Strong soccer finish leads memories

HUNTLEY — A solid month of soccer helped Huntley’s many seniors end their careers on a stellar note.

The Red Raiders had an 8-1-2 second half of the season, including a second place Fox Valley Conference finish at 7-2, a second straight Class 3A regional title and a sectional tournament victory.

Elgin dashed hopes of a Sweet Sixteen spot for Huntley with a 4-0 win at the Streamwood Sectional final Nov. 1, but not the memories of a 14-7-4 season. Huntley downed Hampshire, 2-0, in the sectional semi-final.

Huntley head coach Matt Lewandowski is happy with the progress the team has made with its large senior class as leaders.

“That’s been our M.O. We have to replace two-thirds of the team at the beginning of each season. It’s definitely a different team at the end of the season than the beginning,” Lewandowski said.

“It’s our chemistry,” senior goalie Jeremiah Reynolds said. “I’ve been playing soccer with these guys since we were 5-or 6-years-old. Every day there was something unusual happening. They’re a ‘goofy’ team, but we push each other in practice and have a lot of fun.”

Quality goalie play has led Huntley to its recent success.

“For all 15 seasons since I’ve been coaching, we’ve always had great goalies come in with techniques and basics,” Lewandowski said.

The Class of 2025’s statistical leaders were Mason Leslie with seven goals and 19 points; Tylar Caddick had five scores and notched 12 points; Anthony Frelas scored six goals, 12 points; Aiden Herrera notched three goals for six points. Players also concluding their HHS careers were: Devin Concha, Dylan Johnson, Matt Tchoutan, Bowen Kettner, Nick Brady and Gsvin Nixon.

Junior Akatei Mametjanov, who will lead the returnees next year, had seven goals and 15 points.

Elgin posed the toughest offense for Reynolds and the back line. The Maroons, a 15-3-1 team, had eight corner kicks to lead to a 4-0 halftime lead and a Sweet 16 berth.

“We were expecting that, because they scored three goals in five minutes in their last match,” Reynolds said. “Their corner kicks created a lot of chaos.”

“Elgin is a very tactical team, and they move the ball well,” Lewandowski said.

Reynolds, who had 75 saves on the season before the Elgin match, turned back some point-blank shots from Elgin in the first 10 minutes, before Robert Salinas got the scoring going. Junior Max Connell had Huntley’s lone shot on goal early on.

Mametjanov finished the season with seven goals and 15 points while Connell contributed four goals and 10 points.

Sectional semifinal

Huntley had earned a regional title with a 3-2 double overtime win over South Elgin and that momentum carried into the sectional.

Huntley shut out Hampshire, 2-0, Oct. 29, at Streamwood in the sectional semi-final.

Junior Anthony Frelas scored his sixth goal of the season (12 points) off an assist by Caddick and in the first half. Mametjanov notched a second goal off a pass from junior Max Bauer in the second half. Reynolds made two saves in goal.