This year’s varsity soccer team is now 7-2-2 including shutouts in the last five games and seven for the season after defeating Andrew High School by the score of 5-0 in the PepsiCo Showdown semi-finals yesterday. The young varsity squad has allowed just 0.8 goals per game while scoring an average of 3.5 goals outscoring opponents 39-9 in their first 11 games.
According to head coach, Kyle McClure, “Not only is this the best start to a season in Shamrock Soccer history but the future of our program is very bright.” With a varsity squad made up of 11 underclassmen (9 sophomores, 2 freshmen), the team is ranked #24 in the state for Class 2A. Of their seven wins, four were vs. 3A teams with their only two losses coming against Stevenson and Wheeling, both highly touted 3A schools.
Leading scorers at this point in the season are senior Chris Modrzejewski with 10 goals, sophomore Luis Saucedo with 7 and junior Herbert Carrera with 6. Assist leaders are freshman Joshua Torres with 10 and sophomore Jonathan Rodriguez with 6.
The Shamrocks stellar rotating defensive line consists of senior Nate Anderson, sophomore Bash Modrzejewski, sophomore Jonathan Rodriguez, senior Finn Elsmo, senior Richie Hernandez, sophomore Juan Leon, junior Diego Rivera, and goalkeepers senior Christopher Troyke and freshman Jorge Cebrero.
Of the 64 teams competing in the PepsiCo Showdown, Saint Patrick is one of only eight squads advancing to a Bracket Championship. Each bracket in the PepsiCo Soccer Series, the largest soccer tournament in the United States, is named after a nonprofit organization. The Shamrocks will play for the championship in the Lurie Children’s Hospital bracket on Sunday, September 24th vs. Lincoln-Way West.
In addition, the team plays three big conference games next week including Benet Academy on Monday, Carmel (Mundelein) on Thursday and Nazareth on Saturday. All games are away.
