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Naperville Central gets the monkey off its back in Downers Grove By Gary Larsen
But Naperville Central was just about ready to try anything to get a win against Downers Grove South. “It seems like every year we lose to them and go into a losing streak,” Central senior Chris Prince said. “It was good to get a win against them today.” South has had Central’s number for a couple of years now in their annual meeting, but the Redhawks hit the brakes on that skid with a 4-0 win in Downers Grove. Naperville Central (7-2-1) scored all four goals in the second half, getting two from Prince and one apiece from Jimmy Altosino and Noah Kalbfeld. Kalbfeld scored the game’s final goal late in the contest, and a wild celebration ensued for the Redhawks’ substitute player. “Noah is just one of those kids that always stays so positive. He’s the first one up to celebrate every goal we score,” Redhawks coach Jay Konrad said. “It was nice to see him get one.” Through 40 minutes, Downers Grove South (2-6-3) battled well and kept the Redhawks’ back line on its toes. “We asked more of Matt LaLonde, and in the first half he did a good job of getting it and distributing it,” Mustangs coach Jon Stapleton said. “We moved it from side to side and it was positive to see him take something from training and bring it to the field today.” “And I thought David Masolak did a better job in the air today, which is something we’ve been asking of him.” Redhawks defenders Andy Miltonberger, Peter Beasley, A.J. Seaman, and Jeremy Kaden were up to the challenge in a scoreless first half, and keeper Andrew Erickson kept things clean. “In the first half they did an awesome job of possession and moving the ball side to side, and in the second we took a little bit of that time away from them,” Konrad said of the host Mustangs. “We are not a high-pressure team but they were having their way against us, so we had to make some adjustments.” Prince and his mates knew a change was needed after the break. A pair of Prince goals early in the second half rocked the host Mustangs on their heels. DG South has given up some untimely goals this year, and Prince’s lightning strikes put them in a corner. “We just turned the ball over unnecessarily in the second half, and they took advantage of those opportunities,” Stapleton said. “They transition so well, and they’ve got skilled forwards that can put the ball away.” “Credit them. They play hard, they’re aggressive, they tackle, they win balls in the air, and they transition quickly.” One of the day’s brightest spots for Central was a full second half played by senior Art Garza, who recently returned from off-season surgery. Garza has been a varsity player for all four seasons at Central, and he showed flashes of play that bodes well the rest of the way for the Redhawks. “He’s been playing soccer for nineteen days,” Konrad said. “He’s frustrated that things are coming along slower than he’d like, but he just has to be patient. He’s an awesome player and he’ll likely end up setting the career assist record at Central.” How did Garza impact play? “The first three minutes was all Downers South and Art had no touches,” Konrad said. “The next eight minutes we found Art a ton and all of a sudden we were attacking.” “There are players you go through, and players you go to. When we find Art with the ball we’re better able to connect and go forward. We want to go through him.” Central’s center backs played at another level after the break. “I thought Peter Beasley played fantastic in the second half for us,” Konrad said. “And so did Andy Miltonberger.” Since Konrad moved Rook to a holding midfield spot, the senior has shined. “His work rate has made a huge difference for us in the middle of the field,” said Konrad, who also credited outside defenders Seaman and Kaden for elevating their play after halftime.
“We’re struggling to score,” Stapleton said. “We’ve rotated six guys up top. We only have five goals combined from our forwards. It’s hard to put pressure on other teams because we’re not finding the back of the net.” “That’s not a team I’d want to play again this year,” Konrad said of the Mustangs. “They play an unbelievably hard schedule, and sometimes the record they have right now is what you’re going to get.” The Redhawks rebounded well from an overtime loss on Thursday to DVC foe Glenbard East, posting their fifth shutout of the season.
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Man of the match: Chris Prince By Gary Larsen
After scoring 11 goals last season, Naperville Central’s Chris Prince has scored 13 goals through the first 10 goals of this season. Simply put: “He’s at another level this year. He’s a machine up top,” Redhawks junior Peter Beasley said. Prince tallied twice in a two-minute span to spark a four-goal outburst by the Redhawks, in a 4-0 win over host Downers Grove South. The worm turned for the Mustangs on Prince goals in the 47th and 48th minutes. Prince took A.J. Seaman pass in the box, cut back left and fired from 16 yards out for the 1-0 lead, and raced forward on a Colin Rook feed up the left side and finished again a minute later. “In his four years he has gotten stronger and faster. He’s always been a great soccer player, and he played very well today,” Central coach Jay Konrad said. Prince has been a back line’s worst nightmare in transition this year, and he applauded his teammates for their role in setting up his two goals on Saturday. “It all starts defensively,” Prince said. “They stepped it up. Andy (Miltonberger) switched back there a week ago and he’s getting into it. He and (Beasley) have been working well together.” “We found forwards today, and that’s what we’ve been working on. The past few years, we’d lose (vs. DG South) and then keep losing, always at this time of the year.” “It was good to get a win against them today.” |
There was no ceremonial chanting and no goat was harmed in any pre-match ritual on Saturday.
Stapleton never fails to get his teams ready by the post-season, and one thing this year’s squad needs to figure out is playing out in the final third of the field.