New Trier, Warren look
to stay on the upswing
By Mike Garofola
New Trier and Warren lifted conference championship trophies this week: New Trier (13-1-1) took the Central Suburban League crown in kicks over Niles North; Warren (11-2-4) posted a 2-0 league victory over Lake Forest to take the North Suburban Conference.
These two high-profile clubs meet tonight in Gurnee in a nonconference affair which technically has nothing at stake. But if you ask New Trier’s Aidan Crawford or Warren’s Alexis Medina, it's a game of great importance.
"Even though neither of us is playing for any hardware in this game, it's important that we go out against Warren, and continue to play well in order to keep our level of play at the highest level as we get closer to the postseason," said Crawford.
The Trevians’ brilliant three-year starting keeper turned away a Niles North seventh round spot-kick Wednesday night before teammate Eli Drake buried his to deliver the program’s fifth-consecutive league title with a 6-5 advantage after going straight to a shootout after finishing 2-2 in regulation.
"To tell you the truth, I was excited for us to be going to a shootout,” Crawford said. “I have so much confidence in my teammates, and I knew we would be in good shape because of them."
The senior has committed to attend and play at Loyola next fall. He will study biological sciences with an eye towards exercise science or pre-med.
The team tri-captain along with Ronan O'Neill and James Paden saw 16 teammates from the 2021 spring team that went 13-4-0 graduate.
"Yes, we lost a lot of talent, but I am not surprised by the success we've enjoyed thus far," Crawford said.
"This is a team that has worked hard during the offseason and right from the start of training before the season. It's a team that works together very well, has great chemistry and never stops working to be better."
Crawford says the Trevians’ backline is so good that it makes his job much easier. The players have adapted well to the 3-4-3 formation the club plays.
"The guys in the back (Colin Gottshall, Ely Wilson and O'Neill) react, read the game really well and are technically strong,” he said. “They can join the attack when the time is right.”
Trevians manager Matt Ravenscraft knows what he has in goal.
"Aidan represents the complete goalkeeper," he said.
"He is an explosive shot-stopper and is great with the ball at his feet. He takes charge of all free kicks, sees the game at a very high level and is just a phenomenal leader of the team. He uses his experience to help others manage each moment, each game and the season overall.
"His teammates look up to him, and he makes everyone around him better."
Ravenscraft says he has been surprised at how quickly his men have formed such a close bond, particularly with so many new faces. That usually takes time.
"Our captains and other returning players have welcomed the new guys and have shown how to be a varsity player in our program,” he said.
"We throw a lot of information at the boys, but they are eager to learn and grow."
"I am so grateful to have our fall season back, not just for the games but to be able to see the boys connect as a group and form relationships on and off the field."
During a season in which new players have been asked to make their mark on the roster, Ravenscraft feels juniors Matthew Perchik and Eli Drake have done so.
"Matthew has demonstrated that he can produce offensive consistently at this level,” the coach said. “He score so many different types of goals, and it's been fun to watch him grow as the season has progressed.
"Eli is one of the hardest working guys on our squad, and he empties his tank on every shift for us.
"His technical qualities sometimes fly under the radar, but he is great at protecting the ball in tight spaces, and he just loves this sport and being a part of the team."
Medina sees this game tonight as yet another way for Warren, ranked 20th in the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25, to prove they belong in the conversation as one of the top teams in the area. Beating no. 3 New Trier would go a long way in backing that argument.
The Blue Devils also endured heavy graduation losses with 14 seniors gone from its uber-talented and superb 2021 spring team that went 15-0-0 and topped the Chicagoland Soccer Final 50 state-wide poll.
" I think a lot of people thought we would be just an average team, but I knew from summer league, even after struggling, that this team was very capable of going out and having the same type of season we had last spring," Medina said.
"We trained so hard during the offseason, and the focus of this team, even with so many new players, has been amazing. When we started our season with a 7-1 win over Grayslake North, I knew right then we had the right kind of talent to be a very good team.
"We all feel like we have to continue to prove ourselves, despite the record we have. This game tonight with New Trier gives us a chance to show we can play with one of the best in the state, and that we're one also."
Medina is second in scoring on the team, just behind defender Cael Harris, a fellow senior who helms the backline.
"Cael is a tremendous leader and captain,” said Medina of his best friend. “He can score and is such a great defender who can shut down opponents, distribute and keep us organized. Just like me, he is hungry to see our team be the best it can be."
Add Miguel Garcia to the list of players Medina feels have been key figures in the Blue Devils success.
"Miguel is a great attacking player,: he said. “He is fast, creative and dangerous, and has really shown just how good of a player he can be. He's just a junior, and I feel next year he will be one of the best around at his position"
Medina plays alongside Garcia in the Blue Devils 3-5-2 formation. The pair bagged the goals the Blue Devils needed to take a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Libertyville Tuesday night to set up its North Suburban Conference-clinching victory at home over Lake Forest.
"This is a team that won only once in (12) matches during our summer league season. While we were missing players, the large number of players who are on this team played with us during the summer," said Blue Devils manager Jason Ahonen.
"This group has really come together quite nicely.
"The summer gave us a chance to see a large number of players. We have looked at the talent that we have as a varsity team and have tried our best to put them in the best position possible to be successful."
"Ahonen did a great job over the summer working us hard, making us grind it out each day to get us ready for the fall season,” Medina said. “With a solid backline, an attack that keeps getting better and better and everyone getting more comfortable each time out with each other, I feel like will compete at a high-level tonight and into the playoffs."
