Trychta lifts Naperville North

Updated: October 11, 2011 9:55PM

Evan Trychta bagged his first career hat trick as Naperville North capped an unbeaten regular season Tuesday night by knocking off host Glenbard North 4-0 in Carol Stream.

It was the 17th consecutive victory for the DuPage Valley Conference champion Huskies (18-0-1, 7-0), whose only blemish was a 2-2 tie with Oswego East on Aug. 27, a game Trychta missed with a knee injury.

“It was kind of like a goal sitting in the back of our heads like we know we can get away with an undefeated season, but it’s kind of surreal right now,” Trychta said.

The Huskies did all of their scoring in the first half as Glenbard North (9-9-3, 2-5) had no answer for the explosive trio of Trychta, Kyle Lindberg and Joe Sullivan, who struck for three goals in a seven-minute span.

Trychta opened the scoring at the 29:28 mark when his 23-yard free kick from the left wing went over the Panthers’ defensive wall and bent around goalie Eric Tenut, who was screened by three Huskies who came crashing in.

Lindberg made it 2-0 when he beat a defender into the box and scored on a 15-yard shot with 26:58 left. Three minutes later Lindberg triggered the third goal with a pass into the right corner to Sullivan, who quickly crossed it to Trychta in the box for an easy finish.

To make matters worse for Glenbard North, the Panthers had to play the final 65 minutes short-handed after Yhehia Akif was ejected with 15:22 to go in the half. Trychta completed his hat trick 2:23 before intermission off a pass from Lindberg. That earned him a special dinner.

“My assistant coach [Ryan Kuehne] says if I get a hat trick he buys me sushi,” Trychta said. “We always talked about it last year but I never got one.

“After I scored the first goal, I was like, that was quick. We’ve got the first one, so let’s get the second one and maybe we can get the hat trick. I was beautifully set up by Kyle and Joe. It was a no-brainer to put [the last two] in.”

Lindberg now leads North with 13 goals and nine assists, while Trychta and Sullivan both have scored 12.

North’s defense has been just as impressive, allowing just six goals. Senior goalie Kevin Sullivan recorded his seventh consecutive shutout and 14th overall, but gave credit to the defenders Lee Grander, Max Auden, Matt Vogel, Neil Wiaranowski and Zach Fischmann.

“Any keeper can make the majority of the saves I make; it’s just being there,” said Anderson, who had four saves. “But the defense works so hard in front of me and they play so clean, so I’ve got to give all the credit to them. It’s mostly them that are getting the shutouts.”

The Huskies, who are the top seed at their own sectional, are on a roll and that’s what pleases Naperville North coach Jim Konrad the most.

“In this area, obviously with the schedule we play I’m proud to be undefeated in the DVC, much less the entire season,” Konrad said. It’s something that you don’t start planning on doing. It’s just something that happens. I thought we played well today, so I’m happy to see that we’re hopefully hitting our stride when it counts.”

That said, the Huskies realize the playoffs are a new season.

“Not to lose a game is a big thing but come the playoffs it doesn’t matter,” Anderson said. “You lose, you’re out. You win, you’re moving on. It doesn’t matter what your record is. It matters what you do on the field in the playoffs.”

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