Boys soccer: The Best of the West? Naperville North again

Naperville North normally doesn't make short throw-ins.

Senior Ethan Harvey rarely has scoring chances for the Huskies because he's usually playing center back.

Thrust into a different role during Saturday night's Best of the West tournament championship game at and against Naperville Central, Harvey netted the game-winner with 3:14 left, giving the team reason to celebrate with pie after a 2-1 victory.

"I've played left back my whole life so it's different," Harvey said. "I like going forward so it's good to get a chance to mix it up and get to run at guys more."

Harvey and Cesar Recendez recently switched positions and it is just part of the process of the defending Class 3A champions trying to figure out what works best for them. Harvey moved to midfield while Recendez took his spot at defender on Saturday.

Huskies coach Jim Konrad sarcastically joked afterward that he had to move Harvey since he can't defend. Harvey chuckled at his coach's witticism and certainly had reason to be all smiles after scoring the game-winner, giving the Huskies three consecutive Best of the West tournament titles.

"He obviously gives us something in the midfield where he can hit a ball," Konrad said. "He makes us dangerous 35 (yards and) in. He has great vision and can set balls to the forwards and he's also got enough range to be able to counterattack."

Harvey made a nice move to get open, snagged control of Matt Bilardello's perfectly placed throw-in and buried it to make the Huskies champions once again.

"He had a great run and he's a heck of an athlete to be able to out run everyone," Bilardello said. "We normally don't play for short throw-ins, it's usually long ones with serves for Jack Barry going for Cole Iverson, but Ty (Konrad) was double-marked and Ethan was streaking in the middle of the field so I tried to meet him with the ball."

It was the type of play that Harvey had identified earlier as a possibility on a prior throw-in so he was just waiting for a second opportunity to come to fruition.

"I kind of saw the area I had on a previous throw-in," Harvey said. "I took a good first touch and (Bilardello) set me up in front of the goal. I took a tumble there and luckily saw it in the back of the net."

Naperville North (7-0-1) had taken a 1-0 lead when sophomore Ty Konrad dribbled past defenders and sent in a shot just inside the opposite post with 26:58 remaining in the game.

If almost on cue, rain suddenly began to fall after Konrad's shot settled in the back of the net. Pouring most of the rest of the game, the teams had to battle through slick conditions, but it didn't seem to affect what either was attempting to do.

Naperville Central (3-3) really began pushing its attack as the clock continued to count down and eventually was rewarded for its aggressiveness, scoring the game-tying goal on Ryan Coleman's header from Nate Zain with only 6:32 left.

The Redhawks had the momentum there, but it didn't last for long since Harvey connected with the game-winner a few minutes later.

The teams will face each other again next Saturday in a DuPage Valley Conference game.