College Achievers: Libertyville grad Reilly’s on fire
A record-setting soccer player surpassed the mark of another area athlete in October action …
Reilly’s records
It came in a 5-4 loss to Illinois Wesleyan on Oct. 5 in Bloomington, but Carthage College graduate midfielder Mickey Reilly (Libertyville High School) set program records for goals and points with a goal and an assist in the match.
Reilly’s assist helped give the Firebirds a 2-0 lead. After Illinois Wesleyan took a 4-3 second-half lead, Reilly’s unassisted goal, his sixth of the season, tied the score. Wesleyan scored the game-winner five minutes later.
That was Reilly’s 46th collegiate goal and his 30th assist. His 122 points topped the 120 set by Mike Domin (Naperville North) at Carthage in 1997. Reilly surpassed the goals total of Niles North’s Bart Pryputniewicz in 1998.
Reilly is a three-time first-team pick in the College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW).
“Mickey epitomizes Carthage soccer,” coach Paul Leese said on the Firebirds’ website. “His attitude, work ethic, tenacity and humility are of the highest level and there is no one more deserving of this record.”
Incidentally, Reilly is the son of long-time Chicago-area musician Ike Reilly. Carthage plays Ike Reilly’s song, “Born on Fire,” before the kickoff of every home men’s soccer game.
And also …
The goalie who got the win against Carthage, Sam Kedzior (Cary-Grove), is among many keepers tied for eighth in Division III with 6 shutouts, entering Illinois Wesleyan’s game Saturday at North Park.
Through Friday Kedzior’s 0.62 goals-against average led the CCIW. He owns all active goalkeeper marks in the CCIW — while Reilly is the active CCIW leader in goals, assists, points and shots.
Scoring at will
Coming into Saturday and Sunday’s sold-out women’s hockey games against third-ranked Minnesota-Duluth in Madison, defending national champion and No. 1-ranked Wisconsin (4-0) has outscored its opponents 34-2.
Kelly Gorbatenko (Barrington) is one reason why.
A 2021 national champion with the Chicago Mission who played in all 41 games last season for the Badgers, the sophomore has scored 2 goals with 7 assists for 9 points, and is a team-high plus-13.
Gorbatenko scored 2 goals with 2 assists in a season-opening 12-0 drubbing of Lindenwood on Sept. 27. In a 7-1 win over Boston College on Oct. 4, the 5-foot-11 forward set a career high with 4 assists.
Local connection
Wisconsin-Platteville, then ranked No. 24 by D3football.com, upset No. 3 Wisconsin-LaCrosse 30-27 on Oct. 5. Area graduates helped the Pioneers get it done.
Senior quarterback Michael Priami (St. Charles North) completed 28 of 43 passes for 358 yards and 3 touchdowns. Senior receiver Brandt Stare (Neuqua Valley) caught 7 passes for 189 yards and 2 touchdowns, of 78 and 42 yards.
Rallying from a 15-point, fourth-quarter deficit, Platteville tied the score 24-24 on a 2-point conversion to Stare from Priami with 1:18 left in regulation.
In overtime LaCrosse took a 27-24 lead, but Platteville won when Priami threw a lateral pass to Stare, who then threw a 25-yard touchdown strike to senior receiver Ryan Doherty (St. Charles North).
On Oct. 8, Stare was named Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football offensive player of the week.
Record setter
University of Northern Iowa senior soccer goalkeeper Caitlin Richards (York) earned her 19th shutout Oct. 3 in a 3-0 win at the University of Evansville.
That set the Panthers’ program record. Three days later Richards notched her 20th shutout in a scoreless tie at Indiana State.
A three-time recipient of the Missouri Valley Conference Commissioner’s Academic Excellence Award, Richards also ranks second at Northern Iowa in minutes in goal and goals-against average, 1.22.