Attempting to prove that sometimes two heads are better than one, the Trinity High School varsity soccer team has two head coaches this season.
Fabio Duque and Chris Rutili, who is also Trinity’s assistant athletic director, are sharing the duties of head coach as Alex Hurtado, the Blazers’ coach the previous three seasons, took a position in New York.
“Coach Duque agreed to come on and help coach prior to my hiring as the assistant athletic director,” Rutili said. “Seeing a need, I offered to help with the soccer program. We complement each other with his vast knowledge of soccer while I bring some experience coaching at Trinity as a tennis coach the past three years. I can help with the team fitness and conditioning while Coach Duque brings that tactical knowledge and practice planning.”
Trinity has started the season with a 2-4-1 record. Junior forward Grace Ramel has been outstanding for the Blazers, compiling 16 goals this spring and surpassing the 50-goal mark for her career. On the final day of the Craig Bolanos Memorial Tournament at Ridgewood, March 22, she scored six goals in Trinity’s 10-2 victory over Maine East, which tied the top single-game performance in IHSA girls soccer history. Ramel also scored five goals in the Blazers’ 7-1 victory at Rosary, April 10.
Ramel is one of 11 returning varsity players, including junior midfielder Natalie Linares, who is back after suffering a season-ending knee injury last year; junior goalkeeper Maggie Stumbris; senior forward Clara Bucio; and senior defenders Amaya Castaneda and Maya Wilbourne. Two freshmen, defender Millie Keith and forward Charlotte O’Brien, are Trinity’s top newcomers.
“We are finding our way,” Rutili said. “The goal of any team is to be playing their best by the end of the season, and we are trending toward doing that. We have a lot of talented soccer players and have no doubt we’ll be playing at our best, come the last couple of weeks of the season.”
Last season, the Blazers won their first IHSA state playoff game in five years, beating Kennedy 2-0 in a Class 2A regional quarterfinal. Rutili says one of the program’s goals is postseason success, which he believes is important for the future.
“Every team wants to be better than the last and we are no different,” he said. “We want to get Trinity soccer on an upward trend and be better than last year. We would love to win a game in the state tournament at the end of the year; that is the ultimate goal and the one we will use to measure our success.”
Trinity hosts Aurora Central Catholic in a Girls Catholic Athletic Conference game at Ralph “Babe” Serpico Memorial Field in Melrose Park, April 16, at 4:30 p.m.