With only four returning varsity boys soccer players from a team that finished 21-1-2 last season, which ended in heartbreak with a loss via penalty kicks to host Niles Notre Dame in an IHSA Class 3A regional final, 10th-year head coach Jason Fried knows he has his work cut out for him.
But he’s optimistic that the Huskies can maintain lofty standards established the past few years.
“Our team is very focused and has a lot of grit,” Fried said. “We don’t have a lot of varsity experience so that’s always a learning curve at the beginning of the year, but it’s a process we will grow through together as a team.”
OPRF is 1-1 as it opened with a pair of matches in the Joe Novy Invite last week. After falling 1-0 at Addison Trail, Aug. 29, the Huskies bounced back with a 1-0 victory over Glenbard North. Senior midfielder and co-captain Josh Kitterman, one of three returning players with experience, notched the only goal of the match.
Besides Kitterman, OPRF’s top returnees are senior goalkeeper Christian Kellogg, whom Fried calls “a leader on this team,” and senior midfielder and co-captain Noah Cummings.
“Noah is a defensive center for us who’s strong on both sides of the ball,” Fried said. “Josh can play box to box on the field and provide a scoring threat in the final third.”
The Huskies hope to get help from a pair of junior newcomer midfielders: twin brothers Adrian and Peter Bondarsov.
OPRF’s other non-conference schedule highlights are the Streamwood Classic in mid-September; the Great River Classic in Bettendorf, Iowa, Sept. 27-28; and the annual showdown with East Avenue neighbor Fenwick, Oct. 5 at Triton College.
Fried sees this year’s West Suburban Silver race as wide-open as there are five schools capable of winning the championship.
“Honestly, as every year goes, our conference is very strong,” Fried said. “It’s such a hard title to take, but it prepares you for the playoffs.
“Our keys will be sticking to high standards consistently at training every day and understanding every season has ups and downs, even the best ones,” he added. “If we can do that, we will just keep improving throughout the season and be a team that can accomplish very high goals.”
Fenwick
Like OPRF, Fenwick needs to do some retooling after graduating 13 players from last year’s team, which went 9-9-2 and lost in a Class 2A sectional semifinal to DePaul Prep 1-0.
The Friars opened this season with two matches in the Jim Buckner Classic, hosted by Chicago University High. On Aug. 29, senior midfielder and co-captain Sam Allaire’s goal wasn’t enough as visiting Chicago Latin prevailed 2-1 at the Fenwick Priory in River Forest.
On Aug. 31, freshman midfielder Shane Kupiec and junior forward Nathaniel Sabatino notched goals to help Fenwick tie host U-High 2-2.
Besides Allaire (five goals, three assists in 2023) and Sabatino, Fenwick’s other top returnees are junior co-captain Dominick Ballarin, goalkeeper (1.72 goals-against average); junior midfielder and co-captain Matt Simon; and senior midfielder Jack Kupiec.
The Friars’ top newcomers besides Shane Kupiec include sophomore midfielder Beckett Javell; sophomore midfielder/forward Luke Menacho; senior defender/midfielder Santiago Dooley; and senior defender/midfielder Sam Martino.