Redhawks dominate first half
Naperville Central writes its own conference championship ending
WHEATON -- This is why they play the games.
Wheaton Warrenville South had everything going for it at the start of a DuPage Valley Conference match with Naperville Central on Tuesday..
Kate Szrom/Staff Photographer/Naperville Sun
In its last seven games, Naperville Central has averaged three goals a game and recorded five shutouts. On Tuesday at Wheaton Warrenville South, the Redhawks took a 3-0 lead into halftime and eventually won 3-2.
The Tigers were the host team. They were celebrating senior night. They were regionally ranked. They had a 16-game unbeaten streak on the line. For all intents and purposes, they were the favorites to win the DVC finale in Wheaton.
Yet 29 minutes into the game, the Tigers found themselves trailing 3-0 and had taken only one shot on Central goalkeeper Danny Altosino.
Central dominated the first half and then controlled enough of the second to hang on and beat the Tigers 3-2.
"It was a shocker," WW South senior Scott Larson said. "We've been down 2-0, but we hadn't seen 3-0 yet so coach said, 'Now we've seen everything.'"
The Redhawks (16-3-1, 6-1 DVC) needed only a tie to grab at least a share of the conference crown but assured an outright title by getting the win.
It's the first league title for fifth-year coach Jay Konrad and the first for the Redhawks program since 1999. The streaking Redhawks have scored an average of three goals in their last seven games and recorded five shutouts during that stretch.
"The first 30 minutes was probably the best 30 minutes of soccer we played this year," Konrad said. "And against an opponent like Wheaton South, that's saying something. I mean, it's not like we were playing against some chump team."
The Tigers, who won the Pepsi Showdown this year, are ranked 12th in the region by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America.
The Redhawks also deserve credit for limiting Tigers forward Eric Shrigley, who plans on playing for Ohio State next fall. Shrigley, who has 17 goals this season, did not score. He did record his 14th assist of the year, however.
By the time Shrigley did that, the Redhawks were well on their way to victory. They stung the Tigers right off the bat, scoring in the sixth minute on Matt Sterner's sixth goal of the year.
Sterner beautifully finished a pass from Joe Wehrli from 16 yards. WW South goalkeeper Randall Babb got a hand on it with a dive, but his effort couldn't keep the ball from trickling into the corner of the goal.
Sterner recorded his fourth assist of the season in the 26th minute when he set up junior Tom Sheehy's goal. Sheehy released a bending shot inside the right post.
Three minutes later, Jerry Maddi scored his ninth goal of the season on Byard Ebling's third assist of the year with a quick touch past Babb to lead 3-0.
"We played amazingly well the first half an hour," Central junior Tim Zimmer said. "We came out very tough today, and I think we caught them off guard a little bit."
The Tigers (16-3-3, 4-1-2) played well in spurts during the second half to make a dent in the deficit.
Sophomore Andrew Bellmer's header cut the lead to 3-1 in the 48th minute. Shrigley headed a corner kick by Larson to the far post to set up Bellmer's effort.
The final goal, by senior Tommy Barlow, came in the final minute - but it was too little, too late.
"They decided to fight back a little bit," WW South coach Guy Callipari said. "But we dug ourselves, perhaps, too big of a hole to get back totally."
Contact Brad Engel at bengel@scn1.com or 630-416-5289.
