Hales leads St. Ignatius
to hearty win over Marmion
Wolfpack remains undefeated in CCL Blue with 2-0 win
By Patrick Z. McGavin
CHICAGO -- Every player has a natural comfort zone, a spot, a niche, they like to play off and look to impact a game. Quinn Troy has carved out his space on the left wing, the place where he is free and inventive enough to subtly impact a game.
“Normally what I like to do do, for some reason, it always starts on the left side, I just look for the through-ball from [forward] Owen Allen,” the junior St. Ignatius forward said. “Hopefully I get lucky and a defender or two misses it, and I am just poaching on the back in there.”
The scenario was slightly altered Tuesday. Defender Conor Broeking delivered the initial ball, and the results were equally perfect. Troy collected the pass and finished his run with a hard ball at a stunning and decisive early moment.
Troy registered his sixth goal of the season in the first minute and star keeper Bryant Hales shut the door as the Wolfpack, ranked 25th in the Chicagoland Top 25, parlayed the dramatic opening movement into a clean 2-0 victory over Marmion in Chicago Catholic League cross-over play Tuesday night.
In the Catholic League’s four-division structure, these teams are in different four-team groups but are connected through “married divisions.” The Wolfpack (9-2-1, 2-0-0) remained unbeaten in the Blue Division.
The opening of any game is laced with uncertainty, with both sides unsure exactly how the other might attack. Marmion also had to adjust to the quicker ball movement.
“We are used to thick, three inches of grass,” Marmion coach Ricky Del Toro said. “Every time we play on turf, it’s so fast and it takes time to get used to the speed of play.”
St. Ignatius' Troy played off that vulnerability.
“I have been on both sides, and as soon as a team gets an early goal it definitely gives you a mental edge,” Troy said. “For the other side it makes you want to work that much harder to get the goal back. When you are the team that gets the goal it makes you want to work that much harder to get another one. It also puts something into the mind of the other team that you are not somebody to be taken lightly.”
Marmion got juiced as a result.
“We came out really flat, we were not ready to play, and that goal kind of woke us up,” senior midfielder Nick Grant said.
The Cadets are much better than their record (2-9-0, 0-3-0). Marmion was shocked into a more heightened state of being and dictated the terms for pretty much the balance of the half. In the 21st and 24th minutes, Grant delivered his own sharp rejoinders, delivering hard shots that required great saves by Hales.
The athletic and dynamic Hales was the true difference-maker. He recorded nine saves, marked by four highlight reel denials in the first half as Marmion created tremendous pressure.
“That goalkeeper is probably the best I have seen this year,” Del Toro said. “He is very confident and very clean.”
Hales collected his fifth shutout of the year and earned the Chicagoland Soccer Man of the match distinction for his outstanding play.
“Bryant refuses to lose,” St. Ignatius coach Ryan Kearns said. “He never gives up. He is so coachable and easy to work with, a leader on and off the field. I have never seen a high school athlete work this hard on the field or off. When he makes a mistake, he owns it and tries very hard not to make it again.”
Hales plays with a mixture of grace and flamboyance. He was a wall against the Cadets. The early goal elevated his own confidence and issued its own freedom and power.
“We have an incredible record when we score first,” Kearns said.
St. Ignatius also had a bittersweet memory of a week ago to conjure and guard against. The Wolfpack was stung by its failure to protect a 2-1 halftime lead before losing to no. 14 Addison Trail last week for the right to play in a bracket final of the PepsiCo Showdown on Sunday.
“We gave up some goals we should not have against Addison Trail,” Kearns said. “We looked at the film, broke it down and we saw where we made simple mistakes. We did not man mark or protect goal or ball side, basic stuff that should not have happened. We used this game to fix it.”
Kearns said the Wolfpack backline worked intently on proper positioning. The offense was the beneficiary.
“We made sure we were in the appropriate spots, for possession and defense and when we do that we are able to move the ball very fast and that is what you saw in the first minute.”
Marmion mounted considerable firepower, consistent with a team that has repeatedly created some deft high pressure. Grant made several strong forays against Hales, and midfielder Ricky Ruiz was also dangerous on shots from distance. Freshman midfielder Tyler Laurich had several promising free-kicks that Hales stopped.
