Prospect Starts Season Off Right With 2-0 Win

Prospect High School got its 2011 boys soccer season off to a fine start on Monday evening as the team registered a 2-0 victory over Glenbrook North.

The Knights, who boast 14 seniors on their 20-man roster, wasted no time in getting their season off to a flying start underneath the lights at Glenbrook North's football stadium.

With only two minutes off the clock, senior Ihor Lehkiv slotted a beautiful pass to classmate Alex Schnepf who held off Glenbrook North defender Marco Luke before Schnepf rifled the ball past Spartan goalkeeper Mitch Shapiro to give the visitors an early advantage.

"It's our first game together for this group and we were kind of nervous. No one was talking on the bus ride over and it really helped calm us down," said Lehkiv. "It's really nice to start like that."

Even with Schnepf's early goal the game, for the most part, was bereft of any real goal-scoring opportunities.

The game was largely dominated by the midfielders and the Knights, behind outstanding passing, coupled with incisive, quick decisions never looked too threatened. Junior Kennedy McNamara and senior Patryk Ruta guided most of the game in the middle of the field and their key contributions came to a head in the second half when Ruta had a tap-in, courtesy of Lehkiv.

It started with the Knights playing the ball forward from their defense. Lehkiv, who may look a little bigger than most soccer players, unloaded a rocket from 25 yards away that knuckled and swerved and come crashing off of the Spartan post. But, Shapiro, the Glenbrook North goalkeeper, made an effort to keep Lehkiv's shot out. Without touching the ball, he was left helpless as the ricochet landed right at the feet of Ruta who slammed the ball home from three yards away.

"He's [Lehkiv] got that leg. He's a little too selfless at times," said Prospect Head Coach Kurt Trenkle. "It was a great shot and it knuckled at the end and the keeper had a hard time fighting it off."

The Knights kept the pressure on for the remainder of the game but seemed content knocking the ball around midfield, and Trenkle was happy with the opening-day victory.

"We came out with the right energy and right pace and connecting passes with each other. I think, in the end, our play in the midfield was pretty strong and we had control of the ball at the right times," said Trenkle.

"We don't want our outside backs to get the ball and just knock it up field. We linked the ball wide and got it back to the middle but, at least, it keeps us in possession of the ball and pressures them in the back," the coach added.

Prospect returns to action Wednesday as the team takes on Maine West.

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