Season recap: DuKane Conference
By Steve Nemeth
While the inaugural 2018 campaign was viewed as a rousing debut for the DuKane Conference, the consensus in 2019 is that for difficulty, competitive level, and quality of play, the sequel was just as positive.
Pardon the pun, but the 2020 vision is equally optimistic the league will only get better, and that is saying something. In the 28 league games, five were ties and 10 were one-goal decisions; four of those results involved league champion St. Charles East.
No wonder every coach made reference to parity.
“Our respect for this league was such that we considered it to be an honor and privilege to become the first outright conference champion,” St. Charles East coach Vince DiNuzzo said. “That was one of our big goals, and we achieved that.”
The Saints did so by compiling 19 points based on a 6-0-1 league record to finish comfortably ahead of runnerup Geneva (4-1-2/14 points). The rest of the standings went as follows: 3, Wheaton North (4-2-1/13); 4, Glenbard North (3-2-2/11); 5, Lake Park (3-3-1/10); 6, St. Charles North (2-2-3/9); 7, Wheaton Warrenville South (1-6-0/3); 8, Batavia (0-7-0/0).
In 2018, Wheaton North and Lake Park shared the crown with identical 5-1-1 ledgers and 16 points. So history is left to be made for the program that compiles 21 points from a perfect 7-0-0 record.
Though that sounds like a pretty tough feat considering Wheaton North coach Robert Stassen’s observation.
“Going into the last two weeks there was a possibility for a four-way tie,” he noted. “Once again in this league, you could walk onto the field and think it’s going to be one of those days you’d soon want to forget, or you could be thinking this is our day. And the great thing about the DKC is that it could be either one; or sometimes it could feel like either one from one half to the next.”
Looking for a different measure of the league’s quality and depth? Five of eight members are ranked in Chicagoland Soccer’s final state-wide ratings: 12, St. Charles East; 21, Geneva; 22, St. Charles North; and honorable mention squads Glenbard North and Wheaton North.
“From top to bottom, we had teams with some postseason success,” Geneva coach Jason Bhatta said. “We nearly had three regional champions in back-to-back seasons.”
Despite being in the DKC cellar, Batavia managed a postseason triumph, which three other league teams fell short of achieving. Geneva’s Vikings and St. Charles North were regional champions. West Chicago’s magical run to the Class 3A title was the reason two DuKane teams had to exit.
With a couple exceptions, the DuKane standings were relatively easy to keep track of thanks to four dates involving league-wide play among all eight members. That scheduling approach will continue albeit flipping the order of foes.
Back on the 2019 pitches, it wasn’t quite “the first shall be last and the last shall be first,” but positioning on the DKC ladder was never assured.
Geneva put together three-straight shutouts and a narrow victory to appear in the driver’s seat. But the Vikings then had a one-goal loss followed by consecutive draws. Nevertheless Geneva relished its notable jump from seventh in 2018 to 2019 runnerup.
St. Charles North was winless in the league (0-2-3) before finishing with back-to-back loop victories. Remember Stassen’s “don’t count anyone out" warning?
Batavia
Coach: Mark Gianfrancesco (21st year at BHS)
2019 overall record: 3-16-1
DKC record (finish): 0-7-0 (8th place)
Playoffs: Lost 2-0 regional semifinal to Naperville Central
Final Chicagoland Soccer ranking: unranked
Recap: Realistically, Mark Gianfrancesco knew the 2018 regional title win was simply a sign that Batavia’s efforts at building were still in the infancy of moving toward success; 2019 would only be the continuation of a rebuilding effort with a youthful roster.
Then the world turned upside down when junior starter Kyle Nicely died of a brain aneurysm. Not quite midway through what was already a challenging season, the Bulldogs hearts and minds would now use soccer as a tool to cope with grief.
Sympathy, respect and admiration for Batavia’s efforts in lieu of tragedy were unanimous throughout the league.
“Certainly it was bound to be a difficult year that became even more challenging and ultimately more of a life lesson on having to face internal challenges on top of opponents,” Gianfrancesco said. “For us there were sophomore and junior groups we expected to make progress, but they had to deal with an additional difficulty. Despite all that, we were playing better at the end. So with some nice pieces coming up, I definitely hope we’ll be able to refocus for 2020.”
Late in the year, Batavia managed to go 1-1-1 in the 22nd annual WarStang Invitational: a 2-2 draw with tourney co-host Waubonsie Valley, a 1-0 win over eventual Class AA regional champ Boylan, and a 1-0 loss to a winning Wheaton Academy side. In the postseason, the Bulldogs added another victory before a semifinal loss to regional host Naperville Central.