“We have been very close with everybody,” Del Toro said. “We worked very hard at staying in the attack and making our own chances. And then having to deal with a goal against us in the first minute is a huge mountain to climb. The morale of the team quickly goes down. On top of that you have to play against a good, good team. It is not easy.”
The St. Ignatius goalkeeper was also in the middle of the game-deciding sequence at the start of the second half. In the 44th minute, Marmion continued its forward assault as forward Sean Miller drilled a ball that achieved quick lift and forced Hales to make a diving block. The ball was temporarily available in front of the net, but no Cadet was able to recover for the rebound.
St. Ignatius launched a counterattack that resulted in a throw-in. Junior defender Christian Forster is the team’s set-piece specialist. His perfect throw-in caught the Cadets off guard as midfielder Nico Rinella finished for the vital two-goal advantage.
“I really don’t know where it came from,” Forster said. “It started when I was about 10 years old, and it just came naturally. I always look to put it back post or get it into a quick front post where the keeper is not looking and try to get a flick on it as soon as possible.
“What our guys try to do is they start in a little closer to the six and try to drop off quicker, and I try to put it back post so they end up being free and they can get a flick on the ball. Nico got free today, and he was able to flick it into the net.”
Marmion held the advantage in play. St. Ignatius controlled the score. Hales has seen all sides in his four years on the varsity.
“We play a different style than last year,” Hales said. “Last year we were solid at every position. This year we have a lot more weapons going forward. I think we use those strengths well, and we have a more dynamic attack.
“I really like this team.”
Starting lineups
Marmion
GK: Danny Galush
D: Luke Salamon
D: Matt Lagman
D: Johan Muscutt
MF: Tyler Laurich
MF: Nick Grant
MF: Ricky Ruiz
MF: Quinn Gratz
F: Sean Miller
F: James Serrano
F: Robert Quintana
St. Ignatius
GK: Bryant Hales
D: A.J. Capitanini
D: Carlos Sierra
D: Connor Shutt
D: Conor Broeking
MF: Patrick Breslin
MF: Berhane Berhane
MF: Jonathan Manzo
F: Owen Allen
F: Rudy Bieglmeier
F: Quinn Troy
Man of the match: Bryant Hales, GK, St. Ignatius
to hearty win over Marmion
Wolfpack remains undefeated in CCL Blue with 2-0 win
By Patrick Z. McGavin
CHICAGO -- Every player has a natural comfort zone, a spot, a niche, they like to play off and look to impact a game. Quinn Troy has carved out his space on the left wing, the place where he is free and inventive enough to subtly impact a game.
“Normally what I like to do do, for some reason, it always starts on the left side, I just look for the through-ball from [forward] Owen Allen,” the junior St. Ignatius forward said. “Hopefully I get lucky and a defender or two misses it, and I am just poaching on the back in there.”
The scenario was slightly altered Tuesday. Defender Conor Broeking delivered the initial ball, and the results were equally perfect. Troy collected the pass and finished his run with a hard ball at a stunning and decisive early moment.
Troy registered his sixth goal of the season in the first minute and star keeper Bryant Hales shut the door as the Wolfpack, ranked 25th in the Chicagoland Top 25, parlayed the dramatic opening movement into a clean 2-0 victory over Marmion in Chicago Catholic League cross-over play Tuesday night.
In the Catholic League’s four-division structure, these teams are in different four-team groups but are connected through “married divisions.” The Wolfpack (9-2-1, 2-0-0) remained unbeaten in the Blue Division.
The opening of any game is laced with uncertainty, with both sides unsure exactly how the other might attack. Marmion also had to adjust to the quicker ball movement.
“We are used to thick, three inches of grass,” Marmion coach Ricky Del Toro said. “Every time we play on turf, it’s so fast and it takes time to get used to the speed of play.”
St. Ignatius' Troy played off that vulnerability.
“I have been on both sides, and as soon as a team gets an early goal it definitely gives you a mental edge,” Troy said. “For the other side it makes you want to work that much harder to get the goal back. When you are the team that gets the goal it makes you want to work that much harder to get another one. It also puts something into the mind of the other team that you are not somebody to be taken lightly.”
Marmion got juiced as a result.
“We came out really flat, we were not ready to play, and that goal kind of woke us up,” senior midfielder Nick Grant said.
