Hinsdale Central revels in successes
No state title defense this season, but plenty of sterling memories
By Dave Owen
This weekend marks the one year anniversary of Hinsdale Central's state championship.
And while this fall’s title repeat bid ran into a shocking roadblock in a 1-0 regional final upset loss to Reavis, an 18-2-1 record and the no. 1 ranking at the end of the regular season in the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25 added to an amazing resume for the Red Devils’ seniors.
“You wouldn’t have the room to print all the things I need to say, or would want to share, about these guys," said coach Mike Wiggins. "They were remarkable in so many ways. I am fortunate to reflect on a rich 22 years of teaching the game to so many talented and hard working players.
"These guys listened, communicated, were reflective, and gave it their all. They continued to raise the bar and the level of expectation for future teams here at Central regardless of what level. We are all very proud of them.”
With the playoff scenario, some boil the season down to a single game. That's not the way it should be done, and that's especially true with student-athletes.
“Sure you want to be standing on a podium when you’re finished,” Hinsdale Central senior Jimmy Walker said, “but we did it (last year) and that was incredible.
“But even if I hadn’t done that in four years, I wouldn’t regret a thing. I don’t regret a thing from this year’s group. Phenomenal players, phenomenal people all pulling in one direction. I can’t thank my teammates enough.”
Bryan Loebig was the Red Devils’ top returning scorer (5 goals, 14 assists last year), and a leader of an exceptional senior class.
“I think we tried to create an atmosphere as seniors playing together for four years,” said Loebig, a three-year varsity player. “Whether it was hanging out or going out for a team breakfast or lunch, over the years it really helps you get to know each other. And I would say that really translates onto the field.
“Understanding your teammates is a big thing – that was one of our biggest things last year that helped make us how great of a team that we were. (The state title) is something I’d never experienced before with a team, how well we jelled.”
One senior with a unique distinction was midfielder Walker, a four-year varsity player.
“Jimmy is the only guy on our team who’s been through an undefeated four years of conference play,” Hinsdale Central coach Mike Wiggins said.
Walker also had a pregame ritual unique among most athletes – before several home games this season, he headed to the press box to sing the National Anthem with an a cappella style that made the booming baritone voice of Blackhawks vocalist Jim Cornelison sound like a vacuum cleaner.
“I love singing,” Walker said. ”To be honest, its main purpose, besides how much I love it, is that it pumps the team up. The team gets very rowdy and wild after I sing. If that’s an added benefit, I’ll take it.”
The Red Devils certainly set the tone against opponents. Their many successes included a penalty kick win over state semifinalist Morton in the Red Devil Cup title match, and a 1-0 triumph over eventual sectional champion Naperville Central.
A key in those wins and many more was the energetic play of senior goalkeeper Ethan Gama. A backup last year to state tournament star goalkeeper Wes Bergevin (now playing at Penn State), Gama produced his best heroics against Morton.
A sequence of two shots in the PK session showed Gama’s value and versatility. He first made a diving save, then turned shooter moments later to convert a critical kick in the Red Devils’ win.
The Naperville Central shutout was one of 10 this fall by Gama and a Red Devil defense that featured senior defenders Daniel Lillard and Nick Silva.
Between the 6-foot-4 Lillard's size and 5-foot-9 Silva's speed and ballhandling, opponents attacking the box met major resistance.
While 2014 top scorers like Loebig and Mikey Usher returned, the Red Devils’ offense needed a boost. The reemergence of seniors Louis St. John and Rigo Rojas after two years of playing club ball filled that need and more.
Rojas’ 6-foot-5 size and strength and St. John’s precision free kicks, offensive skills and poise were a handful for foes.
“There were times we’d be playing a team, and we’d all get excited or antsy, and we’d have a tendency to give the ball away too much and send it up the field,” St. John said. “I tried to calm things down, and just put the ball down and play.
“There were also times we lacked that tendency to go at teams, and I’d try to bring that energy up. I think that helped tremendously throughout the entire season.”
And after playing high level club soccer for the Fire Academy, the shift back to high school for Rojas and St. John (both Red Devil varsity freshmen in 2012) was enjoyable.
“It’s a different experience compared to club, a lot more fun I would say,” said St. John, who has made a verbal commitment to play at Dayton next fall. “It’s not so uptight with so much pressure. You get to enjoy the sport a little bit more, and it’s a lot more fun to be around some of the guys that I grew up with.
“I played for Wiggy (Wiggins) when I was like nine, when I first started playing for a club team. Coming back and being coached by him again was great. Playing for this team and with the other guys was awesome.”
