RallyNorth.net

Guerriero rebounds with stellar senior season

Wednesday, October, 17 By Rich Slate
Staff writer

On a soccer field, it turns out that the only person that could ever consistently stop Manchester Essex star Giuseppe Guerriero was himself. The senior forward from Essex injured his kneecap in the season opener last fall against Rockport and was forced to miss the rest of the year while he recovered from surgery.

"It was a corrective procedure, something that had been bothering him for a while," remembered Hornets head coach Rob Bilsbury. "His kneecap had been shifting over and it was painful for him, so he decided to have that surgery."

After notching five goals in his freshman season at prestigious Belmont Hill, Guerriero scored 11 in his first season with Manchester Essex. Needless to say, seeing his junior campaign end before it had even started was extremely disappointing for the budding goal-scorer.

"It was frustrating, I wanted to be out there," stated Guerriero. "However, the doctor said if I continued playing on it, I would've torn my ACL."

Looking back over that difficult period, one could surmise the lost season likely fueled the inner desire of Guerriero, who has already pumped home 17 goals this year with four games remaining in the regular season. He will look to take his game to the biggest collegiate stage | a Division 1 soccer program | next season as he hopes to attend Providence College in Rhode Island.

Under strict NCAA rules, college coaches aren't allowed to comment on prospective recruits prior to the student-athletes signing a letter of intent in February. However, Providence College head coach Chaka Daley is allowed to admit that the school is actively recruiting Guerriero. Daley said as much when reached for comment.
Meanwhile, other Cape Ann League coaches have taken notice of Guerriero's immense skills over the past three seasons. "He is a difference maker, as skilled and as fast a player as there is in the Cape Ann League," said Rockport head coach Dave Curley. "He has what all coaches cherish, he's a finisher. He's a very difficult player to defend and he makes the players around him better."

Thanks to Guerriero and a strong group of seniors two years ago, the Hornets reached the postseason for the first time in the school's history. From day one, Guerriero flashed some of the versatility that would make him such a standout player in later years.

"At the time, he was not as prolific a scorer," noted Bilsbury. "Even as a sophomore midfielder, he had the defensive ability to mark other players out of the match." Guerriero capped off his impressive sophomore year with a CAL League All-Star nomination followed by an assist in the all-star game. After rehabbing for three months, Guerriero returned looking to leave Manchester Essex on a high note. His excitement about simply coming back completely overrode any fear of getting reinjured. After all, playing soccer is something he's done since he was five.

These days, Guerriero gets up every weekend morning to watch the top professional soccer teams in Europe compete on Fox Soccer Channel and Goal TV (another soccer-specific channel). His favorite team is the Italian national team (winners of the 2006 World Cup), while his favorite player is Portuguese midfielder Christiano Ronaldo, who plays for English soccer giant Manchester United.

"I try to take as many moves as I can from Ronaldo," Guerriero said.

It seems almost predetermined that soccer would be Guerriero's favorite sport. His grandfather played in his native Italy, while his father and uncle both competed in the United States.

"My dad gives me the most advice about the game," the 17-year-old said. "I try to get as much information from him as I can."

Now, Bilsbury has moved him to primarily striker where he has put his goal-scoring touch to good use, while also conserving some energy he'd expend playing two ways as a midfielder.

"I guess it was a plus not having to run as much by playing forward," said Guerriero. "Towards the end of the season, I'm probably feeling better than I was at the beginning." Guerriero expects to shift back to midfield in college. He's already been to several Providence games this season, where he has seen the different style of the college game.

"It is a whole other level," Guerriero said of the powerhouse Big East Conference. "What separates college is the physical aspect."

Last season is clearly in the rearview mirror for Guerriero as he starts to focus on bigger and better things to come. All the while, with a soccer ball on his foot.