Warriors peaking at just right time
Wheaton Academy looks poised for a deep postseason run.
The Class 2A Warriors won 3-2 over a Class 3A Benet boys soccer team Wednesday, getting a pair of goals from Charles West and improving to 11-4-3 in playing a schedule that is loaded with Class 3A teams.
"We're just that much more prepared," West said. "We're facing the Genevas, the Wheaton Norths, the Benets and we've got Wheaton South coming up. It gets us ready for the playoffs."
"We love playing Benet, and we're both in that last stage of the season, trying to get ready and pull things together," said Warriors coach Jeff Brooke.
The Warriors got on the board first when Luke Partain busted past a defender on the dribble near the post in the 12th minute and buried his third goal of the year. Twelve minutes later, Benet goalkeeper Alex Siliunas made an initial save after a Warriors' corner kick, but West was there to head home the deflection and give his squad a 2-0 lead.
"That's been our story," said Benet coach Henry Wind. "We get ourselves behind the 8-ball, and we've struggled on defending restarts and corners."
Benet (8-7) cut the lead in half just before halftime with a goal from Hunter Miller, whom Wind recently pulled up from the freshmen team.
West made it 3-1 in the 62nd minute, finishing on a loose ball at the post after a corner kick, scoring his ninth goal of the year.
"We're pleased with how we've been playing. We're getting into form for more possession-oriented soccer and trying to attack a lot as well," Brooke said.
The Warriors earned a 6-4 edge in shots on net and sent another 8 shots wide in the contest.
"We're possessing a lot better," West said. "We went to a new formation, and that has helped out a lot. We're starting to click up top."
Ian Moses and goalkeeper Ryan Seager also both played solid games for Brooke.
Benet's Rory Burke showed throughout that he's as dangerous as anyone around, and the senior spurted past a defender and was tripped in the box in the 78th minute. His penalty kick finished the day's scoring.
"It was a hard-played game, and I thought we played well," said Wind, who also applauded the play of Burke and Nick Beavis. "We came back and fought hard. We just need to work on defending those restarts. We'll be practicing that all day on Thursday."