Owen Sosnowski, Hanover Central advance to semistate
Owen Sosnowski, Hanover Central advance to semistate
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Owen Sosnowski, Hanover Central advance to semistate

🕒︎ 2025-10-21

Copyright Chicago Tribune

Owen Sosnowski, Hanover Central advance to semistate

Hanover Central senior Owen Sosnowski is making his decade away from soccer seem like a mere blip. Before this season, Sosnowski last played the sport when he was 7. But with his brother Landon entering the program as a freshman, Sosnowski returned to soccer for his final year of high school and has emerged as the regional champion Wildcats’ goalkeeper. “I’ve loved soccer all my life,” he said. “Ten years later, I was like, ‘Why not? Let’s try it again.’ “It’s been an amazing past couple of months, and I’ve enjoyed it so much. It’s easily one of the best decisions I’ve made.” Indeed, the 6-foot-2 Sosnowski has a 0.89 goals-against average with 109 saves and 10 shutouts for Hanover Central (17-4), which has won its first Northwest Crossroads Conference, sectional and regional titles and will play Guerin (16-4) in the Class 2A Chesterton Semistate at noon Saturday. “He’s really taken to it and gotten after it,” Hanover Central coach Tim Zilz said. “I’m super happy for him. He’s such a great kid.” The only goals Sosnowski has allowed in the postseason came on two penalty kicks during the Wildcats’ 5-2 win against Bishop Noll in the sectional championship game. That victory avenged a 9-3 loss in the regular season. “He’s just been awesome,” Hanover Central senior midfielder Logan Zilz said. “The energy he’s brought for everyone, just the positive energy all around, back there in the goal, I have no worry with him back there. He’s just really collected and locked down.” Sosnowski has become accustomed to winning. He was a reserve forward when the boys basketball team won a sectional title last season, its first since 2020. Sosnowski opted to concentrate on that sport when he was younger. “I just decided basketball was my main focus,” he said. “I had a passion for it. I really just pursued that mainly.” But Sosnowski joined the boys soccer team for training over the summer. “I was like, ‘This is my senior year. This is what I want to do. I’m going to give it my best effort out there,’” he said. Sosnowski’s brother Landon had something to do with it too. “Landon’s played soccer all his life,” Sosnowski said. “He’s one of the main reasons I wanted to do it, to share my senior year experience with him. “It’s lined up perfectly. Getting to spend practice with him is amazing. Just being that big brother, it’s good to have fun and compete with him on a high level.” Sosnowski, who has another younger brother who plays soccer and basketball and a younger sister who plays soccer, began summer workouts as a defender. “I came into it knowing I had pretty good hands from playing basketball, so I had goalie in the back of my mind, but it definitely wasn’t the first decision,” Sosnowski said. “Even my parents were like, ‘You switched sports to not use your hands.’” In relatively short order, Tim Zilz recognized Sosnowski’s potential as a goalkeeper. “He just kept pushing, kept pushing, and I just kept seeing his leadership,” Tim Zilz said. “I was talking to him about his movement. He’s just a big guy, and he has good hands. I was like, ‘Owen, I’d really like to see you some in the goal.’ And he was like, ‘Coach, I’ll try. I’ll do whatever.’ “And he has great hand-eye coordination and just good spatial awareness. And, again, just his vocal leadership, he’s a presence back there, for sure.” Senior Tyler Burroughs was the incumbent starting goalkeeper, and Sosnowski began the season as the backup. But early in the season, Sosnowski and Burroughs divided time, with each typically playing a half. Down the stretch of the regular season, Sosnowski took over the position. “We have two senior goalies with Owen and Tyler,” Tim Zilz said. “They split time throughout the season because I wanted to keep them both ready and just competitive, have them push each other. Once we got here to the postseason, Owen just is a little more vocal and has that leadership and drive in him. He’s been huge for us. It’s just been incredible.” Sosnowski is quick to praise his teammates. “I’m behind a bunch of great guys,” he said. “The defense here is amazing. They’re all working together. Everyone here is so adaptable and ready to listen. “It was a big change for me. Learning to get the foot skills back up and building back up, it’s been a challenge. But it’s been fun.” So much so that Sosnowski aspires to play soccer in college. He intends to study kinesiology to become a physical therapist or athletic trainer. “I’m looking to pursue college soccer,” he said. “It’s something that has really spiked my interest. I’m a guy, I can’t imagine going to college without playing a sport. I’m really dedicated to this, and I’d like to see where I could take myself with it.” Sosnowski has already taken it to unexpected heights. “It’s a little scary entering into something you haven’t done for 10 years,” he said. “Everyone’s just so nice and understanding. Even when I make a mistake, it’s OK, and someone will try to help me and give me advice on what to do next time. It’s very nice. “Everyone has been so welcoming, me being in my first year. It’s been a great team, a great community. It’s been amazing.”

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