Knights come back, top Wheeling
By Dan Santaromita

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Prospect hasn’t been in contention to defend its MSL Cup, but the Knights have had time to tinker with things and prepare for the playoffs in the final games of the regular season.

Coach Kurt Trenkle has the Knights trying out a new formation and so far the results have been positive. On Thursday Prospect came from behind to beat Wheeling 2-1 on the final Mid Suburban League match day of the season on homecoming week in Mt. Prospect.

The win vaulted the Knights (5-8-3, 3-6-2 MSL) ahead of Wheeling, which fell to 3-8 in MSL play, in the MSL East.

Two days earlier the Knights took a strong Barrington team to overtime on the road before falling. The early results in the new formation are encouraging, but it’s still a work in progress.

“We’re still kind of working out who goes where in our new midfield set and things like that,” Trenkle said. “Today and Tuesday are games we’re really tuning up for the playoffs.”

Wheeling jumped ahead early on a goal that left the Knights impressed. Despite being marked tightly by Matt Burikas, Michael Hernandez was able to redirect a cross with a back heel to score.

The Wildcats feature a number of players with good technical ability and ball skills, posing a tough assignment for Prospect’s defenders.

“They’re more of a skillful team,” Ryan Srednicki said. “Most of their players turn the ball well, they can cut players, they can dribble through the field and they can counterattack pretty well, but I guess we held our defense.”

Srednicki was able to level the match on a free kick just outside the box. His driven effort went upper 90.

The senior forward said free kicks aren’t something the Knights work on often, but he practices a lot on a goal in his backyard.

“The night before I had the same free kick from about the same spot so I just pictured what I pictured in my head the night before,” Srednicki said. “I just looked at the goal and put it where I wanted to put it.”

In the 60th minute Kennedy McNamara put Prospect in the lead. A cross was played into the box and a clearing header only went to the top of the box, where McNamara was waiting. He took a pair of touches and scored with a well-placed shot.

McNamara leads the Knights in goals despite not getting a lot of chances due to playing on the outside. Trenkle thinks the formation shift should allow him to show off his finishing skills more often.

“Having three forwards up top and putting (Matt) Wruskyj up top and Ken gets to spend some time up top now, too,” Trenkle said. “He’s one of our better shooters, but playing him on the right wing when we go with four in the back he doesn’t always get a chance to do that. He holds the ball well and he possesses well, but he doesn’t get a chance to really get into the finishing role.”

Trenkle plans to rely on his experienced defenders, seniors Ethan Graven, Curtis Glennon and Burikas, to anchor a three-man backline in the new set. The Knights have one more regular season game, an MSL crossover at home on Tuesday, to prepare for next Friday’s home regional quarterfinal against Hoffman Estates.

“It’s kind of good to see it coming together finally,” McNamara said. “We played Barrington really tough Tuesday and today we came back. We didn’t have the best game, but we finished the job and it was good to see.

“I think one of the good things that happened with the season is we focused on getting set and getting ready for the playoffs for the last couple games. I think it’s been really paying off. We played a couple teams tough during the season and I think they’re not going to overlook us, but I think we can hold on our own against some teams during the playoffs. I’m really looking forward to it.”