Neighborhood clash finds
Young, Saint Ignatius in strong form
By Nick Rucco
It may be a nonconference affair, but Young and Saint Ignatius will both be riding the successes of strong recent performances when they match up Thursday afternoon in a make-up of a postponed game from Sept. 25.
Visiting Saint Ignatius (4-3-4, 2-1-2) could walk the 1.3-mile distance between the schools. The Wolfpack comes into this one on a five-game unbeaten run, having drawn their most recent match 0-0 against Fenwick on Tuesday.
These recent results have brought the Wolfpack’s season record and conference record both over .500, and they sit third in the Chicago Catholic League Blue Division with one more conference game to go this season.
Meanwhile, the host Dolphins (7-5-0, 6-1-0), have rattled off six-straight wins. They have outscored their opponents 22-3 during that stretch, including a 5-1 victory against Lake View on Monday. After starting the season with just one win in their first six games, the Dolphins surged to a second place finish in the Chicago Public League Premier Division North. The match against Saint Ignatius represents the final game of the Dolphins’ regular season before the start of the city playoffs and beyond that the state playoffs.
Saint Ignatius might have a few more games to go in its regular season after Thursday’s match, but coach Matt Miller knows that his team needs to be locked in against a formidable foe like Young, particularly given his team’s recent low-scoring outings.
“I’m looking forward to this exciting game,” Miller said. “Our focus is to create goal-scoring opportunities in the final third and get back on the score sheet after a couple of 0-0 stalemates.”
Saint Ignatius has a solid 3-3-2 record away from home. Sporting a roster predominantly made up of seniors, Miller will be hoping that the Wolfpack’s experience will help them prevail against a decidedly younger Dolphins squad.
“We’re looking for big games from the likes of [senior] midfielder Jack Lowe, [senior] winger Jack Regan, and [sophomore] striker Oscar Quinn-Pasin,” Miller said.
On the other side of the field, the Dolphins are 5-1-0 in home games this season with five-straight wins at the friendly confines of its home field at Michelle Obama Park. Young hopes to maintain its winning ways and end this season of extreme highs and extreme lows on an unquestionably positive note.
The Dolphins have done an impressive job of both scoring and preventing goals in recent weeks, highlighted by a comprehensive 8-0 win over Steinmetz on Sept. 13. This trend will need to continue against a Wolfpack team that is just as capable of massive score lines, including victories of 14-0 and 7-1 earlier this season.
It is certainly possible for both unbeaten streaks to remain intact upon the conclusion of this one, but neither team will be showing up to the field Thursday with that in mind. The aim will be to win, something both teams have done a lot of recently.
Young, Saint Ignatius in strong form
By Nick Rucco
It may be a nonconference affair, but Young and Saint Ignatius will both be riding the successes of strong recent performances when they match up Thursday afternoon in a make-up of a postponed game from Sept. 25.
Visiting Saint Ignatius (4-3-4, 2-1-2) could walk the 1.3-mile distance between the schools. The Wolfpack comes into this one on a five-game unbeaten run, having drawn their most recent match 0-0 against Fenwick on Tuesday.
These recent results have brought the Wolfpack’s season record and conference record both over .500, and they sit third in the Chicago Catholic League Blue Division with one more conference game to go this season.
Meanwhile, the host Dolphins (7-5-0, 6-1-0), have rattled off six-straight wins. They have outscored their opponents 22-3 during that stretch, including a 5-1 victory against Lake View on Monday. After starting the season with just one win in their first six games, the Dolphins surged to a second place finish in the Chicago Public League Premier Division North. The match against Saint Ignatius represents the final game of the Dolphins’ regular season before the start of the city playoffs and beyond that the state playoffs.
Saint Ignatius might have a few more games to go in its regular season after Thursday’s match, but coach Matt Miller knows that his team needs to be locked in against a formidable foe like Young, particularly given his team’s recent low-scoring outings.
“I’m looking forward to this exciting game,” Miller said. “Our focus is to create goal-scoring opportunities in the final third and get back on the score sheet after a couple of 0-0 stalemates.”
Saint Ignatius has a solid 3-3-2 record away from home. Sporting a roster predominantly made up of seniors, Miller will be hoping that the Wolfpack’s experience will help them prevail against a decidedly younger Dolphins squad.
“We’re looking for big games from the likes of [senior] midfielder Jack Lowe, [senior] winger Jack Regan, and [sophomore] striker Oscar Quinn-Pasin,” Miller said.
On the other side of the field, the Dolphins are 5-1-0 in home games this season with five-straight wins at the friendly confines of its home field at Michelle Obama Park. Young hopes to maintain its winning ways and end this season of extreme highs and extreme lows on an unquestionably positive note.
The Dolphins have done an impressive job of both scoring and preventing goals in recent weeks, highlighted by a comprehensive 8-0 win over Steinmetz on Sept. 13. This trend will need to continue against a Wolfpack team that is just as capable of massive score lines, including victories of 14-0 and 7-1 earlier this season.
It is certainly possible for both unbeaten streaks to remain intact upon the conclusion of this one, but neither team will be showing up to the field Thursday with that in mind. The aim will be to win, something both teams have done a lot of recently.