Elk Grove shows true grit
in tough campaign
Young Grenadiers see better days ahead for 2015
By Ken Keenan
After winning a regional title behind a veteran group in 2013, Elk Grove took the field with a less experienced squad this season. The Grenadiers experienced a rough ride and managed only a handful of victories.
But coach Rob Shepard's squad -- which recorded a 4-12-2 final mark overall -- displayed a never-say-die attitude in nearly every match. That frame of mind was best exemplified during a classic battle with Mid-Suburban League East rival Hersey on Sept. 30, which ended with the Huskies winning 1-0 on a goal with 20 seconds remaining in the second overtime.
Following the devastating defeat, Elk Grove senior goalkeeper Alberto Centeno said, "It felt worse than getting your heart broken by the girl you love." Centeno earned Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match honors despite the loss.
That sentiment was shared by the solid keeper's coach and teammates, and the boys "certainly entered a tailspin afterward," Shepard said.
Elk Grove went 0-5-0 the rest of the way, but the gutty Grenadiers went down fighting. They gave St. Charles North everything it could handle during a 2-0 season-ending loss in the semifinals of the Class 3A Elk Grove Regional on Oct. 22.
Senior defender Dan Hadler, who tasted success as a member of the 2013 crew, said, "There were times when you could see the motivation wasn't there. But we played some great games, and we gave St. Charles North a great run in the playoffs."
Hadler said the makeup of this year's team "was the craziest I've been a part of. We had representation across all classes (seven seniors, nine juniors, five sophomores, two freshmen). But I never felt that was an issue. (Losing) is not an easy thing to take, but I was still happy to be there and play with all those guys.
"To be able to get those guys ready to compete for varsity wins was fun. All the young guys have talent, and I know they'll be competing for championships in the future. I remember last year's seniors had a rough sophomore year, so it's a cycle."
Flashy junior forward Edgar Soto, Elk Grove's leading scorer with five goals and three assists, also played on last year's team. He said the work ethic displayed by those regional titlists was something he attempted to instill upon his teammates this year.
"I was the youngest kid on the squad last year, and I was learning from the big guys on a senior-heavy team," said Soto, who served as a 2014 co-captain along with Centeno and senior midfielder Ivan Corona. "I worked hard and earned some minutes, and we pulled together and got the regional championship. This year, it was basically a whole different squad. But we worked really hard in practice, and we wanted to keep working hard.
"I knew how the winning felt from last year, and I would tell the team that and hope they would listen. Sometimes we'd get scored on, and we would put our heads down. But I'd say, 'It's not over yet. Keep going. Don't give up.' If you quit, you won't put the same emotion into it. So you've got to keep working hard.
"It wasn't one of (Elk Grove's) best seasons, but if we don't want this again, we have to work hard to have success next season. So we have to put in the effort -- it won't come by itself."
Soto heads a list of returnees that includes junior midfielder Oscar Suarez (2 goals in 2014), junior defender Connor Emmerich (goal, assist), junior forward Chris Guadarrama (goal) and sophomore defender/midfielder Noe Centeno.
"Those four will be critical to our success next season," Shepard said. "All of them will really need to be committed in the offseason to work on first touch and on their physicality by hitting the weight room. We want to continue that development and position them for a successful run."
Assistant varsity coach Phil Aliano created an offseason to-do list for each of the foursome: Soto (build leadership skills); Suarez (work out, get bigger and stronger); Emmerich (cadence); and Guadarrama (understanding formations, shooting).
Hadler said if Soto "stays focused, he could be the best player in our area."
In turn, Soto said he'll be ready for the challenge, and hopes his fellow Grenadiers follow suit.
"I'll expect the best from myself and from them, too," he said. "Mainly the team will be the same next year, so we need to stay together -- stay active, stay involved -- during the winter and over the spring to stay in shape in the offseason and then give it our best next year."
Next step
Additional help may come in the form of a few standouts from Elk Grove's lower-level teams, including sophomore forward/midfielders Danny Martinez (9 goals) and Suraj Patel (7 goals), and sophomore goalkeeper Sammi Casas from coach Dean Burrier Sanchis' Junior Varsity 2 squad (10-5-2 overall); and junior Jerry Benitez, who led coach Julian Barraza's JV1 team (4-11-1) in scoring with five goals. Shepard also pointed to freshman goalie/forward Dillon Ingebrigtsen (Freshman A, coached by Scott Scholten; Frosh B was coached by Alex Stavropoulos) as a player who could move up the ladder.
