Wheaton Academy's Rocha goes where needed
As usual, senior Luis Rocha began the Wheaton Academy boys soccer game Wednesday starting at central defender.
Rocha returned there for the closing moments but not before scoring the game-winning goal as a forward with 4:13 left as the Warriors won a wild 3-2 battle with Wheaton Warrenville South in Wheaton.
"I've played defense the entire game the past two games. (Coach Jeff Brooke) feels that when I go up there there's more shots and opportunities. It worked today," Rocha said.
"It will definitely depend on the game and he'll adjust to how it's going. They move me around in club (soccer), too. I play defense and striker."
The left-footed Rocha scored after an interception and pass by midfielder Ethan Stoneman to give the Warriors (1-0-2) their first victory after scoring just once in two ties. Seniors Elias McCloud and Isaac Anthony also tallied.
For the Tigers (2-1), senior Charlie Kerby scored the game's first goal 9:50 before halftime and later contributed to a 2-2 tie with 21:25 left as he headed Carlos Rosas' free kick from 30 yards out and junior Will Buxton redirected it in the air for the equalizer.
"We've had two ties so to battle and score three goals and also to really push through and get the win was a positive for us," Brooke said.
"Luis is the kind of player where he could play 10 different positions. We just wanted to try it, and he gets the game winner. Good for him."
The Tigers threatened in the closing moments but goalie Nathaniel Song snuffed a through pass for Ethan Weseman and Riley Kearney headed out a free kick from the 40 with less than 15 seconds left.
"We had tremendous spirit. We needed a little more common sense and we need to clean up a little bit more things technically," WW South coach Guy Callipari said.
"What I like is mentally we believe we can compete with anybody and even if we don't see the ball a lot to the midfield, we feel that we can counter and transition. When you have someone like Charlie around the ball, he's a good target to find."
Rosas moved to forward about 11 minutes left until halftime. Nearly five minutes later, he was among three Warriors standing just outside the box to take a free kick.
As the Tigers still were establishing a defensive wall, the Warriors were permitted to play and McCloud scored.
"We practice our set pieces a lot," Brooke said. "Elias just kind of defaulted to his soccer IQ, saw the open net, so I'm proud of him for taking advantage."
Kerby, meanwhile, already has 4 goals this season; he's been moved to forward from being an all-sectional center back in 2015. Kerby scored Wednesday when he intercepted an attempted clear following a great give-and-go down the right sideline with Sumani Husseini.
"We returned, like, eight defenders and one person going forward. It's just kind of worked," Kerby said of his new position.
"It was an experiment by coach that just came together. I always like to say the game will work it out. I've been watching videos to how to play the position, spending time on my own, even in drills, to learn the position."
Both teams started seven seniors. The Warriors graduated just four players from last year's Class 3A sectional finalist, but their losses included collegiate players Ty Seager (Northwestern) and Jacob Kapitaniuk (Wheaton).
"We're still going through to find our identity a little bit. I'm proud of the process the guys have gone through to get their first win," Brooke said.
The Tigers continued their strong start after winning just six games last season and starting 0-5. Wheaton Academy won the 2015 season opener for both teams 3-1.
"The team chemistry is fantastic," said Kerby, a co-captain with senior goalie Nathan Friedle. "It's been a great start to my senior year and I'm hoping we can keep this up. Everybody's having a great time. What more can you ask for?"