Season recap: DuPage Valley Conference
By Matt Le Cren
Naperville North has been in a class by itself among Illinois soccer teams in recent years.
That’s especially true when it comes to DuPage Valley Conference action.
For all the talk, which is not incorrect, about how tough the league is and how closely decided most of the league matches are, the Huskies stand out from the pack.
That was never more obvious than during the 2019 season. While four of the six teams finished within one win of each other, Naperville North cruised to yet another league title, going 5-0 while outscoring league foes 14-2.
It was the 27th DVC title for the Huskies and the 14th under coach Jim Konrad, who moves ahead of his former head coach, Dave Bucher, for the most in program history.
Metea Valley was a distant second, finishing with eight points, seven points in back of the Huskies. The Mustangs edged Waubonsie Valley by one point, league newcomer DeKalb by two and Naperville Central by three.
“There’s some good teams in the DVC,” Naperville North senior forward Ty Konrad said. “I think it prepared us well to battle good teams around us.
“All the games are long and hard. You have to be locked in for the entire game.”
Indeed, the Huskies used their league competition as a springboard to win three straight Class 3A state championships in Ty Konrad’s first three seasons. Their quest for a fourth-consecutive crown ended at the Lewis University Supersectional where they fell to top-ranked and eventual state runnerup Morton in penalty kicks after 100 minutes led to a 3-3 draw.
NAPERVILLE NORTH
DVC RECORD: 5-0 (CHAMPION); OVERALL RECORD: 19-5-2
PLAYOFFS: Lost to Morton in supersectional
There was a decided chill in the air after the Huskies’ supersectional loss and not just because of the freezing temperatures. It felt like the end of an era, and it quite possibly was.
Naperville North will say goodbye to 15 seniors, including nine starters, who were the last remaining pieces of a core of talent that produced a record of 93-8-6 over the past three seasons, including a state-record 45-game winning streak (which stretched into a state-record 47-game unbeaten streak), the first perfect season in state history (26-0-0 in 2018) and an amazing run of 25-consecutive playoff victories.
Gone will be Ohio State recruit Ty Konrad, a four-year starter who leaves as the program’s all-time assist leader. He bagged 17 goals and 15 assists this year to run his career total to 45 goals and 48 assists.
Also taking their final bows are fellow four-year varsity players Cesar Recendez, Ali Khorfan and Jason Barba, Bowling Green-bound forward Patrick Koenig and starters Nata Rojas, Zach Smith, Christian Romano, and Evan Thompson and reserves Eric Chen, Nathan Marassa, Sammy Seppala, Matt Buescher, Sebastian Babayan, Jackson Grant and former starter Myles Barry, who missed most of the season with injury.
“These boys time and time again have come through in the big moments,” Jim Konrad said after the Morton game. “They did it again tonight, to be down and to rally back and we put them on their heels down the stretch of the game.
“The game could have gone either way and obviously the ball didn’t bounce for us on PKs, which is crushing. I hate the fact that there are boys who will walk away from this game, and that’s the last memory.”
But so many victorious memories preceded that loss and of course, the Huskies were the team that ended the dreams of so many opponents during their epic run.
“That’s the message, that these guys have left a mark, not only on our program, but Illinois soccer,” Jim Konrad said. “You look back in history and no one has done what that group of boys has done.
“The work that Ty and Cesar and Jason have done the last four seasons is incredible; three state championships and the perfect season. Obviously, I wish they could have gone out with the dream of winning four in a row. That was the plan.
“Next year is going to be a lot different. We’ll try to retool.”
What made this run extra special for Jim Konrad was coaching his nephews Ty and Mitch (a defender who graduated in 2018 after playing on the first two state title teams). His son Ryan, was a freshman who played at a lower level this fall.
“I talked to (Ty) after the game to cheer him up,” Jim Konrad said. “I said it’s been the joy of my life coaching you and Mitch and next year I’ll probably get to coach my son.
“So this has been a special time for me, outside of the wins, just the fact that my family is here.”
The Huskies were an extended family of sorts. Many of the seniors have known each other and played together for a decade.