“TARGET ON OUR BACKS”
Every opponent tried to make its season by beating the defending state champs. Only two succeeded, and one of those was 23-time Wisconsin prep state champion Marquette.
“Coach (Mike Wiggins) tells us every team is trying to make their season by beating us, and it’s true,” Walker said. “Earlier this year we won a game 1-0 and the players (on the other team) were ecstatic that they came so close. Their coach told us this was the game they’ve been waiting for all season.”
What was already evident to Loebig earlier in his career became more obvious every game this fall.
“At Hinsdale Central we always have a target on our back from other schools because we excel every year,” Loebig said. “It was obviously going to be really tough (as defending champs) – coming off a state championship we had even more of a target on our backs. But I think we handled it very well.
“Other teams got chippy sometimes, but we refrained from that and did a really good job of weathering the storms other teams gave. We accomplished so much this year.”
St. John noted two accomplishments that stood out.
“I’d say it was our 24th win in conference over the last four years,” he said. “For the team collectively that was the best memory of the year. And also probably the Red Devil Cup, winning that against Morton on penalty kicks. We played well against them.”
BIGGER THAN SOCCER
The great things the Red Devils did on the field was obvious. The off-the-field part of being in the program is just as worthy of celebration.
“We do a lot of charity work,” Loebig said. “This past year we were part of the KICK organization for Mr. (Dick) Flesher, and we raised over $10,000 for inner city Chicago schools.”
Former Red Devil head coach Flesher’s extensive charitable work over the years is worthy of awards and honors. Wiggins’ influence on his players and community isn’t far behind.
“This program is absolutely incredible,” Walker said. “Coach (Wiggins) tells us that it’s not about soccer. The bigger meaning of everything he says isn’t soccer. He says we’ll notice it more when we’re older, but I’ve already started to take his words of wisdom into all areas of my life.
“For example, he tells us ‘early is on time, on time is late.’ This morning I had a college interview, I got there early and the college interviewer complimented me for getting there early. I guarantee you I would not have been there 15 minutes early if it weren’t for coach. It’s lessons like that that are invaluable.”
Loebig has been close to the Red Devils program long before high school.
“I also had two older brothers (Jason and Eric) who went through the program,” Loebig said. “It’s been very important to me over the years.
“Wiggins does a great job developing you not only as a soccer player, but as a person as well. I think that’s something that sets the Central program apart from a lot of others, that dedication to making everyone better players and people.”
“Coach, he’s an amazing man,” Loebig added. “He pushes everybody and really sets the bar high for the program with how much dedication he puts in to the team.”
A LAST LOOK BACK, A FIRST LOOK AHEAD
Seniors Mitch Collins and Stephen Coan started for the Red Devils. Both provided solid play at midfield and forward spots, and Coan’s strong throw-ins were an offensive weapon.
Senior Edgar Astorga was a top player off the bench, and classmates Andrew D’Aprile and Ryan Gleason contibuted to Hinsdale Central's success.
Among juniors, 2014 standouts Usher, Jake Semba and Jeremy Yi and defender Nikash Tejpal were key players in the Red Devils’ nucleus.
That quartet should be the foundation of next year’s squad, but the Red Devils have plenty of reinforcements on the way. The Hinsdale Central junior varsity finished 5-5-4. The sophomore team had a 10-2-4 record and posted 10 shutouts, including a streak of seven in a row. The freshman squad went 10-1-3 with eight shutouts. Overall the program was an impressive 43-10-12 (.754 winning percentage).
As an example of the high caliber of coaching throughout the program, Jack Ferraro, who guided Sandburg to state championships in 2001 and 2002, is the freshman coach.
“There’s stability for all the teams from freshmen to varsity,” Loebig said. “They make it really enjoyable. And there isn’t as much pressure. Coach (Wiggins) emphasizes to have fun, and the other things they emphasize in the program really make them (the coaches) stand out.”
On the 40th anniversary of Hinsdale Central’s first boys soccer state title in 1975, the program’s second championship in 2014 will hold a lifetime of memories for this year’s seniors.
“It’s unlike anything else,” Loebig said. “To be able to accomplish that as a player, it’s something you think about in every practice and every game. You’re working towards that goal.
“That was probably my favorite soccer memory ever. It was incredible that we were able to overcome some of the teams that we beat last year. That made it even better.
“I give a lot of credit to everyone on our team – it was a lot of hard work.”
Similar hard work this fall didn't produce the same rapturous ending. But the Red Devils still had plenty of reasons to feel like champions.
