Galesburg, IL - Matt Edwards begins his first season as the head coach of the Prairie Fire after successful stints as an assistant coach at Amherst College in 2011, and prior to that, the associate head coach at Springfield College for four years.
Edwards helped lead Amherst to a 16-2-2 record, a New England Small College Athletic Conference championship, and a spot in the NCAA Division III Sweet 16.
Edwards takes over a young Knox team with 13 underclassmen on the roster, including eight first-years. Also in the mix are three juniors and four seniors.
The squad’s top two scorers from last season are back in 2012. Junior midfielder Max Gatyas (Plymouth, WI, Plymouth) -- who started all 17 matches -- led the team in goals (5), assists (4), and total points (14). Senior forward Donald Tchopya (San Francisco, CA, Galileo Academy of Science and Technology) was next with four goals, one assist, and nine total points in 16 matches played.
Senior midfielder Michael Gasparro (San Diego, CA, Coronado) is another experienced player for the Prairie Fire. He appeared in 14 matches as a junior.
Edwards hopes Tchopya and Gasparro end their careers on a high note. “They have the opportunity to lead by example and make their senior year something to remember and cherish.”
Edwards also notes that Gatyas is now a veteran, and his role this season will reflect that. “He has the responsibility of having others looking up to him.”
Junior defender/midfielder Dillon Kostka (Coal Valley, IL, Orion) played in all 17 matches for the Fire last season and made 13 starts. Sophomore forward/defender Jacob Polay (Galesburg, IL, Galesburg) started nine of his 14 matches. Rising junior defender Demoz Desta (Chicago, IL, Gordon Tech) also has the potential to earn playing time, according to Edwards.
“Kostka is continuing to demonstrate the level of discipline and commitment required on and off the field,” Edwards said. “Polay has an opportunity to become a regular feature of the team.”
Two seniors return to the team after taking time to focus on their academics: forward Luca Rajola-Pescarini (Naples, Italy, Keith Country Day School) and defender Min Do (Hanoi, Vietnam, Hanoi Amsterdam.
Edwards said three sophomores will look to earn playing time this season: defender/midfielder Dalton Glover (Wayzata, MN, Orono), midfielder Ezekiel Jere (Tema, Ghana, SOS Hermain Gmeiner), and defender/midfielder Alvaro Parra (Champaign, IL, Centennial).
“We made great strides in the spring developing a culture of hard work and effort. This will give us a great platform from which to build on into the fall season,” he said. “The challenge to everyone in the program is to come together and work for one another.”
Edwards said he’s not willing to suggest a win/loss record because when everyone is pulling in the right direction sometimes you can achieve more than you thought was possible.
Knox begins the season at home against Spalding University on August 31. The match is scheduled to begin at 2:00 p.m. following the Prairie Fire women's match against Spalding at Jorge Prats Field.
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