The Cadets are much better than their record (2-9-0, 0-3-0). Marmion was shocked into a more heightened state of being and dictated the terms for pretty much the balance of the half. In the 21st and 24th minutes, Grant delivered his own sharp rejoinders, delivering hard shots that required great saves by Hales.
The athletic and dynamic Hales was the true difference-maker. He recorded nine saves, marked by four highlight reel denials in the first half as Marmion created tremendous pressure.
“That goalkeeper is probably the best I have seen this year,” Del Toro said. “He is very confident and very clean.”
Hales collected his fifth shutout of the year and earned the Chicagoland Soccer Man of the match distinction for his outstanding play.
“Bryant refuses to lose,” St. Ignatius coach Ryan Kearns said. “He never gives up. He is so coachable and easy to work with, a leader on and off the field. I have never seen a high school athlete work this hard on the field or off. When he makes a mistake, he owns it and tries very hard not to make it again.”
Hales plays with a mixture of grace and flamboyance. He was a wall against the Cadets. The early goal elevated his own confidence and issued its own freedom and power.
“We have an incredible record when we score first,” Kearns said.
St. Ignatius also had a bittersweet memory of a week ago to conjure and guard against. The Wolfpack was stung by its failure to protect a 2-1 halftime lead before losing to no. 14 Addison Trail last week for the right to play in a bracket final of the PepsiCo Showdown on Sunday.
“We gave up some goals we should not have against Addison Trail,” Kearns said. “We looked at the film, broke it down and we saw where we made simple mistakes. We did not man mark or protect goal or ball side, basic stuff that should not have happened. We used this game to fix it.”
Kearns said the Wolfpack backline worked intently on proper positioning. The offense was the beneficiary.
“We made sure we were in the appropriate spots, for possession and defense and when we do that we are able to move the ball very fast and that is what you saw in the first minute.”
Marmion mounted considerable firepower, consistent with a team that has repeatedly created some deft high pressure. Grant made several strong forays against Hales, and midfielder Ricky Ruiz was also dangerous on shots from distance. Freshman midfielder Tyler Laurich had several promising free-kicks that Hales stopped.
“We have been very close with everybody,” Del Toro said. “We worked very hard at staying in the attack and making our own chances. And then having to deal with a goal against us in the first minute is a huge mountain to climb. The morale of the team quickly goes down. On top of that you have to play against a good, good team. It is not easy.”
The St. Ignatius goalkeeper was also in the middle of the game-deciding sequence at the start of the second half. In the 44th minute, Marmion continued its forward assault as forward Sean Miller drilled a ball that achieved quick lift and forced Hales to make a diving block. The ball was temporarily available in front of the net, but no Cadet was able to recover for the rebound.
St. Ignatius launched a counterattack that resulted in a throw-in. Junior defender Christian Forster is the team’s set-piece specialist. His perfect throw-in caught the Cadets off guard as midfielder Nico Rinella finished for the vital two-goal advantage.
“I really don’t know where it came from,” Forster said. “It started when I was about 10 years old, and it just came naturally. I always look to put it back post or get it into a quick front post where the keeper is not looking and try to get a flick on it as soon as possible.
“What our guys try to do is they start in a little closer to the six and try to drop off quicker, and I try to put it back post so they end up being free and they can get a flick on the ball. Nico got free today, and he was able to flick it into the net.”
Marmion held the advantage in play. St. Ignatius controlled the score. Hales has seen all sides in his four years on the varsity.
“We play a different style than last year,” Hales said. “Last year we were solid at every position. This year we have a lot more weapons going forward. I think we use those strengths well, and we have a more dynamic attack.
“I really like this team.”
Starting lineups
Marmion
GK: Danny Galush
D: Luke Salamon
D: Matt Lagman
D: Johan Muscutt
MF: Tyler Laurich
MF: Nick Grant
MF: Ricky Ruiz
MF: Quinn Gratz
F: Sean Miller
F: James Serrano
F: Robert Quintana
St. Ignatius
GK: Bryant Hales
D: A.J. Capitanini
D: Carlos Sierra
D: Connor Shutt
D: Conor Broeking
MF: Patrick Breslin
MF: Berhane Berhane
MF: Jonathan Manzo
F: Owen Allen
F: Rudy Bieglmeier
F: Quinn Troy
Man of the match: Bryant Hales, GK, St. Ignatius