Rising West Chicago prepares for key league showdown with Glenbard East
By Dave Owen
A busy six days for West Chicago ends Tuesday with the Wildcats’ biggest match of the bunch.
Defending Upstate Eight Valley Division co-champion Glenbard East (8-3-3, 1-0-2 in conference) brings its stellar defense and rich pedigree to West Chicago for a 6:30 p.m. match.
The resurgent Wildcats (10-5-2, 1-0-0) will play their fifth game since Thursday, but should be highly energized by the prospect of adding a big conference highlight to their turnaround 2018 season.
After finishing 8-12-3 in 2017 (including a 3-0 loss at Glenbard East last April 25), West Chicago has already exceeded that win total of a year ago with over two weeks left in the regular season.
Even more impressively, the Wildcats are 9-2-2 since a March 17 loss, turning the coldest weather spring in recent memory into a red-hot spring on the pitch.
“We are scoring goals and not letting them in like in years past,” West Chicago coach J. Cesar Gomez said. “This group of kids works hard and with purpose and also focus. We know our limitations, and we try to get the most out of what we know we are good at, possession.”
Glenbard East coach Kent Overbey is well aware of the Wildcats’ strengths.
“They possess the ball well, and we need to make sure to limit their touches and shrink the field defensively,” Overbey said. “We need to open the field up on turnovers and get forward.”
Goalkeeper Haley Rich, midfielder Barbie Castellanos and defender Odalis Martinez are tri-captains, and give the Wildcats marquee players in key spots on the field.
While West Chicago has emerged as a quality side this season, Glenbard East soared to elite status with its run to the Class 3A state semifinals in 2016.
Players like Katie Hansen, Elizabeth Toledo, Amy Chiero, Faith Davies and Ali Liljestrand all played 20-plus varsity games that breakout season, and remain integral parts of coach Kent Overbey’s squad.
Defense has been the name of the game for the 2018 Rams.
“We need to be focused on taking care of the ball the way we have all year,” Overbey said. “We’ve only given up six goals, and we have 11 shutouts. If we stay clean in the back and limit chances, we should have some success.
“I think we're in a pretty good place,” Overbey added. “We have four losses, and in those four losses, only a two-goal differential (overall). Two of those losses were 0-0 ties that we lost in PKs.”
Goalkeeper Davies, Hansen, Sam Johnson, Alyse Donato and Mattie Pusateri are veteran standouts in back. Before Thursday’s 2-1 loss to Batavia, the Rams had allowed just one regulation goal in their last 11 games.
“Faith Davies in goal, what else can be said about her?,” Overbey said. “Our back four, Donato, Hansen, Pusateri and Johnson are as tight a group as we've ever had.
“Our mids Chiero, Liljestrand and Toledo do a ton of work and keep us in games, and our forwards (Lindsey) Novak, Camacho and (Maggie) Weltin are the start of our defense, and they are the ones earning chances.”
But scoring has often been the Rams’ one Achilles heel.
“We need to be more efficient in the final third,” Overbey said. “We've had a bunch of chances in some of these close games that we haven't been able to convert. We've been working on it. Saturday was our first real practice in about a month, and I feel good about the things we were able to work on.”
West Chicago has had little time to practice this past week, and now closes the hectic stretch of games with a major test.
“GE (Glenbard East) is a strong team,” Gomez said. “Conference champs, a good squad and well coached.
“We need to keep the ball and keep it on the ground, and eliminate set plays.”
West Chicago fell 2-1 to Elgin on Monday in a makeup game from March 23. Prior to that the Wildcats recorded a 2-1-0 record at the Larkin Tournament.
Shutout wins on Thursday and Friday (over Grant and Rockford East) were followed by rare defensive struggles in a 5-2 loss Saturday to Hononegah.
That setback ended a six-game unbeaten streak in which the Wildcats allowed just three goals.
“We did well in all (three) of our tournaments this season,” Gomez said. “And we scored in all three Larkin games – that is a positive.
“We started well and finished well versus Hononegah, but did lose focus in the middle of the game. They did well on their opportunities, and we paid for it. But it was one of those games when everyone learned something.”
On 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, either the Rams or Wildcats will take a big step up into the UEC Valley title chase.
