Rolling Meadows, Prospect hope
to turn things around for big finish, playoffs
By Bobby Narang
MT. PROSPECT — Rolling Meadows coach Brett Olson wants his team to return to its old form.
Prospect coach Michael Andrews wants his team to put together a positive run.
Olson said his team needs to regain their form from earlier this season, when the Mustangs (9-4-0, 5-3-0 Mid-Suburban League East Division) won six games in a row. The Mustangs enter Thursday’s 6:45 p.m. game at Prospect looking to regain some lost momentum after some recent struggles, including a 3-1 defeat to Elk Grove on Tuesday night. That loss was a key blow to Rolling Meadows conference title hopes.
Click here to see the Mid-Suburban League conference standings
The Mustangs’ winning streak ended with a 2-1 defeat to Fremd on Sept. 20 — three days after a spirited 2-0 win over West Division leader Conant.
“We got outplayed, and Elk Grove earned that win last night,” Olson said. “Elk Grove has the best player on the field in almost any game they play in Patrick Mikina. They deserved it. They outplayed us.
“We haven’t played great the last couple of weeks. We might make some lineup changes for the Prospect game to maybe spark us.
“We just haven’t played great since the first half against Fremd. They outplayed us in the second half. We didn’t play great in our win over Hoffman Estates. We even struggled in the win over Wheeling before the Fremd game.”
Click here to see the Rolling Meadows team page
Prospect enters the game hurting on several fronts. After winning 11 games last season, the Knights (2-9-3, 2-5-1) have fallen on hard times. Injuries and illnesses has been a problem in the last few weeks, Prospect coach Michael Andrews said.
“We’re still not 100 percent,” Andrews said. “We were missing a handful of guys last night versus Fremd between sickness and injury, but it was still a battle until the very end. As long as we are leaving everything we have on the field and we improve with each remaining game, that's all I can ask of my team.
“I expect them to give a championship effort every single time we take the field. While there have been a few games this season where we have fallen short of that expectation, I’m confident we can win our remaining games and make a run in postseason play. I expect every game moving forward to be a battle, and regardless of sickness or injuries, we have to be ready.”
Olson said Thursday’s game serves as a restart for his team.
The Mustangs conclude the regular-season against Lake Zurich, Barrington, Buffalo Grove and Crystal Lake South. Sophomore goalie Marceli Okonski heads into Thursday’s league game with just nine goals surrendered.
“I’m excited because Prospect is our big rival,” Olson said. “It’s always fun playing against them. They’ve had a rough year record-wise, but they’ve been in almost every single game. We’re excited for it.
“It shouldn’t take too much for our guys to get amped up for the game. We played our worst game of the season on Tuesday. We’re looking to make amends.
“We’ve kind of changed our style intentionally. We’ve been caught up in some things our opponents like to do, instead of what’s been successful for us early on in the season, We’re hoping to reestablish our identity and our strength. We still have an inexperienced group -- a lot of sophomores.
“Things are catching up to them, caught them off-guard. We’re learning on the fly more than I would expect at this point of the season.
“Our focus has not been there. We’ve allowed ourselves to get away from what we’re good at. We’re playing a lot of direct and long ball. Our possession numbers are way lower than what we want them.
“We want to go, but also to be much more direct than what our roster should dicate. We have skill in the middle and speed outside. Hopefully, our next six games heading into playoff we reestablish ourselves.”
Andrews said the Mustangs are another difficult test for his team. The two teams battled to a 1-1 double overtime tie last season. Dimitriy Hutnyk leads the Knights with five goals, while Tymoteusz Czerwiec has three goals.
“We have to match and exceed their energy, while keeping our composure on the ball,” he said. “Rolling Meadows always comes out hard and puts opponents under a lot of pressure in the opening minutes of the game.
“We need to keep our heads, avoid needless fouls, get the ball out of pressure and settle and move the ball quickly.
“We need to act like every game is a championship. I expect it to be a tough one.”
Despite the lack of wins, Andrews noted that several players continue to play at a high level to keep his team in many games, including captains Nick Casaletto, Sam Heintz and Chris Morys.
“All of our seniors have stepped up and taken a leadership role this season,” he said. “They set the tone for everything and lead by example on the field. I'm impressed by their desire to win and make the most of this experience.
“Midfielder Luis DeSantiago has been a key playmaker for us, and Massimo Mho and Dimitriy Hutnyk have been relentless on the attack. Michael Casaletto has been injured since the Wheeling game, but he will be a difference-maker if we can get him back in the lineup soon.”
Click here to see the Prospect team page
Hersey spoiled a side plot to the game when it defeated Thursday's combatants to win the Cardinal Cup competition between the three schools.
The travelling trophy commemorates Arlington High School, whose sports teams were nicknamed the Cardinals. After the school, which opened in 1922, closed in 1984, its students filtered into each of the three new area high schools: Hersey; Prospect; and Rolling Meadows.
Prospect won the inaugural edition of the Cup series last season. Hersey took the prize
this season by virtue of a 1-0 conference-opening win over the Knights on Aug. 27 and a victory over Rolling Meadows by the same score Sept. 6.
to turn things around for big finish, playoffs
By Bobby Narang
MT. PROSPECT — Rolling Meadows coach Brett Olson wants his team to return to its old form.
