Conant and Hersey face off at 7 p.m. Thursday at Roland Goins Stadium in Arlington Heights for a mouth-watering match in the 49th annual Mid-Suburban League Soccer Cup, which will decide the league champion.

Both sides enter the showdown fresh off emphatic 3-0 victories on their final days of league play that set their spots in the big game.

When Krystian Niziolek bagged his first half hat-trick to give Conant a 3-0 win over Hoffman Estates on Oct. 10, it meant the Cougars (10-7-2) advanced for the first time since 2002.

On Oct. 11, the Huskies, through goals from Kacper Lechowicz, Johnny Antoniou and Ray Reyes, beat Prospect 3-0 to return to the final for the first time since the fall, 2021, season.

"It's hard to believe in my 17 years at Conant, and with so many talented teams, that this will be my first time in the Cup on the boys side," said Cougars manager Jason Franco.

"It feels great, and I am very proud and happy for the boys."

Hersey tied Rolling Meadows at the top of the Mid-Suburban League table at 24 points. The Huskies took the Cup berth on the second tiebreaker -- division record.

"This game is what we all work for," said manager Mike Rusniak, who is now in his seventh season in charge. “After we equalized late in our game with Rolling Meadows (a 1-1 draw Oct. 8), I felt we could make it to the Cup.

"(Rolling Meadows) is such a strong side, and the energy and effort we put in during the entirety of that game helped all the guys to believe in themselves."

History

After outpointing Palatine 22-20 for the West Division crown, Conant makes its seventh appearance in the final. The Cougars lifted the championship trophy in 1997, 1999, 2000 and 2002. Two of the titles came at the expense of Hersey (1997, 2002) when Conant’s Hall of Fame manager Tony Kees led the team.

Hersey will make its 10th Cup visit. The latest came in the fall, 2021, season, when the Huskies lost to eventual Class 3A state runnerup Fremd.

The program has recorded championship wins in 2001 and three-straight from 2006 to 2008.

The regular-season league meeting between the division champions ended in a 1-1 draw Sept. 24 after a late first half goal from Lechowicz leveled things before the break.

Players to watch

Conant: Jimmy Cirbo (sr., MF), Gabe Dobrincu (jr., D), Krystian Niziolek (sr., F, 21 goals, 12 assists), Eric Plaza (sr., MF), Ben Schaefers (jr., D) and Ibuki Takahashi (sr., MF).

Hersey: Johnny Antoniou (so., MF), Joe Farrell (sr., D), Kacper Lechowicz (sr., F, 10 goals, 5 assists), Nate Mabry (sr., D, 6 goals, 4 assists), Ray Reyes (sr., F, 8 goals), Teddy Reyes (So, MF), Adrian Smakowski (sr., GK).

Conant

The Cougars had a rather pedestrian record outside of the Mid-Suburban League (3-2-1) and a less than sparkling 2-3-0 mark against the East Division, but Franco’s club was unbeaten in the West to claim all 15 points available.

"We've come alive the last few weeks when it has really counted, which we rode into the (Cup) ," said Franco. “That is great for our program. We look to light a fire under our under-levels to help carry the torch forward.”

The Cougars outscored their division rivals 17-2 and recorded clean-sheets against Barrington, Schaumburg, Fremd and Hoffman Estates.

"Ibuki (Takahashi) is playing unbelievable soccer in the middle of the park. Krystian is playing at a Player of the Year level, and the hold-up play of Eric Plaza plus his distribution has been huge for us," said Franco, who like Niziolek believes the move of Gabe Dobrincu to centerback has been the key to the Cougars success.

"No doubt Gabe playing in the back has been huge. He wins so many balls, keeps us organized and his ability to play great balls out of the back has been a big help," said Niziolek, whose holds stunning career stats of 54 goals and 33 assists.

"Gabe's soccer IQ is way up there,” added Franco. “He always seems to be in the right place at the right time. He cleans everything for us along the back, plus he's allowed our other backs to play with so much more confidence."

Hersey

The Huskies, who are ranked 10th in the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25,  were forced to chase no. 21 Rolling Meadows throughout the league schedule. A disappointing 1-0 defeat to Wheeling on Oct. 1 could have, but didn't shake the confidence of Rusniak’s lads.

"(The) loss was a valuable learning experience,” the manager said. “It emphasized the importance of finishing our chances as well as the importance of details.

"It also created an extreme focus on what we needed to improve on as a team. After that loss, the leaders on the team really stepped up to keep the group focused by taking one game at a time."

One of the leaders Rusniak speaks of is three-year starting keeper Adrian Smakowski, who enters the Soccer Cup with nine clean-sheets and a .72 goals-against average.

"Even with so many younger players on our roster, we have a lot of chemistry as a group which we've brought together in a variety of ways," said Smakowski, who is looking to play next fall in college. “That has really helped make a strong bond amongst ourselves.

"We have a lot of skill on this team. We are very athletic, and I have a great backline in front of me."

Hersey’s centerback partnership of Nate Mabry and Joe Farrell is first class. Outside backs Lian Berk and Adam Bugaj, along with Urik Contla in relief, have helped the club to concede just 15 goals in 19 games.

"We got off to a little bit of a rough start at the St. Charles invite with two losses and our only two wins in pens, but we weathered that storm, made a few changes here and there, and we've been playing solid soccer ever since," Smakowski said.

"To be a senior and playing the MSL Soccer Cup is the best thing. "
 

Click here to the see the Mid-Suburban League occer Cup results