Fratila returns, Warren gets back on track
Senior scores goal, adds 2 assists to lead
Blue Devils to 3-0 win over Highland Park
By Rusty Silber
HIGHLAND PARK -- Warren was glad to see two of its starting players back in the lineup on Tuesday afternoon. One was senior midfielder Alex Fratila and the other was freshman Martin Fuentes. Both had been out with injuries and their absences played a part in the Blue Devils loss to Waukegan 3-1 on Saturday.
But everything was better with both players back in action. Fratila's goal and 2 assists led Warren to a 3-0 shutout of Highland Park in a nonconference game at Wolter's Field.
Fratila dealt with a slight hamstring problem, and Fuentes had a groin injury. So the best thing that Warren coach Jason Ahonen could do was give them both some extra rest. That led them to miss the Waukegan game.
"We front-loaded our schedule," said Ahonen whose team played Lake Zurich, North Chicago, no. 8 Waukegan and Highland Park in the past 13-day span. "The last two weeks have been pretty light. The object of that if we are banged up, then we can give some guys time to rest. We had a beautiful night, and we were working on things.
"Getting Alex (Fratila) back is a big piece of the puzzle. He does so much for us and relieves the pressure, holds the ball, and he and Ivan (Esquivel) work so well together in the nine and 10 spot. Regardless of the result, I was going to play guys, and we wanted to make sure that we walked off healthy."
Warren is the top seed in the Stevenson Sectional and begins the postseason against the winner of (17) Hersey/(16) Lake Forest quarterfinal winner next Wednesday in the Mundelein Regional.
Fratila has brought a lot to the table for the Blue Devils (15-4-3) this season. He is a player who leads by example and is a true leader on the field. His contributions Tuesday earned him Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match honors.
"I try to play simple, keep the ball and try to use my athleticism when it comes into play," said Fratila,who now has 7 goals and 12 assists this season. "It's good to have, but you don't want to rely on it, because when you play good teams they're all going to be athletic. Play simple, move the ball and get everyone involved."
The sport of soccer seems to come easy to Fratila.
"Soccer is pretty simple, I've been playing since I've been little," Fratila added. "I like to play and it's what I do. I've been lucky and have had good coaches. I do like to play up top if we need to score. Once we score, I like to play in the back so we can win. If it comes to me, I'll take it, but I do like assists because it's more effort and more skill. It means something, a goal is an individual effort."
On Tuesday, Fratila led by example on a two-on-one break. He dropped the ball off with a pass to the middle, which Esquivel put in the back of the net in the 11th minute.
"We've been playing together for three years," said Esquivel who scored his 10th goal of the season. "It helps a lot, because we've got that connection. He could've taken that shot, but he sent it off to me. Sometimes, you try not to be selfish. He really is a complete player. He can play up top, defend, or play in the middle. When we need guys like him defensively, we can put him in the back, and it's no problem since he's an outstanding player."
Near the end of the half, Bryan Galvan was tripped up in the penalty area by a Giants' defender. Fratila calmly stepped up and converted the penalty kick into the lower right corner in the 39th minute. It put the Blue Devils up 2-0.
Warren added another goal for insurance in the 59th minute of play. Fratila sent a corner kick into the box that Richie Flores took control of and then put into the net for a 3-0 advantage.
Highland Park (4-9-5) held their composure throughout the match. They had their chances from time to time but couldn't get one past Blue Devils' keeper Blair McCormick, who made three saves and recorded his 10th clean sheet this season.
The Giants' put several headers over the bar and had several shots from close range that were stopped or off target.
Still Highland Park coach Blake Novotny thought they were still in the match. Giants' keeper Juan Chavez had a spectacular effort with and made 7-of-his-11 saves in the second half including a couple of the point-blank variety.
"I actually thought we did play some real good soccer," Novotny said. "I just think that we're on the wrong side of luck right now. We just put our keeper in a scenario that it's impossible to get a shutout. We made three fixable mistakes. On the offensive end, we never pulled the trigger."
Highland Park had a great deal of problems dealing with Warre, especially up top.
"They were pretty dynamic with pace up front," Novotny said. "They had good movement across the field. They just send people running. Honestly, I didn't feel there was a three-goal difference in that game. It was pretty tight, and I feel between the 18s we were as good or better than them. They're a good team with a good record, and we're a team with a bad record. It seems silly for me to say that we played even with them."
Starting lineups
Warren
GK-Blair McCormick
D-Richie Flores
D-Curtis Bae
D-Maitt Haight
D-Carlos Mirillo
MF-Alex Fratila
MF-Jacob Luka
MF-Ivan Esquivel
MF-Niko Jokic
F-Kody Anderson
F-Martin Fuentes
Highland Park
GK-Juan Chavez
D-Greg Marban
D-Matt Frisch
D-Caleb Cunningham
D-Gabriel Mundo
MF-Aidan Subra
MF-Justin Nedoss
MF-Eamonn Moore
MF-Ethan Ochoa
F-Tommy Quirk
F-Cristain Carrasco
Man of the Match: Alex Fratila, MF, Warren
Officials: Nahum Escobar (center); Dana Gorar, Richard Klark.
