Challenge Cup gives host
Leyden another shot at OPRF
Visiting Huskies will try to keep long unbeaten streak alive
By Dave Owen
The challenge is a familiar one in Round 2 of the Leyden Challenge Cup.
Leyden hosts Oak Park and River Forest at 6:30 p.m. Thursday in a battle between 2014 regional champions.
Leyden rolls into the match after a 5-2 win over Larkin in Tuesday’s Cup opener. But despite six-straight seasons of finishing at least six games over .500, one obstacle has been a frustrating one of late for Leyden: beating OPRF.
“We always have great games with them in which one or two big moments usually decide the game,” ninth-year Leyden coach Mark Valintis said. “For the most part those moments have gone their way as we have not beaten them in my tenure here. But it's really a great chance for me to see where we are in development when we play them.”
A 1-0 loss last year in Oak Park was the latest of many close, early-season battles between the sides. The Eagles and Huskies played to a draw in 2013.
OPRF (0-1) has its own challenge to overcome: the Huskies suffered a 2-1 loss to Riverside-Brookfield in Tuesday’s opener of the Leyden Cup.
That marked the second-straight, season-opening loss to R-B, although the Huskies rebounded nicely in 2014 to beat Leyden in their next match and eventually claim a regional title.
Long-term thinking is again the focus for the Huskies (13-6-1 last fall).
“We are going to be a senior-led team with many new first-year varsity players,” OPRF coach Paul Wright said. “The Leyden tournament offers us a chance to see a few different styles of play, and get some solid matches on grass before the Pepsi tournament (next month).”
Goalkeeper Will Dunne and third-year varsity veterans Evan Kindler and Kyle Pendleton are among the familiar seniors in the Oak Park and River Forest lineup.
As for Leyden, which finished 12-6-4 in 2014, a strong nucleus also returns.
“Senior Alfredo Recendez is back for his third year on varsity in goal and has gotten stronger and better over the last year,” Valintis said. “Cesar Franco is also back for his third year on varsity as a center back and will lead our defense which should prove to be our strength this season.”
The offense also received a huge offseason boost.
“We got back Albert Arabik, who returns from Academy (missing last year for the Eagles) as our main forward,” Valintis said. “The former all-stater as a sophomore (in 2013) will end up being one of the top players in the state again this season, and he teams up with Angel Lopez and Mario Vazquez to lead a creative attack.”
Creating a win over OPRF will be the next goal for the Eagles. But both coaches see Thursday’s test and the season-opening Cup more as a prelude to bigger things.
“This tournament allows us the chance to play three quality programs that present three different playing styles that we will see the rest of the season,” Valintis said.
“It gives our defense a chance to see different looks which will help us improve our communication and help us learn what we need to do to be successful this season. Offensively we will face different defensive alignments that use speed, strength, height and quickness to stop us. And all three teams have quality goalkeeping which will force us to work very hard to create and score.”
Standout goalkeepers Dunne and Recendez will be in focus in Thursday’s early-season measuring stick for both squads.
“These (Leyden Cup) teams are some common opponents that allow us to gauge ourselves,” Wright said, “as well as use this to help seed us in sectionals.”
Cup play concludes on Saturday for both the Eagles and Huskies.
Leyden another shot at OPRF
Visiting Huskies will try to keep long unbeaten streak alive
By Dave Owen
The challenge is a familiar one in Round 2 of the Leyden Challenge Cup.
Leyden hosts Oak Park and River Forest at 6:30 p.m. Thursday in a battle between 2014 regional champions.
Leyden rolls into the match after a 5-2 win over Larkin in Tuesday’s Cup opener. But despite six-straight seasons of finishing at least six games over .500, one obstacle has been a frustrating one of late for Leyden: beating OPRF.
“We always have great games with them in which one or two big moments usually decide the game,” ninth-year Leyden coach Mark Valintis said. “For the most part those moments have gone their way as we have not beaten them in my tenure here. But it's really a great chance for me to see where we are in development when we play them.”
A 1-0 loss last year in Oak Park was the latest of many close, early-season battles between the sides. The Eagles and Huskies played to a draw in 2013.
OPRF (0-1) has its own challenge to overcome: the Huskies suffered a 2-1 loss to Riverside-Brookfield in Tuesday’s opener of the Leyden Cup.
That marked the second-straight, season-opening loss to R-B, although the Huskies rebounded nicely in 2014 to beat Leyden in their next match and eventually claim a regional title.
Long-term thinking is again the focus for the Huskies (13-6-1 last fall).
“We are going to be a senior-led team with many new first-year varsity players,” OPRF coach Paul Wright said. “The Leyden tournament offers us a chance to see a few different styles of play, and get some solid matches on grass before the Pepsi tournament (next month).”
Goalkeeper Will Dunne and third-year varsity veterans Evan Kindler and Kyle Pendleton are among the familiar seniors in the Oak Park and River Forest lineup.
As for Leyden, which finished 12-6-4 in 2014, a strong nucleus also returns.
“Senior Alfredo Recendez is back for his third year on varsity in goal and has gotten stronger and better over the last year,” Valintis said. “Cesar Franco is also back for his third year on varsity as a center back and will lead our defense which should prove to be our strength this season.”
The offense also received a huge offseason boost.
“We got back Albert Arabik, who returns from Academy (missing last year for the Eagles) as our main forward,” Valintis said. “The former all-stater as a sophomore (in 2013) will end up being one of the top players in the state again this season, and he teams up with Angel Lopez and Mario Vazquez to lead a creative attack.”
Creating a win over OPRF will be the next goal for the Eagles. But both coaches see Thursday’s test and the season-opening Cup more as a prelude to bigger things.
“This tournament allows us the chance to play three quality programs that present three different playing styles that we will see the rest of the season,” Valintis said.
“It gives our defense a chance to see different looks which will help us improve our communication and help us learn what we need to do to be successful this season. Offensively we will face different defensive alignments that use speed, strength, height and quickness to stop us. And all three teams have quality goalkeeping which will force us to work very hard to create and score.”
Standout goalkeepers Dunne and Recendez will be in focus in Thursday’s early-season measuring stick for both squads.
“These (Leyden Cup) teams are some common opponents that allow us to gauge ourselves,” Wright said, “as well as use this to help seed us in sectionals.”
Cup play concludes on Saturday for both the Eagles and Huskies.