Redwings settle for scoreless draw with Warriors

By Curt Herron

CLICK HERE FOR BENET'S TEAM PAGE

 

After competing hard on a warm afternoon for a full 80 minutes, neither Benet Academy or Waubonsie Valley seemed to have anything to show for their efforts.

But Thursday's scoreless draw between the Redwings and Warriors in a nonconference match in Lisle still provided both squads with some early-season positives.

Obviously, coming away with something other than a defeat while shutting out a quality foe was far better than the alternative in the viewpoint of both sides.

Just as important, both Waubonsie and Benet made the most of the outing by letting plenty of players see the field, providing coaches with valuable insight.

As a result, neither Angelo DiBernardo or Sean Wesley were too disappointed with the result as both continue to find out who can contribute and in what ways.

Neither side had all that many good opportunities to find the net, but of the few good chances that were available, the hosts possessed the majority of them.

"We know that we have a good defense and that they're a good team which beat us twice last year that goes hard and battles," Wesley said. "Did I think it could be a 0-0 game, yes, but I'm not thrilled about it. Neither team needed to win while both of us don't want to lose.

"Their goalie made a great save off the line, but that's soccer. In a game where both teams are playing defense and sitting back a little bit, to be able to get four good chances is probably something that I thought we could have won but we couldn't find a way to capitalize.

"Part of me thinks this was great since we didn't give up a lot of good chances since most of what they had was from distance and I feel pretty comfortable that our goalie can save stuff from distance. So as long as we didn't let them get behind us, then we would be alright."

Both squads opened with victories two days earlier as the Warriors blanked Geneva 3-0 while the Redwings claimed a 2-1 win over Downers Grove North.

But early on in this match it became obvious that both sides were more content to hunker down and play defense while limiting opposing opportunities.

"I've seen some good things but there are also some things that we still have to work out," DiBernardo said. "We're still trying to figure out what the right combination and system is going to be and we're trying a couple of different things.

"Today was a hard-fought game between two evenly-matched teams who were going at it. I thought that they were a little more active or physical than we were but we were a little bit more finess than they were. I'd like to see our guys playing a more physical game.

"We both had some chances, but I didn't think that either team created any great, great chances. In the second half they had some chances but I don't know if they built them or that we allowed them because of a lack of physical play."

The Redwings had the best chances right away, starting with Robert Tomecek's early corner kick that led to his liner to keeper Eddy Sanchez.

A few minutes later, Tomecek was just wide on an attempt and then Brad Bozych forced Sanchez to dive to halt on another close-range effort.

Following the half's midpoint, Jack Cordes sent a header toward keeper Kyle Dal Santo off of a throw-in before Sanchez denied Paddy Lawler.

As the opening half wound down, Derek Schafer saw Dal Santo stop his liner and then a Lawler corner kick was headed away by Benjamin Zoet.

"We're really happy with how our defense played today and when you have one of the best goalies in the country, it helps," Bozych said. "But offensively, we kind of struggled to get forward and we couldn't really created a lot of chances.

"We're really excited about this team and I think that we can make a good run this season. We may not have the best individual talent around but we definitely have a deep team and we have a great coaching staff and everyone knows their roles.

"We all buy into the system and that really helps us. When we do what we want to in our style of play, when things go well, we'll create a lot more opportunities. Waubonsie made us work more defensively and we didn't throw everything forward."

It was more of the same following the break, starting with attempts from Joey Chiariello and Lawler that were turned away by Sanchez.

Dal Santo even got into the act a short time later when his free kick from the middle of the other side of the field was threatening.

Jack Armonda was just wide and Sam Knapke was stopped on a liner as the hosts kept up the challenges before the midpoint of the half.

Following an exchange of attempts from Frankie Saiz and Tomecek a short time later, the likelihood of a scoreless result increased.

During the late going, Sonny Saiz was denied by Dal Santo and Mark Brindle sent a pass inside to Frankie Saiz, whose header was high.

Benet posted its initial clean sheet paced by defenders Mike Blouin, James Colletti, Kyle Kenagy and Tomecek and keeper Dal Santo.

Waubonsie collected its second shutout behind the likes of Jack Cicchini, Michael Mueller, Jason Dressel, Sonny Saiz and Sanchez.

"We obviously have a heavy senior class and a lot of those guys are pushing us forward," said Cicchini, one of 11 seniors on the Warriors. "And a majority us have also been on varsity for at least two years.

"I thought that we looked alright against a good Benet team. This is a team effort and that's what we're looking at this season. The past couple of years have been around .500 but we want to do better this year."

With three-year players such as Bozych, Dal Santo and Chiariello leading the way, the Redwings coach is excited about this season.

"I think that our defense is outstanding, one of the best groups that we've ever had," said Wesley, who has 10 seniors on his squad. "And then with a goalie, who is potentially the best that we've ever had, so we could be special in that regard.

"And we subbed 18 or 19 kids today but we just have to be a little bit better in the momernts that count. As we get better and if things click for us like we're hoping, we're going to be very dangerous because we don't give up much in the back.

"I feel that this could be a special year since we have great kids who've worked so hard on their own and came in ready and in shape and wanting to work. Since we're so deep, it's so competitive and that's really helping us."

After Waubonsie hosts Bartlett on Saturday, both teams head to the Best of the West Tournament, which runs throughout next week.

Benet opens with York on Tuesday at Naperville Central and the Warriors start with Carl Sandburg the same day at Naperville North.