Nicely was recognized as Batavia’s lone All-DKC honoree. Ryan Kahley (tied for 23rd on a chart of DuKane point producers) and Mark Lillig hope to lead a Bulldogs resurgence in 2020.
Click here to view Batavia team page
Geneva
Coach: Jason Bhatta (3rd year at GHS)
2019 record: 13-5-4
DKC record (finish): 4-1-2 (14 pts. / 2nd place)
Playoff: Lost 3-0 sectional semifinal to York
Final Chicagoland Soccer ranking: 21
Recap: In 2018 a young Geneva group absorbed more than its share of lumps, lessons and losses and boy did it pay off in 2019. From one league victory and seventh place, coach Jason Bhatta guided the Vikings to one DKC loss and runnerup status.
“I’m so proud of our guys going from four to 13 victories and winning our first regional in nine years,” Bhatta said with clear satisfaction.
At the center of the turnaround was an impressive eight-match unbeaten string (7-0-1).
However, the desire for an encore extends further in that Geneva hopes to capitalize on the experience of still having to endure some late frustration. The Vikings sat atop the DuKane standings from the first game until their fifth league outing --- a 3-2 loss to a Lake Park unit fighting for pride and a limited scenario for defending its share of the DKC crown.
Even more unpalatable was finishing with back-to-back draws versus St. Charles East and Glenbard North that left the Vikings behind the Saints in the final standings. But that’s when Geneva regrouped in order to beat regional host Conant and successfully edge Glenbard West in a shootout to lift postseason hardware.
Although the Vikings’ grads include three All-DKC selections, Sun Yonehara, Matt Fuller and Josh Eiss, a fourth all-conference pick will return. That would be Christian Diaz, whose 22 points (10 goals/2 assists) put him 10th on 2019 list of DuKane scorers.
However, Bhatta has no illusions about what to expect in year three of the DKC.
“Can’t imagine next year being any less difficult,” Bhatta said. “We have some established programs that are often able to simply reload with good young talent.”
Click here to view Geneva team page
Glenbard North
Coach: Spero Mandakas (2nd year at GNHS)
2019 overall record: 12-8-3
DKC record (finish): 3-2-2 (11 pts. / 4th place)
Playoff: Lost 3-1 regional final to West Chicago
Final Chicagoland Soccer ranking: honorable mention
Recap: Yet another coach fashioning a program revival is Spero Mandakas, who also directed Glenbard North’s tripling of victories from four wins to a 12-8-3 showing. The Panthers were denied a regional plaque because that was the first hardware eventual Class 3A champ West Chicago picked up. So here is yet another league member eager to start back where it left off.
The Panthers demonstrated their improvement early on by capturing the Joe Novy Classic championship.
“Coming out of that Addison Trail tourney we were down a goalie and a key starter, so our (first DKC) effort versus (St. Charles) East wasn’t our best,” Mandakas noted.
After a 1-0 loss to Wheaton North that was part of a five-match losing streak, Glenbard North rebounded and went 3-0-2 in the league the rest of the way.
“Last year we lost a lot of one-goal matches. Our record this time (in the DKC and overall) was a result of flipping those and winning close games, and how we did that was by not falling behind.”
Unfortunately for North there were two particular exceptions, a 1-0 regular-season loss and a 2-1 setback in the regional finale with West Chicago. And that second loss to the Wildcats included yielding a penalty kick.
While All-DuKane midfielder-defender Ode Emena departs, all-league midfielder Nathaniel Enriquez is back as is Gabe Jurado (29 pts. - 13g/3a), who ranked fifth on a list of DKC scorers.
“In respect to the prior year we certainly had a successful season and showed solid improvement against a tougher schedule,” Mandakas said. “As for the conference, every game has been a battle, and it’s fairly obvious that will never change.”
Click here to view Glenbard North team page
Lake Park
Coach: Sean Crosby (3rd year at LPHS)
2019 overall record: 9-11-2
DKC record (finish): 3-3-1 (10 pts. / 5th place)
Playoff: Lost 3-0 in regional opener vs. York
Final Chicagoland Soccer ranking: unranked
Recap: Producing an encore to finishing fourth in Class 3A, defending a share of the inaugural DKC title and replacing the league’s Player of the Year (Franco Presta) among a host of talented starters meant everyone privately figured Lake Park was vulnerable.
However, it wasn’t just political correctness that led every opposing coach to insist the Lancers couldn’t be counted out in 2019. Plenty of talent remained and that’s why coach Sean Crosby could be realistic rather than disappointed that 2019 saw a dip in the overall and DKC records.
“It’s hard to call almost any result in this conference an upset considering the talent and coaching knowledge that exists in this league. It’s very impressive,” Crosby said.