“This group of kids have traveled together with Ty,” Jim Konrad said. “It makes it a little more special, because he has all those friends pushing him along and building him up and being there for him. It’s been great.”
Greater than anyone could have imagined.
“It was beyond anything I ever expected,” Ty Konrad said. “I just remember coming in as a freshman thinking, ‘Man, I hope that at the end of my four years we get a state championship.’ Three is obviously awesome.”
Click here to view Naperville North team page
METEA VALLEY
DVC RECORD: 2-1-2 (SECOND PLACE); OVERALL RECORD: 9-7-6
PLAYOFFS: Lost to West Aurora in regional final
Like the rest of the DVC, the Mustangs do not have the deep well of talent that Naperville North does, though they are becoming more competitive. They earned their second-consecutive runnerup finish, led by the outstanding goalkeeping of coaches' all-stater Gandhi Cruz, who finished with an 0.91 goals-against average, 131 saves, seven shutouts and one assist, and a solid defense anchored by all-DVC right back Matthew Dovalovksy.
“That’s two years in a row that we’ve finished second,” Metea coach Josh Robinson said. “Last year, if we beat North in the last game of the year we would have won, but they were just better than us.
“Our one loss (this year) was to North, otherwise it was super bunched.”
Indeed, the Mustangs tied Naperville Central and Waubonsie Valley and earned one-goal wins over DeKalb and Neuqua Valley. That was a microcosm of the league season.
While Naperville North won the Lockport Sectional title, Naperville Central and DeKalb also won regionals and Waubonsie Valley and Metea Valley both reached regional title games. Only Neuqua, which lost to Metea in the regional semifinal, failed to win a playoff game.
“That’s the one thing about the conference – it’s always super tight,” Robinson said. “I think that’s the great thing about the DVC. It just shows the depth and how strong the conference is.”
The Mustangs were a team that got stronger as the year went on. They struggled mightily to score goals but developed a new offensive threat in junior forward Alex Krehl, who scored 13 goals to go with six assists to earn All-DVC and honorable mention all-sectional honors. Nick Sanchez and Tyler Kero also were all-conference.
But the star of the show was Cruz, a Division I recruit who proved to be a tremendous leader, finishing his career as one of the top keepers in the state.
“He got better as the year went on,” Robinson said. “He played with so much heart and pride. It was special to see him play and unfortunate to watch him move on.”
Click here to view Metea Valley team page
WAUBONSIE VALLEY
DVC RECORD: 2-2-1 (THIRD PLACE); OVERALL RECORD: 12-6-4
PLAYOFF RESULT: Lost to Oswego in regional final
The Warriors were the most improved team in the conference and tripled their win total from 2018. They rallied from a 1-3-1 start to win eight-straight games, the second-longest winning skein for a DVC team this season behind the 10-game streak posted by Naperville North.
Waubonsie came up 20 minutes short of winning a regional title, giving up four late goals to higher-seeded West Aurora in a 5-3 loss. West Aurora took Naperville North to overtime before losing 4-3 in the sectional final.
Senior star Noah Glorioso led the way for the Warriors, recording 10 goals and 10 assists. Juniors Javi Martinez, who had nine goals and four assists, and Daniel Carrillo, who bagged seven goals, also had solid seasons.
Click here to view Waubonsie Valley team page
DE KALB
DVC RECORD: 2-3-0 (FOURTH PLACE); OVERALL RECORD: 12-7-3
PLAYOFF RESULT: Lost to Jacobs in sectional semifinal
The Barbs jumped into uncharted waters and stayed afloat. The tougher competition of the DVC proved to be beneficial as they won their first regional title since 2013 before losing 7-2 to Jacobs in the sectional semifinals.
DeKalb wasted no time in recording their first DVC victory, a 4-0 decision over Neuqua Valley in their league opener on Sept. 10. They finished the regular season Oct. 15 with a 1-0 road victory at Naperville Central, a fellow sectional semifinalist.
“It was a quality season, and one that we are proud of,” DeKalb coach P.J. Hamilton said. “The transition to the DVC has been nothing but positive. The competition level has better prepared our players and this jump will only help our program take another positive step forward.
