Must-see: Loyola seniors David Gripman, Collin Leider, Daniel Montaquila and Christian Jimenez. Those four will form the team’s core this season. All four have started for the Ramblers since their freshman season, which also was coach Baer Fisher’s first season with the Ramblers. Loyola has won 30 games combined in the last two seasons, and this year the Ramblers are aiming even higher with an extremely experienced group of senior leaders. “Those four have been the main drivers behind the transformation in our program,” Fisher said. “It’s exciting because they put all this hard work in, we’re in a good spot now and it’s a matter of taking advantage of it. They’ve been working hard to prepare for this. It’s the best team we’ve had since I’ve been here.” The quality of soccer on the North Shore has helped the Ramblers, while also showing them how successful other programs have been. Nine returning starters make Loyola a team to watch. “We’ve hung in there with the big schools in the area — New Trier, Glenbrook North, Evanston — it’s always good games with them recently,” Fisher said. “But now I think is a good time for us to get over the hump. Time to take advantage of an opportunity.” Others to watch: Chris Perez and Hugo Lopez, St. Joseph; Owen MacKinnon, Fenwick.
Beyond the box score: Fenwick lost 11 players to graduation, and two more decided not to come out for the Friars. Aside from that, head coach Rob Watson resigned from his post in early August. He remains the girls soccer coach. Assistant coach Dan Hussey, who has worked with Watson as an assistant coach for eight seasons, was given the nod for the top boys job. “I was like his right-hand man for the last eight years, he felt comfortable,” Hussey said. “Everyone felt comfortable handing the reins over. The success that has happened recently, they want those things to continue. We worked very well together, great as a team. I just hope that success continues.”
On the rise: Perez and Lopez are St. Joseph’s two most important returning players, coach Matt Sinacore said. Each midfielder had a season-ending leg injury and hardly played last year. “The two center mids will control games when they are fully fit,” Sinacore said. “They’ve both been working hard in the gym to get up to snuff. Lopez is a strong left-footed player, and Perez works with his right foot. These two provide quality to our attacking force.” The Chargers still managed to win seven matches last season even without two of their top players. Adding them back into the mix gives Sinacore confidence the group can play with any team in the conference.
#ThrowbackThursday: Loyola coach Fisher has a particular way of coaching: one that can ben seen as old-school, or throwback. Either way, it’s been effective. “We’ll evaluate the season not based on wins or losses, but how the group comes together,” Fisher said. “That’s it. The wins are a byproduct of the work the guys put in for each other. All success we’ve had recently has been off hard work, teamwork and camaraderie and building something together. We have a ton of returning players, but it’s a new team. Everyone has to put the work in.”
This and that: Nick Dowdle is perhaps St. Joseph’s best pure athlete. Sinacore called him “deadly fast” and said his work ethic stands alone. He runs track in the offseason and will play either in the midfield or in a role as a hybrid defender. The Chargers also are confident in the young players joining their talented team. “I’d be ecstatic to see a freshman challenge a senior for a starting role on the team,” Sinacore said. “We have a number of freshmen coming in this season, some of whom I’ve seen play already. After last season’s disappointing finish, we’re hungry to get back to winning ways.” … Hussey spoke glowingly about the Friar seniors and their desire to improve on last year’s record. “The seniors want it,” Hussey said. “They want it bad, they want to be coached, they want it all. They’re hungry. It’s a tight group. They’re going to be fun to watch.”
