The Oak Park and River Forest High School boys soccer team had the aim of backing up its successful regular season with a lengthy run in the IHSA playoffs.
However, the Huskies’ season came to an abrupt end on Oct. 21 with a shocking 5-4 loss via penalty kicks at the Class 3A Niles Notre Dame regional final to the host Dons.
OPRF kept Notre Dame pinned on its end of the pitch for the majority of the match, but couldn’t score in regulation and in extra time.
“Our guys actually played really well,” said OPRF coach Jason Fried. “Possession-wise, it was the most dominant game we had all season. But Notre Dame’s defense made it really hard to score … their goalie made some remarkable saves and their defenders put their bodies on the line to block shots.”
Despite the early exit, Fried said the Huskies (21-1-2) had an outstanding year, and the numbers and honors reflect that. OPRF gave up just 11 goals and had 16 shutouts this season, winning the West Suburban Conference Silver Division title with a perfect 6-0 mark, and establishing a new school record for single-season winning percentage.
Senior forward Easton Bogard, an Indiana University commit, was named to the All-State team. Junior midfielder Bryce Richards and senior midfielder Charlie Maguire were named to the All-Sectional Team.
The Huskies had six players named to the All-WSC Silver Team: Bogard, Maguire, Richards, senior defenders Isaac Felder and Ben Naber, and senior defender/midfielder Diego Zarate.
“They played the right way all season,” Fried said. “I feel for the players; they were a mentally tough team. And I do think 100 percent that this team was at the level of winning a state championship. I never felt we weren’t going to win [against Notre Dame], but soccer can be cruel. Losing on PKs [penalty kicks] is hard, but there’s got to be a winner and a loser, and you don’t control the outcome.”
Next fall, OPRF will look completely different as Richards is one of just three returning varsity players. But Fried hopes that the culture created in recent years will ensure continued success for the Huskies’ program.
“It’s not a one-year thing; the culture of what we’re trying to do has been built up year after year,” he said. “The record doesn’t always show that perfectly, but the standards created are something the guys try to match and improve upon.”
Brecknock’s leads Fenwick to Regional title
Jake Brecknock came up huge in Fenwick High School’s Class 2A Schurz Regional title match on Oct. 20 against the host Bulldogs in Chicago.
The senior midfielder tallied all four goals in the Friars’ 4-1 victory. That doubled the number of goals he had in the regular season [two].
Junior midfielder Ryan Agozo assisted on two of Brecknock’s goals, with junior midfielder Sam Allaire and senior midfielder James Zimmer each adding an assist. Sophomore goalkeeper Dominick Ballarin made 11 saves.
“Jake had a spectacular game,” said Fenwick coach Craig Blazer. “He has the ability.”
In the regional semifinal on Oct. 17, Fenwick (9-8-2) blanked Roosevelt 4-0. Zimmer had two goals and an assist; senior forward Ian MacKinnon a goal and two assists; junior midfielder Gabe Watson-Farran a goal; and Allaire an assist.
Fenwick met host DePaul Prep in a sectional semifinal on Oct. 24, after press time. The Friars defeated the Rams 2-1 during the regular season, so Blazer knows the rematch will be tough.
“They are a good team and we will once again need to play at our best,” he said.
A victory would advance Fenwick to the final against either Elmwood Park or ITW Speer on Oct. 27 at 6 p.m.