“We competed in each match and showed everyone in our new conference there is quality soccer in our area. Our group is proud to pioneer this journey, and we look forward to another competitive run next year. The players and coaches in the DVC have been extremely welcoming and helpful thus far, and our program looks to take what it has learned to grow and take our program to the next level.”
Mauro Talamantes, Julian Garcia and Juan Ma were all-DVC selections, while John Hernandez and Isaak Cordova earned honorable mention all-DVC honors. Talamantes also was an all-sectional pick and Garcia and honorable mention all-sectional choice.
While Hamilton said the Barbs have benefitted from joining the DVC, his fellow coaches believe the league has received a boost in return.
“DeKalb has been awesome,” Robinson said. “A ton of credit to them for coming in this year and playing the way they did. Their style is great.
“You can see it in the playoffs. They are benefitting from it.
“P.J. is an awesome coach, good dude, and they have kids that are talented. They try to play a good brand of soccer, and that’s the whole conference. Everyone is trying to play a quality style. I think that’s how it will be.”
Hamilton was happy with his team’s inaugural showing but far from satisfied.
“I thought our boys competed at a high level throughout our conference run, but our group will always aspire for higher than a fourth place finish,” Hamilton said. “We have set new goals for the offseason and will work together to get better each day to achieve those goals.”
NAPERVILLE CENTRAL
DVC RECORD: 1-2-2 (FIFTH PLACE); OVERALL RECORD: 10-7-5
PLAYOFF RESULT: Lost to West Aurora in sectional semifinal
Naperville Central’s results showcased the strength of the conference more than any other team. The Redhawks started 5-0-1 and lost only twice in their first 13 games and won a regional championship one season after posting their first losing record since 2002.
Yet they mustered only one win in DVC action, a 3-2 road win over Waubonsie Valley.
“There was definitely a lot of parity,” Naperville Central coach Troy Adams said. “You look at the scores, North’s win against us, 4-1, was the biggest of the wins.
“You look at all the rest of them; 2-1, 1-0, ties. It just talks about the strength of the conference and how good they are.”
It turned out to be good preparation for the playoffs as the Redhawks vanquished Batavia and Plainfield North to win their own regional before taking West Aurora to the wire in a sectional semifinal loss.
“It makes you realize that every game has significance, every game is going to be challenging,” Adams said. “So when you have a conference like the DVC and then the schedule we play, when you get into these (playoff) games, you’ve already been through it multiple times.”
The Redhawks had two all-sectional players in senior stalwarts Owen Jarrell and Rohan Bhargava, who also were all-DVC picks along with Mitch Becker and Roman Krupka. Nico Couropmitree was honorable mention all-DVC.
Jarrell led the team in scoring with seven goals, while Bhargava, a four-year varsity player who had two goals and three assists, was the team captain who provided heady leadership on the field and in the classroom, where he scored a perfect 36 on the ACT.
But the linchpin probably was Becker, a senior defender who played all season with a group of young players on the backline that started to jell at the of the season.
“The biggest thing about Mitch was he hadn’t really been in a role where he had to be in charge and you love seeing kids embrace a new role and a leadership opportunity, and I really think he did,” Adams said. “Even though he wasn’t a captain, he was one of those vocal players who helped us get organized and kept us on track and engaged in what we’re doing.
“We’re pleased to see a kid step up and take some leadership responsibility. He was playing with all sophomores back there and three of them brand new.”
Becker’s third varsity season was his best.
“His last two years on varsity he was kind of a wild man,” Adams said. “He would love to go in and make tackles. To see the maturity and the patience that he had is huge.”
NEUQUA VALLEY
DVC RECORD: 0-4-1 (SIXTH PLACE); OVERALL RECORD: 2-11-5
PLAYOFF RESULT: Lost to Metea Valley in regional semifinal
Neuqua Valley coach Arnoldo Gonzalez would like to forget the 2019 season.
But he hopes his returning players never do.
The Wildcats struggled through the worst season in the program’s 22-year history and their record was far worse than it had ever been. It was a fall full of frustration for Gonzalez.
