NORTHBROOK — Matt Ravenscraft got all hatty after a big win Thursday night.

New Trier’s coach lauded senior forward Noah Capocchi’s hat-trick and tipped his cap to his assistants coaches following New Trier’s 3-0 defeat of host Glenbrook North in a highly anticipated Central Suburban League South Division game.

New Trier topped Glenbrook North’s Spartans 2-0 in a Class 3A state semifinal last year.

“Noah is a specimen in soccer, truly one of the best athletes in the area,” Ravenscraft said. “He’s hard to defend, because he uses his athleticism to become dangerous. What a breakout performance for him tonight.

“My assistant Ryan Loris came up with a great game plan through his tactical acumen; he’s our ‘12th man.’ And my assistant Chris VanDenBerg has a tremendous ability to get each player locked in for games and helps guys embrace their roles over the course of the season, whether that’s as a starter or as a player who doesn’t see much time on the field.

“Vandy,” continued the coach of the reigning Class 3A state champions, “is highly skilled in building a strong team culture in which every player is as excited — if not more excited — for the success of a teammate as they are for their own success.”

Both sides — New Trier at no. 9 and no. 15 Glenbrook North — reside in the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25. And each exited William Lutz Stadium with identical overall (6-2-2) and league (1-1-0) records.

The Spartans entered the contest on a five-game winning streak during which they outscored their opponents by a combined 23-2.

Capocchi was brilliant. He scored after a first half, pinpoint corner kick from senior co-captain Cole Driscoll and struck twice more in a second half span of seven minutes for his first varsity hat-trick.

The trio of tallies upped his season total to a team-high eight — already three more than he’d netted in all of 2023, when the Trevians’ lone regular-season loss was a 2-1 decision to Glenbrook North.

“Noah is one of three players I’ve competed with who does things in soccer that are hard to describe,” said Trevians senior goalkeeper and co-captain Thomas Terry, a 2023 Chicagoland Soccer All-Stater who recorded his sixth shutout of the fall.

“The kid works hard,” Terry added. “He wants to succeed badly.”

Terry (seven saves) was clutch in the first half, stopping a pair of point-blank headers by Spartans junior forward Manny Salto, who came off a four-goal game in Glenbrook North’s 7-0 defeat of visiting Deerfield on Tuesday night.

Each header had been set up by a lengthy throw-in from Glenbrook North senior all-state back Chase Petersen.

“Thomas Terry was our hero in the first 15-20 minutes, when we were flat,” Ravenscraft said. “He kept us in the game.”

Minutes later, Capocchi echoed that last comment word for word.

Petersen’s overhead chucks and classmate Michael Miller’s sprinter’s speed combined to keep Terry on his toes for tense sequences.

“Our coach told us we took 15 shots tonight,” said Spartans senior back Eli Shuman, who halted a number of New Trier rushes, including one via a headed clear in the second half. “We had crucial chances. New Trier (converted its) big moments and stayed together when it mattered. That’s something we wanted to do tonight.

“We’ll be OK, and we’ll learn from this. We lost to Evanston last year before winning the CSL South.”

New Trier got on the board in the 21st minute, thanks to Driscoll’s textbook corner kick and Capocchi’s impeccable timing. Capocchi lurked near the far post as Driscoll wound up and then nodded the serve home from about five yards.

That was the lone goal in the first 40 minutes.

The Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match doubled the Trevians advantage after gathering a pass from reserve junior midfielder Aidan McConnell in minute 66. Capocchi dribbled deep in Spartans territory before blasting a sharply angled, back-post roller past senior keeper Gil Meyers.

“Big one,” Ravenscraft said of the slotted tally that allowed the visitors to exhale.

Trevians senior midfielder Marco Jijon delivered the assist that completed Capocchi’s hatty at the 73rd-minute mark. Capocchi started nudging the ball forward from 25 yards, cut here and darted there, and then chipped a 2-yard shot over Meyers.

“We talked about critical moments — moments we had tonight,” said Glenbrook North coach Paul Vignocchi, who received another valiant effort from senior back Brady Spiggos, who was an active force all night, especially in transition. 

“We didn’t finish at those critical moments. This loss, it’s disappointing, but it’s a lesson learned. And New Trier is a great team, a dangerous team.

“We want to play the good teams.”

New Trier downed 23rd-ranked Palatine 1-0 in its Homecoming game late Friday afternoon. The Trevians visit no. 7 Maine South at 7 p.m. Tuesday in South Division action. 

Glenbrook North travels to Evanston to face the no. 5 Wildkits at 7 p.m. Tuesday for another of the many key matches in the league.

Footnotes

Driscoll’s assist on Capocchi’s opener was his team-high fourth of the fall. … More from Ravenscraft, on assistant coach VanDenBerg establishing a culture that espouses a team-first, me-last mindset: “This is no easy task, but I truly believe our success as a program over the past few years is directly connected to this collective buy-in.” … Thursday was Glenbrook North’s Spartans FC Recognition Day. The community’s youth soccer players watched the New Trier-Glenbrook North game after practicing at a nearby field. Vignocchi was asked, “Did you see the next Chase Petersen among the attendees?” “I don’t know about that,” he replied with a half-smile. “Chase’s throw-ins are a handful, aren’t they? He worked hard and spent a lot of time in the weight room to become the player he is.” … Petersen whipped in 15 throw-ins vs. New Trier. “Chase,” Ravenscraft said, “is a lethal weapon.” … New Trier senior twins Marco Jijon, a midfielder, and Matteo Jijon, a forward, committed to study and play soccer at Division III Beloit (Wis.) College. … What impressed Ravenscraft most about Capocchi’s hat-trick Thursday night was its variety: a header off a corner, a slot goal, a chip goal. “That was something, scoring three different ways,” the coach said. “We’re all happy for Noah.”

Starting lineups

New Trier
GK Thomas Terry
D Linus Ho
D Nikhil Prasad
D Yannick Vaughn
MF Jack Hwang
MF Alex Kolanko
MF Esteban Iacobelli
MF Cole Driscoll
MF Patrick Shean
MF Ryan Schneider
F Noah Capocchi

Glenbrook North
GK Gil Meyers
D Tommy Raptis
D Brady Spiggos
D Chase Petersen
D Eli Shuman
MF Jackson Lee
MF Flynn Taylor
MF Michael Miller
MF Lukasz Wilczek
MF Alex Ferencz
F Manny Salto

Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match: Noah Capocchi, sr., F, New Trier

Scoring summary

First half
New Trier — Capocchi (Driscoll), 21’

Second half
New Trier — Capocchi (Aidan McConnell), 66’
New Trier — Capocchi (Marco Jijon), 73’