Naperville North starts road to repeat against young Downers Grove South squad
By Matt Le Cren
Many coaches like to begin the season with a couple of easy matches before ratcheting up the strength of schedule.
That’s not the case for Naperville North.
The defending Class 3A state champions open at 6:30 p.m. Monday at Downers Grove South and follow with Oswego East, Lyons and Morton in the first six days of the season. Three of the matches are on the road.
“It’s a tough week,” Naperville North coach Jim Konrad said. “Oswego East is supposed to be really good this year. Then we have LT on Thursday and Morton on Saturday.
“We’re going to know exactly how good we are or aren’t by next week.”
Some may say the easiest game of the bunch is the first one for Chicagoland Soccer's top-rated preseason team.
Host Downers Grove South went 12-5-4 last year and reached the sectional semifinals before losing to Morton. But they graduated 19 seniors and figure to be in rebuilding mode.
“We’re up against the defending state champions, so it’s a good challenge to kind of see where we’re at,” Downers South coach Jon Stapleton said “We’re not sure what to expect. The (team) will be going up against a tremendous opponent and (the Huskies) are not backing down from anybody.”
Naperville North would seem to have the talent to become the first school to win back-to-back large-school state titles since 2003. The Huskies graduated two-time IHSSCA all-stater Chris Sullivan but return nearly everyone else, including seven-of-their-top-eight defensive-minded players.
That includes junior goalie Tommy Welch, who has been nominated for the Gatorade Player of the Year award, and standout defenders Colin Iverson, Mitch Konrad and Ethan Harvey.
Midfielders Jack Barry, Will Ritzmann and Cesar Recendez also are back, while the forward line includes Ali Khorfan, Ian Guppy and Ty Konrad.
Mitch Konrad, a senior who plans to participate in interscholastic bass fishing in college instead of playing soccer, is optimistic.
“We were a young team last year,” said Konrad, the nephew of the coach. “Losing Chris Sullivan is going to be a big deal but hopefully we can have some of the guys step up and fill in some of the roles that he left.
“Most of our starters are back so there shouldn’t be too many gaps to fill, and now we’re just a more experienced team. I’m looking forward to the season.”
Mitch Konrad is relaxed as his final season of competitive soccer approaches. That’s due in part to the fact that the Huskies, whose roster has included many players who he teamed-up with for nearly a decade, accomplished their main goal of winning state last year.
But it wasn’t always that way.
“It’s going to be my last ‘first’ game,” Konrad said. “I can just remember back to freshman and sophomore year; I was so nervous before the game.
“Now I’m kind of used to it. I’m looking forward to it.”
So, too, is his uncle and assistant coach Steve Goletz, who both have ties to Downers Grove South.
“I love going over to play at Downers South because that’s where Steve went to school, and I student taught there,” Konrad said. “It’s a special place to be.
“Downers South, the guys know is a great team every year. They’re always a handful. Their program is very much like ours, and Jon is one of our best friends.”
The familiarity breeds respect among coaches and players alike. Mitch Konrad isn’t taking a win over the inexperienced Mustangs for granted.
“I think there’s going to be a lot of teams out to get us, but honestly I think there are teams that are going to be better than us in the beginning of the season,”
he said. “Morton is always good and Lyons Township has a lot of good players.
“People are going to think we’re the team to chase, but I don’t think we are. I think there are a couple teams ahead of us that we’ve got to catch up to.”
That’s music to uncle Jim's ears.
“I’m glad that my kids have the mentality of nothing comes easy,” he said. “Nothing is going to come easy, and I think the journey last year taught them that. We were fortunate to get by some games.”
Downers Grove South returns only four players with meaningful varsity experience. Junior goalie Parker Smith is the biggest name, while senior defenders Max Schmidt-Bailey, and Adam Chaplin provide experience on the backline. Senior James David will help to control the midfield.
The offense is a complete unknown. Senior midfielder Eric Torres played club last year and will be joined by fellow newcomers Alex Flores and Enrique Gonzalez. Senior Hristijan Veceski, a transfer from Macedonia, might be the best forward initially. Sophomore defender Peter Pierropoulos, whose older brother Andrew played for the Mustangs, brings name recognition if not experience.
“It should be a good matchup,” Stapleton said. “I’m sure both clubs will feel like they’re not going to be 100 percent ready, but it will be a good opportunity to see what we’ve got and what we need to work on.”