“The boys would be horsing around in practice, and I would bring that (bad record) up and they were like, ‘Oh, why is that brought up?’” Gonzalez said. “I’m like, ‘Well, you need to hear it?’
The Wildcats didn’t have any Division I players on their roster but they clearly underperformed for their talent level. They scored only 17 goals. When they did score, lapses let them down.
Neuqua Valley showed its potential against tough competition, including a 3-3 tie with Hinsdale Central, a 2-2 draw with York and a 2-2 tie against Addison Trail. They also played Naperville Central to a scoreless draw to earn their only DVC point.
Hinsdale Central and York were sectional finalists, Naperville Central won a regional and Addison Trail won 13 games and was a no. 4 sectional seed. And the Wildcats finished the DVC campaign by losing to Naperville North 1-0, the closest any league team came to beating the Huskies.
“It has nothing to do with talent,” Gonzalez said he told his players. “The games we’ve tied or lost, it’s not because the other team is outplaying you, it’s just you guys are brain fart after brain fart, and it’s a reflection of what we do at practice.
“You seem not to believe in that. We’re not going to change your mind.”
The Wildcats did have some leaders in the senior class. Defender Mac Lehman was all-DVC and all-sectional, while forward Jaison Chisnell led the team in scoring with five goals and six assists, earning all-DVC and honorable mention all-sectional nods. Midfielder Ryan Matthews and goalkeeper Luke Molnar were honorable mention all-DVC.
“What (Lehman) provided was solid defense, composure, and leadership in keeping the team together,” Gonzalez said. “That’s what he really brought to the table, his work ethic.”
Gonzalez hopes that rubs off on the many young players, including seven sophomores, who took their lumps this season.
“You’re always trying to gauge yourself with your teammates, which is fine, but you are not going that extra mile understanding that there are other players out there doing the same, if not more, because they want to make a difference on a varsity field,” Gonzalez said. “Not on their team, on a varsity field.
“But it’s a very young team. They got a good taste of what it is to be at that level. Coming up it’s going to be a different year. We had some very strong kids so I’m really looking forward to it.”
By Matt Le Cren
Naperville North has been in a class by itself among Illinois soccer teams in recent years.
That’s especially true when it comes to DuPage Valley Conference action.
For all the talk, which is not incorrect, about how tough the league is and how closely decided most of the league matches are, the Huskies stand out from the pack.
That was never more obvious than during the 2019 season. While four of the six teams finished within one win of each other, Naperville North cruised to yet another league title, going 5-0 while outscoring league foes 14-2.
It was the 27th DVC title for the Huskies and the 14th under coach Jim Konrad, who moves ahead of his former head coach, Dave Bucher, for the most in program history.
Metea Valley was a distant second, finishing with eight points, seven points in back of the Huskies. The Mustangs edged Waubonsie Valley by one point, league newcomer DeKalb by two and Naperville Central by three.
“There’s some good teams in the DVC,” Naperville North senior forward Ty Konrad said. “I think it prepared us well to battle good teams around us.
“All the games are long and hard. You have to be locked in for the entire game.”
Indeed, the Huskies used their league competition as a springboard to win three straight Class 3A state championships in Ty Konrad’s first three seasons. Their quest for a fourth-consecutive crown ended at the Lewis University Supersectional where they fell to top-ranked and eventual state runnerup Morton in penalty kicks after 100 minutes led to a 3-3 draw.
NAPERVILLE NORTH
DVC RECORD: 5-0 (CHAMPION); OVERALL RECORD: 19-5-2
PLAYOFFS: Lost to Morton in supersectional
There was a decided chill in the air after the Huskies’ supersectional loss and not just because of the freezing temperatures. It felt like the end of an era, and it quite possibly was.
Naperville North will say goodbye to 15 seniors, including nine starters, who were the last remaining pieces of a core of talent that produced a record of 93-8-6 over the past three seasons, including a state-record 45-game winning streak (which stretched into a state-record 47-game unbeaten streak), the first perfect season in state history (26-0-0 in 2018) and an amazing run of 25-consecutive playoff victories.