No state title defense this season, but plenty of sterling memories
By Dave Owen
This weekend marks the one year anniversary of Hinsdale Central's state championship.
And while this fall’s title repeat bid ran into a shocking roadblock in a 1-0 regional final upset loss to Reavis, an 18-2-1 record and the no. 1 ranking at the end of the regular season in the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25 added to an amazing resume for the Red Devils’ seniors.
“You wouldn’t have the room to print all the things I need to say, or would want to share, about these guys," said coach Mike Wiggins. "They were remarkable in so many ways. I am fortunate to reflect on a rich 22 years of teaching the game to so many talented and hard working players.
"These guys listened, communicated, were reflective, and gave it their all. They continued to raise the bar and the level of expectation for future teams here at Central regardless of what level. We are all very proud of them.”
With the playoff scenario, some boil the season down to a single game. That's not the way it should be done, and that's especially true with student-athletes.
“Sure you want to be standing on a podium when you’re finished,” Hinsdale Central senior Jimmy Walker said, “but we did it (last year) and that was incredible.
“But even if I hadn’t done that in four years, I wouldn’t regret a thing. I don’t regret a thing from this year’s group. Phenomenal players, phenomenal people all pulling in one direction. I can’t thank my teammates enough.”
Bryan Loebig was the Red Devils’ top returning scorer (5 goals, 14 assists last year), and a leader of an exceptional senior class.
“I think we tried to create an atmosphere as seniors playing together for four years,” said Loebig, a three-year varsity player. “Whether it was hanging out or going out for a team breakfast or lunch, over the years it really helps you get to know each other. And I would say that really translates onto the field.
“Understanding your teammates is a big thing – that was one of our biggest things last year that helped make us how great of a team that we were. (The state title) is something I’d never experienced before with a team, how well we jelled.”
One senior with a unique distinction was midfielder Walker, a four-year varsity player.
“Jimmy is the only guy on our team who’s been through an undefeated four years of conference play,” Hinsdale Central coach Mike Wiggins said.
Walker also had a pregame ritual unique among most athletes – before several home games this season, he headed to the press box to sing the National Anthem with an a cappella style that made the booming baritone voice of Blackhawks vocalist Jim Cornelison sound like a vacuum cleaner.
“I love singing,” Walker said. ”To be honest, its main purpose, besides how much I love it, is that it pumps the team up. The team gets very rowdy and wild after I sing. If that’s an added benefit, I’ll take it.”
The Red Devils certainly set the tone against opponents. Their many successes included a penalty kick win over state semifinalist Morton in the Red Devil Cup title match, and a 1-0 triumph over eventual sectional champion Naperville Central.
A key in those wins and many more was the energetic play of senior goalkeeper Ethan Gama. A backup last year to state tournament star goalkeeper Wes Bergevin (now playing at Penn State), Gama produced his best heroics against Morton.
A sequence of two shots in the PK session showed Gama’s value and versatility. He first made a diving save, then turned shooter moments later to convert a critical kick in the Red Devils’ win.
The Naperville Central shutout was one of 10 this fall by Gama and a Red Devil defense that featured senior defenders Daniel Lillard and Nick Silva.
Between the 6-foot-4 Lillard's size and 5-foot-9 Silva's speed and ballhandling, opponents attacking the box met major resistance.
While 2014 top scorers like Loebig and Mikey Usher returned, the Red Devils’ offense needed a boost. The reemergence of seniors Louis St. John and Rigo Rojas after two years of playing club ball filled that need and more.
Rojas’ 6-foot-5 size and strength and St. John’s precision free kicks, offensive skills and poise were a handful for foes.
“There were times we’d be playing a team, and we’d all get excited or antsy, and we’d have a tendency to give the ball away too much and send it up the field,” St. John said. “I tried to calm things down, and just put the ball down and play.
“There were also times we lacked that tendency to go at teams, and I’d try to bring that energy up. I think that helped tremendously throughout the entire season.”
And after playing high level club soccer for the Fire Academy, the shift back to high school for Rojas and St. John (both Red Devil varsity freshmen in 2012) was enjoyable.
“It’s a different experience compared to club, a lot more fun I would say,” said St. John, who has made a verbal commitment to play at Dayton next fall. “It’s not so uptight with so much pressure. You get to enjoy the sport a little bit more, and it’s a lot more fun to be around some of the guys that I grew up with.
“I played for Wiggy (Wiggins) when I was like nine, when I first started playing for a club team. Coming back and being coached by him again was great. Playing for this team and with the other guys was awesome.”