Harris and fellow central defender Ryan Staniak have been responsible to the Blue Devils conceding just 12 goals in 17 games, which includes seven clean-sheets.
to stay on the upswing
By Mike Garofola
New Trier and Warren lifted conference championship trophies this week: New Trier (13-1-1) took the Central Suburban League crown in kicks over Niles North; Warren (11-2-4) posted a 2-0 league victory over Lake Forest to take the North Suburban Conference.
These two high-profile clubs meet tonight in Gurnee in a nonconference affair which technically has nothing at stake. But if you ask New Trier’s Aidan Crawford or Warren’s Alexis Medina, it's a game of great importance.
"Even though neither of us is playing for any hardware in this game, it's important that we go out against Warren, and continue to play well in order to keep our level of play at the highest level as we get closer to the postseason," said Crawford.
The Trevians’ brilliant three-year starting keeper turned away a Niles North seventh round spot-kick Wednesday night before teammate Eli Drake buried his to deliver the program’s fifth-consecutive league title with a 6-5 advantage after going straight to a shootout after finishing 2-2 in regulation.
"To tell you the truth, I was excited for us to be going to a shootout,” Crawford said. “I have so much confidence in my teammates, and I knew we would be in good shape because of them."
The senior has committed to attend and play at Loyola next fall. He will study biological sciences with an eye towards exercise science or pre-med.
The team tri-captain along with Ronan O'Neill and James Paden saw 16 teammates from the 2021 spring team that went 13-4-0 graduate.
"Yes, we lost a lot of talent, but I am not surprised by the success we've enjoyed thus far," Crawford said.
"This is a team that has worked hard during the offseason and right from the start of training before the season. It's a team that works together very well, has great chemistry and never stops working to be better."
Crawford says the Trevians’ backline is so good that it makes his job much easier. The players have adapted well to the 3-4-3 formation the club plays.
"The guys in the back (Colin Gottshall, Ely Wilson and O'Neill) react, read the game really well and are technically strong,” he said. “They can join the attack when the time is right.”
Trevians manager Matt Ravenscraft knows what he has in goal.
"Aidan represents the complete goalkeeper," he said.
"He is an explosive shot-stopper and is great with the ball at his feet. He takes charge of all free kicks, sees the game at a very high level and is just a phenomenal leader of the team. He uses his experience to help others manage each moment, each game and the season overall.
"His teammates look up to him, and he makes everyone around him better."
Ravenscraft says he has been surprised at how quickly his men have formed such a close bond, particularly with so many new faces. That usually takes time.
"Our captains and other returning players have welcomed the new guys and have shown how to be a varsity player in our program,” he said.
"We throw a lot of information at the boys, but they are eager to learn and grow."
"I am so grateful to have our fall season back, not just for the games but to be able to see the boys connect as a group and form relationships on and off the field."
During a season in which new players have been asked to make their mark on the roster, Ravenscraft feels juniors Matthew Perchik and Eli Drake have done so.
"Matthew has demonstrated that he can produce offensive consistently at this level,” the coach said. “He score so many different types of goals, and it's been fun to watch him grow as the season has progressed.
"Eli is one of the hardest working guys on our squad, and he empties his tank on every shift for us.
"His technical qualities sometimes fly under the radar, but he is great at protecting the ball in tight spaces, and he just loves this sport and being a part of the team."
Medina sees this game tonight as yet another way for Warren, ranked 20th in the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25, to prove they belong in the conversation as one of the top teams in the area. Beating no. 3 New Trier would go a long way in backing that argument.
The Blue Devils also endured heavy graduation losses with 14 seniors gone from its uber-talented and superb 2021 spring team that went 15-0-0 and topped the Chicagoland Soccer Final 50 state-wide poll.
" I think a lot of people thought we would be just an average team, but I knew from summer league, even after struggling, that this team was very capable of going out and having the same type of season we had last spring," Medina said.
"We trained so hard during the offseason, and the focus of this team, even with so many new players, has been amazing. When we started our season with a 7-1 win over Grayslake North, I knew right then we had the right kind of talent to be a very good team.
"We all feel like we have to continue to prove ourselves, despite the record we have. This game tonight with New Trier gives us a chance to show we can play with one of the best in the state, and that we're one also."
Medina is second in scoring on the team, just behind defender Cael Harris, a fellow senior who helms the backline.
"Cael is a tremendous leader and captain,” said Medina of his best friend. “He can score and is such a great defender who can shut down opponents, distribute and keep us organized. Just like me, he is hungry to see our team be the best it can be."
Add Miguel Garcia to the list of players Medina feels have been key figures in the Blue Devils success.
"Miguel is a great attacking player,: he said. “He is fast, creative and dangerous, and has really shown just how good of a player he can be. He's just a junior, and I feel next year he will be one of the best around at his position"
Medina plays alongside Garcia in the Blue Devils 3-5-2 formation. The pair bagged the goals the Blue Devils needed to take a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Libertyville Tuesday night to set up its North Suburban Conference-clinching victory at home over Lake Forest.
"This is a team that won only once in (12) matches during our summer league season. While we were missing players, the large number of players who are on this team played with us during the summer," said Blue Devils manager Jason Ahonen.
"This group has really come together quite nicely.
"The summer gave us a chance to see a large number of players. We have looked at the talent that we have as a varsity team and have tried our best to put them in the best position possible to be successful."
"Ahonen did a great job over the summer working us hard, making us grind it out each day to get us ready for the fall season,” Medina said. “With a solid backline, an attack that keeps getting better and better and everyone getting more comfortable each time out with each other, I feel like will compete at a high-level tonight and into the playoffs."
Harris and fellow central defender Ryan Staniak have been responsible to the Blue Devils conceding just 12 goals in 17 games, which includes seven clean-sheets.