Elk Grove, Prospect seek
1st league win in MSL matchup
By Ken Keenan
Heading into a Mid-Suburban League showdown on Tuesday, East Division
rivals Elk Grove and host Prospect have two wins apiece already this
season after posting a combined overall record of 9-26-4 in 2014.
The Grenadiers (4-12-12 in 2014) fell to 2-1-0 with a 3-1 road loss to
Jacobs on Saturday, while the Knights (5-14-2 a year ago) slipped to
2-2-0 after suffering a 1-0 defeat against MSL foe Rolling Meadows on
the road Sept. 3.
Since opening the 2015 campaign with a robust 6-0 win over Maine East on
Aug. 24 -- behind a school-record six goals from senior forward Chris
Cooney -- Prospect dropped a 2-1 decision to Downers Grove North three
days later at home, and then bounced back with a 1-0 win over host
Saint Viator on Aug. 29 when Cooney scored the game-winner on a penalty
kick in the 56th minute.
Rolling Meadows scored in a similar span when the Mustangs topped the Knights.
"We really didn't pressure the ball on that play, and they got a good
shot on goal and scored," said first-year Knights head coach Paul
Elkins. "We started the game pretty well. In the first 10 to 15
minutes, we were dangerous, but then we started to give the ball away.
"From that point forward, (Rolling Meadows) had the momentum, and we
never really got it back. Our midfield gave up the ball at times when
we shouldn't have. We just didn't keep the ball enough and create
enough opportunities, especially the last 10 or 15 minutes of the
game.
"I think our defense has been pretty solid all year. All three of the
goals we've given up basically came on giveaways. When we put pressure
on the ball and stay organized, we're hard to score on. The keys are
being organized, pushing up the field, and getting the forwards and
midfielders to buy into that .. buy into defending the whole field. We
lost sight of that a bit against Rolling Meadows. But for the most
part, we've done that this year."
As pleased as Elkins is with his team's effort on 'D,' the skipper
would like to see a bit more on the offensive side -- and not just
from Cooney, who's been on the radar of opponents since his record-setting
performance to start the year.
"Others have to step up and score some goals -- it can't be Chris the
whole time," Elkins said. "Other teams will key on him. Rolling
Meadows was aware of him, and their backline never left him unmarked
the whole game. So we have to find a way to have some other guys step
up and make some plays for us. We have worked on how we need to be
better on corners to the box, and timing our runs to the box."
Elk Grove opened with a 3-2 win over host Maine West
on Aug. 25, followed by a 3-1 win over Zion-Benton at home on Aug. 27.
Elk Grove's offense is led by the speedy, 1-2 punch of senior
forward/attacking midfielder Edgar Soto and classmate Oscar Suarez, a
midfielder. Suarez tallied the Grenadiers' first goal against
Zion-Benton (from junior defender Memo Contreras), while Soto assisted
on the team's third goal (scored by sophomore forward Dylan
Ingebrigsten) after Suarez started the play with a free kick.
"Suarez is a really creative player who's grown up in the last year,"
said Elk Grove head coach Rob Shepard following the win over Z-B. "I
told him, 'You won't be a secret for long.' And when Soto is going 100
percent with (Suarez), it's a fun grouping to watch -- two creative
guys out there."
On the defensive side, Shepard had praise for senior defender Connor
Emmerich and junior outside defender Noe Centeno -- as well as
Contreras.
"Emmerich is one of our even-keel guys," Shepard said. "He's the eyes
and ears in the back. Centeno does a lot of good things back there,
too. And Memo (Contreras), he's a guy we found some minutes for, and
he's making a positive difference."
Last season, Prospect topped Elk Grove 4-0 on the Grenadiers' pitch.
"We beat them pretty easily at their place, so I'm sure they'll
remember that," Elkins said. "I know they have a lot of technical
players this year. But we're focusing on ourselves in the preparation.
It's our first home conference game of the year, so we'd love to go
out there and get our first conference win."
