Talented foursome leads Barrington's repeat effort

There are few bigger names in the game of soccer in the area than Barrington.

In the nine years the Broncos have been led by coach Scott Steib his clubs have recorded a brilliant record of 175-35-19, with a list of titles and benchmark victories many programs need decades to reach.

With all of this success, ultimately, the only victory that will validate everything a team works for is the one in the final match of the season at the state tournament. The Broncos had come close in 2002 when they earned the third-place trophy and appeared well on their way to several more Elite Eight appearances with rosters dotted with potential Division I players.

But it never happened.

Until last year.

The Broncos, with a thrilling rollercoaster ride through the postseason, which included back-to-back victories in overtime, finally captured the biggest trophy of them all when they defeated Neuqua Valley 2-1 in what would be the longest championship match in the history of the tournament series.

When Ryan Nolan struck the game-winner at 106 minutes to beat then No. 1-ranked Neuqua, it created a lifetime of memories only a few get to share.

The eternal postseason disappointments had finally been erased.

"The first thing I felt after watching Ryan's shot go into the back of the net was of relief," began Steib. "Finally.

"I mean, after all, we had some great teams with great talent, and never were able to even reach the state tournament, and in some of those years, we came into the postseason as the No. 1 seed in our sectional and were bounced almost right away."

Steib, and a superb quartet of returning players - Ata Ozbay, Ryan Mangone, Frank Ingraffia and goalkeeper Tommy Unak - all agree the idea of winning a state title was the farthest thing from their minds when the season began. That was true even until and after the Broncos defeated Libertyville to book their spot in the tournament at North Central College in Naperville.

"It was kind of the old cliche that we took (it) just one match at a time," offered Ozbay, Mangone and Ingraffia when the three were brought together after a Saturday morning training session.

"There really wasn't any turning point or defining moment or match when I thought we could win (it) all," offered Unak, "but when we dominated Hinsdale Central in our quarterfinal match, it was at that time that I figured we would have a very good chance against Neuqua in the final."

It was a just championship match. The Nos. 1 and 2 rated teams in the Daily Herald polls getting together to decide it all.

All-state striker Francisco Furio would thump in the first goal of the match, then Bryan Ciesiulka would find the equalizer after the break to set up a couple of highlight film goal-saving stops by Unak, which would keep his club in the match and eventually set up Nolan's heroics.

"When that ball went (in) the whole season kind of flashed before my eyes, and it felt soooo good," smiled Ozbay.

But as Steib, and his top four players have stressed from the beginning of camp, and right on through, it's a new season. What happened last year was and is memorable, but it's just that, a memory.

"Teams are going to come after us this year," admits Mangone. "There will always be a target on our backs. I think it's good for us (though) because we'll have to play our best each time we go out there."

It's been a rough start so far.

The first match of the year saw the Broncos fall 2-0 to perennial state power New Trier on the Trevians' home pitch, then three days later, in a rematch of the 2007 Soccer Bowl, the club fell to Hersey 1-0 in a match which saw them improve their play from the opener, but still found it impossible to find the back of the net. A 6-1 victory over Rolling Meadows helped get the Broncos back on track.

"There's a lot of room for improvement," says Unak, an accomplished baseball player at the school, who had just come back from a college visit at Harvard. "But the good thing, it's early, and we can make the proper adjustments to correct things and get back on track."

A typically brutal early season schedule will test a Broncos side which lost nine players, including Furio, all of a first-class back-line, and some quality, hard-working players in the middle of the park."

This week the Broncos will welcome seven others to an always entertainng, first-class tournament, to be played on its brand-new 75-foot wide pitch inside the school's rebuilt stadium. Among those on hand will be Wheaton Warrenville South, Lake Zurich, Rockford Boylan and St. Charles North.

Following the tournament, its the annual trip to Indianapolis for a premiere event, the Great Midwest Classic, which includes a first-round match with nationally recognized power Chaminade Prep from Missouri. "I enjoy the fact that teams will be looking to knock off the returning state champion," says Ingraffia, who this summer was part of the under-17 Barrington soccer club, which along with Ozbay and Mangone, captured a State Cup title.

"Having the pressure on (us) will be good. It will force all of us to play at a higher level right from the beginning of the season."

"Will we have the chance to win another (title)? ... hard to say," said Steib, who watched his club last season trail only once for just three minutes. "Obviously it's a long, long season. For us, there's lot's of work to be done. But we're not coming into this season looking to defend anything. What was done last year, was accomplished last year with a lot different of a roster and players.

"I think the new guys really want to make (their) statement with this club, and everyone here knows a lot of hard work, team play and a little luck to get yourself into the position of making into the final eight.

"After that, anything can happen."