Redwings shut out Waubonsie Valley for season's first win

By Gary Larsen

There was the all-around great play of Hunter Miller and a diving stop of a penalty kick by goalkeeper Kyle DalSanto. There were fine goals scored by Ben Kucera, Brad Bozych, and Sean Mogan.

But the steady play of one of the area’s marquee defenders was as important as anything any Benet player did in a 3-0 win over visiting Waubonsie Valley on Saturday.

“Ryan Reilly in the back is that cornerstone. He’s that kid that you never see but every coach loves,” Benet coach Sean Wesley said. “At the end of the game there was a breakaway and he chases a guy down that’s faster than he is. That guy is faster and had a step on him, but somehow he gets to the right spot and clears the ball.”

“He’s a force that as a coach you don’t think about because he never makes a mistake. He’s a natural-born sweeper.”

After Benet’s attack built a 2-0 halftime lead, Reilly, DalSanto, and Benet’s boys in back limited the scoring chances of a Waubonsie team that possessed well through the midfield throughout the second half.

Benet’s first win of the season came on the heels of a 2-2 barnburner played in a season-opener against Downers Grove North. The Redwings and Trojans are both big, physical teams, which made for a spirited contest in Downers Grove.

Benet’s size advantage over Waubonsie Valley was undeniably a factor in Saturday’s win.

“This is probably the biggest high school soccer team I’ve been around in eight years. Right down the middle of the field we have three or four kids all over 6’2” or 6’3”,” Wesley said. “We’re bigger, we’ve hit the weight room more so we’re stronger than we’ve been.

On set pieces it’s a huge advantage. It takes the other team out of their element because they look over and see three players that are 6’3”. Who’s going to mark all three of those guys? It certainly puts pressure on other teams.”

Of course, Benet has a lot more to offer than just size.

“We have a great team,” sophomore goalkeeper DalSanto said. “With all the juniors coming back and the starting seniors, it’s a good year with a new coach. We’re getting chemistry and it’s really building.”

The game’s first goal came on a corner kick, with Miller serving it up and Kucera heading it home from 8 yards out in the 12th minute. Miller keyed Benet’s second goal in the 32nd minute, making a long run up the sideline from his outside defensive spot, taking a few touches deep in the final third and sending in a cross that Bozych headed into goal.

“Hunter Miller played fantastic. For a left marking back to have two assists and create chances, and then play defense and mark their best player – he’s a talent,” Wesley said.

DalSanto grabbed the spotlight when Waubonsie’s Jason O’Brien placed a penalty kick “right where I wanted to place it” O’Brien said. “He made a great save.”

“Just doing my job,” DalSanto said.

Benet’s sophomore keeper dove to his left to swat away O’Brien’s offering, regained his feet, and then dove to the post to slap away a follow-up shot to preserve his first shutout of the season.

“Huge,” Wesley said of DalSanto’s consecutive saves. “He’s technically as good as it gets, especially as a sophomore. And then even his distribution is fantastic. He kicks for the football team and he’s punting the ball 70 yards.”

Mogan was prominent throughout the contest, and he got himself in the scoring column with a free kick that went over Waubonsie’s wall and tore under the crossbar to make it 3-0.

“When kids can do that, it makes my job pretty easy,” Wesley said of Mogan’s blast. Benet’s first-year head coach was also happy with the game Bozych played on Saturday.

“Brad Bozych scored a fantastic goal and his work-rate is non-stop,” Wesley said. “You can’t ask for more and he’s only a sophomore.

He just gets it and he could not be more unselfish. He does all that work, gets the ball, and the first thing he does is look to pass. And you don’t always get that in high school soccer. Kids just aren’t made that way. He makes an 80-yard run and then looks to pass.”

Benet plays next on Tuesday against Lincoln-Way Central, in opening play of the Best of the West tournament. Highly-touted Naperville North and Neuqua Valley are also in Benet’s side of the bracket.

“We needed a good result today and now we hope to go into (the Best of the West tournament) with a little bit of momentum,” Wesley said. “But Naperville North is going to be fantastic, Neuqua is going to be great, and we’re hoping to go in and establish what we did here today.”