Loyola aiming even higher in 2019
Talent returns for defending CCL Blue champs
By Gary Larsen
The names on a roster change every year. but Loyola senior Nick Roscoe understands the universally constant goal for every soccer team. He believes that this year’s Ramblers can pull it off.
“I think we’ll have a strong team in the sense that we’ll be able to play hard every minute of every game,” Roscoe said.
That’s a lofty goal, to be sure. It’s next to impossible for a team to truly achieve 80 minutes of intensity in a game. But the Ramblers’ 15 returning players from 2018 aim to keep the energy up for a program that went 15-2-4 last year and won the Chicago Catholic League Blue Division.
Coach Baer Fisher sees promise in the 2019 edition of the Ramblers, who were listed at no. 23 in Chicagoland Soccer's preseason First 50 statewide poll.
“We had a great season last year, but I think overall we’re in even a better spot with our team,” Fisher said. “We’re better everywhere on the field, and we don’t have that many weaknesses. We’re deeper, and it’s a cohesive group. So despite our success last year, I think this group’s potential is even higher.
“It’s a close group. I just don’t know yet how tough they are, and we won’t know that until the season starts. But it’s a more talented group overall than last year.”
Six players graduated from last year’s Ramblers including attacking players David Gripman, who is now playing at DePaul, and Chicagoland Soccer all-stater Collin Leider. Though there may be no way to replace the pair, attacking strength remains at Loyola.
Junior Michael Sullivan will move from the wing to the central midfield, and senior Austin Agyemang brings pace to the front line. Junior Dylan Gripman, David's brother, should figure prominently in the attack in his first varsity season for the Ramblers; he transferred from Niles West last season and had to sit out the 2018 campaign.
The Ramblers have another player who will key the creation of scoring chances.
“It will definitely be by committee, and it will start with Tommy Zipprich,” Fisher said. “He’s a junior in his third varsity year, a really talented kid on the ball. He’s a different type of player than David or Collin. He likes to run in from deep areas on the field and run in behind the backline. He’ll hopefully lead the charge but (scoring) will definitely be by committee.”
Loyola averaged more than three goals per game last year, and Roscoe doesn’t anticipate a scoring problem this season.
“I think this year our chemistry will be really good. We have a good core this year,” Roscoe said. “Although we lost some dynamic players from last year, we’ve added a couple more, especially in the middle. I think we’ll have to be thoughtful on the attack, and we’ll have to find ways to penetrate teams’ defenses. The (graduation) of David and Collin with their pace and skill will be tricky to fill, but I think we can do it.”
Fisher believes his Ramblers will take their possession game to another level in 2019. He also believes Roscoe’s role will be instrumental.
“One of our important leaders is Nick Roscoe,” Fisher said. “He plays a holding midfielder for us, and he’s the heartbeat on the team. He was one vote away from being (coaches’) all-state last year, and he’s one of those players that helps a team in every area.
“He breaks up passes; he’s in the right spot at the right time. He starts the attack — he does some of everything. Him and John Wilson, a center back, and Andrew Hoepfner, a senior midfielder are guys that help give us balance as well.”
Loyola will rely on senior Wilson, juniors Mario Hrvojevic and Oscar Blazer, and sophomores Ryan Leider and Niko Douvalakis to spearhead the defense.
“We (graduated) Daniel Montaquila, who was a big piece in the back,” Roscoe said. “But with three or four of the guys back there, we all play on the same club team, so our communication will be good and I think we’ll be fine in the back.”
The Ramblers again have a pair of quality keepers in the fold.
“Frankie Baio was the starter two years ago and Alex Ainsworth won the starting job last year as a freshman, and he was terrific all year,” Fisher said. “But we’re confident in both, and we want them to battle it out like everyone else. We’re lucky and deep at the goalkeeper position.”
Tri-captains Zipprich, Roscoe, and Hoepfner will lead the Ramblers into another tough season of CCL play, plus a nonconference schedule that has been bolstered.
“We’re excited about our schedule. To say it’s more difficult is an understatement,” Fisher said.
Two of the Ramblers’ first four games are against no. 3 Libertyville and no. 12 New Trier in the Northside College Showcase, and in the season’s third week they’ll travel to the East Coast for the first time under Fisher to play a pair of top teams from Massachusetts and Connecticut.
“It’s an opportunity to play different schools and the prep schools out there have really taken an upward turn,” Fisher said. “A lot of those schools now recruit from all over the world and some of those programs are terrific. It also exposes our guys to something different and it gives us the upside of taking guys together on a trip for the bonding that takes place.”
Loyola also added 14th-ranked Solorio and Argo to its nonconference schedule, in addition to playing in a Chicago Catholic League that has improved by leaps and bounds in recent years.
Fisher expects no easy path for his boys as they seek a second-consecutive CCL Blue Division title.
“There’s not a bad team in the CCL, which I don’t think you could have said five or six years ago,” Fisher said. “It’ll be St. Ignatius, Mt. Carmel, and last year Marmion had a terrific year. Brother Rice has probably the best player in the CCL in Jack Finnegan and their program is on the rise. Craig Blazer coached at DePaul and he just took over at Fenwick. There isn’t a bad team in the conference. Everyone can beat everyone, which makes it exciting.”