Senior scores goal, adds 2 assists to lead
Blue Devils to 3-0 win over Highland Park
By Rusty Silber
HIGHLAND PARK -- Warren was glad to see two of its starting players back in the lineup on Tuesday afternoon. One was senior midfielder Alex Fratila and the other was freshman Martin Fuentes. Both had been out with injuries and their absences played a part in the Blue Devils loss to Waukegan 3-1 on Saturday.
But everything was better with both players back in action. Fratila's goal and 2 assists led Warren to a 3-0 shutout of Highland Park in a nonconference game at Wolter's Field.
Fratila dealt with a slight hamstring problem, and Fuentes had a groin injury. So the best thing that Warren coach Jason Ahonen could do was give them both some extra rest. That led them to miss the Waukegan game.
"We front-loaded our schedule," said Ahonen whose team played Lake Zurich, North Chicago, no. 8 Waukegan and Highland Park in the past 13-day span. "The last two weeks have been pretty light. The object of that if we are banged up, then we can give some guys time to rest. We had a beautiful night, and we were working on things.
"Getting Alex (Fratila) back is a big piece of the puzzle. He does so much for us and relieves the pressure, holds the ball, and he and Ivan (Esquivel) work so well together in the nine and 10 spot. Regardless of the result, I was going to play guys, and we wanted to make sure that we walked off healthy."
Warren is the top seed in the Stevenson Sectional and begins the postseason against the winner of (17) Hersey/(16) Lake Forest quarterfinal winner next Wednesday in the Mundelein Regional.
Fratila has brought a lot to the table for the Blue Devils (15-4-3) this season. He is a player who leads by example and is a true leader on the field. His contributions Tuesday earned him Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match honors.
"I try to play simple, keep the ball and try to use my athleticism when it comes into play," said Fratila,who now has 7 goals and 12 assists this season. "It's good to have, but you don't want to rely on it, because when you play good teams they're all going to be athletic. Play simple, move the ball and get everyone involved."
The sport of soccer seems to come easy to Fratila.
"Soccer is pretty simple, I've been playing since I've been little," Fratila added. "I like to play and it's what I do. I've been lucky and have had good coaches. I do like to play up top if we need to score. Once we score, I like to play in the back so we can win. If it comes to me, I'll take it, but I do like assists because it's more effort and more skill. It means something, a goal is an individual effort."
On Tuesday, Fratila led by example on a two-on-one break. He dropped the ball off with a pass to the middle, which Esquivel put in the back of the net in the 11th minute.
"We've been playing together for three years," said Esquivel who scored his 10th goal of the season. "It helps a lot, because we've got that connection. He could've taken that shot, but he sent it off to me. Sometimes, you try not to be selfish. He really is a complete player. He can play up top, defend, or play in the middle. When we need guys like him defensively, we can put him in the back, and it's no problem since he's an outstanding player."
Near the end of the half, Bryan Galvan was tripped up in the penalty area by a Giants' defender. Fratila calmly stepped up and converted the penalty kick into the lower right corner in the 39th minute. It put the Blue Devils up 2-0.
Warren added another goal for insurance in the 59th minute of play. Fratila sent a corner kick into the box that Richie Flores took control of and then put into the net for a 3-0 advantage.
Highland Park (4-9-5) held their composure throughout the match. They had their chances from time to time but couldn't get one past Blue Devils' keeper Blair McCormick, who made three saves and recorded his 10th clean sheet this season.
The Giants' put several headers over the bar and had several shots from close range that were stopped or off target.
Still Highland Park coach Blake Novotny thought they were still in the match. Giants' keeper Juan Chavez had a spectacular effort with and made 7-of-his-11 saves in the second half including a couple of the point-blank variety.
"I actually thought we did play some real good soccer," Novotny said. "I just think that we're on the wrong side of luck right now. We just put our keeper in a scenario that it's impossible to get a shutout. We made three fixable mistakes. On the offensive end, we never pulled the trigger."
Highland Park had a great deal of problems dealing with Warre, especially up top.
"They were pretty dynamic with pace up front," Novotny said. "They had good movement across the field. They just send people running. Honestly, I didn't feel there was a three-goal difference in that game. It was pretty tight, and I feel between the 18s we were as good or better than them. They're a good team with a good record, and we're a team with a bad record. It seems silly for me to say that we played even with them."
Starting lineups
Warren
GK-Blair McCormick
D-Richie Flores
D-Curtis Bae
D-Maitt Haight
D-Carlos Mirillo
MF-Alex Fratila
MF-Jacob Luka
MF-Ivan Esquivel
MF-Niko Jokic
F-Kody Anderson
F-Martin Fuentes
Highland Park
GK-Juan Chavez
D-Greg Marban
D-Matt Frisch
D-Caleb Cunningham
D-Gabriel Mundo
MF-Aidan Subra
MF-Justin Nedoss
MF-Eamonn Moore
MF-Ethan Ochoa
F-Tommy Quirk
F-Cristain Carrasco
Man of the Match: Alex Fratila, MF, Warren
Officials: Nahum Escobar (center); Dana Gorar, Richard Klark.