'Little 2A kid' St. Francis looks for respect
Smallest school in Hillner Classic faces Lake Park
By Ken Keenan
For a team in the middle of the Class 2A pack, opening the season in a
tournament against several renowned Class 3A squads can be a bit
intimidating.
But that's not the case regarding St. Francis, which began the 2015
season with a 1-0 win over Wheaton North in its first game at the
Hillner Classic on Aug. 27 at Lake Park. The Spartans continue tourney play
with a match against the host Lancers at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, and will
close out with tilts against York on Thursday and Conant on Saturday.
"We're the little 2A kid on the block playing these 3A schools, so
it's a no-lose situation for us," said second-year Spartans head coach
Kevin Ward, who also has 25 years of coaching experience with the Fox
Valley Strikers Soccer Club, based in Geneva, and serves as its
director of coaching as well.
The Spartans held their own during the 2014 Hillner Classic, emerging
with a respectable 1-2-2 mark en route to a 9-9-4 overall record
(including 4-2-1 in Chicago Catholic League South Division play).
"The (Hillner) tourney set the stage for us last year ... proved we
could be a viable group," said Ward, whose team concluded the season
with a 3-0 loss to Wheaton Academy in the semifinals of its own
regional. "A big thing is to gain respect. We want to get better, and
recognized, as a program. It's been a long time since we were at that
level, and I think we reached that a bit last year."
A pair of varsity newcomers -- junior forward Zach Crescenzo and
senior defender Timmy Pisarski -- teamed up for the game-winning goal
against Wheaton North. Crescenzo's tally (assisted by Pisarski) in the
41st minute broke a 0-0 deadlock, and St. Francis held on from there.
"The win over Wheaton North was a good start for us," Ward said. "I'm
not totally satisfied, but I am pleased with the outcome. We
controlled the midfield, and the pace, and had several opportunities
to score. Increasing our goal production is on our list of
objectives."
Looking to provide help in that department will be forward Nicholas
Roehl, one of five veteran seniors on board this year. Back for his
fourth varsity go-round, Roehl racked up 16 goals and 11 assists in
2014, and was named all-conference.
"He has good size (6-foot-1) and strength, an excellent shot, and good
power in his finish," Ward said. "He's a smart player, too, and a
lead-by-example type. He's quiet, but the others do look up to him."
Senior goalkeeper Jonathan Burke, who registered six shutouts last
year and also made the all-conference team, earned the shutout against
Wheaton North with nine saves. Burke also has three years of varsity
experience under his belt.
"He's greatly improved from his freshman and sophomore years," Ward
said. "He's the whole package all the way around -- a good kid and a
true leader in the back. I believe he's going to make a good
goalkeeper for someone on the next level."
Manning the midfield is a trio of seniors: four-year varsity men David
Gianos and Keenan Corrigan, and Matthew Martin, who is in his
second season with the top club.
"We have good leadership with that group," Ward said. "They run the
show in the middle of the pitch. Our play in the midfield will end up
being one of the key points of what we're looking for through the
year."
Veteran defenders Carney Herard and Josh Baker (both juniors), and
sophomores Ethan Grosam and Jacob Power round out the list of
returnees. Baker will play in the midfield as well.
"As a quartet, they bring good, solid experience from last year," Ward
said. "We want to be tenacious on defense and turn that into a
tenacious attack."
Regarding the aforementioned newcomers, Ward said, "Crescenzo is
probably the fastest kid I've seen play the game in all my years of
coaching, and I've seen a lot of kids play. His speed is his No. 1
asset, and he's worked hard to improve in other areas of the game.
"Pisarski (who also plays volleyball) is a strong kid, with good speed
and size (6-1). He's a presence -- a very good distributor."
Freshman midfielder Sean Conley and classmate Nicholas Gulli, a
defender/midfielder, also made the varsity cut.
"Conley earned his spot and has a chance to make an impact this year,"
Ward said. "Gulli is a nice player with the ball -- technically sound,
and very skillful and smart. He has good game sense."
Team-wise, Ward said that technical ability and speed are the
Spartans' main assets.
"If we execute, and if we see the game fast enough, that will be to
our benefit," he said. "Right now, we're faster physically than from a
mental standpoint, but that can develop. For us, it's the little
things. The foundation is there. It's a matter of how quickly we can
see the game and understand what we're supposed to do.
"This year, it's about how can we make an impact. We have to focus on
each and every game, one at a time, and build it up. And I think this
group wants to maintain that level of focus -- and make something
happen. As far as group effort, we're clicking right now. We'll see if
we can keep it rolling."
St. Francis will take on a Lake Park team that opened the season with
a 2-0 loss to Addison Trail at home, on Aug. 25. The Lancers then
began Hillner Classic play with a 1-1 draw against Conant, on Aug. 27,
and two days later notched their first win of the season with a 4-1
decision over York.
Lake Park finishes up play in its tourney with a match against
Wheaton North on Thursday.