“TARGET ON OUR BACKS”
Every opponent tried to make its season by beating the defending state champs. Only two succeeded, and one of those was 23-time Wisconsin prep state champion Marquette.
“Coach (Mike Wiggins) tells us every team is trying to make their season by beating us, and it’s true,” Walker said. “Earlier this year we won a game 1-0 and the players (on the other team) were ecstatic that they came so close. Their coach told us this was the game they’ve been waiting for all season.”
What was already evident to Loebig earlier in his career became more obvious every game this fall.
“At Hinsdale Central we always have a target on our back from other schools because we excel every year,” Loebig said. “It was obviously going to be really tough (as defending champs) – coming off a state championship we had even more of a target on our backs. But I think we handled it very well.
“Other teams got chippy sometimes, but we refrained from that and did a really good job of weathering the storms other teams gave. We accomplished so much this year.”
St. John noted two accomplishments that stood out.
“I’d say it was our 24th win in conference over the last four years,” he said. “For the team collectively that was the best memory of the year. And also probably the Red Devil Cup, winning that against Morton on penalty kicks. We played well against them.”
BIGGER THAN SOCCER
The great things the Red Devils did on the field was obvious. The off-the-field part of being in the program is just as worthy of celebration.
“We do a lot of charity work,” Loebig said. “This past year we were part of the KICK organization for Mr. (Dick) Flesher, and we raised over $10,000 for inner city Chicago schools.”
Former Red Devil head coach Flesher’s extensive charitable work over the years is worthy of awards and honors. Wiggins’ influence on his players and community isn’t far behind.
“This program is absolutely incredible,” Walker said. “Coach (Wiggins) tells us that it’s not about soccer. The bigger meaning of everything he says isn’t soccer. He says we’ll notice it more when we’re older, but I’ve already started to take his words of wisdom into all areas of my life.
“For example, he tells us ‘early is on time, on time is late.’ This morning I had a college interview, I got there early and the college interviewer complimented me for getting there early. I guarantee you I would not have been there 15 minutes early if it weren’t for coach. It’s lessons like that that are invaluable.”
Loebig has been close to the Red Devils program long before high school.
“I also had two older brothers (Jason and Eric) who went through the program,” Loebig said. “It’s been very important to me over the years.
“Wiggins does a great job developing you not only as a soccer player, but as a person as well. I think that’s something that sets the Central program apart from a lot of others, that dedication to making everyone better players and people.”
“Coach, he’s an amazing man,” Loebig added. “He pushes everybody and really sets the bar high for the program with how much dedication he puts in to the team.”
A LAST LOOK BACK, A FIRST LOOK AHEAD
Seniors Mitch Collins and Stephen Coan started for the Red Devils. Both provided solid play at midfield and forward spots, and Coan’s strong throw-ins were an offensive weapon.
Senior Edgar Astorga was a top player off the bench, and classmates Andrew D’Aprile and Ryan Gleason contibuted to Hinsdale Central's success.
Among juniors, 2014 standouts Usher, Jake Semba and Jeremy Yi and defender Nikash Tejpal were key players in the Red Devils’ nucleus.
That quartet should be the foundation of next year’s squad, but the Red Devils have plenty of reinforcements on the way. The Hinsdale Central junior varsity finished 5-5-4. The sophomore team had a 10-2-4 record and posted 10 shutouts, including a streak of seven in a row. The freshman squad went 10-1-3 with eight shutouts. Overall the program was an impressive 43-10-12 (.754 winning percentage).
As an example of the high caliber of coaching throughout the program, Jack Ferraro, who guided Sandburg to state championships in 2001 and 2002, is the freshman coach.
“There’s stability for all the teams from freshmen to varsity,” Loebig said. “They make it really enjoyable. And there isn’t as much pressure. Coach (Wiggins) emphasizes to have fun, and the other things they emphasize in the program really make them (the coaches) stand out.”
On the 40th anniversary of Hinsdale Central’s first boys soccer state title in 1975, the program’s second championship in 2014 will hold a lifetime of memories for this year’s seniors.
“It’s unlike anything else,” Loebig said. “To be able to accomplish that as a player, it’s something you think about in every practice and every game. You’re working towards that goal.
“That was probably my favorite soccer memory ever. It was incredible that we were able to overcome some of the teams that we beat last year. That made it even better.
“I give a lot of credit to everyone on our team – it was a lot of hard work.”
Similar hard work this fall didn't produce the same rapturous ending. But the Red Devils still had plenty of reasons to feel like champions.