1st league win in MSL matchup
By Ken Keenan
Heading into a Mid-Suburban League showdown on Tuesday, East Division
rivals Elk Grove and host Prospect have two wins apiece already this
season after posting a combined overall record of 9-26-4 in 2014.
The Grenadiers (4-12-12 in 2014) fell to 2-1-0 with a 3-1 road loss to
Jacobs on Saturday, while the Knights (5-14-2 a year ago) slipped to
2-2-0 after suffering a 1-0 defeat against MSL foe Rolling Meadows on
the road Sept. 3.
Since opening the 2015 campaign with a robust 6-0 win over Maine East on
Aug. 24 -- behind a school-record six goals from senior forward Chris
Cooney -- Prospect dropped a 2-1 decision to Downers Grove North three
days later at home, and then bounced back with a 1-0 win over host
Saint Viator on Aug. 29 when Cooney scored the game-winner on a penalty
kick in the 56th minute.
Rolling Meadows scored in a similar span when the Mustangs topped the Knights.
"We really didn't pressure the ball on that play, and they got a good
shot on goal and scored," said first-year Knights head coach Paul
Elkins. "We started the game pretty well. In the first 10 to 15
minutes, we were dangerous, but then we started to give the ball away.
"From that point forward, (Rolling Meadows) had the momentum, and we
never really got it back. Our midfield gave up the ball at times when
we shouldn't have. We just didn't keep the ball enough and create
enough opportunities, especially the last 10 or 15 minutes of the
game.
"I think our defense has been pretty solid all year. All three of the
goals we've given up basically came on giveaways. When we put pressure
on the ball and stay organized, we're hard to score on. The keys are
being organized, pushing up the field, and getting the forwards and
midfielders to buy into that .. buy into defending the whole field. We
lost sight of that a bit against Rolling Meadows. But for the most
part, we've done that this year."
As pleased as Elkins is with his team's effort on 'D,' the skipper
would like to see a bit more on the offensive side -- and not just
from Cooney, who's been on the radar of opponents since his record-setting
performance to start the year.
"Others have to step up and score some goals -- it can't be Chris the
whole time," Elkins said. "Other teams will key on him. Rolling
Meadows was aware of him, and their backline never left him unmarked
the whole game. So we have to find a way to have some other guys step
up and make some plays for us. We have worked on how we need to be
better on corners to the box, and timing our runs to the box."
Elk Grove opened with a 3-2 win over host Maine West
on Aug. 25, followed by a 3-1 win over Zion-Benton at home on Aug. 27.
Elk Grove's offense is led by the speedy, 1-2 punch of senior
forward/attacking midfielder Edgar Soto and classmate Oscar Suarez, a
midfielder. Suarez tallied the Grenadiers' first goal against
Zion-Benton (from junior defender Memo Contreras), while Soto assisted
on the team's third goal (scored by sophomore forward Dylan
Ingebrigsten) after Suarez started the play with a free kick.
"Suarez is a really creative player who's grown up in the last year,"
said Elk Grove head coach Rob Shepard following the win over Z-B. "I
told him, 'You won't be a secret for long.' And when Soto is going 100
percent with (Suarez), it's a fun grouping to watch -- two creative
guys out there."
On the defensive side, Shepard had praise for senior defender Connor
Emmerich and junior outside defender Noe Centeno -- as well as
Contreras.
"Emmerich is one of our even-keel guys," Shepard said. "He's the eyes
and ears in the back. Centeno does a lot of good things back there,
too. And Memo (Contreras), he's a guy we found some minutes for, and
he's making a positive difference."
Last season, Prospect topped Elk Grove 4-0 on the Grenadiers' pitch.
"We beat them pretty easily at their place, so I'm sure they'll
remember that," Elkins said. "I know they have a lot of technical
players this year. But we're focusing on ourselves in the preparation.
It's our first home conference game of the year, so we'd love to go
out there and get our first conference win."