The beat, and streak,
goes on for Hinsdale Central
Oak Park and River Forest freshman makes mark
By Patrick Z. McGavin
In the aftermath of Hinsdale Central's exhilarating overtime victory over conference rival Oak Park and River Forest, Hinsdale Central coach Michael Wiggins reflected on the peculiarity of the circumstances that only heightened the drama.
Hinsdale Central keeper Wes Bergevin made two stops in the penalty shootout to help the Red Devils overcome an early deficit in beating the Huskies, by a score of 3-2 in the shootout.
Oak Park and River Forest's Evan Kindler’s goal in the 76th minute knotted the score at 2-apiece, and pretty much ensured extra time. The game was played on the Red Devils’ soccer facility, which is without lights. The two overtimes were played in steadily declining natural light.
By the time of the mandated five-minute break before the shootout, the field was covered in near complete dark, the players almost abstract figures, silhouetted against backdrops. Stories are legendary, some perhaps apocryphal, of some schools resorting to having a battery of cars turn on their headlights in an effort to illuminate the field.
It added a wrinkle, to a game, that was already one of the best games of a year, a sharp, well-played and very physical game of teams that have a healthy respect for one another.
“We got it in,” Wiggins said.
Wiggins remembered the last such scenario, two years in a Class 3A regional championship at St. Ignatius, on the West Side of Chicago. The game went double-overtime and Hinsdale Central finally pulled out the victory.
“For years the West Suburban Silver was always the side that didn’t have lights,” Wiggins said. “Games were played where it was constant darkness and having to come back and finish them. It’s October.”
“Both teams had to play in it,” Oak Park and River Forest coach Paul Wright said. “There wasn’t really another option. There wasn’t anywhere else we could go to finish the game.”
17 in a row
The more important and valuable lesson gained, said Wiggins, was the team’s fortitude, toughness and ability to again pull out a tough victory in an elite conference. Hinsdale Central has won 17-consecutive games in the West Suburban Silver.
“That’s 17-straight games unbeaten in the conference, and with no hesitation to see that every single one of those games has been earned by our boys,” Wiggins said. “It’s a credit to our conference for what we get out of every single game. It’s exactly what we want for the end of the year.”
The players are aware of the run, certainly proud of it, and point the credit to the program. “I think it’s all the system,” star senior defender Evan Floersch said. “You don’t win 17-straight games with a good roster. You win it with a great coach. He’s one of the greatest coaches in the state.”
View from the other side
Despite the loss, Oak Park and River Forest had many positives to draw on. The coaches named freshman Andrew Barkidjija the Huskies “Man of the Match,” for registering his first career goal and assist.
The Oak Park school's record stood at just 3-4-1 after Saint Viator drilled the Huskies 3-0 in first round play of the PepsiCo Showdown on September 13th. Wright said the last couple of years, the tournament was where the team started to find itself. Sure enough, Oak Park and River Forest ripped off three-straight wins in the consolation round of the tournament as part of a five-game winning streak.
The Huskies are the No. 5 seed in the Class 3A Lyons Sectional. Two years ago, the team stunned defending state champion Morton on the Mustangs’ own field in a regional final.
With three regular season games remaining, the Huskies are looking to sharpen and refine their attack. That happened Tuesday according to at least one participant.
“Everybody was clicking, and it was a great team effort,” freshman Barkidjija said.
The winning streak is over, but the big games aren't.
goes on for Hinsdale Central
Oak Park and River Forest freshman makes mark
By Patrick Z. McGavin
In the aftermath of Hinsdale Central's exhilarating overtime victory over conference rival Oak Park and River Forest, Hinsdale Central coach Michael Wiggins reflected on the peculiarity of the circumstances that only heightened the drama.
Hinsdale Central keeper Wes Bergevin made two stops in the penalty shootout to help the Red Devils overcome an early deficit in beating the Huskies, by a score of 3-2 in the shootout.
Oak Park and River Forest's Evan Kindler’s goal in the 76th minute knotted the score at 2-apiece, and pretty much ensured extra time. The game was played on the Red Devils’ soccer facility, which is without lights. The two overtimes were played in steadily declining natural light.
By the time of the mandated five-minute break before the shootout, the field was covered in near complete dark, the players almost abstract figures, silhouetted against backdrops. Stories are legendary, some perhaps apocryphal, of some schools resorting to having a battery of cars turn on their headlights in an effort to illuminate the field.
It added a wrinkle, to a game, that was already one of the best games of a year, a sharp, well-played and very physical game of teams that have a healthy respect for one another.
“We got it in,” Wiggins said.
Wiggins remembered the last such scenario, two years in a Class 3A regional championship at St. Ignatius, on the West Side of Chicago. The game went double-overtime and Hinsdale Central finally pulled out the victory.
“For years the West Suburban Silver was always the side that didn’t have lights,” Wiggins said. “Games were played where it was constant darkness and having to come back and finish them. It’s October.”
“Both teams had to play in it,” Oak Park and River Forest coach Paul Wright said. “There wasn’t really another option. There wasn’t anywhere else we could go to finish the game.”
17 in a row
The more important and valuable lesson gained, said Wiggins, was the team’s fortitude, toughness and ability to again pull out a tough victory in an elite conference. Hinsdale Central has won 17-consecutive games in the West Suburban Silver.
“That’s 17-straight games unbeaten in the conference, and with no hesitation to see that every single one of those games has been earned by our boys,” Wiggins said. “It’s a credit to our conference for what we get out of every single game. It’s exactly what we want for the end of the year.”
The players are aware of the run, certainly proud of it, and point the credit to the program. “I think it’s all the system,” star senior defender Evan Floersch said. “You don’t win 17-straight games with a good roster. You win it with a great coach. He’s one of the greatest coaches in the state.”
View from the other side
Despite the loss, Oak Park and River Forest had many positives to draw on. The coaches named freshman Andrew Barkidjija the Huskies “Man of the Match,” for registering his first career goal and assist.
The Oak Park school's record stood at just 3-4-1 after Saint Viator drilled the Huskies 3-0 in first round play of the PepsiCo Showdown on September 13th. Wright said the last couple of years, the tournament was where the team started to find itself. Sure enough, Oak Park and River Forest ripped off three-straight wins in the consolation round of the tournament as part of a five-game winning streak.
The Huskies are the No. 5 seed in the Class 3A Lyons Sectional. Two years ago, the team stunned defending state champion Morton on the Mustangs’ own field in a regional final.
With three regular season games remaining, the Huskies are looking to sharpen and refine their attack. That happened Tuesday according to at least one participant.
“Everybody was clicking, and it was a great team effort,” freshman Barkidjija said.
The winning streak is over, but the big games aren't.