Wildcats can't finish vs. Naperville North
By Matt Le Cren

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Joe Sullivan had no doubt he was going to win the game for Naperville North Wednesday night, and he did.

Sullivan buried a penalty kick with 2.6 seconds left in regulation to lift the visiting Huskies to a 1-0 DuPage Valley Conference victory over an unlucky West Chicago squad that deserved a better fate.

The result vaulted Naperville North (12-3, 5-1) into sole possession of first place in the DVC, at least for 24 hours, while knocking the Wildcats (13-5-3, 3-2-1) out of the race.

“I kind of like the pressure at the end of the game,” said Sullivan, who beat West Chicago keeper Paolino Mansera with a shot into the lower right corner of the net. “I look forward to it. I knew my teammates had faith in me to go up and take it and if I have them behind me I knew I was going to make it.”

So did Naperville North coach Jim Konrad, who has seen Sullivan come through in the clutch countless times, though never that late in the game.

“He relishes the opportunity to win the game for us,” Konrad said. “He’s like [Michael] Jordan in that respect.”

Sullivan played a big role in the action that led to the penalty kick. Defender Neil Wiaranowski started the play by heaving a throw-in from the right side into the box, where it was headed in front to Sullivan.

Sullivan headed the ball on frame but a WeGo defender was whistled for a hand ball.

“I headed it and it was going in the goal and the kid kind of stuck out his arm,” Sullivan said. “Two seconds left, we kind of got lucky with the call there. It was a hand ball, from my angle I thought so, but two seconds [left] it’s kind of a nail biter and I’ve never had one that late in the game.”

Ironically, the Huskies would have been glad to go to overtime because West Chicago spent most of the last 20 minutes knocking on the door. That was reminiscent of Naperville North’s 2-1 overtime victory over Naperville Central the night before in that the Huskies won a game in which they were outplayed.

“We absolutely stole one tonight,” Konrad said. “I’m proud of the boys that they found the energy to hang in there. I thought the boys played well and I’m glad Sully finished it.”

But finishing off the Wildcats was far from easy.

“This game was tough,” Sullivan said. “Obviously we came off a big win yesterday and we were just extremely tired. It looked like our legs were dead.

“Credit goes to West Chicago because they played us really tough tonight. They outworked us.”

Indeed, the Wildcats put all sorts of pressure on the Naperville North defense, using the wizardry of winger Jenaro Terrazas and midfielders Diego Munoz, Jerry Medina and Jose Cortes to put on a dribbling and passing clinic.

Terrazas, a four-year starter and senior co-captain, was especially dangerous, using his great speed to make runs down the left wing and sending crosses in front, especially in the second half.

One Terrazas cross was cut off by Naperville North goalie Christian Roberts [three saves] in the 47th minute just before it found the head of forward Ramon Eurioles, and another in the 64th minute was deflected in front to sophomore defender Jesus Fernandez, who had an open net but volleyed the ball over the crossbar.

“That No. 7, Terrazas, for four years he’s been roasting us down the line,” Konrad said. “He’s been one of my favorite players that I’ve seen. He’s an excellent player, just seems like he has a love of the game, so I’m glad to see him graduate.”

West Chicago coach Jose Villa is not.

“It will be sad to see him go,” Villa said. “He’s just a very speedy, very creative player, able to get in on tackles and being able to get in on 50/50 balls.

“He’s just the kind of player you want on your team; a workhorse who runs up and down the sideline and makes it very tough for his opponent. He’s dangerous up top and he’s motivating the rest of the team and that’s why he’s one of the captains.”

The praise was little consolation to Terrazas, who saw his team drop a one-goal decision to the Huskies for the second straight season.

“It’s kind of disappointing that we lost,” Terrazas said. “You know that ref’s call, I don’t think that was a hand ball, but what are you going to do about it? That’s the game of soccer.

“We outplayed them in many ways. We just didn’t score a goal. It was just bad timing on some of the crosses. We got great shots in there and some were real close to going in.”

That included a 20-yard shot from Munoz that struck the crossbar midway through the second half and two other shots in the box from Munoz and Cortes which Roberts made diving stops on.

“It’s definitely disappointing,” Villa said. “When you have a group of guys play as well as they did today and keep the ball and move it around and having some good opportunities…it is tough to see our boys’ faces when they know that it was a close one.

“[The Wildcats] were very creative in making some great runs and playing some great balls and being dangerous. We had some good opportunities that we didn’t finish, unfortunately, and it cost us. But I’m very proud of them for the effort [they brought] all 80 minutes.”

Both defenses played a big role in the match going scoreless for nearly 80 minutes. WeGo’s back line of Fernandez, Daniel Hernandez and Christian Cruz was superb in not allowing a shot for the first 23 minutes and just four overall on frame, while the Huskies’ Wiaranowski, Geoff Horn, Zach Fischman and Alec Thompson kept their cool under heavy pressure to record the team’s sixth clean sheet.

“Our defense all year has been solid with backs like Neil Wiaranowski, Geoff Horn, Zach Fischman and Alec Thompson,” Sullivan said. “They’ve been huge all year for us. Tonight and every night we know they’re going to have our backs. It’s kind of nice playing behind them because we know if we can get one [goal], hopefully we’ll be okay because they’re so good back there.”

Konrad, too, was appreciative of his team’s ability to win a tough match when not in its best form.

“I give the boys credit,” he said. “We knew coming in that we were going to have our hands full. West Chicago’s got a great program and great tradition and coming off of last night we knew it was going to be tough.”