Lake Park recovered from an 0-3-0 season start to go unbeaten in the next five outings (4-0-1), however, that simply led to more up-and-down results the rest of the way to a 9-11-2 season. While the Lancers’ title defense was pegged on mathematics, they pulled together when they traveled to Geneva to hand the Vikings their only league defeat.
“After our first losses we could have been discouraged, instead we learned to play smarter, use each other, maintain possession, stick with the right technique and fight for our life,” Crosby noted. “Even when defending our title was an uphill quest, we won at Geneva proving to ourselves and everyone that could still compete with top-level opponents. For our guys, it served as as a statement win to keep us looking forward to the next season.”
Once again Lake Park will need to fill some notable voids in the roster. The All-DKC duo of Grayden McClellan (32 pts. - 11g/10a) and Oleksandr Melnyk (25 pts. - 10g/5a) were tied for second and seventh, respectively, on the list of DuKane point producers.
“As for 2020, our back four and goalies were underclassmen, so we already believe we’ll be able to protect our net even better,” Crosby said. “Although a sophomore, Edgar Villagran came into his own in midfield and never came off the field all season. That’s an example everyone can follow.”
Click here to view Lake Park team page
St. Charles East
Coach: Vince DiNuzzo (3rd year at SCEHS)
2019 overall record: 18-2-3
DKC record (finish): 6-0-1 (19 pts. / 1st place)
Playoff: Lost 2-1 via shootout in regional final vs. York
Final Chicagoland Soccer ranking: 17th
Recap: With one major exception, St. Charles East boss Vince DiNuzzo would love it if 2020 could be a rerun of 2019 for the Saints. Not only did East become solo DKC champion, the Saints put together an impressive 18-match (15-0-3) unbeaten streak until the breaks of the game curtailed state finals aspirations.
“Last year we were just behind Wheaton North and Lake Park. This year with a more mature group, they vowed not to take any opponent lightly and that’s how we increased our wins to get to the top,” DiNuzzo noted. “And it began with our group of seniors putting together a summer program to bring out our best as a unit. That’s notable because unlike say Naperville, the Tri-Cities have four strong club programs also making demands on players over the break.”
The Saints combined stingy defense (yielding 0.8 goals per DuKane match) with solid scoring (averaging 2.5 goals matched only by Wheaton North). So in the end, was East guilty of taking York lightly in the regional finale defeat?
“We didn’t really lose focus, but fell short due to a combination of things. No excuses, bottom line York did more to win the game,” DiNuzzo said. “Renato (Avendano) couldn’t play the last 40, Sebastian was limited after earlier being on pace for 20 goals, gusty winds neutralized our speed, and suddenly it’s late in overtime, and one of those crazy ricochets happens.”
Would the Saints then have been able to get by a Geneva unit they battled to a draw? Or derail West Chicago? Or then get past Jacobs? Hard to say, but those chances didn’t materialize.
How far East can go in 2010 depends on replacing some major gaps in the lineup. Start with the aforementioned Avendano – the coaches' DuKane Player of the Year and Golden Boot recipient based on seven goals in league matches. Jack Settle was the very best of a trio senior keepers whom defender Zach Gamster helped protect. AVendano, Settle and Gamster were All-DKC selections.
The plus side is the long-standing tradition of success for St. Charles East soccer and the return of two more All-DuKane standouts: Carranza, and defender Alex Mancera. The list of DKC point producers was heavy with Saints: tied for second, Carranza (32 pts. - 13g/6a); fourth, Avendano (31 pts. - 14g/3a); sixth, Sam Wade (26 pts. - 9g/8a); 11th, Jake Maslowski (21 pts. 8g/5a); and tied for 13th, Mancera (17 pts. - 2g/13a).
Click here to view St. Charles East team page
St. Charles North
Coach: Eric Willson (16th year at SCNHS)
2019 overall record: 11-5-3
DKC record (finish): 2-2-3 (9 pts. / 6th place)
Playoff: Lost 2-0 sectional semifinal to West Chicago
Final Chicagoland Soccer ranking: 22nd
Recap: Add this metric to evaluating the DuKane: St. Charles North was .500 in league play but finished sixth out of eight? Completing his 16th year steering the North Stars’ fortunes, there has been only one time Eric Willson's teams failed to reach double-digits in victories and that wasn’t 2019. Rather this was more typical Willson-type results with wins more than doubling the losses.
North began the year with five-consecutive wins before a 2-1 overtime loss to Metea Valley for the championship of the 2nd annual St. Charles Invitational. That frustration was followed by a 1-1 road tie against Wheaton North in the loop opener for both sides.
Then-no. 2-ranked Libertyville visited and dealt North a 2-0 setback. Like an annoying loose thread, Geneva slipped by 1-0 on the North Stars turf. Add on a 2-2 stalemate at Lake Park, plus a 2-1 home loss to rival East, and 2-2 deadlock at home against Glenbard North, and it looked like the entire sweater was unraveling.
