Tag Archives: Loyola Academy

New-look Loyola grinds out win at Young

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By Michael Wojtychiw

CHICAGO – The first day of competition marked a number of firsts for Loyola. Manager Justin Dunn, who took over the reins as leader of the Ramblers program, was making his head coaching debut, and the team was looking to establish a new core after key varsity players like Tommy Zipprich, Michael Sullivan, Dylan Gripman and Oscar Blazer graduated to the college game.

There might be new faces, but the same Loyola stepped out onto the field in the season opener against Young at the Michelle Obama Athletic Complex.

The Ramblers did just what they did in their abbreviated spring season — walk away with a win, this time defeating the host Dolphins 2-0.

Loyola’s John Phillips looks for a teammate upfield. Photos by Michael Wojtychiw

“It’s been a bit of a whirlwind the past couple weeks,” Dunn said. “Having to deal with everything in a running a program, especially as a 24 year-old that’s also a teacher at a different school, it’s tough.

“But I knew a lot of the guys returning and that’s been really helpful, especially the senior leaders who have been helpful in creating the environment and the rhetoric that we want to have. We knew the guys from last year were leaving, but we’re really confident in who we have. It’s all about building that chemistry, team environment.

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Experienced Kanellos leads New Trier past Loyola

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By Michael Wojtychiw

NORTHFIELD – The Northside College Showcase is routinely one of the best in-season tournaments in the boys season. With half the teams ranked from no. 3 to no. 9 in the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25, the tournament offers a good early test for all eight teams as they search for their identities.

Two of the ranked squads, no. 6 Loyola and no. 9 New Trier met in a neighborhood rivalry match Tuesday in Northfield. Both teams were 1-0-0 in the tournament after the opening day of competition Saturday: the Trevians defeated Grayslake Central; the Ramblers defeated no. 7 Libertyville.

Junior midfielder/forward Evan Kanellos made sure that only New Trier remained undefeated in the pool after the Tuesday night game. 

New Trier keeper Aidan Crawford gets ready to send the ball downfield against Loyola. Photos by Michael Wojtychiw

Kanellos, the lone sophomore on the 2021’s spring season team, assisted on the Trevians’ first goal and scored the game-winner off of a free kick seven minutes into the second half en route to the praise of his mates and Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match honors.

“That (free kick) is something he’s been working on in training,” New Trier manager Matt Ravenscraft said. “Early on in the season, we want the ball on frame and force the goalie have to make a play. We actually haven’t been really dangerous off our set pieces in the first two games, so it’s something we’ve worked on and executed well tonight.”

“That (first goal) was huge for us,” Kanellos said. “It got the crowd going, gave us momentum.

“We gave up some momentum (after their goal) but knew we could get it back.”

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Miedema stands out in Loyola’s win vs. Fenwick

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GLENVIEW — With the playoffs starting next week, the hope for all area soccer coaches is that the lessons they’ve been preaching all season finally come to fruition as the second-season starts.

Whether that be players executing what their coaches have been talking about all season, inserting new wrinkles or teams finally gelling as one, seeing everything start to come together is a gratifying moment for all involved.

Fenwick’s Ryan Bero (right) tries to keep the ball from Loyola’s Oskar Duenkel. Photos by Michael Wojtychiw

Loyola and manager Justin Dunn experienced that in the Ramblers regular-season finale against Fenwick on Thursday, a 4-0 win over their Chicago Catholic League Blue Division rivals.

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Shootout-sharp Cloutier, Glenbrook South top Loyola

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GLENVIEW — To be successful in the state playoffs, it takes grit, dedication, emotion, a little bit of luck and some good scouting.

Glenbrook South used it all in its matchup with their fourth-seeded host in the title game of the Loyola Regional at the Ramblers’ Munz Campus on Friday night, Oct. 22.

The Titans, seeded sixth in the New Trier Sectional, advanced after taking the penalty kick round 4-1, but not before a lot of emotions and excitement flowed.

Glenbrook South’s Jimmy Aglikin outraces Loyola’s Joey Vehovsky in a regional final game at the Mund Campus Oct. 20. Photo by Michael Wojtychiw
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Loyola shuts down Fenwick

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Fenwick’s Caroline Henige (8) outraces Loyola’s Anna Carretta for the ball May 11 in Glenview. Photos by Michael Wojtychiw

By Michael Wojtychiw

GLENVIEW — Coming into May 11th’s matchup at Loyola’s Munz campus, the Girls Catholic Athletic Conference’s Red Division had two remaining unbeatens in conference play: Loyola and Fenwick.

Neither team had also given up a goal in conference play: the Ramblers streak of clean-sheets extended to six straight; the Friars four. Each team needed that to change to take control of the conference.

The Ramblers executed that plan to perfection and earned a hard-fought 2-0 win over visiting Fenwick. The victory improved Loyola to 4-0-0 in the division; Fenwick’s  dropped to 4-1-0.

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Early goals leave ​Loyola, New Trier fit to be tied

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By Michael Wojtychiw

NORTHFIELD – What do you get when you match up two teams with campuses located a mere 0.7 miles away from each other and feature multiple players who have played on the same club teams for years?

You get a tough, physical matchup that had double-digit fouls en route to a hard-earned 1-1 result between New Trier and Loyola, that’s what.

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Loyola tops Young in long-awaited return to pitch

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By Michael Wojtychiw

GLENVIEW — Six hundred and ninety eight days.

That’s how long it had been since Loyola had taken to the pitch. That changed Thursday evening, however, when the Ramblers welcomed Young to their Munz Campus in Glenview April 15.

“It’s unbelievable, such a great feeling to be back on the field,” Loyola’s Kendall Beil said. “Playing for your school, playing for your teammates, there was undoubtedly great energy. You could feel it in the crowd and everybody on the bench.”

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Loyola seniors pave way past St. Ignatius

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By Michael Wojtychiw

GLENVIEW – The Loyola senior class of 2021 has been vital for the Ramblers program. It’s helped lay the foundation for the team’s success in 2019, this season and for campaigns to come.

Three seniors — Tommy Zipprich, Oscar Blazer and Michael Sullivan — have been key parts of the program since their freshman seasons and reasons for the program’s rise.

On Thursday, April 15, St. Ignatius walked into a hornets’ nest.

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Loyola hits on all cylinders, tops St. Rita

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By Michael Wojtychiw

GLENVIEW — The 2021 boys spring season is one that nobody has ever seen before. Many schools will primarily play only conference games and there are no state playoffs for the boys.

The importance of winning conference becomes just as important, if not more so, than in previous seasons.

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