Hersey, Fremd ready
to tee it up at MSL Soccer Bowl
By Mike Garofola
Hersey, which claimed the Mid-Suburban League East Division crown on the very last day of the regular-season with its gritty victory over defending champion Buffalo Grove, heads to Hildebrandt Field in Palatine on Thursday to meet Fremd in the 44th-annual MSL Soccer Bowl.
The Huskies fought off a fierce challenge from division rivals Prospect and Rolling Meadows to earn its ninth championship appearance in program history, but first since 2008.
"We're really excited about playing for the Cup," began Huskies manager Mike Rusniak.
"Joe (Russo, assistant coach) and I were joking before our game with Buffalo Grove that there has not been a set lineup with the same starters all season long.
"In many ways it has kept the guys ready to play at any given time. (We're) constantly telling them that when you get your time to play, to make the most of it.
"(That) next-man-up mentality has become our mantra for the season. The players have embraced (it) and stepped up to the challenges of playing in a new position or more playing time that they're used to."
Rusniak has leaned heavily on his captains Andrew Hamilton, Simon Hemenway, Charlie Shiffman and Adrian Szumski, as well as keeper Joe Lens, who took over for Reese Delahanty, a superb keeper who graduated last spring. Also graduated were stars Patryk Bujak, Tommy Steger and Chicagoland Soccer all-stater Ronan Wilcox.
"Lens was fortunate to work with some dominate keepers before him (Reese) and Nick Clarizio. He has continued to grow incredibly into a first-class keeper and has kept us in games with big saves," said Rusniak.
"Andrew (Hamilton) has been a great surprise as a defender. Shiffman continues to be one of the best defenders in the area, and (Hemenway), whose been on the varsity since he was a freshman, has become one of those players who makes an impact whenever he's out there for us.
"As for Adrian, his pace, passion, and ability to be dangerous up-top for us has helped our attack. He can shoot, score and help others find the back of the net."
Herrsey slipped on the proverbial banana peel when they dropped points to Barrington and then Prospect. It allowed the Knights and Rolling Meadows to jump ahead of Rusniak's men in the division.
"I always have my concerns about where our mindset and head space are after a loss, but this team has surprised me as to how concentrated they are on what they can control," said Rusniak.
"We have a 30-minute rule after our games to move on, don't dwell on the result of that day. They have really done well with moving quickly and turning our attention to our next game."
Steve Keller's club from Fremd, the clear conference favorite in advance of this fall campaign, validated the lofty expectations with a near-perfect 10-1-0 league record that included a 4-2 win over the Huskies on Oct. 7. The Vikings will make their league-best 14th trip to the big game.
That Fremd (14-2-1), a former no. 1 and now ranked fourth in the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25, aims to win its ninth trophy Thursday.That is something Beck Smolak and his mates have been talking about long before they entered high school.
"Most of us have known each other for such a long time," said Smolak, one of the top center backs in the area. He's been a key figure on a Vikings club that conceded just four goals in league play.
"We've been talking about our senior year when we'll all be together playing, and how we want to make this year a special one. Winning the division and a conference championship are several of the goals we have this season. There's a lot more we all want."
Smolak said he felt earning the no. 1 seed in the Barrington Sectional was an honor, but his team will need to step play up from here on out. His coach agrees wholeheartedly.
"We were playing at a very high level when we beat Naperville North, Marquette U-High, then St. Charles East," said Keller. "During the last 4-5 games, I feel like we haven't approached that (level). We're looking to get back to where we were, then go on from there."
Smolak is looking forward to getting Adrian Blonski back from the injured list sometime soon.
"Adrian is a great player," he said. "If he returns it means we can play together as our central defenders with Braden Roos on the outside, Joey (Rodino) playing the six and Caden Statz, who's been amazing, not only as an outside back but as someone who can get forward in our attack. We'll be even better than we have been."
Blonski is one of three (Demetri Vlahos and Statz) who returned from club soccer to help round out an already talented, deep roster that features 12 back from the spring team that went 9-3-0.
The last time the Vikings made an appearance in the MSL Soccer Cup was in 2019 when they dispatched Wheeling 7-1.
"Our loss to Barrington last Saturday is hopefully the wake-up call we maybe needed," Keller said. "If it was, then I look for us to come out and play the way I know we can for 80 minutes."