“Really believed the character of our boys showed in getting through some mid-year struggles with a lot of draws and close losses, but yet we strung together several wins and won another regional,” Willson said.
North stitched together a six-match victory run that earned them a sectional semifinal slot opposite what turned out to be the team of destiny --- West Chicago.
The North Stars graduate All-DKC selections in defender Colin Nelson and forward Faizan Mohiuddin, but there is a talented and consistent point producer leading the charge for 2020 in Luke Persenico, who tied for seventh in league points with 25 (9g/7a).
Click here to view St. Charles North team page
Wheaton North
Coach: Robert Stassen (5th year as head coach at WNHS)
2019 overall record: 13-7-1
DKC record (finish): 4-2-1 (13 pts. / 3rd place)
Playoff: Lost in shootout after 1-1 deadlock in regional opener vs. Glenbard North
Final Chicagoland Soccer Ranking: honorable mention
Recap: If Wheaton North’s players can match coach Robert Stassen’s understanding of how thin the line is between winning and losing, the Falcons should be in the DuKane title hunt once again.
All it takes is a single match to leave you wanting more. Here are a few cases in point. North was the runnerup in both the Hillner and Plainfield Classic. In the DuKane, one loss meant slipping from co-champion to third place.
“That’s soccer. From last year’s co-champion unit we graduated nine seniors, so maybe some would say this group exceeded expectations. Maybe, I just know our desire never changes,” Stassen said. “However, this is my fourth different conference as a coach, and yet I can say the camaraderie between coaches and players is the most outstanding.
“Three of our eight returning starters are all-conference and all-IHSSCA honorees, so we’re excited about 2020,” Stassen added. "So yes, we'd ike to get back on top."
That top trio of returnees includes defender Kyle Schauer and midfielders Erik Rozanski and Graham Stephenson. The Falcons graduated a fourth all-conference player in Garrett Robinson (tied for 13th among DKC point-men with 17 – 6g/5a). Even more fuel for optimism is having Jarrett Baumgartner coming back. Baumgartner tops the point chart for league scorers with 39 points (18g/3a), and was runnerup for the loop’s Golden Boot based on six goals in DKC matches according to league statistics.
However, Stassen also sees that thin line between the positive and the negative.
“When you can only have so many all-conference or all-state candidates, some very deserving players might go without deserved recognition,” Stassen noted. “Definitely not questioning anyone else, but such a player would be Ray Min. He’ll be a huge loss for us.”
Although the goalkeeper's shutouts dipped from 10 in 2018, his eight clean-sheets represented the most solo whitewashes of any DKC goalie.
Click here to view Wheaton North team page
Wheaton Warrenville South
Coach: Guy Callipari (29th year at WWSHS)
2019 overall record: 6-10-2
DKC record (finish): 1-6-0 (3 pts. / 7th place)
Playoff: Lost 2-1 regional prelim to Willowbrook
Final Chicagoland Soccer ranking: unranked
Recap: There’s no question that Wheaton Warrenville South will have success thanks to the wisdom of veteran coach Guy Callpari. The question is when and where?
For the second year the DuKane wasn’t the ideal setting in comparison to the PepsiCo Showdown. The Tigers struggled in their DKC opener and endured more of the same versus league foes.
Compare that to the tournament, where South posted solid victories over Wheaton Academy and Metea Valley and ultimately captured a bracket crown for the fourth-straight year.
“Unfortunately we didn’t get out of the gate too well against Geneva, but that was also a sign of what was to come for them. In our case, I don’t believe we were outplayed the rest of the way as much as we had trouble finding (goals) in the final third of the field,” Callipari said.
However, 2019 was a memorable one that brought together many Tigers alums, fans and friends to celebrate the rich tradition and success that are the modus operandi for the program.
“A huge plus was celebrating so much success for our program over a 50-year period," Callipari said. "I’m expecting the impact of demonstrating the high regard our program is held in throughout the years and in the community will pay off in renewing respect for the tradition that is Tigers soccer.”
Led by All-DuKane senior defender Sam Schlegel, Wheaton Warrenville South fought tirelessly to get on a winning and consistent track.
“On the down side is the bounce of the ball can be lucky or not,” Callipari said prior to the postseason. “We didn’t expect to be in a prelim match and had advantages of 23-6 in shots and 16-1 for corners with two goals called back.
“Confident we’ve got a good foundation for 2020 with the ability to be a little more technical,” Callipari added. "And although our depth may be younger, we’re adding guys from the last two freshmen conference champions.”
