Max Klevgard knows what all of his teammates should be doing and isn’t afraid to tell them.
But the Oak Park and River Forest High School soccer player is no dictator.
Rather, the senior center midfielder is a beloved co-captain who is the linchpin of the Huskies’ offense and stabilizer of the defense when needed.
“He’s the rock in the middle,” OPRF senior forward Evan Kindler said. “He’s commanding what’s going on in the midfield and sometimes even the defense when he gets dropped back there.
 “He reads the game well and I know what he’s going to do. He’s just going to put in a hard performance every single time. He’s going to win 50-50 balls and he’s going to hit shots.”
Klevgard takes most of the Huskies’ free kicks and is one of the main offensive threats. He has scored nine goals, including the game-winning penalty kick in last week’s 1-0 upset of rival Lyons Township, to go with four assists.
But Klevgard’s impact goes beyond mere statistics. A fiercely driven yet understated approach to the game is his calling card.
“He’s a quiet kid but his work ethic speaks volumes,” OPRF coach Paul Wright said. “If he makes a mistake, he runs back after it, tries to close it out and funnel it to the outside.
“He’s not afraid to take charge. He’s not afraid to listen to other people as well. His presence on the field is like having another coach out there, pointing out where we should go. It’s just nice to have him there.”
Klevgard’s teammates concur.
“He’s a great guy off the field, one of my best friends,” Kindler said. “He’s had some good motivational talks.”
Motivation is never in short supply with Klevgard, the son of a college soccer player and youth coach who began playing when he was 5.
“I’m really competitive,” Klevgard said after the win over Lyons, which clinched second place in the West Suburban Conference Silver Division. “I’ve been like that since I was a little kid, in soccer, academics, just playing around with my friends. I like to win and a game like today just makes me really happy, especially (beating) Lyons, big rival.”
Klevgard’s knowledge of the game is unmatched among his teammates, probably because he’s played every position except goalkeeper at some point. That, combined with his familiarity with his teammates, many of which he has known since grade school, means this season has been his most treasured.
“We understand each other on the field; our habits, our tendencies and I think that allows me to read the game better, see what’s happening on the field,” Klevgard said. “I’ve played every position except goalie and it helps me understand what each player needs to do and what their role is on the field.
“So we can work as a cohesive unit rather than just one player shining more than another. It works better that way.”
Klevgard works hard on and off the field. The AP Honors Scholar has a 3.87 unweighted GPA and is a member of the Spanish Language Honor Society and Science Honor Society. He also scored 35 on the ACT, though Kindler had to volunteer that fact since Klevgard was too humble to mention it.
Though he wants to play soccer in college, Klevgard will not base his decision entirely on the sport. He wants to study engineering and is considering Michigan (the alma mater of his father, Rich), Dartmouth, Cornell and Texas-Austin, among others.
“Definitely, academics is first,” Klevgard said. “I think that’s something that’s important for all student-athletes.
“Whatever college I end up going to I want to either walk on the team or definitely continue playing in one form or another playing club, staying active. It’s been a big part of my life for the past 12 years.”
Klevgard has been a big part of the OPRF program.
 “I can attest to that,” OPRF senior goalkeeper Will Dunne said after the Lyons game. “Our stopper got dinged in the head with the ball and you immediately saw Max step into that stopper role and I thought he played phenomenal.
“I think this kid can play anywhere on the field and it shows whether he’s up top, whether he’s in the middle or out wide.”
OPRF (9-6-1), seeded fifth in the Riverside-Brookfield Sectional of the Class 3A playoffs, face Hubbard on Wednesday, Oct. 21 at 6:30 p.m. in a semifinal matchup at the Hinsdale South Regional. With a victory over the Greyhounds, the Huskies would advance to Saturday’s regional final at 3 p.m.
Fenwick wins CCL title; ready for Class 2A playoffs
Fenwick, also a No. 5 seed but in the Ridgewood Sectional of Class 2A, played Jones on Tuesday, Oct. 20 in a Elmwood Park Regional semifinal (past deadline). If the Friars defeat the Eagles, they will play in Friday’s regional championship match at 5:30 p.m.
The Friars (8-7, 6-1 Chicago Catholic League) blanked St. Ignatius 2-0 to win the CCL championship last week. Senior midfielders Luke Wolff and Matt Benko each scored a goal and sophomore midfielder Mariano Mollo had an assist for Fenwick. Senior goalkeeper Pat Daly earned the shutout with great support from defenders Ryan Kupiec, Pat Jacobs, Pat Coffey, Greig Dimailig and Liam White.
Fenwick also shut out DePaul Prep 4-0 (Oct. 8) on Senior Day at the Priory. Jacobs scored two goals with Jack Hendricks and Nate Jakaitis contributing a goal apiece. Zack Pacer, Jay Militello and Jakaitis each had an assist in the victory.
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