Gone will be Ohio State recruit Ty Konrad, a four-year starter who leaves as the program’s all-time assist leader. He bagged 17 goals and 15 assists this year to run his career total to 45 goals and 48 assists.
Also taking their final bows are fellow four-year varsity players Cesar Recendez, Ali Khorfan and Jason Barba, Bowling Green-bound forward Patrick Koenig and starters Nata Rojas, Zach Smith, Christian Romano, and Evan Thompson and reserves Eric Chen, Nathan Marassa, Sammy Seppala, Matt Buescher, Sebastian Babayan, Jackson Grant and former starter Myles Barry, who missed most of the season with injury.
“These boys time and time again have come through in the big moments,” Jim Konrad said after the Morton game. “They did it again tonight, to be down and to rally back and we put them on their heels down the stretch of the game.
“The game could have gone either way and obviously the ball didn’t bounce for us on PKs, which is crushing. I hate the fact that there are boys who will walk away from this game, and that’s the last memory.”
But so many victorious memories preceded that loss and of course, the Huskies were the team that ended the dreams of so many opponents during their epic run.
“That’s the message, that these guys have left a mark, not only on our program, but Illinois soccer,” Jim Konrad said. “You look back in history and no one has done what that group of boys has done.
“The work that Ty and Cesar and Jason have done the last four seasons is incredible; three state championships and the perfect season. Obviously, I wish they could have gone out with the dream of winning four in a row. That was the plan.
“Next year is going to be a lot different. We’ll try to retool.”
What made this run extra special for Jim Konrad was coaching his nephews Ty and Mitch (a defender who graduated in 2018 after playing on the first two state title teams). His son Ryan, was a freshman who played at a lower level this fall.
“I talked to (Ty) after the game to cheer him up,” Jim Konrad said. “I said it’s been the joy of my life coaching you and Mitch and next year I’ll probably get to coach my son.
“So this has been a special time for me, outside of the wins, just the fact that my family is here.”
The Huskies were an extended family of sorts. Many of the seniors have known each other and played together for a decade.
“This group of kids have traveled together with Ty,” Jim Konrad said. “It makes it a little more special, because he has all those friends pushing him along and building him up and being there for him. It’s been great.”
Greater than anyone could have imagined.
“It was beyond anything I ever expected,” Ty Konrad said. “I just remember coming in as a freshman thinking, ‘Man, I hope that at the end of my four years we get a state championship.’ Three is obviously awesome.”
Click here to view Naperville North team page
METEA VALLEY
DVC RECORD: 2-1-2 (SECOND PLACE); OVERALL RECORD: 9-7-6
PLAYOFFS: Lost to West Aurora in regional final
Like the rest of the DVC, the Mustangs do not have the deep well of talent that Naperville North does, though they are becoming more competitive. They earned their second-consecutive runnerup finish, led by the outstanding goalkeeping of coaches' all-stater Gandhi Cruz, who finished with an 0.91 goals-against average, 131 saves, seven shutouts and one assist, and a solid defense anchored by all-DVC right back Matthew Dovalovksy.
“That’s two years in a row that we’ve finished second,” Metea coach Josh Robinson said. “Last year, if we beat North in the last game of the year we would have won, but they were just better than us.
“Our one loss (this year) was to North, otherwise it was super bunched.”
Indeed, the Mustangs tied Naperville Central and Waubonsie Valley and earned one-goal wins over DeKalb and Neuqua Valley. That was a microcosm of the league season.
While Naperville North won the Lockport Sectional title, Naperville Central and DeKalb also won regionals and Waubonsie Valley and Metea Valley both reached regional title games. Only Neuqua, which lost to Metea in the regional semifinal, failed to win a playoff game.
“That’s the one thing about the conference – it’s always super tight,” Robinson said. “I think that’s the great thing about the DVC. It just shows the depth and how strong the conference is.”
The Mustangs were a team that got stronger as the year went on. They struggled mightily to score goals but developed a new offensive threat in junior forward Alex Krehl, who scored 13 goals to go with six assists to earn All-DVC and honorable mention all-sectional honors. Nick Sanchez and Tyler Kero also were all-conference.
