McCarthy has spectacular day for Young
Senior MF’s play gives Dolphins chance to defend consolation title
By Patrick Z. McGavin
BURBANK -- Esme McCarthy had a career arc blasting out of the gate like a Roman candle. It glowed with assurance and style.
During his first two years at Young, he showcased versatility, a heady style and an intuitive feel for the game. Playing for his father, Ian McCarthy, Esme was a natural in the fullest sense.
He was particularly valuable in his ability to play multiple positions: a disruptive defender; a holding midfielder; or an attacking piece.
On the verge of what many imagined was his breakout junior year, disaster struck in the form of a series of debilitating injuries he suffered playing club.
The Dolphins still put together a very credible year. Esme McCarthy largely witnessed it from the sidelines as he made the slow and painful recovery.
Now he is back with a vengeance.
A senior midfielder, McCarthy scored goals in the Dolphins’ two Windy City victories Saturday that punched their ticket to SeatGeek Stadium on Thursday. For his accomplishments McCarthy earned the Chicagoland Soccer's Man of the Match honor.
McCarthy blasted home the game-winner in the 53rd minute in the 1-0 victory over Argo in a consolation bracket semifinal of the Windy City Ram Classic on Saturday at Reavis.
Young (3-1-0), ranked 35th in the Chicagoland Soccer First 50 preseason poll, posted its third-consecutive shutout win and advanced to the final against Lincoln-Way West at 4:30 p.m. at SeatGreek Stadium in Bridgeview. The Dolphins seek to defend their consolation title of a year ago, which was earned in a shootout with Lincon-Way East.
The championship bracket semifinals are Tuesday at Reavis. Lockport plays Bremen in the upper bracket game. Juarez plays Homewood-Flossmoor in the lower bracket game.
The winners meet in the title game on Thursday.
McCarthy scored the insurance goal in the first half off an assist by forward Aidan Chapman that sealed the Dolphins’ 2-0 victory over Public League rival Kennedy in the morning quarterfinal round.
Young entered the year brimming with enthusiasm and confidence. Right out of the gate, the team learned a lesson in dropping its opener 2-0 against Lemont on Tuesday in the first round of the tournament.
“The Lemont game was definitely was a wakeup call, and it showed us we had to be more urgent on the ball and just play with an aggression with our opponent,” Esme McCarthy said.
“In practice, since we are all teammates, we are not necessarily going in all hard on each other. Lemont was really pressing us high, and I don’t think we were prepared for that.”
Making that quick transition from training to the start of game-action is often a shock of the new season. Young got jolted.
“Playing a game is a lot different than training,” Ian McCarthy said. “Lemont had a high press. Did our guys press each other in practice? Sure a little bit. Collectively we probably need to be more intense in practice.
“We have been working in practice about putting the pressure on our attacking players to move the ball and play faster.”
Young recovered with a sharp 3-0 victory over Riverside-Brookfield on Thursday. In the morning game against the Crusaders, the Dolphins demonstrated poise and quickness in pushing out their attack.
Chapman is the lone forward in the 4-5-1 look. He has excellent size and speed and knows how to apply pressure. Young began as the aggressor and dictated the early tempo. Playing their third-consecutive game on a natural grass surface, the Dolphins took charge.
Young optimized that pressure in the 10th minute as midfielder Owen Anderson played a nice through-ball that midfielder Diego Nieto blasted home for the early advantage.
“After our first game we have been training a lot and just working hard,” Nieto said. “Our focus is just trying to jell as a team. We are not backing down from anybody. We just want to keep this momentum, be aggressive and look to score.”
Last year the Chicago Public League split up its best conference, the Premier Division, into two geographical zones. Young is the team to beat with Lane in the Premier North. Kennedy is chasing defending city champion Solorio in the Premier South.
With seven returning starters, Kennedy (1-2-0) is looking to assert itself as a team to watch. Playing in the Windy City Ram Classic is a way to accelerate the process.
“I have a lot of seniors, and they have played together for a while,” Kennedy coach Carlos Hernandez said. “We made some mental mistakes. It’s early in the season, and we are still getting rid of the jitters.
“Whitney Young, I’ve known the coach for many years, they have a great program. We did miss our chances and coach McCarthy took advantage of his. They had some opportunities at the start, and they put them away. We just didn’t put ours away.
“When I look at (my players), and they are playing together the last two or three years, I tell them it’s not how you start. It is how you finish.”
Junior midfielder Karol Piszczor said the Crusaders were anxious and off-rhythm at the start and struggled to match the intensity of the Dolphins.
“Some of the guys were trying to dribble too much instead of moving the ball quickly, and they punished us for that,” Piszczor said. “We kicked it around too much.”