Smallest school in Hillner Classic faces Lake Park
By Ken Keenan
For a team in the middle of the Class 2A pack, opening the season in a
tournament against several renowned Class 3A squads can be a bit
intimidating.
But that's not the case regarding St. Francis, which began the 2015
season with a 1-0 win over Wheaton North in its first game at the
Hillner Classic on Aug. 27 at Lake Park. The Spartans continue tourney play
with a match against the host Lancers at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, and will
close out with tilts against York on Thursday and Conant on Saturday.
"We're the little 2A kid on the block playing these 3A schools, so
it's a no-lose situation for us," said second-year Spartans head coach
Kevin Ward, who also has 25 years of coaching experience with the Fox
Valley Strikers Soccer Club, based in Geneva, and serves as its
director of coaching as well.
The Spartans held their own during the 2014 Hillner Classic, emerging
with a respectable 1-2-2 mark en route to a 9-9-4 overall record
(including 4-2-1 in Chicago Catholic League South Division play).
"The (Hillner) tourney set the stage for us last year ... proved we
could be a viable group," said Ward, whose team concluded the season
with a 3-0 loss to Wheaton Academy in the semifinals of its own
regional. "A big thing is to gain respect. We want to get better, and
recognized, as a program. It's been a long time since we were at that
level, and I think we reached that a bit last year."
A pair of varsity newcomers -- junior forward Zach Crescenzo and
senior defender Timmy Pisarski -- teamed up for the game-winning goal
against Wheaton North. Crescenzo's tally (assisted by Pisarski) in the
41st minute broke a 0-0 deadlock, and St. Francis held on from there.
"The win over Wheaton North was a good start for us," Ward said. "I'm
not totally satisfied, but I am pleased with the outcome. We
controlled the midfield, and the pace, and had several opportunities
to score. Increasing our goal production is on our list of
objectives."
Looking to provide help in that department will be forward Nicholas
Roehl, one of five veteran seniors on board this year. Back for his
fourth varsity go-round, Roehl racked up 16 goals and 11 assists in
2014, and was named all-conference.
"He has good size (6-foot-1) and strength, an excellent shot, and good
power in his finish," Ward said. "He's a smart player, too, and a
lead-by-example type. He's quiet, but the others do look up to him."
Senior goalkeeper Jonathan Burke, who registered six shutouts last
year and also made the all-conference team, earned the shutout against
Wheaton North with nine saves. Burke also has three years of varsity
experience under his belt.
"He's greatly improved from his freshman and sophomore years," Ward
said. "He's the whole package all the way around -- a good kid and a
true leader in the back. I believe he's going to make a good
goalkeeper for someone on the next level."
Manning the midfield is a trio of seniors: four-year varsity men David
Gianos and Keenan Corrigan, and Matthew Martin, who is in his
second season with the top club.
"We have good leadership with that group," Ward said. "They run the
show in the middle of the pitch. Our play in the midfield will end up
being one of the key points of what we're looking for through the
year."
Veteran defenders Carney Herard and Josh Baker (both juniors), and
sophomores Ethan Grosam and Jacob Power round out the list of
returnees. Baker will play in the midfield as well.
"As a quartet, they bring good, solid experience from last year," Ward
said. "We want to be tenacious on defense and turn that into a
tenacious attack."
Regarding the aforementioned newcomers, Ward said, "Crescenzo is
probably the fastest kid I've seen play the game in all my years of
coaching, and I've seen a lot of kids play. His speed is his No. 1
asset, and he's worked hard to improve in other areas of the game.
"Pisarski (who also plays volleyball) is a strong kid, with good speed
and size (6-1). He's a presence -- a very good distributor."
Freshman midfielder Sean Conley and classmate Nicholas Gulli, a
defender/midfielder, also made the varsity cut.
"Conley earned his spot and has a chance to make an impact this year,"
Ward said. "Gulli is a nice player with the ball -- technically sound,
and very skillful and smart. He has good game sense."
Team-wise, Ward said that technical ability and speed are the
Spartans' main assets.
"If we execute, and if we see the game fast enough, that will be to
our benefit," he said. "Right now, we're faster physically than from a
mental standpoint, but that can develop. For us, it's the little
things. The foundation is there. It's a matter of how quickly we can
see the game and understand what we're supposed to do.
"This year, it's about how can we make an impact. We have to focus on
each and every game, one at a time, and build it up. And I think this
group wants to maintain that level of focus -- and make something
happen. As far as group effort, we're clicking right now. We'll see if
we can keep it rolling."
St. Francis will take on a Lake Park team that opened the season with
a 2-0 loss to Addison Trail at home, on Aug. 25. The Lancers then
began Hillner Classic play with a 1-1 draw against Conant, on Aug. 27,
and two days later notched their first win of the season with a 4-1
decision over York.
Lake Park finishes up play in its tourney with a match against
Wheaton North on Thursday.