Growing up, Ryan Wittenbrink had a wide-eyed curiosity and a willingness to try just about every sport he could.
Basketball and baseball caught his interest, and then soccer took hold of his imagination.
“Soccer started to be my favorite thing,” Wittenbrink said.
Wittenbrink made his reputation last year by scoring both goals in the Wildcats’ 2-1 Class 3A championship victory over Quincy, the first state title in the program’s history.
One of the biggest challenges for any young athlete is surpassing expectations.
Wittenbrink expanded his game this season and displayed resolve, skill and toughness. He scored 19 goals and registered 12 assists for Libertyville (15-4), which won the North Suburban and advanced to the championship game of the Class 3A Buffalo Grove Sectional last month.
For his achievements, Ryan Wittenbrink is the News-Sun Boys Soccer Player of the Year.
As a junior, Wittenbrink began the season at his natural forward position. The Wildcats lost two of their first three games, and opposing defenses sent two or three players at him constantly, trying to throw him off his rhythm. His fame preceded him.
After the team’s 1-2 start, coach Andy Bitta switched Wittenbrink to play an attacking midfielder.
“When we played him at forward, it was easy to double-team him because he was isolated, but by playing attacking midfielder, he had more room to move, go backward or forward,” Bitta said.
“He’s just a great goal-scorer. In soccer, some players are good passers, some are good defenders. Ryan is just a great goal-scorer and assist man, one who can make his own run or create for others.”
Libertyville won 14 of its next 15 games.
“It was a change, because I was never in a situation where people followed me wherever I went,” Wittenbrink said. “Overall it was good. I thought it helped me develop and I got used to it pretty quickly and I think it helped me get better. I was frustrated at times, but I just tried to play the way I normally do.”
After scoring nine goals as a sophomore, Wittenbrink demonstrated the ability to score from anywhere on the field. He recorded two hat tricks. He elevated a Libertyville team that was filled with talented, though young, players into elite status.
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“Not everyone is built for the spotlight,” Warren coach Jason Ahonen said. “He handled it as well as anyone I have ever seen at the high school level. He has a very good feel for the game, is very dangerous on free kicks and looks to set up his teammates.”
Wittenbrink’s leadership and growth allowed the Wildcats’ talented sophomores, including forward Evan Rasmussen and midfielder Grant Herbek, to improve dramatically over the course of the season. Ironically, part of his maturation process was to forget the past and focus on the immediate.
“Obviously last year was a little bit to get over,” Wittenbrink said. “I thought we came in with the right approach. We got over and went forward and had a pretty good season.”
Patrick Z. McGavin is a freelance writer for the News-Sun.