Click here to view Wheaton Warrenville South team page
By Steve Nemeth
While the inaugural 2018 campaign was viewed as a rousing debut for the DuKane Conference, the consensus in 2019 is that for difficulty, competitive level, and quality of play, the sequel was just as positive.
Pardon the pun, but the 2020 vision is equally optimistic the league will only get better, and that is saying something. In the 28 league games, five were ties and 10 were one-goal decisions; four of those results involved league champion St. Charles East.
No wonder every coach made reference to parity.
“Our respect for this league was such that we considered it to be an honor and privilege to become the first outright conference champion,” St. Charles East coach Vince DiNuzzo said. “That was one of our big goals, and we achieved that.”
The Saints did so by compiling 19 points based on a 6-0-1 league record to finish comfortably ahead of runnerup Geneva (4-1-2/14 points). The rest of the standings went as follows: 3, Wheaton North (4-2-1/13); 4, Glenbard North (3-2-2/11); 5, Lake Park (3-3-1/10); 6, St. Charles North (2-2-3/9); 7, Wheaton Warrenville South (1-6-0/3); 8, Batavia (0-7-0/0).
In 2018, Wheaton North and Lake Park shared the crown with identical 5-1-1 ledgers and 16 points. So history is left to be made for the program that compiles 21 points from a perfect 7-0-0 record.
Though that sounds like a pretty tough feat considering Wheaton North coach Robert Stassen’s observation.
“Going into the last two weeks there was a possibility for a four-way tie,” he noted. “Once again in this league, you could walk onto the field and think it’s going to be one of those days you’d soon want to forget, or you could be thinking this is our day. And the great thing about the DKC is that it could be either one; or sometimes it could feel like either one from one half to the next.”
Looking for a different measure of the league’s quality and depth? Five of eight members are ranked in Chicagoland Soccer’s final state-wide ratings: 12, St. Charles East; 21, Geneva; 22, St. Charles North; and honorable mention squads Glenbard North and Wheaton North.
“From top to bottom, we had teams with some postseason success,” Geneva coach Jason Bhatta said. “We nearly had three regional champions in back-to-back seasons.”
Despite being in the DKC cellar, Batavia managed a postseason triumph, which three other league teams fell short of achieving. Geneva’s Vikings and St. Charles North were regional champions. West Chicago’s magical run to the Class 3A title was the reason two DuKane teams had to exit.
With a couple exceptions, the DuKane standings were relatively easy to keep track of thanks to four dates involving league-wide play among all eight members. That scheduling approach will continue albeit flipping the order of foes.
Back on the 2019 pitches, it wasn’t quite “the first shall be last and the last shall be first,” but positioning on the DKC ladder was never assured.
Geneva put together three-straight shutouts and a narrow victory to appear in the driver’s seat. But the Vikings then had a one-goal loss followed by consecutive draws. Nevertheless Geneva relished its notable jump from seventh in 2018 to 2019 runnerup.
St. Charles North was winless in the league (0-2-3) before finishing with back-to-back loop victories. Remember Stassen’s “don’t count anyone out" warning?
Batavia
Coach: Mark Gianfrancesco (21st year at BHS)
2019 overall record: 3-16-1
DKC record (finish): 0-7-0 (8th place)
Playoffs: Lost 2-0 regional semifinal to Naperville Central
Final Chicagoland Soccer ranking: unranked
Recap: Realistically, Mark Gianfrancesco knew the 2018 regional title win was simply a sign that Batavia’s efforts at building were still in the infancy of moving toward success; 2019 would only be the continuation of a rebuilding effort with a youthful roster.
Then the world turned upside down when junior starter Kyle Nicely died of a brain aneurysm. Not quite midway through what was already a challenging season, the Bulldogs hearts and minds would now use soccer as a tool to cope with grief.
Sympathy, respect and admiration for Batavia’s efforts in lieu of tragedy were unanimous throughout the league.
“Certainly it was bound to be a difficult year that became even more challenging and ultimately more of a life lesson on having to face internal challenges on top of opponents,” Gianfrancesco said. “For us there were sophomore and junior groups we expected to make progress, but they had to deal with an additional difficulty. Despite all that, we were playing better at the end. So with some nice pieces coming up, I definitely hope we’ll be able to refocus for 2020.”
Late in the year, Batavia managed to go 1-1-1 in the 22nd annual WarStang Invitational: a 2-2 draw with tourney co-host Waubonsie Valley, a 1-0 win over eventual Class AA regional champ Boylan, and a 1-0 loss to a winning Wheaton Academy side. In the postseason, the Bulldogs added another victory before a semifinal loss to regional host Naperville Central.
