Scouting the 34th annual MSL Cup

By Mike Garofola

Daily Herald Correspondent

Prospect (16-0-2) at Schaumburg (12-3-1)

When: 7 p.m. Thursday

Where: Gary Scholz Stadium, Schaumburg

This year’s meeting: Prospect 1, Schaumburg 0

First touches: Prospect dominated not only the MSL but also opponents all around the area to go unbeaten en route to its second MSL Cup appearance in three years under coach Kurt Trenkle (63-39-10 in six years). The Knights sealed the MSL East title early and with authority, outscoring theirs last four conference opponents 14-2 to finish atop the table with 31 points.

“I fully expect tonight’s match to be just as close and hard-fought as the first time and we’re going to have work as hard, if not harder than we did that night,” Trenkle said. “This group wants to be the first to ever win a MSL championship, and it is something all of them have focused on right from the very first day we came together to train.”

Schaumburg last played in what was then called the MSL Soccer Bowl in 1997 when head coach Hamid Mehreioskouei (93-63-7 in nine years) was a rising star and top-flight striker for the league champions. The Saxons are making their third MSL title match appearance and had memorable postseason runs in 2008 and 2009.

“Both teams have a lot of respect for each other, and in that first meeting, each of us played error-free soccer for 75 minutes, until we made a series of mistakes which cost us the game,” Mehreioskouei said. “It’s going to be that type of game again and the team which stays away from making (that) critical mistake will be the champion.”

Prospect storyline: The Knights set its sights of glory from the beginning and never wavered from its belief it would achieve the first of many goals set forth this fall. “We knew we had a lot of terrific players with skill and technical ability, and with that, we felt that we were the team to beat before the start of the season,” Trenkle said. “Our biggest question mark was our back line, but the guys there have been better than I would have ever thought, and have come through to become key (figures) in our success.”

Rival coaches have commented the Knights play with supreme confidence, and it all begins with top striker in senior Bill Cooney (20 goals, 9 assists), who along with running mate and senior Richard Lenke (6 goals, 7 assists) have far too much attacking flair and pace for most opponents. Four-year starter and midfielder Patryk Ruta (11 goals, 6 assists) creates a methodical and patient buildup but if the Knights want to go more direct, there’s plenty of help from senior MF Alex Schnepf (9 assists), who serves with the best to provide some width while also covering enormous ground on the flanks when defending.

The MSL East champs also have a pair of hardworking players in senior MF Ihor Lehkiv and senior MF Stefano Dolomas. The Knights are blessed with perhaps the best keeper in the area in senior Brad Reibel, who set a program record for career shutouts and has a puny 0.64 goals against average and 9 shutouts. The trio of Matthew Burikas, who is a warrior in the air, Ethan Graven and Conor O’Leary are classic hardworking defenders.

Ruta, Lenke and Reibel are the only holdovers from the 2009 team which lost 5-1 to Palatine for the MSL Cup, but this senior-dominated club has delivered all season long and finished 11 points ahead of Buffalo Grove in the MSL East. “With the success we’ve had during the past 3-4 years, we’ve earned a reputation of being a quality soccer program, which is something that we’re proud of, and something we would like to validate with a win tonight,” said Trenkle.

Schaumburg storyline: Success may have surprised those in and around the soccer community, but not the Saxons’ coaching staff, which predicted this season could be full of surprises if they stayed healthy and played within Mehreioskouei’s system as they seek their third MSL title. “It’s kind of neat to use the fact that I was here (and) playing for a MSL title, and to connect that particular time to now brings the past and future together, which I really believe the players have bought into,” he said. “We’ve also taken a different approach to playing and training, which I feel the boys have really (taken) to, and I believe it has helped their focus and preparation each and every week we play.”

The Saxons have gone with a scaled-back schedule with most games on Tuesdays and Thursdays and no back-to-back games. “You see the guys’ work rate soar, and everyone is playing as (if) each match might be their last, and it shows as we have outworked just about every opponent this season,” Mehreioskouei said.

The MSL West champs also have a deep and talented roster, beginning with senior F Jake Savino (9 goals, 12 assists) and senior MF Joey Faleni (11 goals, 6 assists). The Saxons will show plenty of variety in their formation, but they never vary from their 3-man defense, starting with St. Viator transfer Nick Abel, dangerous long-throw artist, former club star and steadying force Christian Michalowski and Peter Piers, who was promoted into the first 11 this season.

They will play through veteran senior MF John Franco (5 goals) quite often and look wide to Alan Santana often. Senior Mike Chase is rock-solid as the Saxons holding MF, while another one of their strikers, Drew Simon (5 goals, 6 assists) is the perfect complement to Savino.

Throw-ins: “When we beat Fremd (4-0) early in our season, it was a real eye-opener for me, because they had beaten us twice last year, and I felt that win finally got us over the hump of beating really good teams in the conference, while showing that we could be considered one of the best if we continued to work hard. This team gets along really well, and plays well together, and we feel this is the chance we’ve all been waiting for.” — Prospect senior Bill Cooney.

“Coach (Mehreioskouei) has brought the type of winning culture to our program and he has instilled in us an attitude of hard work and team play, which we feel is the main reason for our success and ability to outwork our opponents for 80 minutes. The fact that we can be a part of history, just as he was on the first championship teams (here) would really be great for all of us.” — Schaumburg senior Joey Faleni.