But the star of the show was Cruz, a Division I recruit who proved to be a tremendous leader, finishing his career as one of the top keepers in the state.
“He got better as the year went on,” Robinson said. “He played with so much heart and pride. It was special to see him play and unfortunate to watch him move on.”
Click here to view Metea Valley team page
WAUBONSIE VALLEY
DVC RECORD: 2-2-1 (THIRD PLACE); OVERALL RECORD: 12-6-4
PLAYOFF RESULT: Lost to Oswego in regional final
The Warriors were the most improved team in the conference and tripled their win total from 2018. They rallied from a 1-3-1 start to win eight-straight games, the second-longest winning skein for a DVC team this season behind the 10-game streak posted by Naperville North.
Waubonsie came up 20 minutes short of winning a regional title, giving up four late goals to higher-seeded West Aurora in a 5-3 loss. West Aurora took Naperville North to overtime before losing 4-3 in the sectional final.
Senior star Noah Glorioso led the way for the Warriors, recording 10 goals and 10 assists. Juniors Javi Martinez, who had nine goals and four assists, and Daniel Carrillo, who bagged seven goals, also had solid seasons.
Click here to view Waubonsie Valley team page
DE KALB
DVC RECORD: 2-3-0 (FOURTH PLACE); OVERALL RECORD: 12-7-3
PLAYOFF RESULT: Lost to Jacobs in sectional semifinal
The Barbs jumped into uncharted waters and stayed afloat. The tougher competition of the DVC proved to be beneficial as they won their first regional title since 2013 before losing 7-2 to Jacobs in the sectional semifinals.
DeKalb wasted no time in recording their first DVC victory, a 4-0 decision over Neuqua Valley in their league opener on Sept. 10. They finished the regular season Oct. 15 with a 1-0 road victory at Naperville Central, a fellow sectional semifinalist.
“It was a quality season, and one that we are proud of,” DeKalb coach P.J. Hamilton said. “The transition to the DVC has been nothing but positive. The competition level has better prepared our players and this jump will only help our program take another positive step forward.
“We competed in each match and showed everyone in our new conference there is quality soccer in our area. Our group is proud to pioneer this journey, and we look forward to another competitive run next year. The players and coaches in the DVC have been extremely welcoming and helpful thus far, and our program looks to take what it has learned to grow and take our program to the next level.”
Mauro Talamantes, Julian Garcia and Juan Ma were all-DVC selections, while John Hernandez and Isaak Cordova earned honorable mention all-DVC honors. Talamantes also was an all-sectional pick and Garcia and honorable mention all-sectional choice.
While Hamilton said the Barbs have benefitted from joining the DVC, his fellow coaches believe the league has received a boost in return.
“DeKalb has been awesome,” Robinson said. “A ton of credit to them for coming in this year and playing the way they did. Their style is great.
“You can see it in the playoffs. They are benefitting from it.
“P.J. is an awesome coach, good dude, and they have kids that are talented. They try to play a good brand of soccer, and that’s the whole conference. Everyone is trying to play a quality style. I think that’s how it will be.”
Hamilton was happy with his team’s inaugural showing but far from satisfied.
“I thought our boys competed at a high level throughout our conference run, but our group will always aspire for higher than a fourth place finish,” Hamilton said. “We have set new goals for the offseason and will work together to get better each day to achieve those goals.”
NAPERVILLE CENTRAL
DVC RECORD: 1-2-2 (FIFTH PLACE); OVERALL RECORD: 10-7-5
PLAYOFF RESULT: Lost to West Aurora in sectional semifinal
Naperville Central’s results showcased the strength of the conference more than any other team. The Redhawks started 5-0-1 and lost only twice in their first 13 games and won a regional championship one season after posting their first losing record since 2002.
Yet they mustered only one win in DVC action, a 3-2 road win over Waubonsie Valley.
“There was definitely a lot of parity,” Naperville Central coach Troy Adams said. “You look at the scores, North’s win against us, 4-1, was the biggest of the wins.
“You look at all the rest of them; 2-1, 1-0, ties. It just talks about the strength of the conference and how good they are.”