Talent returns for defending CCL Blue champs
By Gary Larsen
The names on a roster change every year. but Loyola senior Nick Roscoe understands the universally constant goal for every soccer team. He believes that this year’s Ramblers can pull it off.
“I think we’ll have a strong team in the sense that we’ll be able to play hard every minute of every game,” Roscoe said.
That’s a lofty goal, to be sure. It’s next to impossible for a team to truly achieve 80 minutes of intensity in a game. But the Ramblers’ 15 returning players from 2018 aim to keep the energy up for a program that went 15-2-4 last year and won the Chicago Catholic League Blue Division.
Coach Baer Fisher sees promise in the 2019 edition of the Ramblers, who were listed at no. 23 in Chicagoland Soccer's preseason First 50 statewide poll.
“We had a great season last year, but I think overall we’re in even a better spot with our team,” Fisher said. “We’re better everywhere on the field, and we don’t have that many weaknesses. We’re deeper, and it’s a cohesive group. So despite our success last year, I think this group’s potential is even higher.
“It’s a close group. I just don’t know yet how tough they are, and we won’t know that until the season starts. But it’s a more talented group overall than last year.”
Six players graduated from last year’s Ramblers including attacking players David Gripman, who is now playing at DePaul, and Chicagoland Soccer all-stater Collin Leider. Though there may be no way to replace the pair, attacking strength remains at Loyola.
Junior Michael Sullivan will move from the wing to the central midfield, and senior Austin Agyemang brings pace to the front line. Junior Dylan Gripman, David's brother, should figure prominently in the attack in his first varsity season for the Ramblers; he transferred from Niles West last season and had to sit out the 2018 campaign.
The Ramblers have another player who will key the creation of scoring chances.
“It will definitely be by committee, and it will start with Tommy Zipprich,” Fisher said. “He’s a junior in his third varsity year, a really talented kid on the ball. He’s a different type of player than David or Collin. He likes to run in from deep areas on the field and run in behind the backline. He’ll hopefully lead the charge but (scoring) will definitely be by committee.”
Loyola averaged more than three goals per game last year, and Roscoe doesn’t anticipate a scoring problem this season.
“I think this year our chemistry will be really good. We have a good core this year,” Roscoe said. “Although we lost some dynamic players from last year, we’ve added a couple more, especially in the middle. I think we’ll have to be thoughtful on the attack, and we’ll have to find ways to penetrate teams’ defenses. The (graduation) of David and Collin with their pace and skill will be tricky to fill, but I think we can do it.”
Fisher believes his Ramblers will take their possession game to another level in 2019. He also believes Roscoe’s role will be instrumental.
“One of our important leaders is Nick Roscoe,” Fisher said. “He plays a holding midfielder for us, and he’s the heartbeat on the team. He was one vote away from being (coaches’) all-state last year, and he’s one of those players that helps a team in every area.
“He breaks up passes; he’s in the right spot at the right time. He starts the attack — he does some of everything. Him and John Wilson, a center back, and Andrew Hoepfner, a senior midfielder are guys that help give us balance as well.”
Loyola will rely on senior Wilson, juniors Mario Hrvojevic and Oscar Blazer, and sophomores Ryan Leider and Niko Douvalakis to spearhead the defense.
“We (graduated) Daniel Montaquila, who was a big piece in the back,” Roscoe said. “But with three or four of the guys back there, we all play on the same club team, so our communication will be good and I think we’ll be fine in the back.”
The Ramblers again have a pair of quality keepers in the fold.
“Frankie Baio was the starter two years ago and Alex Ainsworth won the starting job last year as a freshman, and he was terrific all year,” Fisher said. “But we’re confident in both, and we want them to battle it out like everyone else. We’re lucky and deep at the goalkeeper position.”
Tri-captains Zipprich, Roscoe, and Hoepfner will lead the Ramblers into another tough season of CCL play, plus a nonconference schedule that has been bolstered.
“We’re excited about our schedule. To say it’s more difficult is an understatement,” Fisher said.
Two of the Ramblers’ first four games are against no. 3 Libertyville and no. 12 New Trier in the Northside College Showcase, and in the season’s third week they’ll travel to the East Coast for the first time under Fisher to play a pair of top teams from Massachusetts and Connecticut.
“It’s an opportunity to play different schools and the prep schools out there have really taken an upward turn,” Fisher said. “A lot of those schools now recruit from all over the world and some of those programs are terrific. It also exposes our guys to something different and it gives us the upside of taking guys together on a trip for the bonding that takes place.”
Loyola also added 14th-ranked Solorio and Argo to its nonconference schedule, in addition to playing in a Chicago Catholic League that has improved by leaps and bounds in recent years.
Fisher expects no easy path for his boys as they seek a second-consecutive CCL Blue Division title.
“There’s not a bad team in the CCL, which I don’t think you could have said five or six years ago,” Fisher said. “It’ll be St. Ignatius, Mt. Carmel, and last year Marmion had a terrific year. Brother Rice has probably the best player in the CCL in Jack Finnegan and their program is on the rise. Craig Blazer coached at DePaul and he just took over at Fenwick. There isn’t a bad team in the conference. Everyone can beat everyone, which makes it exciting.”