Glenwood soccer driven by deep, talented senior class: 'Every day, it's someone different'
CHATHAM — Each senior is their own kind of star on the Chatham Glenwood boys soccer team.
Carter Downen facilitates, Grant Tretter scores and a bevy of others contribute in a variety of ways at both ends of the field.
“I think that when it comes to senior leadership, every single guy pitches in everything,” Downen said of the senior class, totaling 13 in all on the roster. “That can be both good and bad. We've got 13 guys that all give their opinions at the same time. Not everyone's going to agree on everything, but it helps that we have 13 guys that know the game well and that they all have leadership and I think that helps our team.”
Speedy distributor
Downen nearly lobbed a perfect assist downwind to junior forward Christian Ray during the first half of a nonconference match against Quincy this season.
Ray just missed the mark, but the Titans (7-3-1) nevertheless maximized the wind with three goals in the first half and ultimately withstood the Blue Devils, 4-3 in an entertaining afternoon matchup.
“It was so close,” Downen said of Ray’s shot in the side of the net. “I was almost ready to celebrate. That was unfortunate, but it was a great touch by him. He settled it very well.”
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That’s essentially Downen’s forte, distributing to teammates.
He has four goals and four assists through the first 11 games, the latter is second-best on the team. Tretter, meanwhile, leads the team with seven goals and six assists.
Both earned Illinois High School Soccer Association all-sectional honors last season.
Glenwood coach Kyle Franke said Downen is likely the fastest on the field. Downen accordingly said he loves to outsprint opponents and cross with his big left foot.
“He plays an outside winger, so he flies up and down the sideline,” Franke said. “He gets the ball to the in-line and then tries to cross it there. But he's our main guy getting the ball down the field quickly.”
Downen formerly competed in track and field from middle school until about sophomore year and specifically attributed his speed to former track coach Caleb Cox.
“He's not doing track anymore, but when he was a track coach, he was phenomenal,” Downen said of Cox. “He was so fun. He's a great guy.”
Meet the rest of the crew
Other seniors on the offensive vanguard include Landon Marconi (4 goals and 3 assists), Brayden Paul (4 goals, 3 assists) and Maddox Gerger (4 goals and 2 assists).
Paul registered three assists in the win over Quincy while sophomore forward Miles Calderon chalked up two goals — not to mention the game-winner with 2 minutes, 2 seconds remaining.
“When it comes to the tie in the last few minutes, this whole team has great heart,” said Downen, who began playing varsity as a freshman. “It pushes us so much harder. We have 13 seniors this year, 13 good leaders out there, so when it comes to a tie, we know that every game we have to play like it's our last.
“We're always jumping the gun, we're always pushing as hard as we can. Even if it's a nonconference game like this on a Saturday afternoon, it doesn't matter. We're always going for the win.”
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The back line also features seniors Jake Hamilton, Brandon Mendoza and Adam Ryherd, complemented by senior goalkeepers Josh Jones and Jack Wolfe.
Franke credited that defense for pulling off a 1-0 nonconference win over Quincy Notre Dame on Monday, Sept. 12 and said their profound depth has lately helped the Titans overcome a slight injury bug.
Downen came off the bench against Quincy due to a lingering muscle strain as just one example.
“I tell them all of the time, this is your team,” Franke said. “You've been in the program this long now. Let's see what you can do. Who's going to step up and be the leader? And that's what we're looking for right now. Who are my leaders throughout the senior group, and every day it's someone different I guess. But it's been fun and they're a good group of guys.”
All about the postseason
Some of these seniors have played together since at least kindergarten, Marconi said.
“We work off each other really well,” Marconi said. “Sometimes we argue but ultimately, we're just a team and we work really well together.”
Marconi stars in the midfield with Gerger, Paul and junior Ben Wilcoxen and said he is only focused on the overall team victory.
“We all step up when we need to,” Marconi said.
They’ve weathered a particularly difficult nonconference schedule that included three straight narrow losses to Alton Marquette (2-1), Peoria Notre Dame (2-1) and Collinsville (3-2) all on the road.
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They rebounded with six straight wins, including a 3-0 Central State Eight Conference win over Rochester on Tuesday.
“I've told these guys many times and I told them at the beginning, yes, you'd like sometimes to have some easy games maybe. But those games aren't going to make you better in the end,” Franke said. “It's these hard games that are going to make you better in the end of the season. And what are we playing for anyway?
“We're playing for the end of the season — postseason. So all of these hard games are making us better for an end run in the postseason. That's my thought behind it and that's why we're playing these hard games.”
Downen embraces the challenge.
“It's been a tough competition for the beginning of the season,” Downen said. “That's exactly what we wanted to get into the conference games. We'd rather play the top teams than the easy teams.”
Contact Bill Welt: (217) 788-1545, bill.welt@sj-r.com, Twitter.com/BillWelt
This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: IHSA boys soccer: Chatham Glenwood calls on seniors to carry banner