Esme McCarthy got into the mix in the 22nd minute. He collaborated with Chapman on a terrific scoring sequence. Chapman chased down a loose ball and created for McCarthy.
“I just saw Aidan Chapman, and he got me the ball,” Esme McCarthy said. “I knew he was going to win it, and I just had to get in the best position and be there for a negative ball and put it in the net.
The start of the season marks a specific challenge he for city programs. With its delayed start of classes to the day after Labor Day, the coaches must offset the fractured nature of late August.
“Some of our parents are still on vacation,” Hernandez said.
Playing multiple games early is a chance to pinpoint improvement and growth, Esme McCarthy said.
“Straight out of the gate we are going hard,” the senior said. “We are moving the ball. Everyone is on it. We are playing faster and defensively everyone is getting back. We are limiting turnovers as much as possible. We are just trying to play a lot harder and with more aggression.”
In an emotional, mentally demanding game like soccer, the key is not allowing disappointment to linger. Young was disappointed at the opening loss against Lemont.
They strove hard to learn from their mistakes.
“I think we see every game as an opportunity to grow and a chance to get better, even during the game, whether it’s from the first half to the second half. To keep on growing every single game,” Esme McCarthy said.
This week marks a watershed for the program. Young begins Premier play against a quality Taft program Wednesday, plays in the consolation title Thursday in Bridgeview and hosts rival Lane on Friday.
The Lane game marks the debut of the new turf field on campus.
“That first game was disappointing, but we know we are talented,” Ian McCarthy said. “Hopefully that just propels us the rest of the season.
Starting lineups
Young
GK: Daniel Moderhack
D: Alan Gaytan
D: Joshua Meyer
D: Alex Espino
D: Nate Dixon
MF: Owen Anderson
MF: Esme McCarthy
MF: Rodney Bejabeng
MF: Elias Guzman
MF: Diego Nieto
F: Aidan Chapman
Kennedy-
GK: Axel Cano
D: Juan Cahue
D: Caleb Valvodinos
D: Christian Cahue
D: Jonathan Daza
MF: David Martinez
MF: Adrian Guerrero
MF: Ivan Jimenez
MF: Jair Canelo
MF: Karol Piszczor
F: Christian Olivares
Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match: Esme McCarthy, sr., MF, Young
Scoring summary
First half
Young—Diego Nieto (Owen Anderson), 10th minute
Young—Esme McCarthy (Aidan Chapman), 22nd minute
Second half
No scoring
Senior MF’s play gives Dolphins chance to defend consolation title
By Patrick Z. McGavin
BURBANK -- Esme McCarthy had a career arc blasting out of the gate like a Roman candle. It glowed with assurance and style.
During his first two years at Young, he showcased versatility, a heady style and an intuitive feel for the game. Playing for his father, Ian McCarthy, Esme was a natural in the fullest sense.
He was particularly valuable in his ability to play multiple positions: a disruptive defender; a holding midfielder; or an attacking piece.
On the verge of what many imagined was his breakout junior year, disaster struck in the form of a series of debilitating injuries he suffered playing club.
The Dolphins still put together a very credible year. Esme McCarthy largely witnessed it from the sidelines as he made the slow and painful recovery.
Now he is back with a vengeance.
A senior midfielder, McCarthy scored goals in the Dolphins’ two Windy City victories Saturday that punched their ticket to SeatGeek Stadium on Thursday. For his accomplishments McCarthy earned the Chicagoland Soccer's Man of the Match honor.
McCarthy blasted home the game-winner in the 53rd minute in the 1-0 victory over Argo in a consolation bracket semifinal of the Windy City Ram Classic on Saturday at Reavis.
Young (3-1-0), ranked 35th in the Chicagoland Soccer First 50 preseason poll, posted its third-consecutive shutout win and advanced to the final against Lincoln-Way West at 4:30 p.m. at SeatGreek Stadium in Bridgeview. The Dolphins seek to defend their consolation title of a year ago, which was earned in a shootout with Lincon-Way East.
The championship bracket semifinals are Tuesday at Reavis. Lockport plays Bremen in the upper bracket game. Juarez plays Homewood-Flossmoor in the lower bracket game.
The winners meet in the title game on Thursday.
McCarthy scored the insurance goal in the first half off an assist by forward Aidan Chapman that sealed the Dolphins’ 2-0 victory over Public League rival Kennedy in the morning quarterfinal round.
Young entered the year brimming with enthusiasm and confidence. Right out of the gate, the team learned a lesson in dropping its opener 2-0 against Lemont on Tuesday in the first round of the tournament.
“The Lemont game was definitely was a wakeup call, and it showed us we had to be more urgent on the ball and just play with an aggression with our opponent,” Esme McCarthy said.
“In practice, since we are all teammates, we are not necessarily going in all hard on each other. Lemont was really pressing us high, and I don’t think we were prepared for that.”