Nicely was recognized as Batavia’s lone All-DKC honoree. Ryan Kahley (tied for 23rd on a chart of DuKane point producers) and Mark Lillig hope to lead a Bulldogs resurgence in 2020.
Click here to view Batavia team page
Geneva
Coach: Jason Bhatta (3rd year at GHS)
2019 record: 13-5-4
DKC record (finish): 4-1-2 (14 pts. / 2nd place)
Playoff: Lost 3-0 sectional semifinal to York
Final Chicagoland Soccer ranking: 21
Recap: In 2018 a young Geneva group absorbed more than its share of lumps, lessons and losses and boy did it pay off in 2019. From one league victory and seventh place, coach Jason Bhatta guided the Vikings to one DKC loss and runnerup status.
“I’m so proud of our guys going from four to 13 victories and winning our first regional in nine years,” Bhatta said with clear satisfaction.
At the center of the turnaround was an impressive eight-match unbeaten string (7-0-1).
However, the desire for an encore extends further in that Geneva hopes to capitalize on the experience of still having to endure some late frustration. The Vikings sat atop the DuKane standings from the first game until their fifth league outing --- a 3-2 loss to a Lake Park unit fighting for pride and a limited scenario for defending its share of the DKC crown.
Even more unpalatable was finishing with back-to-back draws versus St. Charles East and Glenbard North that left the Vikings behind the Saints in the final standings. But that’s when Geneva regrouped in order to beat regional host Conant and successfully edge Glenbard West in a shootout to lift postseason hardware.
Although the Vikings’ grads include three All-DKC selections, Sun Yonehara, Matt Fuller and Josh Eiss, a fourth all-conference pick will return. That would be Christian Diaz, whose 22 points (10 goals/2 assists) put him 10th on 2019 list of DuKane scorers.
However, Bhatta has no illusions about what to expect in year three of the DKC.
“Can’t imagine next year being any less difficult,” Bhatta said. “We have some established programs that are often able to simply reload with good young talent.”
Click here to view Geneva team page
Glenbard North
Coach: Spero Mandakas (2nd year at GNHS)
2019 overall record: 12-8-3
DKC record (finish): 3-2-2 (11 pts. / 4th place)
Playoff: Lost 3-1 regional final to West Chicago
Final Chicagoland Soccer ranking: honorable mention
Recap: Yet another coach fashioning a program revival is Spero Mandakas, who also directed Glenbard North’s tripling of victories from four wins to a 12-8-3 showing. The Panthers were denied a regional plaque because that was the first hardware eventual Class 3A champ West Chicago picked up. So here is yet another league member eager to start back where it left off.
The Panthers demonstrated their improvement early on by capturing the Joe Novy Classic championship.
“Coming out of that Addison Trail tourney we were down a goalie and a key starter, so our (first DKC) effort versus (St. Charles) East wasn’t our best,” Mandakas noted.
After a 1-0 loss to Wheaton North that was part of a five-match losing streak, Glenbard North rebounded and went 3-0-2 in the league the rest of the way.
“Last year we lost a lot of one-goal matches. Our record this time (in the DKC and overall) was a result of flipping those and winning close games, and how we did that was by not falling behind.”
Unfortunately for North there were two particular exceptions, a 1-0 regular-season loss and a 2-1 setback in the regional finale with West Chicago. And that second loss to the Wildcats included yielding a penalty kick.
While All-DuKane midfielder-defender Ode Emena departs, all-league midfielder Nathaniel Enriquez is back as is Gabe Jurado (29 pts. - 13g/3a), who ranked fifth on a list of DKC scorers.
“In respect to the prior year we certainly had a successful season and showed solid improvement against a tougher schedule,” Mandakas said. “As for the conference, every game has been a battle, and it’s fairly obvious that will never change.”
Click here to view Glenbard North team page
Lake Park
Coach: Sean Crosby (3rd year at LPHS)
2019 overall record: 9-11-2
DKC record (finish): 3-3-1 (10 pts. / 5th place)
Playoff: Lost 3-0 in regional opener vs. York
Final Chicagoland Soccer ranking: unranked
Recap: Producing an encore to finishing fourth in Class 3A, defending a share of the inaugural DKC title and replacing the league’s Player of the Year (Franco Presta) among a host of talented starters meant everyone privately figured Lake Park was vulnerable.
However, it wasn’t just political correctness that led every opposing coach to insist the Lancers couldn’t be counted out in 2019. Plenty of talent remained and that’s why coach Sean Crosby could be realistic rather than disappointed that 2019 saw a dip in the overall and DKC records.
“It’s hard to call almost any result in this conference an upset considering the talent and coaching knowledge that exists in this league. It’s very impressive,” Crosby said.
