Corsairs give 80 minutes in win over Marist

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By Gary Larsen

After Saturday’s loss to Cary-Grove it was time for a conversation about intensity, and Carmel coach John Halloran needed to hit the right chord.

The veteran coach had the numbers to back him up.

“We talked about giving up the first goal. In five of our thirteen games we’d given up the first goal in the first five minutes,” Halloran said. “And over fifty percent of our goals had been given up in the first or the last five minutes of a half.

“I showed them the statistics. We’re 7-4-2 with eight games left and I showed them how the program has done over the last decade. Then I asked them where they wanted to finish. They took it to heart, which was good. We’ve had similar conversations that just weren’t quite as intense.”

The host Corsairs answered their coach’s challenge throughout a 2-0 win over Marist in an East Suburban Catholic game on Monday.

Marist went into the game with a perfect 3-0 conference record but Carmel (8-4-2, 3-1 in ESCC play) got a goal in each half from Shea Ronayne and Mike Scheer, played solid through the midfield, and simply refused to give up scoring chances to the Redhawks.

“Tonight we had a lot more intensity, and coach showed us some statistics before the game that we really didn’t like seeing,” Carmel defender Jeremy Jenich said. “We don’t like being in the hole early. It’s easier to win if you get ahead early, and it starts in the back.”

The Corsairs got a goal before the 10-minute mark thanks to Shea Ronayne. The junior settled a ball, took a touch to his right into open space, and ripped a shot from 30 yards out that skimmed the inside of the near post to give his side an early lead.

“When I turned I saw the goalie far post,” Ronayne said. “The next defender gave me too much space, I saw the near post open, and I took the shot.”

Halloran likes what he’s getting from his junior striker. “The last month or so he just keeps getting better,” Halloran said. “With two minutes to go in the game he was still going hard into challenges. He just doesn’t quit. He’s got a motor.”

Ronayne credited Carmel’s pre-game discussion for lighting a fire under the team, and was especially inspired by a handful of his teammates.

“Before the game, after the coaches left, some of our seniors and captains talked to us about how we need to focus more and give it our all. This could be the last year of soccer for some of our seniors,” Ronayne said. “After the talk we had today, I realized how little soccer I might have left. I want to get as much out of it as I can and give it my all, the entire time."

One goal was ultimately all Carmel needed, thanks to intense midfield play and the back line grit of Jenich, Justin Andreakis, and Justin Gibbons. Corsairs keeper Steve Sliwa cut off a cross at the post and handled a shot in transition – both in the second half – but beyond that his defense put up a fortress for him.

Especially with Marist striker Roger Ciszewski coming at them.

“They did a good job, especially on (Ciszewski), who was all over the place. He can move, which you notice five minutes into the game, and we did a nice job of making sure he didn’t hurt us,” Halloran said.

Marist sent in a shot from the right side that passed the far post at 14 minutes, and Andreasik thwarted Ciszewski inside the box at 20 minutes. Marist’s Alex Lynch fired wide of post from distance a minute later.

Carmel midfielder Ian Heinrich hit a free kick off the post from 23 yards out at 23 minutes, and sent another shot wide from distance at 26 minutes. Marist’s Tom O’Neill went wide from 14 yards at 28 minutes, and teammate Patrick Hehir did the same from 18 yards out a minute later.

Ian Heinrich blasted a one-hopper from distance to Marist keeper Jimmy Kruse at 31 minutes, Carmel’s Max Heinrich blistered a shot off the post from 18 yards out at 37 minutes, and Corsairs striker Christian Avalos hit a shot wide at 40 minutes.

Just before halftime, Carmel midfield captain Peter Kolb pulled up lame with a leg injury. The junior started the second half and limped his way through its first five minutes before Halloran took him out of the game.

Into the game went Adam Cloe, who immediately lined up a corner kick and made it count. The sophomore’s corner found teammate Scheer, who hit a beautiful head shot from 10 yards out that flew under the crossbar at the far post.

“Adam usually takes them, so it was a fortuitous substitution, and a very nice finish by (Scheer),” Halloran said. “I thought we could have had another goal or two but their keeper (Kruse) was outstanding. He played off his line very well in the second half.”

Marist’s Jon Peters sent a hard-hit ball from the left side to the near post, where Sliwa snared it at 47 minutes, and the Redhawks’ Brian Greenfield headed a good chance just wide at 65 minutes.

Jenich tracked back to break up a dangerous counter run at 60 minutes, as he guided the boys in back to the shutout. You won’t see too many sophomore central defenders in a three-back system, but Jenich has proven himself this season.

“He’s done an amazing job,” Halloran said. “He wasn’t even on our radar at the beginning of the year. He had a great freshman year and he’s got loads of ability, but we didn’t see him much in the weight room and for us, that’s kind of a big thing because we pride ourselves on bonding, by working hard in the off-season.

“But we knew he was talented. My assistant, Brendan Leetch, was watching (the lower levels) and he said ‘you’ve really got to take a look at him’, and we pulled him up.”

Jenich saw spot-action on the outside in back to start the season, but Gibbons proved a better fit at left back. Halloran rolled the dice and moved the sophomore to the middle.

“You want to try to win every game so it’s hard to say ‘let’s put a sophomore back there to see what happens’,” Halloran said. “But he did a great job. He’s very composed, he talks, and he’s good in the air. And he’s got a senior on either side of him, and a senior and a junior captain in front of him, and he has no problem directing them.”

Jenich is just doing what he’s always done on a soccer field.

“I’ve always played a center back, ever since I started playing soccer,” Jenich said. “I can use my voice a little more, and using my voice helps to relax me so I have a better touch and I play better.

“I just follow what I’ve been taught since I’ve been brought up to varsity, which is to direct our outside backs to mark their forwards, and it has worked out well.”