Maine West has the last laugh

Mike Divincenzo still laughs about it to this day.

The Maine West head coach, called “Devo” by most, remembers when he first took over the boys soccer program, how many around the club and school thought 5 to 7 wins in a season was a good year.

“Yeah, back then, each team would ‘out-do’ the other with 6 or 7 wins. It’s kind of funny now, but it wasn’t then,” says Divincenzo, now beginning his 12th year at the helm.

But change is slow, and the passionate Warriors coach has done a remarkable job in a culture shift within the Warriors program. With the help of three former star players who are now his assistants, the club has added to its collection of hardware while confirming its status as a true football force in the Central Suburban League.

In 2009, the Warriors broke a long trophy drought by winning their first conference title since 1978, and followed up with another last season.

The club has captured four regional crowns (2004, 2007, 2009, 2010) — finally winning its first sectional title on a cold night at Maine South when it defeated Mather before a packed house — sending the Warriors into the supersectional against one of the finest in the area at the time, Libertyville.

With the soccer park at Loyola filled to the brim, and on a frigid November night, the Warriors fell 3-1 to the Wildcats.

“There’s not much I remember about that Mather game after the final whistle blew,” said Divincenzo. “We had just made history, and it was such an exciting game, and the guys were just out of this world. Fans were pouring down out of the stands, and before I knew it, I was surrounded by former players who were just hugging me and offering their congrats. There must have been 35-40 alums there to watch that game.”

That in essence describes what Maine West soccer is about.

“It’s something I feel very strong about,” begins Divincenzo. “We always say family before and after around here — and preach: family, school and soccer.”

A perfect example according to Divincenzo was the recent passing of one of his players’ grandparents — and how his mates rallied around their friend in support.

“That’s just the way it is around this program,” Divincenzo said.

Karsten Hahn and Danny Zwerling, two great stars for the Warriors in the early years of 2000, are alongside their former head coach, and the pair have made a lasting impression since coming aboard.

“Coach Hahn and Zwerling bring so much to the team and our program,” said senior Jerry Espinoza, who will wear the captain’s arm-band for the Warriors along with Ozzie Fernandez, John Deleon and Chayanne Trejo this fall. “They were both great Maine West players, played at the D-I level, so they know what it takes to get to another level, and how to prepare, on the field and away. They both get us to train and practice harder than we do in the game, and we know they are just as proud as we are to be a part of the soccer program here.”

Hahn, now in third year as an assistant, graduated in 2002 and was a gifted midfielder who finished with 17 career assists.

The History Education major says the diverse population of the Warriors’ program is enhanced by the attitude Divincenzo brings, and the approach he, his best friend Zwerling and Chuck Bransford (another former player) take each day.

“I am impressed with the way ‘Devo’ has brought a program together that has so many different ethnic backgrounds (into one) by impressing upon them how important it is to put in hard work in everything they do, and how important it is to be there for each other,” Hahn said. “It’s a terrific group to work with, and ‘Devo’ allows Danny and I to do some different things from time to time in training. We appreciate that and I am sure the players do as well.”

“I can’t tell you how fortunate I am to have those three guys as assistants,” says Divincenzo. “It’s a real luxury to have them, and we all respect each other so much.”

Just a few years before Divincenzo arrived, the Warriors were led by the former all-state midfielder Steve Gonzalez, who is the program’s all-time scoring leader with 45 goals, and a member of the Maine West Hall of Fame. Things were lean when Gonzalez earned all-state honors. The team finished 9-9-4 during Hahn’s senior year and 11-7-4 the year Divincenzo took over, which was also Zwerling’s last season.

Zwerling is right behind the former NIU star with 28 goals (12 assists) on the program scoring list.

He later earned all-Mid Continent honors at Western Illinois University, and was a key figure in the Warriors’ first regional crown in 2001.

Things stayed lean until 2006, when the Warriors followed a 7-9-5 season by going 9-6-5, with all-area defender Jesse Reyes leading the way. Since then, the Warriors have won 72, including a program high 17-5-2 in 2009.

“We all knew that defense wins championships, and when you look at some of the great defenders we’ve had during the past 4-5 years, it’s no wonder that we’ve been able to enjoy the success that we have, and why our program had become so much more competitive,” says Divincenzo, who ticked off names such as Reyes, Austin Newbury, Patryk Pliszka, Jayson LeSeth and Emmett Turner-Jackson, who all, by the way, earned Daily Herald all-area honors.

Matt Stieve, who later went on to NYU, was the glue in the back as he earned several postseason awards as the Warriors keeper, and was the player who would coin the phrase, ‘Heart, Pride and Desire’ which is still used as the Warriors slogan.

Toss in dynamic attacking players like David Puka, Ryan Ybarra and Anes Kardric, and the foundation was set for the current Warriors club.

“There’s a lot of pride within our program. Again, you saw it the night of that sectional championship game, and it’s still evident with the number of players who come back to say hello, and to check in on how things are going,” says Divincenzo.

Which brings us to this 2012 team.

Led by the big four of Nelson Herrera, Jecsan Torres, Espinoza and Fernandez, the Warriors’ first piece of business is to defend their CSL crown.

Full of tricks, close control and dribbling ability, Herrera is one of the top strikers in the area, and is supported by the wonderful all-around contribution of the three-year vets Espinoza and Fernandez, who offer leadership, sound distribution and a top-flight work rate.

Throw in the acrobatic Torres, a human highlight reel of a keeper, and the club should be in the later stages of the postseason come October.

“With each team, we always ask, what footprint do you want to leave? And we ask them to accomplish more than the next to make a footprint, to build a walkway to a state appearance,” Divincenzo said. “The 2010 seniors walked away from the best team in Maine West history. We have eigh players from that team still with us, and (18) returning from that devastating loss in the regional final last year to New Trier.

“I believe it makes this team dangerous, as all are anxious to erase last year and to show 2010 was no fluke.”

All of which is not lost on one of its captains, Espinoza.

“When I got here, I never thought I would have had a chance to play in a game as big as that supersectional against Libertyville,” Espinoza said. “We’re proud to be part of the program, and proud to be a part of a history-making team in 2010, but it’s the last time for many of us — and we’re all going to work as hard as we can to make it our best year ever.”