By Bobby Narang –
Oswego High School boys soccer head coach Gaspar Arias required a few seconds to reflect on his team.
Prior to Saturday’s game against Rockford East, Arias wanted to praise some players for the team’s 6-2-1 start.
On a sun-filled, Summer afternoon at the Inwood Soccer Complex in Joliet, Arias said his entire team deserved credit. The Panthers brought back only six starters from last year.
“I think it’s all about chemistry,” Arias said. “We are getting to know each other very well and playing as a team. We don’t have a superstar player who wants to be the main player.
“We play as a team. That’s the key to our success. We all work together and support each other. All of them are doing great, even our players coming off the bench.”
As the No. 1 seed in the U.S. Navy Bracket of the PepsiCo Showdown, the Panthers defeated both Thornton and West Chicago in their first two games. Oswego kept its record at the prestigious tournament unblemished with a 5-1 victory over Rockford East Saturday. Mason McCaw and Omar Carreno each score two goals in the victory.
“Omar is playing really well,” Arias said. “He’s fast, really quick on his feet, and able to dribble around two or three players. Mason McCaw is a really good player up top with Omar. They have a good combination and are both very dangerous. Our defense has been really good and getting stronger.”
Arias said the Panthers’ victory over Thornton in penalty kicks was a key growing point for the Panthers, especially since they struggled all game.
“It was a big accomplishment to beat Thornton to help us advance,” he said.
Carreno, a senior forward, has a long history with soccer. He played with the Chicago Fire Academy program in his freshman year. Carreno showed his next-level talents with 26 goals and helped lead the Panthers to an undefeated record in the Southwest Prairie Conference last year.
“We are really working together and playing as a team and getting everybody involved,” Carreno said. “I worked hard in the offseason. I just want to help my team win.”
Following a home match at 10 a.m. Saturday against Southwest Prairie rival Plainfield North, Oswego will return to the PepsiCo showdown at 1 p.m. Sunday against Woodstock in the U.S. Navy 16-team bracket championship at Robert Morris University in Arlington Heights.
There are four 16-team brackets. Wheaton Academy will play Morton in the championship of the U.S. Army bracket. St. Edward will play Lincoln-Way West in the championship of the U.S. Coast Guard bracket. Homewood-Flossmoor will play Francis Parker in the championship of the U.S. National Guard bracket.