Boys soccer: Niziolek finishes his Conant days in record-setting fashion
Despite being renowned as the toughest job in the wonderful sport of soccer, goal-scoring comes in many shapes and sizes — from placing headers, poised point-blank finishes, and converting from close range or distance.
Irrespective of how the ball goes into the back of the net, some players have become accustomed to finding their name in the scoreboard more times than not.
Krystian Niziolek is one of those players.
The Conant senior is a lethal finisher of the highest order. That’s evidenced by his record-setting numbers for the MSL runners-up who fell just short of joining Class 3A state champion Hersey at the state tournament.
Pace, precision, power and potency — Niziolek was the easy choice to be named Captain of the 2024 Daily Herald Cook County boys soccer All-Area team.
"When coach (Jason) Franco told me I was the Captain, I said, ‘Let's go, that's great,’" said Niziolek.
"One of the goals I set for myself was to be the player of the year, and I really felt as the season went on it was clear to me that if I continued playing at a high level (it) would be something that I would earn."
"Krystian has had a brilliant three-year career for us. He's always been skilled and dangerous going to goal," began Franco, whose club lost in penalties to Lane Tech, in its own supersectional final.
"(This) year Krystian took his play to another level with his tremendous talent and ability to score goals, be dangerous, and most importantly his will to win."
"I played club soccer my freshman year, but came back to play alongside Carson Belcher (2022 All-Area Captain) and we had a great record (20-5-1) but lost to York in our sectional final," said Niziolek.
Belcher and Niziolek would combine for 33 goals and 23 assists in 2022, helping the-then sophomore earn the first of three all-state awards.
Nizolek followed up with 16 goals and 10 assists a year ago before exploding for 28 and 14 to place his name up in the stratosphere along with former Cougar and Marquette University stars Allan Stoltman and Brian Dahlquist.
Niziolek now is the all-time leader in points scored (157) and career goals (61) to eclipse Stoltman who finished his brilliant career with 134.
Dahlquist still holds the single season goal scoring record with 29.
"(His) ability to create and finish his own chances as well as create for others, plus the relentless way he attacks defenders with his pace and power, and to finish as a two-footed player, or out of the air, makes him such a dangerous player," said Franco.
Niziolek bagged all four goals in the Cougars’ 4-1 victory over Bartlett in its sectional semifinal two weeks ago, and a magnificent equalizer against Lane in the supers were just a few of the memorable performances for the Cougars captain.
"I always want more, that's what drives me each time I go out there," said Niziolek, who will soon begin playing for Indy Eleven, Indiana's lone MLS Next under-19 team out of Northwest Indiana.
Niziolek, who is in the process of sorting out his collegiate offers, was the MSL West Player of the Year, and hopes to be in the running for the Illinois Gatorade POY as well.
"I'll play somewhere in the fall. It's beginning to all come together, but I'll miss playing for Franco, coaches like Jeff Malone, my math teacher, and just being a part of Conant soccer," said Niziolek, who will look to earn a degree in criminal justice.