Hinsdale Central Draws out Wheaton North

It was an epic battle at Wheaton North's Jim Rexilius field on Monday, April 15th, initiated by skilled hand to hand combat in the Face off Circle, with Long Poles, FOGOs, and Falcon strategies to neutralize the draw and go power of the Red Devil Face off trio of Loughlin, Rodgers and Hare. Wheaton North strategically had an answer to Hindale's Primary FOGO (Face Off-Get Off) specialist, #41 Ryan Loughlin: Concede the draw and put the team's best long pole on him to defend the fast break from the get go.

And Coach Weed's plan nearly worked, with North's best defender, Sophomore Hudson Moss (#18) taking the first five draws against Loughlin in the first quarter of play. Going 2-3 on the face off didn't hinder North from gaining a 3-2 point advantage by the end of the quarter, as Moss checked Loughlin's face break power, and North's senior goalie, Skyler Weil (#34) managed settled offensive shots from Hinsdale.

Then in the second, Coach Weed, sent in Freshman FOS (Face off specialist), Kaiden Libby (#15) who won the first four draws against Hinsdale's powerful FOGO, forcing Hinsdale to go to their Face off bench as Loughlin got substituted by Hinsdale's second FOS, Matt Rodgers (#2). With Libby in the circle, Coach Weed then brought up Moss on one wing, placing the normal wing Middy down on defense in Moss' spot, and put the LSM (long stick middy) on the other wing, giving North two long poles on the draw.

However, this made the defense vulnerable, and while North went 4-3 for the quarter in the circle, Loughlin re-entered the game, and the Red Devils managed to make up the ground in the score, as Midfielder, Parker Baily (#20, 3gs) led the Devils in penetrating the Falcon's nest. The game became a chess match, with both teams going into half, anxious to develop their best strategies and adjustments for the next quarter.

In the third, Libby seemed to match up well for North agaist the Devils talented FOGO, splitting draws 3-3 with Loughlin, as North's offense directed an air assault, with Senior Attackman Ben Farraday (#17, 4g,2a) lighting up Hinsdale in the third with three goals and an assist, giving North a 9-8 advantage going into the fourth.

All seemed to be going well for the Falcons, who had neutralized the threat in the middle of the circle for the first three quarters, and who had been moving the ball extremely well under the leadership of Junior Attackman, Matt Gemkow (#2, 4g,1a), who scored to begin the fourth, giving the Falcon's a 10-8 edge.

But it is not how we start, but how we finish, that matters most, and when it mattered most for Hinsdale Central, their powerful FOGO, Ryan Loughlin, showed up. Going 6-0 against Libby on the final 6 draws, Hinsdale was able to control the ball at the end of the game, giving their Middy-Attack combo of Jack Salerno (#75, 2g,2a) and Joe Paulson (#15, 2g) room to work.

The Devils would out score the Falcons 4-2 in the fourth, and while Libby and Loughlin dueled on the draw, matching wins at the clamp, it was the wing play by Central that made the biggest difference. North especially felt the loss of team leader and Captain, Junior Middy Braden Aguiar, (#4), injured in Saturday's game with Naperville North, who as the team's primary defensive middy, was the needed antidote for this situation and circumstance in the game. Had Aguiar been healthy, North likely prevails, as in games this close, it is the defense that matters most, and in situations like the end of the 4th, its defense like we have seen in particular with Aguiar, that helps North finish strong.

Goalies

WN - Skyler Weil (#34) - 10 Saves on 29 shots

SC - Secack Schaik (#23) - 7 Saves on 21 Shots

Face off

WN - Hudson Moss Sophomore Def (#18) - 2-3

WN - Kaiden Libby Freshman FOS (#15) - 7-13

HC - Matt Rodgers FOS (#2) - 3-3

HC - Ryan Loughlin FOGO/FOS (#41) - 13-6

Overall WN 9-16, HC 16-9

WN

17 - Ben Farraday (Sr. Attack) (4g,2a)

2 - Matt Gemkow (Jr. Attack) (4g,1a)

3 - Alex Blum (Sr. Attack) (2g,1a)

8 - Nic Richardson (Jr. Attack) (3a)

28 - Will Clemens (Sr. Attack) (1g)

15 - Kaiden Libby (Fr. Middy) (1a)

10 - Parker Haney (Jr. Middy) (1a)

Team - 13 clears/17 attempts - 25 ground balls - 21 shots

HC

20 - Parker Baily (Middy) (3g)

75 - Jack Lalerno (Attack) (2g, 2a)

15 - Joe Paulson (Middy) (2g)

4 - Zach Northey (Middy) (1g)

16 - Weston Ball (Attack) (1g)

35 - Jack Cain (Defense) (1g)

17 - Parker Hare (Middy) (1g)

24 - James Pisiani (Defense) (1g)

Team - 12 clears/16 attempts - 28 ground balls - 29 Shots