Warriors blank Mustangs in first match of new rivalry

By Darryl Mellema

How's this for a little late-season surge?

After struggling most of the season and after losing eight matches by one goal, Waubonsie Valley has recently broken out.

The Warriors have won two of three, are unbeaten over those three matches and have scored eight goals during that stretch.

The latest of these successes came on Thursday when Waubonsie Valley defeated Indian Prairie School District rival Metea Valley in the first varsity meeting between the team schools.

The competition took place as part of the Waubonsie Valley Invitational.

Some might think all this would leave Waubonsie coach Angelo DiBernardo in a euphoric mood, but he sees beyond the scorelines to what is really going on within his team.

"We're still not where we want to be offensively," DiBernardo said. "We're still not where we want to be with the position of the ball.

"But they work hard and that has never been an issue, other than maybe one of two games. When you collect eight losses by one goal, that can be very demoralizing, and it was at times. But the energy level has been there."

Waubonsie (4-10-2) is working to put some distance between itself and the seven-match losing streak that ended October 2 at St. Charles East.

"Deep in their mind, they do believe that our record is what it is," DiBernardo said.

"They know they have made some mistakes and have paid for it. But we believe we have been in every game, except one or two."

The Warriors' offense scored the only goal of a fractious first half when Jesus Hernandez took a pass from Timmy Miller in front of the goal and then Hernandez sent the ball back to the left and scored.

With Metea Valley (7-10) struggling to link its own play, Waubonsie had time to find its own cohesion, and that fluidity arrived around 15 minutes into the second half.

"We put away our chances, that's good to see," Waubonsie junior midfielder Tyler Yanisch said.

"We've been unlucky in a lot of games this year. We haven't been able to put away our chances and the other team has put away theirs."

Waubonsie eventually doubled its lead with seven minutes left when Frankie Saiz fed Yanisch, whose fierce-volleyed shot from the top of the penalty area found the back of the Mustangs' net.

"I think confidence going on goal has really helped us," Yanisch said.

Yanisch, who started the season as a forward, was effective linking the Warriors' formation together.

He moved back as a defensive midfielder when needed, slotted into his normal role as a central midfielder to keep attacks moving and then moved forward for opportunities such as the shot on which he scored.

"He's a key player for us since we moved him to the midfield position," DiBernardo said. "We're a different team offensively.

"He challenges the ball in the air so now we're winning more balls in the air than we were before. Defensively and offensively, he has given us a different dimension."

Defensively, Waubonsie kept an opponent from scoring for the first time since the opening-day 2-0 victory over Streamwood.

"We still have to get better at it," DiBernardo said. "But we played better defense."

Yvan Foonde finished the scoring with 2:44 to play when he latched onto a loose ball and scored.

In seeing Metea Valley, the Warriors were able to see some old friends.

"A lot of those guys used to go to Waubonsie Valley," Yanisch said. "Everybody knows each other and it makes for a good rivalry that's started. It makes it more competitive."

Waubonsie Valley ends its play in its tournament on Saturday against Oswego. The Warriors finish the season with a home game against Bartlett and a road contest at Oswego East.

"The playoffs are always a brand new season," DiBernardo said. "It doesn't matter what kind of record you bring to the table.

"If you want to make it far, you have to beat the good teams anyway. If you look at last year, there were a lot of one-goal games early on. I think the same thing is going to happen this season."