By Dave Owen
A busy six days for West Chicago ends Tuesday with the Wildcats’ biggest match of the bunch.
Defending Upstate Eight Valley Division co-champion Glenbard East (8-3-3, 1-0-2 in conference) brings its stellar defense and rich pedigree to West Chicago for a 6:30 p.m. match.
The resurgent Wildcats (10-5-2, 1-0-0) will play their fifth game since Thursday, but should be highly energized by the prospect of adding a big conference highlight to their turnaround 2018 season.
After finishing 8-12-3 in 2017 (including a 3-0 loss at Glenbard East last April 25), West Chicago has already exceeded that win total of a year ago with over two weeks left in the regular season.
Even more impressively, the Wildcats are 9-2-2 since a March 17 loss, turning the coldest weather spring in recent memory into a red-hot spring on the pitch.
“We are scoring goals and not letting them in like in years past,” West Chicago coach J. Cesar Gomez said. “This group of kids works hard and with purpose and also focus. We know our limitations, and we try to get the most out of what we know we are good at, possession.”
Glenbard East coach Kent Overbey is well aware of the Wildcats’ strengths.
“They possess the ball well, and we need to make sure to limit their touches and shrink the field defensively,” Overbey said. “We need to open the field up on turnovers and get forward.”
Goalkeeper Haley Rich, midfielder Barbie Castellanos and defender Odalis Martinez are tri-captains, and give the Wildcats marquee players in key spots on the field.
While West Chicago has emerged as a quality side this season, Glenbard East soared to elite status with its run to the Class 3A state semifinals in 2016.
Players like Katie Hansen, Elizabeth Toledo, Amy Chiero, Faith Davies and Ali Liljestrand all played 20-plus varsity games that breakout season, and remain integral parts of coach Kent Overbey’s squad.
Defense has been the name of the game for the 2018 Rams.
“We need to be focused on taking care of the ball the way we have all year,” Overbey said. “We’ve only given up six goals, and we have 11 shutouts. If we stay clean in the back and limit chances, we should have some success.
“I think we're in a pretty good place,” Overbey added. “We have four losses, and in those four losses, only a two-goal differential (overall). Two of those losses were 0-0 ties that we lost in PKs.”
Goalkeeper Davies, Hansen, Sam Johnson, Alyse Donato and Mattie Pusateri are veteran standouts in back. Before Thursday’s 2-1 loss to Batavia, the Rams had allowed just one regulation goal in their last 11 games.
“Faith Davies in goal, what else can be said about her?,” Overbey said. “Our back four, Donato, Hansen, Pusateri and Johnson are as tight a group as we've ever had.
“Our mids Chiero, Liljestrand and Toledo do a ton of work and keep us in games, and our forwards (Lindsey) Novak, Camacho and (Maggie) Weltin are the start of our defense, and they are the ones earning chances.”
But scoring has often been the Rams’ one Achilles heel.
“We need to be more efficient in the final third,” Overbey said. “We've had a bunch of chances in some of these close games that we haven't been able to convert. We've been working on it. Saturday was our first real practice in about a month, and I feel good about the things we were able to work on.”
West Chicago has had little time to practice this past week, and now closes the hectic stretch of games with a major test.
“GE (Glenbard East) is a strong team,” Gomez said. “Conference champs, a good squad and well coached.
“We need to keep the ball and keep it on the ground, and eliminate set plays.”
West Chicago fell 2-1 to Elgin on Monday in a makeup game from March 23. Prior to that the Wildcats recorded a 2-1-0 record at the Larkin Tournament.
Shutout wins on Thursday and Friday (over Grant and Rockford East) were followed by rare defensive struggles in a 5-2 loss Saturday to Hononegah.
That setback ended a six-game unbeaten streak in which the Wildcats allowed just three goals.
“We did well in all (three) of our tournaments this season,” Gomez said. “And we scored in all three Larkin games – that is a positive.
“We started well and finished well versus Hononegah, but did lose focus in the middle of the game. They did well on their opportunities, and we paid for it. But it was one of those games when everyone learned something.”
On 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, either the Rams or Wildcats will take a big step up into the UEC Valley title chase.