Hersey began an impressive three-year run of titles in 2006 when they defeated the Vikings 3-2 in overtime. They followed with consecutive victories over Barrington in shootouts.
to tee it up at MSL Soccer Bowl
By Mike Garofola
Hersey, which claimed the Mid-Suburban League East Division crown on the very last day of the regular-season with its gritty victory over defending champion Buffalo Grove, heads to Hildebrandt Field in Palatine on Thursday to meet Fremd in the 44th-annual MSL Soccer Bowl.
The Huskies fought off a fierce challenge from division rivals Prospect and Rolling Meadows to earn its ninth championship appearance in program history, but first since 2008.
"We're really excited about playing for the Cup," began Huskies manager Mike Rusniak.
"Joe (Russo, assistant coach) and I were joking before our game with Buffalo Grove that there has not been a set lineup with the same starters all season long.
"In many ways it has kept the guys ready to play at any given time. (We're) constantly telling them that when you get your time to play, to make the most of it.
"(That) next-man-up mentality has become our mantra for the season. The players have embraced (it) and stepped up to the challenges of playing in a new position or more playing time that they're used to."
Rusniak has leaned heavily on his captains Andrew Hamilton, Simon Hemenway, Charlie Shiffman and Adrian Szumski, as well as keeper Joe Lens, who took over for Reese Delahanty, a superb keeper who graduated last spring. Also graduated were stars Patryk Bujak, Tommy Steger and Chicagoland Soccer all-stater Ronan Wilcox.
"Lens was fortunate to work with some dominate keepers before him (Reese) and Nick Clarizio. He has continued to grow incredibly into a first-class keeper and has kept us in games with big saves," said Rusniak.
"Andrew (Hamilton) has been a great surprise as a defender. Shiffman continues to be one of the best defenders in the area, and (Hemenway), whose been on the varsity since he was a freshman, has become one of those players who makes an impact whenever he's out there for us.
"As for Adrian, his pace, passion, and ability to be dangerous up-top for us has helped our attack. He can shoot, score and help others find the back of the net."
Herrsey slipped on the proverbial banana peel when they dropped points to Barrington and then Prospect. It allowed the Knights and Rolling Meadows to jump ahead of Rusniak's men in the division.
"I always have my concerns about where our mindset and head space are after a loss, but this team has surprised me as to how concentrated they are on what they can control," said Rusniak.
"We have a 30-minute rule after our games to move on, don't dwell on the result of that day. They have really done well with moving quickly and turning our attention to our next game."
Steve Keller's club from Fremd, the clear conference favorite in advance of this fall campaign, validated the lofty expectations with a near-perfect 10-1-0 league record that included a 4-2 win over the Huskies on Oct. 7. The Vikings will make their league-best 14th trip to the big game.
That Fremd (14-2-1), a former no. 1 and now ranked fourth in the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25, aims to win its ninth trophy Thursday.That is something Beck Smolak and his mates have been talking about long before they entered high school.
"Most of us have known each other for such a long time," said Smolak, one of the top center backs in the area. He's been a key figure on a Vikings club that conceded just four goals in league play.
"We've been talking about our senior year when we'll all be together playing, and how we want to make this year a special one. Winning the division and a conference championship are several of the goals we have this season. There's a lot more we all want."
Smolak said he felt earning the no. 1 seed in the Barrington Sectional was an honor, but his team will need to step play up from here on out. His coach agrees wholeheartedly.
"We were playing at a very high level when we beat Naperville North, Marquette U-High, then St. Charles East," said Keller. "During the last 4-5 games, I feel like we haven't approached that (level). We're looking to get back to where we were, then go on from there."
Smolak is looking forward to getting Adrian Blonski back from the injured list sometime soon.
"Adrian is a great player," he said. "If he returns it means we can play together as our central defenders with Braden Roos on the outside, Joey (Rodino) playing the six and Caden Statz, who's been amazing, not only as an outside back but as someone who can get forward in our attack. We'll be even better than we have been."
Blonski is one of three (Demetri Vlahos and Statz) who returned from club soccer to help round out an already talented, deep roster that features 12 back from the spring team that went 9-3-0.
The last time the Vikings made an appearance in the MSL Soccer Cup was in 2019 when they dispatched Wheeling 7-1.
"Our loss to Barrington last Saturday is hopefully the wake-up call we maybe needed," Keller said. "If it was, then I look for us to come out and play the way I know we can for 80 minutes."
Hersey began an impressive three-year run of titles in 2006 when they defeated the Vikings 3-2 in overtime. They followed with consecutive victories over Barrington in shootouts.