Neuqua Valley's Ciesiulka is the best of the best

A lot of things have to go the right way and you certainly must have an outstanding soccer team to go undefeated during an entire regular season.

At Neuqua Valley there's the goal-saving ability of senior goalkeeper Jack Turanchik.

There's a special presence on the back line in the form of senior Keegan Balle, who has been known to bark out instructions and compliments simultaneously.

There are guys like Jacob Brindle, Cale Brown and Brandon Loncar, all three of whom have scored crucial goals.

How about a kid who hustles all over the field and can find a flaw in an opponent's game as easy as finding green on a soccer field? That's the kind of contributions Scott Davis has brought to his squad this fall.

What about a junior midfielder like Patrick Doody? The kind of kid who, although suffering with the flu, can still come out and score a game-winning goal in the pressure-cooker known as the Pepsi Showdown title game.

And what about the guys coming off the bench? Role players like Will Butler, Fernando Cruz, Omel Perchatsch and Tom Terlep, to name just a few. Without their valuable contributions and minutes, would the Wildcats be where they're at today?

One could go on and on discussing the 25 players whose contributions have led to the Wildcats being ranked as high as No. 2 in the nation by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America. But while so many individuals have contributed to Neuqua Valley's wonderful season there is no question that senior Bryan Ciesiulka is the team's best player.

His excellent contributions on the field, his dedication and commitment to becoming an even better player and the class he has shown outside of the athletic arena have made Ciesiulka the Daily Herald's ideal choice to captain the DuPage County All-Area Boys Soccer team.

"When you watch our games you can't help but notice that he's involved in every aspect," Neuqua Valley coach Tony Kees said. "He always puts himself in a position to make plays."

Instincts and fitness

It's not a coincidence that Ciesiulka is always in the right place at the right time since he possesses unsurpassed instincts on the field.

"He has great instincts and feel for the game that you can't teach," Kees said. "That's why the ball follows him everywhere."

Plus, Ciesiulka, who loves the competitive nature of playing, wants to be involved as much as possible.

"I like to be around the plays as much as I can," he said. "It's all about thinking faster than the game. I'm always trying to be three steps ahead, and I think I've made a lot of strides since starting at the (Chicago Fire) Academy."

Add stamina and a work ethic that goes unmatched and it's no surprise that Ciesiulka was able to consider universities like Harvard, Northwestern and Marquette. He chose the latter and will play his college ball in Milwaukee.

"He doesn't cut corners," Kees said "We have a good fitness program here, but he was fit prior to that. You have to have energy and fitness to go box to box, and he's got a great motor. He's a tireless worker, and it shows."

Dedicating time in the offseason to getting quicker physically and faster mentally has paid off, and it shows that Ciesiulka isn't one to rest on his laurels.

"Good players always have to get quicker," Kees said. "He did a lot of technical edge training developing his quickness of foot. He couldn't get enough of that stuff."

The hard work has paid off in the form of 24 straight Wildcats victories (through Wednesday's sectional semifinals). The only blemish to the Wildcats record is a tie to Naperville Central on Sept. 1 in the Best of the West Invite.

"We've had a lot of fun this year," Ciesiulka said. "I've known a lot of the guys for a long time, and it's a close knit group."

The Wildcats also recorded the first undefeated regular season in school history. They've come close to doing this before, finishing with a single loss during two campaigns, including the 2003 season when the Wildcats claimed a state championship, and in 2007 when they dropped a 2-1 decision in the state final game to Barrington. Ciesiulka scored the Wildcats' lone goal as a sophomore in that triple-overtime classic.

It didn't take Ciesiulka long to get warmed up this year. He recorded the lone goal in a season-opening win over Waubonsie Valley on Aug. 25 and has contributed in countless capacities this season. He's been there when the team wasn't at its best as he scored in the 2-all tie to Naperville North on Sept. 1. He's been there when they've won championships as he had a pair of nifty assists in the 2-1 overtime victory over Lyons in the Pepsi Challenge. He's been there when the team has fought adversity as he did when he scored in a nail-biting 3-2 victory over Addison Trail on Oct. 10. And he'll undoubtedly need to come up big for the Wildcats to capture their second state title in program history.

"It's always nice to be the hero," Ciesiulka said. "But the thing about this team is that the big plays can come from anyone and from top to bottom we have so many good players."

Still developing

Kees may not have been on the sideline the past two seasons, but he's known Ciesiulka for at least three years as the two first crossed paths with the Chicago Fire Academy. Kees, one of the most respected coaches in the sport, is excellent at gauging talent. While this is his first year of coaching Ciesiulka full-time, he's already noted the continued development of his game.

"I think his vision is more acute and his decision-making is sharper," Kees said. "He's playing at a higher level and he's improved his range of delivering as a passer and I think that's a two-year evolution right there."

Ciesiulka entered his senior year with 26 assists in his career, including 14 last season. He's easily blown by that number this fall, collecting 23 assists in the regular season alone. He headed into the playoffs with 13 goals this season.

As Ciesiulka became more inventive as a passer this season, the Wildcats have become a selfless team, sharing the balls and enjoying the results.

"Part of the culture I want to instill in them is to enjoy winning," Kees said. "Everyone is involved here in the possessions, and the first time I saw them play I knew this was how we were going to do it."

While leading a team is one of the traits of a team captain, Ciesiulka has done most of his leading by performing. It's come naturally for him and rest of the Wildcats, especially since they boast a roster that includes 15 seniors, many who have not only seen a lot of minutes this season, but played a lot in prior years.

"It's an amazing group to be around," Kees said. "We do have captains, but everyone knows what they have to do and they take ownership of that."

They'd also like to take ownership of a state championship trophy. Thanks to the contributions of Ciesiulka, there's a strong possibility they'll do just that.