By Matt Le Cren
Many coaches like to begin the season with a couple of easy matches before ratcheting up the strength of schedule.
That’s not the case for Naperville North.
The defending Class 3A state champions open at 6:30 p.m. Monday at Downers Grove South and follow with Oswego East, Lyons and Morton in the first six days of the season. Three of the matches are on the road.
“It’s a tough week,” Naperville North coach Jim Konrad said. “Oswego East is supposed to be really good this year. Then we have LT on Thursday and Morton on Saturday.
“We’re going to know exactly how good we are or aren’t by next week.”
Some may say the easiest game of the bunch is the first one for Chicagoland Soccer's top-rated preseason team.
Host Downers Grove South went 12-5-4 last year and reached the sectional semifinals before losing to Morton. But they graduated 19 seniors and figure to be in rebuilding mode.
“We’re up against the defending state champions, so it’s a good challenge to kind of see where we’re at,” Downers South coach Jon Stapleton said “We’re not sure what to expect. The (team) will be going up against a tremendous opponent and (the Huskies) are not backing down from anybody.”
Naperville North would seem to have the talent to become the first school to win back-to-back large-school state titles since 2003. The Huskies graduated two-time IHSSCA all-stater Chris Sullivan but return nearly everyone else, including seven-of-their-top-eight defensive-minded players.
That includes junior goalie Tommy Welch, who has been nominated for the Gatorade Player of the Year award, and standout defenders Colin Iverson, Mitch Konrad and Ethan Harvey.
Midfielders Jack Barry, Will Ritzmann and Cesar Recendez also are back, while the forward line includes Ali Khorfan, Ian Guppy and Ty Konrad.
Mitch Konrad, a senior who plans to participate in interscholastic bass fishing in college instead of playing soccer, is optimistic.
“We were a young team last year,” said Konrad, the nephew of the coach. “Losing Chris Sullivan is going to be a big deal but hopefully we can have some of the guys step up and fill in some of the roles that he left.
“Most of our starters are back so there shouldn’t be too many gaps to fill, and now we’re just a more experienced team. I’m looking forward to the season.”
Mitch Konrad is relaxed as his final season of competitive soccer approaches. That’s due in part to the fact that the Huskies, whose roster has included many players who he teamed-up with for nearly a decade, accomplished their main goal of winning state last year.
But it wasn’t always that way.
“It’s going to be my last ‘first’ game,” Konrad said. “I can just remember back to freshman and sophomore year; I was so nervous before the game.
“Now I’m kind of used to it. I’m looking forward to it.”
So, too, is his uncle and assistant coach Steve Goletz, who both have ties to Downers Grove South.
“I love going over to play at Downers South because that’s where Steve went to school, and I student taught there,” Konrad said. “It’s a special place to be.
“Downers South, the guys know is a great team every year. They’re always a handful. Their program is very much like ours, and Jon is one of our best friends.”
The familiarity breeds respect among coaches and players alike. Mitch Konrad isn’t taking a win over the inexperienced Mustangs for granted.
“I think there’s going to be a lot of teams out to get us, but honestly I think there are teams that are going to be better than us in the beginning of the season,”
he said. “Morton is always good and Lyons Township has a lot of good players.
“People are going to think we’re the team to chase, but I don’t think we are. I think there are a couple teams ahead of us that we’ve got to catch up to.”
That’s music to uncle Jim's ears.
“I’m glad that my kids have the mentality of nothing comes easy,” he said. “Nothing is going to come easy, and I think the journey last year taught them that. We were fortunate to get by some games.”
Downers Grove South returns only four players with meaningful varsity experience. Junior goalie Parker Smith is the biggest name, while senior defenders Max Schmidt-Bailey, and Adam Chaplin provide experience on the backline. Senior James David will help to control the midfield.
The offense is a complete unknown. Senior midfielder Eric Torres played club last year and will be joined by fellow newcomers Alex Flores and Enrique Gonzalez. Senior Hristijan Veceski, a transfer from Macedonia, might be the best forward initially. Sophomore defender Peter Pierropoulos, whose older brother Andrew played for the Mustangs, brings name recognition if not experience.
“It should be a good matchup,” Stapleton said. “I’m sure both clubs will feel like they’re not going to be 100 percent ready, but it will be a good opportunity to see what we’ve got and what we need to work on.”