has some of the best vision of any kid I’ve ever seen, whether it be an 18-year old and somebody his age—he’s only 15. In a summer league game, he made one quick pass, and that convinced me. I don’t even care what happens in tryouts—I’m taking that kid if he can make that pass.”
Herrera had the perfect role model, his older brother Jose Herrera, a junior forward who saw time during the truncated spring season.
“We train a lot together, and he always pushes me,” Gustavo Herrera said. “Even if I am tired or I am not very motivated, he is there to help me do my best.”
The Herrera brothers made a spectacular season debut by combining for the scoring in the Dukes’ impressive 3-1 victory over St. Patrick at Read-Dunning Stadium on the northwest side Thursday night.
Jose Herrera scored two goals and Gustavo Herrera had a goal and assist. The brothers shared the Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match distinction for their excellent play.
“I like to make diagonal runs a bunch, and I try to get open, sometimes get an opening in the middle and then pass it off,” Jose Herrera said.
His creativity and ability to shoot off the dribble makes him particularly dangerous. He scored the game-winner in the 51st minute off a beautiful ball slotted by forward Kevin Gliatis.
The brothers punctuated their outstanding and memorable first varsity game together by collaborating on the final Dukes’ score in the 63rd minute.
Pushing the ball through the middle, Gustavo played the ball to his streaking brother on the right wing. Jose Herrera finished with a kinetic and sharp volley.
The game marked an emotional homecoming for Stopka, in his second year directing the Dukes’ program. He helped transform the Shamrocks into a state power.
He coached four years at the lower levels and was part of the varsity staff of head coaches Kyle McClure and Melchor Castro during their Class 3A fourth place finish in 2019.
Senior midfielders Ivan Guerrero and Conor Day, senior defender Ben Elvira and senior keeper Bryant Alvarez are the only players left from that Final Four team.
Clearly the new generation talents that Stopka helped develop are now ready to take up the baton.
“It was very exciting, because we are coming back. We are playing, and it’s our season,” said St. Patrick midfielder Rafael Rios, who scored the Shamrocks’ goal.
Both teams felt a palpable exhilaration at the return of the season, especially coming so close to the truncated and adjusted spring season that featured no state tournament for the first time in 50 years.
The two teams also had their originally scheduled season debuts scratched Tuesday night by inclement weather. The Shamrocks actually got in about 20 minutes against St. Ignatius, where they fell behind 3-1.
The lightning hit, wiping out any record of the game.
“Compared with the St. Ignatius game, tonight was night and day,” McClure said. “I wasn’t sure we would be able to play at this level this early in the season.
“I think we took a lot of positives.”
York (1-0-0) features two Chicagoland Soccer all-state players in midfielder Sam Musial and Gliatis. Stopka also has some gifted newcomers making the leap from the academy side, like defensive midfielder Kacper Janowski.
The Dukes showed impressive cohesion jamming together the existing talent with the strong new talent.
A nervy midfielder who showed superb instincts, balance and shot-making creativity, Gustavo Herrera secured the only goal of the first half in the 16th minute.
Positioned in the center of the field just above the box, he alertly controlled a loose ball by hammering a half volley, corkscrewing his body perfectly to drill the ball inside the far post.
“The nerves were settling in at the beginning, but after the goal, I felt confident with the ball,” he said. “It came right to me, and I just thought, ‘Why not?’
“I let it go, and it went to a perfect position where the goalie couldn’t get to it, and that got the team going. It was a great moment.”
St. Patrick (0-1-0) recovered well and showed greater movement off the ball, leading to some intriguing set pieces and open actions.
Defender Gael Quinonez created some sharp play off his free kicks that yielded significant pressure against the Dukes.
One of the wave of crafty and dynamic players in the middle of the attack, Rios finally broke through for the Shamrocks at the start of the second half.
Moving down the right edge, he smashed a shot that smacked off the post. He stayed with the ball as it played out the opposite side.
Taking a quick throw-in from sophomore forward Jorge Parra, Rios cut between two Dukes’ defenders and rifled a short volley for the equalizer in the 48th minute.
“The first ball got to me, and I hit the post, and I kind of got mad about that,” Rios said. “I got the second opportunity, and the keeper was not able to receive the ball.”
The two goals by Jose Herrera marked the difference. The third goal turned out to be vital after Duke midfielder Joe Hernandez was issued a red card in the 70th minute.
York played the final 10:22 with just nine field players.
“We switched a couple of things, and we stayed compact,” Stopka said. “Even though we only had 10 men, people were flying all over the place.
“We played pretty good defense.”
Despite the loss, the Shamrocks looked sharp and aggressive. Midfielder Jason Torres hit the post in the 67th minute. Xavier Gamez also had a ball pushed just wide of the frame.
St. Patrick is still seeking its identity and clear shape after a three-year run of two state trophies, and some of the top individual playmakers in the state, like three-time Chicagoland Soccer all-stater Joshua Torres, who now plays at Illinois-Chicago.
“We had a quick turnaround from the spring, but we have been able to play a lot of games,” Rios said. “We’ve had a lot of practice, a lot of hard work to get better, and we just have to continue to play hard.
“It’s not going to be easy.”
McClure was encouraged by the more connected and intuitive play and the sharp contrast from two days earlier.
Growth is progress, even in defeat.
“The story of the game was I thought we created as many strong opportunities as they did,” he said. “They were a little better at finishing. That’s something we have to work on.
“The good thing about having a fairly young team like we do is that we feel we are going to get better on a week-to-week basis.”
Starting lineups
York
GK: Ricardo Torres
D: Ryder Kohl
D: Connor Bare
D: Kacper Janowski
D: Brendan Haran
MF: Sam Musial
MF: Joe Hernandez
MF: Yael Sylvestre
MF: Gustavo Herrera
F: Jose Herrera
F: Kevin Gliatis
St. Patrick
GK: Jake Zavala
D: Ben Elvira
D: Gael Quinonez
D: Jason Torres
D: Rafael Ramirez
MF: Xavier Gamez
MF: Conor Day
MF: Ivan Guerrero
MF: Jason Torres
F: Jorge Parra
F: Nicholas Leon
Chicagoland Soccer Men of the Match: Jose Herrera, jr., F, York;
Gustavo Herrera, so.,, MF, York
Scoring summary
First half
York—Gustavo Herrera (unassisted), 16th minute
Second half
St. Patrick—Rafael Rios (Jorge Parra), 48th minute
York—Jose Herrera (Kevin Gliatis), 51st minute
York—Jose Herrera (Gustavo Herrera), 63rd minute