HAMPSHIRE – McHenry’s celebration after freshman goalkeeper Mason Bertone dived to his right and smothered a potential go-ahead penalty kick by Hampshire’s Jackson Carey in the 50th minutes was short-lived.

The referees ruled that a McHenry player entered the penalty area before the kick and awarded Carey what amounted to a do-over.

The senior’s stayed left for his second spot-shot and Bertone guessed the other direction. The play delivered the match-winning goal in Hampshire’s 3-2 come-from-behind victory Tuesday night.

Carey refocused for his second PK attempt.

“I was a little nervous on my second try. But I knew I was going to make it, because I had my confidence back,” said the Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match. “I knew it wasn’t my fault that I missed the first one. I calmed my nerves. I knew that I had the team on my back, and I had to finish it.”

After the visiting Warriors jumped out to a 2-0 lead on two Marko Stojich goals in the first 15 minutes of play, the Whip-purs responded with three unanswered strikes to win the Fox Valley Conference opener for both teams. 

In addition to the match-winner, Carey also scored the contest-tying goal halfway through the first half, minutes after teammate Charlie Terriquez put Hampshire (4-4-1, 1-0-0) on the scoreboard.

The positive result snapped a three-match losing streak.

The contest’s first goal in the eighth minute, was also scored on a penalty kick. Stojich, who was named all-sectional and all-conference last year, buried the ball in the left corner of the net.

The junior earned the brace at the 26:22 mark of the first half. Positioned all alone in the right corner of the box, Stojich blasted the ball past Whip-pur’s keeper Parker Smith (seven saves) and into the net’s top-left corner.

“I was looking to cross the ball, but I saw that the keeper was up, so I got it over on him,” Stojich said.

Facing a two-goal deficit early in the contest did not rattle Hampshire.

“We’ve been learning how to manage our time and our composure to play the game. We know how to play, and the boys really stuck to it -- not rushing through our runs and our plays,” Hampshire coach Chayanne Martinez said, “We were two down, but we had more than 60 minutes to play. That’s plenty of time for plenty of chances. We didn’t lose our focus.”

Carey felt his team was confident.

“We knew deep down that we had a plan and that we were going to win the game,” he said.

The Whip-purs backline has needed time to jell.

“Our start was not our greatest. We definitely could have played better, including myself”, senior centerback Issac Ludwig said. “But we got it together. We got the ball off the field, and we possessed.”

Martinez looked past McHenry’s goals.

“Apart from those two small mishaps, we had a very solid defense, a lot of rotations in and out so all defenders got to play today. They did a great job holding down after those goals,” the Hampshire coach said. “It was a great game from everyone on the backline. Our seniors Issac (Ludwig), Parker (Smith), Diego (Sanchez) and Jacob (Sheba) really held their own.”

Terriquez quickly cut into McHenry’s lead with his eighth goal of the season. His boot from just in front of the right post connected in the 15th minute.

The senior had been sidelined with an injury.

“We’re glad to have him back. We missed him last week due to small injury,” the Hampshire manager commented.

Four minutes later, Carey corralled a Terriquez pass in front of the goal and headed the ball into the back of the net for the equalizer.

A pregame drill paid off.

“Before the game, (assistant) coach (Jordan) Fryer and I were working on headers, because I knew I needed work on them,” Carey said. “The goal was so practice-like. Charlie crossed it in, and I just put it away.”

With his brace, Carey, also a 2023 all-sectional player, raised his season goal total to eight.

Martinez praised the senior his leadership.

“Jackson was composed and took charge of where our team needed to go,” he said.

Grayson Hedderich just missed scoring the go-ahead goal at the 18:21 mark of first half. His rocket from 30 yards, bounced off the cross bar.

The Whip-purs coach liked what he saw from midfielder Andrew Nuzzo.

“Andrew definitely stepped up and played a tremendous game, the best game he’s had so far this season,” said Martinez, “He’s very coachable, very able to play through the game.”

Freshman midfielder Kage Guge is also making a name for himself.

“Kage is someone that definitely stepped in on the right foot,” Martinez said. “He’s having a great season.”

McHenry (2-5-0, 0-1-0) started the second half with a burst of energy but could not capitalize on set piece opportunities. Hampshire’s defense fended off three close-in free kicks and also got some luck. A Warriors’ throw-in from Aiden Fischler from the near-side corner flag landed on top of the net.

Hampshire’s comeback befuddled McHenry.

“We lost our way. We’re having trouble possessing the ball, and we were just having trouble keeping the ball,” said McHenry first-year coach Adam Bronars. “And once that happened, it’s kind of one thing led to another. We’re still in the game, but we just didn’t find a way to get our own footing in the game.”

Bronars’ backline of Fischler, Yahel Garcia, Keegan Adamson and Adam Bronowicki battled throughout the match.

“Early on in the game, they were under a lot of pressure, but I thought they reacted really well to it,” said the Warriors coach “After the game went 2-2, I actually thought they played very well and did a really good job of working together as a unit and controlling the game.”

The McHenry manager see a bright future for Bertone (six saves).

“Mason is fantastic. He’s a great shot-stopper and loves playing the game,” the Warriors coach said. “He’s a student of the game, and the sky is the limit for him. He plays really well for us.”

Starting lineups

McHenry
GK: Mason Bertone
D: Keegan Adamson
D: Yahel Garcia
D: Aiden Fischler
D: Adam Bronowicki
MF: Aldair Anglada
MF: Kyren Rivard
MF: Cole Tapia
F: Cody Bundy
F: Nathan Caruso
F: Marko Stoich

Hampshire
GK: Parker Smith
D: Brian Vega
D: Issac Ludwig
D: Edgar Perez
D: Jacob Sheba
MF: Grayson Hedderich
MF: Javier Gonzalez-Martinez
MF: Lukianos Petropoulos
MF: Kage Guge
F: Jackson Carey
F: Charlie Terriquez

Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match: Jackson Carey, sr., F, Hampshire

Scoring summary

First Half
M: Stoich (penalty kick) 8’
M: Stoich (unassisted), 14’
H: Terriquez (unassisted), 15’
H: Carey (Terriquez), 19’

Second half
Hampshire: Carey (PK), 50’