Barraza added to the list, citing sophomore midfielder Guillermo Contreras, sophomore defender Jesus Castrejon, junior defender Jose Contreras and junior forward Adolofo Rascon as others who could make the leap from his team to varsity in 2015.
"My expectation is for a young team to finally grow up," Shepard said. "I expect to see them competing in games and handling the rigors of the MSL. A 1-10 conference record is completely unacceptable if we expect to be competitive in the playoffs. We will really need to focus on group cohesion and filling the leadership void from the departing seniors. If this group experiences total buy-in, we could see tremendous growth and surprise a few people next year."
Parting points
Joining Alberto Centeno, Hadler and Corona as Elk Grove's no-quit seniors were defender Bobby Hlavin, forwards Carlos Miranda and Michael Contreras and keeper Matt Wiklanski.
"Alberto kept us in every game we happened to be in," Shepard said. "He finally found his voice his senior year and was a huge asset to the team. He was chosen a team captain and epitomized the word in every respect.
"Hadler was easily one of the guys I trusted the most. He was cerebral and focused on one thing: winning. I talked to him often and deferred to his leadership on the field -- and he was a field general, for sure.
"Corona was easily the strongest athlete we've ever had on the field. He made winning balls in the air a priority and was frequently in the mix to challenge opponents. As a captain, he earned the respect of athletes in the program and those from other teams. Every time he was out there, he worked harder than anyone else.
"Hlavin was willing to contribute in any way possible. He always had a positive outlook and was willing to work with younger players in pushing them to get better. He was always dependable.
"Michael (Contreras) is a small guy with a big heart who appreciated everything he ever earned. Whenever he played, he used his size 5 1/2 shoes to blaze around the field.
"Wiklanski told me that he relished the opportunity to back up someone like Alberto. He loved to work and was easily the most vocal person on the team. Guys respected his approach -- not just to the game but to every day."
in tough campaign
Young Grenadiers see better days ahead for 2015
By Ken Keenan
After winning a regional title behind a veteran group in 2013, Elk Grove took the field with a less experienced squad this season. The Grenadiers experienced a rough ride and managed only a handful of victories.
But coach Rob Shepard's squad -- which recorded a 4-12-2 final mark overall -- displayed a never-say-die attitude in nearly every match. That frame of mind was best exemplified during a classic battle with Mid-Suburban League East rival Hersey on Sept. 30, which ended with the Huskies winning 1-0 on a goal with 20 seconds remaining in the second overtime.
Following the devastating defeat, Elk Grove senior goalkeeper Alberto Centeno said, "It felt worse than getting your heart broken by the girl you love." Centeno earned Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match honors despite the loss.
That sentiment was shared by the solid keeper's coach and teammates, and the boys "certainly entered a tailspin afterward," Shepard said.
Elk Grove went 0-5-0 the rest of the way, but the gutty Grenadiers went down fighting. They gave St. Charles North everything it could handle during a 2-0 season-ending loss in the semifinals of the Class 3A Elk Grove Regional on Oct. 22.
Senior defender Dan Hadler, who tasted success as a member of the 2013 crew, said, "There were times when you could see the motivation wasn't there. But we played some great games, and we gave St. Charles North a great run in the playoffs."
Hadler said the makeup of this year's team "was the craziest I've been a part of. We had representation across all classes (seven seniors, nine juniors, five sophomores, two freshmen). But I never felt that was an issue. (Losing) is not an easy thing to take, but I was still happy to be there and play with all those guys.
"To be able to get those guys ready to compete for varsity wins was fun. All the young guys have talent, and I know they'll be competing for championships in the future. I remember last year's seniors had a rough sophomore year, so it's a cycle."
Flashy junior forward Edgar Soto, Elk Grove's leading scorer with five goals and three assists, also played on last year's team. He said the work ethic displayed by those regional titlists was something he attempted to instill upon his teammates this year.