Prospect coach Michael Andrews wants his team to put together a positive run.
Olson said his team needs to regain their form from earlier this season, when the Mustangs (9-4-0, 5-3-0 Mid-Suburban League East Division) won six games in a row. The Mustangs enter Thursday’s 6:45 p.m. game at Prospect looking to regain some lost momentum after some recent struggles, including a 3-1 defeat to Elk Grove on Tuesday night. That loss was a key blow to Rolling Meadows conference title hopes.
Click here to see the Mid-Suburban League conference standings
The Mustangs’ winning streak ended with a 2-1 defeat to Fremd on Sept. 20 — three days after a spirited 2-0 win over West Division leader Conant.
“We got outplayed, and Elk Grove earned that win last night,” Olson said. “Elk Grove has the best player on the field in almost any game they play in Patrick Mikina. They deserved it. They outplayed us.
“We haven’t played great the last couple of weeks. We might make some lineup changes for the Prospect game to maybe spark us.
“We just haven’t played great since the first half against Fremd. They outplayed us in the second half. We didn’t play great in our win over Hoffman Estates. We even struggled in the win over Wheeling before the Fremd game.”
Click here to see the Rolling Meadows team page
Prospect enters the game hurting on several fronts. After winning 11 games last season, the Knights (2-9-3, 2-5-1) have fallen on hard times. Injuries and illnesses has been a problem in the last few weeks, Prospect coach Michael Andrews said.
“We’re still not 100 percent,” Andrews said. “We were missing a handful of guys last night versus Fremd between sickness and injury, but it was still a battle until the very end. As long as we are leaving everything we have on the field and we improve with each remaining game, that's all I can ask of my team.
“I expect them to give a championship effort every single time we take the field. While there have been a few games this season where we have fallen short of that expectation, I’m confident we can win our remaining games and make a run in postseason play. I expect every game moving forward to be a battle, and regardless of sickness or injuries, we have to be ready.”
Olson said Thursday’s game serves as a restart for his team.
The Mustangs conclude the regular-season against Lake Zurich, Barrington, Buffalo Grove and Crystal Lake South. Sophomore goalie Marceli Okonski heads into Thursday’s league game with just nine goals surrendered.
“I’m excited because Prospect is our big rival,” Olson said. “It’s always fun playing against them. They’ve had a rough year record-wise, but they’ve been in almost every single game. We’re excited for it.
“It shouldn’t take too much for our guys to get amped up for the game. We played our worst game of the season on Tuesday. We’re looking to make amends.
“We’ve kind of changed our style intentionally. We’ve been caught up in some things our opponents like to do, instead of what’s been successful for us early on in the season, We’re hoping to reestablish our identity and our strength. We still have an inexperienced group -- a lot of sophomores.
“Things are catching up to them, caught them off-guard. We’re learning on the fly more than I would expect at this point of the season.
“Our focus has not been there. We’ve allowed ourselves to get away from what we’re good at. We’re playing a lot of direct and long ball. Our possession numbers are way lower than what we want them.
“We want to go, but also to be much more direct than what our roster should dicate. We have skill in the middle and speed outside. Hopefully, our next six games heading into playoff we reestablish ourselves.”
Andrews said the Mustangs are another difficult test for his team. The two teams battled to a 1-1 double overtime tie last season. Dimitriy Hutnyk leads the Knights with five goals, while Tymoteusz Czerwiec has three goals.
“We have to match and exceed their energy, while keeping our composure on the ball,” he said. “Rolling Meadows always comes out hard and puts opponents under a lot of pressure in the opening minutes of the game.
“We need to keep our heads, avoid needless fouls, get the ball out of pressure and settle and move the ball quickly.
“We need to act like every game is a championship. I expect it to be a tough one.”
Despite the lack of wins, Andrews noted that several players continue to play at a high level to keep his team in many games, including captains Nick Casaletto, Sam Heintz and Chris Morys.
“All of our seniors have stepped up and taken a leadership role this season,” he said. “They set the tone for everything and lead by example on the field. I'm impressed by their desire to win and make the most of this experience.
“Midfielder Luis DeSantiago has been a key playmaker for us, and Massimo Mho and Dimitriy Hutnyk have been relentless on the attack. Michael Casaletto has been injured since the Wheeling game, but he will be a difference-maker if we can get him back in the lineup soon.”
Click here to see the Prospect team page
Hersey spoiled a side plot to the game when it defeated Thursday's combatants to win the Cardinal Cup competition between the three schools.
The travelling trophy commemorates Arlington High School, whose sports teams were nicknamed the Cardinals. After the school, which opened in 1922, closed in 1984, its students filtered into each of the three new area high schools: Hersey; Prospect; and Rolling Meadows.
Prospect won the inaugural edition of the Cup series last season. Hersey took the prize
this season by virtue of a 1-0 conference-opening win over the Knights on Aug. 27 and a victory over Rolling Meadows by the same score Sept. 6.