Making that quick transition from training to the start of game-action is often a shock of the new season. Young got jolted.
“Playing a game is a lot different than training,” Ian McCarthy said. “Lemont had a high press. Did our guys press each other in practice? Sure a little bit. Collectively we probably need to be more intense in practice.
“We have been working in practice about putting the pressure on our attacking players to move the ball and play faster.”
Young recovered with a sharp 3-0 victory over Riverside-Brookfield on Thursday. In the morning game against the Crusaders, the Dolphins demonstrated poise and quickness in pushing out their attack.
Chapman is the lone forward in the 4-5-1 look. He has excellent size and speed and knows how to apply pressure. Young began as the aggressor and dictated the early tempo. Playing their third-consecutive game on a natural grass surface, the Dolphins took charge.
Young optimized that pressure in the 10th minute as midfielder Owen Anderson played a nice through-ball that midfielder Diego Nieto blasted home for the early advantage.
“After our first game we have been training a lot and just working hard,” Nieto said. “Our focus is just trying to jell as a team. We are not backing down from anybody. We just want to keep this momentum, be aggressive and look to score.”
Last year the Chicago Public League split up its best conference, the Premier Division, into two geographical zones. Young is the team to beat with Lane in the Premier North. Kennedy is chasing defending city champion Solorio in the Premier South.
With seven returning starters, Kennedy (1-2-0) is looking to assert itself as a team to watch. Playing in the Windy City Ram Classic is a way to accelerate the process.
“I have a lot of seniors, and they have played together for a while,” Kennedy coach Carlos Hernandez said. “We made some mental mistakes. It’s early in the season, and we are still getting rid of the jitters.
“Whitney Young, I’ve known the coach for many years, they have a great program. We did miss our chances and coach McCarthy took advantage of his. They had some opportunities at the start, and they put them away. We just didn’t put ours away.
“When I look at (my players), and they are playing together the last two or three years, I tell them it’s not how you start. It is how you finish.”
Junior midfielder Karol Piszczor said the Crusaders were anxious and off-rhythm at the start and struggled to match the intensity of the Dolphins.
“Some of the guys were trying to dribble too much instead of moving the ball quickly, and they punished us for that,” Piszczor said. “We kicked it around too much.”
Esme McCarthy got into the mix in the 22nd minute. He collaborated with Chapman on a terrific scoring sequence. Chapman chased down a loose ball and created for McCarthy.
“I just saw Aidan Chapman, and he got me the ball,” Esme McCarthy said. “I knew he was going to win it, and I just had to get in the best position and be there for a negative ball and put it in the net.
The start of the season marks a specific challenge he for city programs. With its delayed start of classes to the day after Labor Day, the coaches must offset the fractured nature of late August.
“Some of our parents are still on vacation,” Hernandez said.
Playing multiple games early is a chance to pinpoint improvement and growth, Esme McCarthy said.
“Straight out of the gate we are going hard,” the senior said. “We are moving the ball. Everyone is on it. We are playing faster and defensively everyone is getting back. We are limiting turnovers as much as possible. We are just trying to play a lot harder and with more aggression.”
In an emotional, mentally demanding game like soccer, the key is not allowing disappointment to linger. Young was disappointed at the opening loss against Lemont.
They strove hard to learn from their mistakes.
“I think we see every game as an opportunity to grow and a chance to get better, even during the game, whether it’s from the first half to the second half. To keep on growing every single game,” Esme McCarthy said.
This week marks a watershed for the program. Young begins Premier play against a quality Taft program Wednesday, plays in the consolation title Thursday in Bridgeview and hosts rival Lane on Friday.
The Lane game marks the debut of the new turf field on campus.
“That first game was disappointing, but we know we are talented,” Ian McCarthy said. “Hopefully that just propels us the rest of the season.
Starting lineups
Young
GK: Daniel Moderhack
D: Alan Gaytan
D: Joshua Meyer
D: Alex Espino
D: Nate Dixon
MF: Owen Anderson
MF: Esme McCarthy
MF: Rodney Bejabeng
MF: Elias Guzman
MF: Diego Nieto
F: Aidan Chapman
Kennedy-
GK: Axel Cano
D: Juan Cahue
D: Caleb Valvodinos
D: Christian Cahue
D: Jonathan Daza
MF: David Martinez
MF: Adrian Guerrero
MF: Ivan Jimenez
MF: Jair Canelo
MF: Karol Piszczor
F: Christian Olivares
Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match: Esme McCarthy, sr., MF, Young
Scoring summary
First half
Young—Diego Nieto (Owen Anderson), 10th minute
Young—Esme McCarthy (Aidan Chapman), 22nd minute
Second half
No scoring