Roundup (October 8)
East Suburban Catholic Conference
Benet 2, Notre Dame 0
The Redwings first half goals were the difference and delivered the first conference loss of the season to their visitors. Benet (11-4-1, 6-1-0) will earn a share of the league title if it wins at Saint Viator on Oct. 14. Notre Dame (12-6-1, 7-1-0) finishes the conference race with a share of the crown but saw its 16-match league winning streak and nine-game3 2022 unbeaten streak end. Jack Kuelthau scored the game-winner in the eighth minute off a Jack Walsh assist for Benet. Nico Picha put home an unassisted insurance goal in the 30th minute. Keepers Evan Lucas (eight saves, 68 minutes) and Drew Connell (two, 12) shared the shutout for Benet, which is ranked 19th in the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25. St. Patrick, which beat Benet 3-0 Oct. 1, also has a share of the league title after its 2-0 win at Marian on Saturday.
Nonconference
Grayslake Central 6, Hoffman Estates 2
Alan Alonso and Prince Trawick collected braces, and Raymond Sereno and Mitchell Fein had solo goals in the win. Ivan Sereno collected two assists, and Damian Sereno and Lucas Veenstra added one apiece for the 11th-ranked Rams.
Hinsdale Central 3 Glenbrook North 1
Braden Henry distributed the only assists of the game to Owen Peterson and Enzo Cinque, and Luca Davies scored unassisted to lead the Red Devils offense. Hinsdale Central (11-4-1) extended its win streak to four matches. In that stretch the Red Devils have outscored their opponents 14-4. Davies' goal moved him into a tie for 15th all-time for most points in a season at 31 (13 goals, five assists). Luca's 13th goal also marked the most goals by a Red Devil in a season since 2015 when All-American Rigoberto Rojas scored 18. The Red Devils have two games remaining next week before starting the IHSA playoffs. "We enjoy having a quality, well-coached opponent like Glenbrook North on the schedule, because it is a playoff-level, competitive game at the perfect time in the season schedule," said Hinsdale Central coach Mike Wiggins. "We felt like we did well to get after them early with a two-goal lead that lasted throughout most of the first half. The lone goal we gave up was just seconds before the half -- never a good thing to let that happen, but we adjusted and felt like that gave us additional incentive to come out strong in the second half and regain that two-goal advantage."
Riverside-Brookfield 4, University (Chicago) 0
The Bulldogs (11-8-0) won their fifth-straight match and posted their third shutout in a row Saturday. All of the goals came in the first half, three of them from senior forward Hunter Ferguson. Tomas Kunickas added a goal and assist, and Manny Tovar contributed two assists. Keepers Aidan Hernandez and Nick Gilberto shared their third of the Bulldogs' seven shutouts this season. -- Bill Stone
East Suburban Catholic Conference
Benet 2, Notre Dame 0
The Redwings first half goals were the difference and delivered the first conference loss of the season to their visitors. Benet (11-4-1, 6-1-0) will earn a share of the league title if it wins at Saint Viator on Oct. 14. Notre Dame (12-6-1, 7-1-0) finishes the conference race with a share of the crown but saw its 16-match league winning streak and nine-game3 2022 unbeaten streak end. Jack Kuelthau scored the game-winner in the eighth minute off a Jack Walsh assist for Benet. Nico Picha put home an unassisted insurance goal in the 30th minute. Keepers Evan Lucas (eight saves, 68 minutes) and Drew Connell (two, 12) shared the shutout for Benet, which is ranked 19th in the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25. St. Patrick, which beat Benet 3-0 Oct. 1, also has a share of the league title after its 2-0 win at Marian on Saturday.
Nonconference
Grayslake Central 6, Hoffman Estates 2
Alan Alonso and Prince Trawick collected braces, and Raymond Sereno and Mitchell Fein had solo goals in the win. Ivan Sereno collected two assists, and Damian Sereno and Lucas Veenstra added one apiece for the 11th-ranked Rams.
Hinsdale Central 3 Glenbrook North 1
Braden Henry distributed the only assists of the game to Owen Peterson and Enzo Cinque, and Luca Davies scored unassisted to lead the Red Devils offense. Hinsdale Central (11-4-1) extended its win streak to four matches. In that stretch the Red Devils have outscored their opponents 14-4. Davies' goal moved him into a tie for 15th all-time for most points in a season at 31 (13 goals, five assists). Luca's 13th goal also marked the most goals by a Red Devil in a season since 2015 when All-American Rigoberto Rojas scored 18. The Red Devils have two games remaining next week before starting the IHSA playoffs. "We enjoy having a quality, well-coached opponent like Glenbrook North on the schedule, because it is a playoff-level, competitive game at the perfect time in the season schedule," said Hinsdale Central coach Mike Wiggins. "We felt like we did well to get after them early with a two-goal lead that lasted throughout most of the first half. The lone goal we gave up was just seconds before the half -- never a good thing to let that happen, but we adjusted and felt like that gave us additional incentive to come out strong in the second half and regain that two-goal advantage."
Riverside-Brookfield 4, University (Chicago) 0
The Bulldogs (11-8-0) won their fifth-straight match and posted their third shutout in a row Saturday. All of the goals came in the first half, three of them from senior forward Hunter Ferguson. Tomas Kunickas added a goal and assist, and Manny Tovar contributed two assists. Keepers Aidan Hernandez and Nick Gilberto shared their third of the Bulldogs' seven shutouts this season. -- Bill Stone