Lake Park recovered from an 0-3-0 season start to go unbeaten in the next five outings (4-0-1), however, that simply led to more up-and-down results the rest of the way to a 9-11-2 season. While the Lancers’ title defense was pegged on mathematics, they pulled together when they traveled to Geneva to hand the Vikings their only league defeat.
“After our first losses we could have been discouraged, instead we learned to play smarter, use each other, maintain possession, stick with the right technique and fight for our life,” Crosby noted. “Even when defending our title was an uphill quest, we won at Geneva proving to ourselves and everyone that could still compete with top-level opponents. For our guys, it served as as a statement win to keep us looking forward to the next season.”
Once again Lake Park will need to fill some notable voids in the roster. The All-DKC duo of Grayden McClellan (32 pts. - 11g/10a) and Oleksandr Melnyk (25 pts. - 10g/5a) were tied for second and seventh, respectively, on the list of DuKane point producers.
“As for 2020, our back four and goalies were underclassmen, so we already believe we’ll be able to protect our net even better,” Crosby said. “Although a sophomore, Edgar Villagran came into his own in midfield and never came off the field all season. That’s an example everyone can follow.”
Click here to view Lake Park team page
St. Charles East
Coach: Vince DiNuzzo (3rd year at SCEHS)
2019 overall record: 18-2-3
DKC record (finish): 6-0-1 (19 pts. / 1st place)
Playoff: Lost 2-1 via shootout in regional final vs. York
Final Chicagoland Soccer ranking: 17th
Recap: With one major exception, St. Charles East boss Vince DiNuzzo would love it if 2020 could be a rerun of 2019 for the Saints. Not only did East become solo DKC champion, the Saints put together an impressive 18-match (15-0-3) unbeaten streak until the breaks of the game curtailed state finals aspirations.
“Last year we were just behind Wheaton North and Lake Park. This year with a more mature group, they vowed not to take any opponent lightly and that’s how we increased our wins to get to the top,” DiNuzzo noted. “And it began with our group of seniors putting together a summer program to bring out our best as a unit. That’s notable because unlike say Naperville, the Tri-Cities have four strong club programs also making demands on players over the break.”
The Saints combined stingy defense (yielding 0.8 goals per DuKane match) with solid scoring (averaging 2.5 goals matched only by Wheaton North). So in the end, was East guilty of taking York lightly in the regional finale defeat?
“We didn’t really lose focus, but fell short due to a combination of things. No excuses, bottom line York did more to win the game,” DiNuzzo said. “Renato (Avendano) couldn’t play the last 40, Sebastian was limited after earlier being on pace for 20 goals, gusty winds neutralized our speed, and suddenly it’s late in overtime, and one of those crazy ricochets happens.”
Would the Saints then have been able to get by a Geneva unit they battled to a draw? Or derail West Chicago? Or then get past Jacobs? Hard to say, but those chances didn’t materialize.
How far East can go in 2010 depends on replacing some major gaps in the lineup. Start with the aforementioned Avendano – the coaches' DuKane Player of the Year and Golden Boot recipient based on seven goals in league matches. Jack Settle was the very best of a trio senior keepers whom defender Zach Gamster helped protect. AVendano, Settle and Gamster were All-DKC selections.
The plus side is the long-standing tradition of success for St. Charles East soccer and the return of two more All-DuKane standouts: Carranza, and defender Alex Mancera. The list of DKC point producers was heavy with Saints: tied for second, Carranza (32 pts. - 13g/6a); fourth, Avendano (31 pts. - 14g/3a); sixth, Sam Wade (26 pts. - 9g/8a); 11th, Jake Maslowski (21 pts. 8g/5a); and tied for 13th, Mancera (17 pts. - 2g/13a).
Click here to view St. Charles East team page
St. Charles North
Coach: Eric Willson (16th year at SCNHS)
2019 overall record: 11-5-3
DKC record (finish): 2-2-3 (9 pts. / 6th place)
Playoff: Lost 2-0 sectional semifinal to West Chicago
Final Chicagoland Soccer ranking: 22nd
Recap: Add this metric to evaluating the DuKane: St. Charles North was .500 in league play but finished sixth out of eight? Completing his 16th year steering the North Stars’ fortunes, there has been only one time Eric Willson's teams failed to reach double-digits in victories and that wasn’t 2019. Rather this was more typical Willson-type results with wins more than doubling the losses.
North began the year with five-consecutive wins before a 2-1 overtime loss to Metea Valley for the championship of the 2nd annual St. Charles Invitational. That frustration was followed by a 1-1 road tie against Wheaton North in the loop opener for both sides.
Then-no. 2-ranked Libertyville visited and dealt North a 2-0 setback. Like an annoying loose thread, Geneva slipped by 1-0 on the North Stars turf. Add on a 2-2 stalemate at Lake Park, plus a 2-1 home loss to rival East, and 2-2 deadlock at home against Glenbard North, and it looked like the entire sweater was unraveling.
