Huskies continue fast start

Updated: August 31, 2011 8:32PM

Stephen Golz has already had a noteworthy week. It got even better Wednesday night against Young.

The Oak Park-River Forest senior forward, who committed to Wheaton College on Monday, had a hand in the Huskies’ first two goals, scoring the first off his own rebound and assisting on the second, in powering the No. 9 host school to a commanding 5-0 victory over the Dolphins (1-2-1).

Golz’s older brothers, Jordan and Drew, are already at the Wheaton school.

The shutout was the fourth in five games for the streaking Huskies (5-0). After the Huskies dominated the early going with a flurry of attempts on goal against Dolphins’ keeper Jesus Velasco, Golz broke through in the 18th minute.

He blasted away a shot only to have Velasco knock it back towards him. On his second effort, Golz found the back of the net. It sparked a three-goal burst in a seven-minute stretch for the Huskies.

“We had a lot of opportunities and good balls right at the start,” he said. “Finally we were able to break through and that was a big momentum change.”

Moments later, Golz flicked a beautiful header to sophomore midfielder Marcus Machado for the Huskies’ second goal. Senior midfielder Mike Rajter completed the first half scoring by heading in a short ball from an assist by senior forward David Leitson.

Oak Park-River Forest dominated the match so thoroughly, the Huskies out-shot Young 11-0 in first half shot attempts. The score was likely to be far worse though Velasco made several spectacular recoveries in posting seven saves in the first half.

By contrast, Andrew Galo was the loneliest man on the field Thursday night. The junior Oak Park-River Forest keeper, starting his game of the year, never lost his focus or concentration despite the fact the Huskies dominated possession so fully, most of the possession unfolded on Young’s side of the field.

Galo also recorded a rare assist by a keeper at the start of the second half. He drilled a drop kick about 60 yards in that air that senior forward Ryan Huettel controlled in stride before smashing a left-foot rocket about 18 yards away for the 4-0 lead.

Senior midfielder Mike Bower added the final goal on an assist from Machado.

“We’ve been dominating teams so far with our possession time,” Golz said. “We don’t have a lot of size, but we have very skilled players who are quick and very good at passing, and that’s why we’ve been so good so far.”

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