North secures share of league title

Scoring a pair of goals in less than 40 seconds at home Thursday, Naperville North secured at least a share of the DuPage Valley Conference title.

The Huskies (13-2-2 overall, 6-0 DVC) remained unbeaten in the league with a 3-1 triumph over Wheaton North. The Huskies battle Glenbard North on Tuesday when they hope to earn the crown outright.

Sean Kuehne opened the scoring, heading in a feed from Brandon Gongorek. The play started on a throw-in from the right sideline by Riley Breese, but the pass was partially cleared to the right. Gongorek ran it down and booted the ball over his left shoulder and toward the box where Kuehne, a defender, was in the right place at the right time and managed to knock it to the back of the net with 16:30 to play in the opening half.

"They weren't able to clear it, and it got hit back to Brandon," Kuehne said. "He just served the ball in."

Thirty-eight seconds later, Emerson Beck buried the eventual game-winner. Ediz Yorulmazoglu sent a pass down the middle of the field where Beck gathered it from 20 yards out. Beck dribbled a few strides before kicking a shot over Matt Bauer, who came out to challenge.

The Huskies had several opportunities to extend the margin, but Bauer thwarted a handful while a few others went wide. Wheaton North cut the deficit in half with 21:30 to play. Rob Wertke delivered a long pass that Dayton Hendrickdon headed to the box, and Tony Fearon jumped high and headed it past Mike Wiest.

The Falcons continued to apply pressure, but the Huskies regrouped. Yorulmazoglu was credited with the Huskies final goal after he sent a crossing pass to the box. From three yards away and parallel to the goal line, Yorulmazoglu booted a high ball that deflected off a defender with 4:45 left on the clock.

"That was definitely a cross," Yorulmazoglu explained. "The goalie just couldn't handle it I guess."

"We had a number of chances that we should have put away, and we should have put the game out of reach early," said Huskies coach Jim Konrad. "We failed to do that again, and (the Falcons) picked up a little bit in the second half and we let down. They got the goal and had another surge, but we were able to hold on."

For Konrad, the conference title is his fourth in six years; and for the Huskies it is the 17th.