“Really believed the character of our boys showed in getting through some mid-year struggles with a lot of draws and close losses, but yet we strung together several wins and won another regional,” Willson said.
North stitched together a six-match victory run that earned them a sectional semifinal slot opposite what turned out to be the team of destiny --- West Chicago.
The North Stars graduate All-DKC selections in defender Colin Nelson and forward Faizan Mohiuddin, but there is a talented and consistent point producer leading the charge for 2020 in Luke Persenico, who tied for seventh in league points with 25 (9g/7a).
Click here to view St. Charles North team page
Wheaton North
Coach: Robert Stassen (5th year as head coach at WNHS)
2019 overall record: 13-7-1
DKC record (finish): 4-2-1 (13 pts. / 3rd place)
Playoff: Lost in shootout after 1-1 deadlock in regional opener vs. Glenbard North
Final Chicagoland Soccer Ranking: honorable mention
Recap: If Wheaton North’s players can match coach Robert Stassen’s understanding of how thin the line is between winning and losing, the Falcons should be in the DuKane title hunt once again.
All it takes is a single match to leave you wanting more. Here are a few cases in point. North was the runnerup in both the Hillner and Plainfield Classic. In the DuKane, one loss meant slipping from co-champion to third place.
“That’s soccer. From last year’s co-champion unit we graduated nine seniors, so maybe some would say this group exceeded expectations. Maybe, I just know our desire never changes,” Stassen said. “However, this is my fourth different conference as a coach, and yet I can say the camaraderie between coaches and players is the most outstanding.
“Three of our eight returning starters are all-conference and all-IHSSCA honorees, so we’re excited about 2020,” Stassen added. "So yes, we'd ike to get back on top."
That top trio of returnees includes defender Kyle Schauer and midfielders Erik Rozanski and Graham Stephenson. The Falcons graduated a fourth all-conference player in Garrett Robinson (tied for 13th among DKC point-men with 17 – 6g/5a). Even more fuel for optimism is having Jarrett Baumgartner coming back. Baumgartner tops the point chart for league scorers with 39 points (18g/3a), and was runnerup for the loop’s Golden Boot based on six goals in DKC matches according to league statistics.
However, Stassen also sees that thin line between the positive and the negative.
“When you can only have so many all-conference or all-state candidates, some very deserving players might go without deserved recognition,” Stassen noted. “Definitely not questioning anyone else, but such a player would be Ray Min. He’ll be a huge loss for us.”
Although the goalkeeper's shutouts dipped from 10 in 2018, his eight clean-sheets represented the most solo whitewashes of any DKC goalie.
Click here to view Wheaton North team page
Wheaton Warrenville South
Coach: Guy Callipari (29th year at WWSHS)
2019 overall record: 6-10-2
DKC record (finish): 1-6-0 (3 pts. / 7th place)
Playoff: Lost 2-1 regional prelim to Willowbrook
Final Chicagoland Soccer ranking: unranked
Recap: There’s no question that Wheaton Warrenville South will have success thanks to the wisdom of veteran coach Guy Callpari. The question is when and where?
For the second year the DuKane wasn’t the ideal setting in comparison to the PepsiCo Showdown. The Tigers struggled in their DKC opener and endured more of the same versus league foes.
Compare that to the tournament, where South posted solid victories over Wheaton Academy and Metea Valley and ultimately captured a bracket crown for the fourth-straight year.
“Unfortunately we didn’t get out of the gate too well against Geneva, but that was also a sign of what was to come for them. In our case, I don’t believe we were outplayed the rest of the way as much as we had trouble finding (goals) in the final third of the field,” Callipari said.
However, 2019 was a memorable one that brought together many Tigers alums, fans and friends to celebrate the rich tradition and success that are the modus operandi for the program.
“A huge plus was celebrating so much success for our program over a 50-year period," Callipari said. "I’m expecting the impact of demonstrating the high regard our program is held in throughout the years and in the community will pay off in renewing respect for the tradition that is Tigers soccer.”
Led by All-DuKane senior defender Sam Schlegel, Wheaton Warrenville South fought tirelessly to get on a winning and consistent track.
“On the down side is the bounce of the ball can be lucky or not,” Callipari said prior to the postseason. “We didn’t expect to be in a prelim match and had advantages of 23-6 in shots and 16-1 for corners with two goals called back.
“Confident we’ve got a good foundation for 2020 with the ability to be a little more technical,” Callipari added. "And although our depth may be younger, we’re adding guys from the last two freshmen conference champions.”
Click here to view Wheaton Warrenville South team page