Boys soccer: Bartlett confident heading into supersectional
Bartlett boys soccer coach Vince Di Nuzzo didn't mince words from the get-go in his rookie season: he wanted school history with a sectional championship and believed the Hawks could achieve that goal.
After Saturday's 2-1 win that needed a courageous 9-8 edge in penalty kicks to take the Class 3A Wheaton Academy sectional final over the host Warriors, Bartlett (16-7-2) made that history it was looking for. The Hawks now take on Fox Valley Conference Valley Division champion McHenry (19-2-2) in the Barrington supersectional Tuesday at 4:30 p.m. The winner advances to the state semifinals on Friday at Hoffman Estates High School to play either Quincy or Andrew.
"Since the beginning of the season our team has believed it because we knew what we had," Di Nuzzo said. "I have 15 seniors, all of them have been playing together for so long. When you get a group of seniors that care for one another they way they do and play together the way they do, they're a tough team to beat."
McHenry's run the gauntlet after cruising through regionals. The Warriors were held scoreless in 200 minutes of sectionals and needed shootout wins over Jacobs and Cary-Grove to advance. They can thank junior Jake King in goal, who has 16 shutouts in the midst of the school's first supersectional appearance. Aiding him are senior Luis Beltran and junior Alex Lee, defenders that can let it rip with a combined 7 goals and 15 assists.
"Our defense is anchored by our solid goalkeeper who helped us win two consecutive PK shootouts in the sectional with two shutouts," McHenry coach Tony Caruso said. "Our team plays very well together as a group and have played very solid defense all season long to get us to the Elite Eight and give us this opportunity to reach the state finals."
The Hawks needed 100 minutes to oust West Chicago 1-0 in OT thanks to Oliver Saile's goal in the 93rd minute. Not favored in the regional title game, Bartlett, which won the Upstate Eight Valley, shutout Upstate Eight River champ St. Charles North 1-0 and subsequently knocked off Glenbard North 2-1 in OT. Winners in 7 of their last 8 games, the Hawks have won 5-straight with a goal differential of 11-3. They've allowed 3-plus goals just 3 times - only 2 this postseason.
"The back four have been great all year," Di Nuzzo said of Josh Merkel, Josh White, Rudy Reyes, Joey Mirsky, as well as goalkeeper Jake Hasenstein. "Jake has eight shutouts on the year; he's an athlete. The defense is there but we've created a bunch of chances (in the attack). If we can find the back of the net I'm confident our back four and our goalkeeper are going to keep us under."
Striker Tim Riordan (11 goals, 1 assists) has 3 goals this postseason while midfielder Ryan Stratton has added 9 goals and 9 assists on the season along with TJ Ivkovich's 10 goals and 10 assists. Saile (9 goals, 8 assists) and Venici Leone are both 6-1, 160-pound mids that are a lot to handle. Along with a healthy AJ Santori on the outside the Hawks will have to find ways to neutralize McHenry midfielder James Mulhull, who's tallied 26 goals and 10 assists.
"They're just monsters," Di Nuzzo said of Leone and Saile. "They cause problems in the attack, they defend well and in battles, they don't lose often because they're so big. But Timmy's stepped up and Igor Zwada (attacking mid) has kind of fallen under the radar all season. He's literally played every position for us, including goalkeeper. He's caused so many problems for that opposing back four, it's incredible."