Now we go back onto the turf for boys soccer. We have plenty of talented teams going into this season including Naperville North with Gatorade Soccer Player of the Year Alex Barger returning for his senior year. Anthony Yench takes us around the pitch for a closer look at boys soccer.
Benet Academy
We start off with the Benet Academy Redwings. After winning the 2A State Championship in 2019 the team moved up to 3A for the 2021 season. The Redwings finished in second place behind Niles Notre Dame in the East Suburban Catholic Soccer conference with an 8-1 record. In the State series the red and black proved they were ready for the jump up to 3A, winning a regional title before making their way to the sectional championship; eventually falling to Morton in penalty kicks. With players such as TJ McVey, John Kolb, and Daniel Pepping graduating, returning talent like Andy Nash, Evan Lucas, and Nick Roe will play a pivotal role for the Redwings upcoming season.
Neuqua Valley
Next up is the Neuqua Valley Wildcats. The blue and yellow finished their 2021 campaign with an overall record of 8-10-1 and finished in third place in the DVC with a 3-2 record. The team made a statement for themselves in the state series after taking down 4th seeded West Aurora and 5th seeded Plainfield East, both by scores of 1-0 to win a regional championship. The season eventually ended with a 4-1 loss to one seeded Naperville North boys soccer. Sophomore and soon to be junior, Nick Varrone, led the way in net with another soon to be junior, Justin Senese leading the line on the other half of the field. Despite losing players such as Jack Georgi and John Pochyly, the Wildcats are going into the 2022 season on a high note.
Naperville North
It’s no secret that Jim Konrad’s Naperville North squad has been one of the most successful programs for boys soccer in Illinois. Last season wasn’t much different as the team dominated the pitch with a 21-6-2 record. They were also flawless in the DVC and won their eighth straight conference title. In the post season, North also took home a 5th consecutive sectional plaque. Despite another strong season the Huskies fell short of the state finals as they lost to Morton in the super sectionals by a score of 2-1. A big group of seniors such as Tyson Amoo-Mensah, Patrick Horn, and Cam Radeke will be missed next season. Good news for the blue and orange is that Gatorade Soccer Player of the Year and Indiana University commit, Alex Barger, will be returning for his senior year. The Huskies are always ready to reload the next batch of talent and with Barger leading the way, they are set to make another deep run this season.
Waubonsie Valley
Our next team is Waubonsie Valley. The Warriors struggled in 2021 finishing with a 6-14-2 record and 5th place in the DVC with their only conference win being against DeKalb. However, the 2021 season provided reasons for optimism for the Warriors this fall. Soon to be sophomore, Lachlan Ladd, was one of the team’s standout players as a freshman and he surely will have a big impact going forward. Other notable players that are making a return next season include Gean Scarpell, Yahir Rodriguez, Beckett Stotlar, and Angel Gallegos. In previous seasons under Head Coach Jose Garcia, this Warriors program has taken major jumps in win totals following down years. The green and gold hope that 2022 will bring a similar step forward.
Metea Valley
Moving down Eola road to Metea Valley. The Mustangs had a solid season last year finishing 11-8-2 overall and a 3-2 record in the DVC. One of the most notable wins for the Mustangs was a 2-1 conference victory over Naperville Central. The black and yellow ended their season with a 5-1 loss to Oswego East in the regional finals. The Mustangs will be losing some of their key players such as goalie Oscar Mejia and midfielder Colin Bastianoni. Good news for the Mustangs is that more than half of the varsity roster from last year will be returning to the pitch this fall.
Naperville Central
Last but not least we have Naperville Central who had another strong season under longtime coach Troy Adams as the Redhawks tallied a 15-8-1 record. Like Metea and Neuqua, the Redhawks finished 3-2 in the DVC. The red and white cruised through the early stages of the state tournament, winning a regional title over East Aurora by a 6-1 score. They also beat Oswego East by a score of 3-2 in the sectional semifinals. In the sectional final the Hawks played against cross town rival Naperville North. Following a thrilling game Central fell just short losing 3-2 to the Huskies. The team has a good group returning with the likes of Joey LoDuca, Nathan Kwon, and Sean O’Reilly all looking for continued success in 2022.
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