"I was the youngest kid on the squad last year, and I was learning from the big guys on a senior-heavy team," said Soto, who served as a 2014 co-captain along with Centeno and senior midfielder Ivan Corona. "I worked hard and earned some minutes, and we pulled together and got the regional championship. This year, it was basically a whole different squad. But we worked really hard in practice, and we wanted to keep working hard.
"I knew how the winning felt from last year, and I would tell the team that and hope they would listen. Sometimes we'd get scored on, and we would put our heads down. But I'd say, 'It's not over yet. Keep going. Don't give up.' If you quit, you won't put the same emotion into it. So you've got to keep working hard.
"It wasn't one of (Elk Grove's) best seasons, but if we don't want this again, we have to work hard to have success next season. So we have to put in the effort -- it won't come by itself."
Soto heads a list of returnees that includes junior midfielder Oscar Suarez (2 goals in 2014), junior defender Connor Emmerich (goal, assist), junior forward Chris Guadarrama (goal) and sophomore defender/midfielder Noe Centeno.
"Those four will be critical to our success next season," Shepard said. "All of them will really need to be committed in the offseason to work on first touch and on their physicality by hitting the weight room. We want to continue that development and position them for a successful run."
Assistant varsity coach Phil Aliano created an offseason to-do list for each of the foursome: Soto (build leadership skills); Suarez (work out, get bigger and stronger); Emmerich (cadence); and Guadarrama (understanding formations, shooting).
Hadler said if Soto "stays focused, he could be the best player in our area."
In turn, Soto said he'll be ready for the challenge, and hopes his fellow Grenadiers follow suit.
"I'll expect the best from myself and from them, too," he said. "Mainly the team will be the same next year, so we need to stay together -- stay active, stay involved -- during the winter and over the spring to stay in shape in the offseason and then give it our best next year."
Next step
Additional help may come in the form of a few standouts from Elk Grove's lower-level teams, including sophomore forward/midfielders Danny Martinez (9 goals) and Suraj Patel (7 goals), and sophomore goalkeeper Sammi Casas from coach Dean Burrier Sanchis' Junior Varsity 2 squad (10-5-2 overall); and junior Jerry Benitez, who led coach Julian Barraza's JV1 team (4-11-1) in scoring with five goals. Shepard also pointed to freshman goalie/forward Dillon Ingebrigtsen (Freshman A, coached by Scott Scholten; Frosh B was coached by Alex Stavropoulos) as a player who could move up the ladder.
Barraza added to the list, citing sophomore midfielder Guillermo Contreras, sophomore defender Jesus Castrejon, junior defender Jose Contreras and junior forward Adolofo Rascon as others who could make the leap from his team to varsity in 2015.
"My expectation is for a young team to finally grow up," Shepard said. "I expect to see them competing in games and handling the rigors of the MSL. A 1-10 conference record is completely unacceptable if we expect to be competitive in the playoffs. We will really need to focus on group cohesion and filling the leadership void from the departing seniors. If this group experiences total buy-in, we could see tremendous growth and surprise a few people next year."
Parting points
Joining Alberto Centeno, Hadler and Corona as Elk Grove's no-quit seniors were defender Bobby Hlavin, forwards Carlos Miranda and Michael Contreras and keeper Matt Wiklanski.
"Alberto kept us in every game we happened to be in," Shepard said. "He finally found his voice his senior year and was a huge asset to the team. He was chosen a team captain and epitomized the word in every respect.
"Hadler was easily one of the guys I trusted the most. He was cerebral and focused on one thing: winning. I talked to him often and deferred to his leadership on the field -- and he was a field general, for sure.
"Corona was easily the strongest athlete we've ever had on the field. He made winning balls in the air a priority and was frequently in the mix to challenge opponents. As a captain, he earned the respect of athletes in the program and those from other teams. Every time he was out there, he worked harder than anyone else.
"Hlavin was willing to contribute in any way possible. He always had a positive outlook and was willing to work with younger players in pushing them to get better. He was always dependable.
"Michael (Contreras) is a small guy with a big heart who appreciated everything he ever earned. Whenever he played, he used his size 5 1/2 shoes to blaze around the field.
"Wiklanski told me that he relished the opportunity to back up someone like Alberto. He loved to work and was easily the most vocal person on the team. Guys respected his approach -- not just to the game but to every day."