It turned out to be good preparation for the playoffs as the Redhawks vanquished Batavia and Plainfield North to win their own regional before taking West Aurora to the wire in a sectional semifinal loss.
“It makes you realize that every game has significance, every game is going to be challenging,” Adams said. “So when you have a conference like the DVC and then the schedule we play, when you get into these (playoff) games, you’ve already been through it multiple times.”
The Redhawks had two all-sectional players in senior stalwarts Owen Jarrell and Rohan Bhargava, who also were all-DVC picks along with Mitch Becker and Roman Krupka. Nico Couropmitree was honorable mention all-DVC.
Jarrell led the team in scoring with seven goals, while Bhargava, a four-year varsity player who had two goals and three assists, was the team captain who provided heady leadership on the field and in the classroom, where he scored a perfect 36 on the ACT.
But the linchpin probably was Becker, a senior defender who played all season with a group of young players on the backline that started to jell at the of the season.
“The biggest thing about Mitch was he hadn’t really been in a role where he had to be in charge and you love seeing kids embrace a new role and a leadership opportunity, and I really think he did,” Adams said. “Even though he wasn’t a captain, he was one of those vocal players who helped us get organized and kept us on track and engaged in what we’re doing.
“We’re pleased to see a kid step up and take some leadership responsibility. He was playing with all sophomores back there and three of them brand new.”
Becker’s third varsity season was his best.
“His last two years on varsity he was kind of a wild man,” Adams said. “He would love to go in and make tackles. To see the maturity and the patience that he had is huge.”
NEUQUA VALLEY
DVC RECORD: 0-4-1 (SIXTH PLACE); OVERALL RECORD: 2-11-5
PLAYOFF RESULT: Lost to Metea Valley in regional semifinal
Neuqua Valley coach Arnoldo Gonzalez would like to forget the 2019 season.
But he hopes his returning players never do.
The Wildcats struggled through the worst season in the program’s 22-year history and their record was far worse than it had ever been. It was a fall full of frustration for Gonzalez.
“The boys would be horsing around in practice, and I would bring that (bad record) up and they were like, ‘Oh, why is that brought up?’” Gonzalez said. “I’m like, ‘Well, you need to hear it?’
The Wildcats didn’t have any Division I players on their roster but they clearly underperformed for their talent level. They scored only 17 goals. When they did score, lapses let them down.
Neuqua Valley showed its potential against tough competition, including a 3-3 tie with Hinsdale Central, a 2-2 draw with York and a 2-2 tie against Addison Trail. They also played Naperville Central to a scoreless draw to earn their only DVC point.
Hinsdale Central and York were sectional finalists, Naperville Central won a regional and Addison Trail won 13 games and was a no. 4 sectional seed. And the Wildcats finished the DVC campaign by losing to Naperville North 1-0, the closest any league team came to beating the Huskies.
“It has nothing to do with talent,” Gonzalez said he told his players. “The games we’ve tied or lost, it’s not because the other team is outplaying you, it’s just you guys are brain fart after brain fart, and it’s a reflection of what we do at practice.
“You seem not to believe in that. We’re not going to change your mind.”
The Wildcats did have some leaders in the senior class. Defender Mac Lehman was all-DVC and all-sectional, while forward Jaison Chisnell led the team in scoring with five goals and six assists, earning all-DVC and honorable mention all-sectional nods. Midfielder Ryan Matthews and goalkeeper Luke Molnar were honorable mention all-DVC.
“What (Lehman) provided was solid defense, composure, and leadership in keeping the team together,” Gonzalez said. “That’s what he really brought to the table, his work ethic.”
Gonzalez hopes that rubs off on the many young players, including seven sophomores, who took their lumps this season.
“You’re always trying to gauge yourself with your teammates, which is fine, but you are not going that extra mile understanding that there are other players out there doing the same, if not more, because they want to make a difference on a varsity field,” Gonzalez said. “Not on their team, on a varsity field.
“But it’s a very young team. They got a good taste of what it is to be at that level. Coming up it’s going to be a different year. We had some very strong kids so I’m really looking forward to it.”