Changing positions is not a problem for Zion-Benton senior Denny Matute.
He learned to adapt while playing volleyball when he was younger.
“I played all the positions,” Matute said.
He is so versatile on the soccer field these days that Zion-Benton coach Cliff Pontillo said he can put Matute anywhere, even in the net.
Pontillo heaped praise on his captain and fourth-year varsity player after the Zee-Bees’ 3-0 win against Palatine in the Alonso Sanchez Memorial Tournament at Wauconda on Thursday.
“Denny is our most versatile player,” Pontillo said. “He’s adept and skilled at all of them. … We have a handful of players, but he gives us a lot of positional versatility in whatever we need. He’s solid. There’s no drop-off. He can literally start at any of the 11 positions if we needed him.”
Matute was all over the field against Palatine, directing the Zee-Bees (4-0-1) and influencing the flow of the game. He started scoring attacks, helped slow down Palatine with his rugged play in the back and moved effortlessly into different positions throughout the game.
“He’s kind of the engine that makes us run in a lot of ways,” Pontillo said. “His work rate is high, and his vision and his knowledge of the game, and that’s what makes him the total package.”
Matute is a strong and physical player, and his booming voice is easily heard by his teammates, helping them to stay focused and driven.
He has a goal and two assists for the Zee-Bees, who will play Wauconda in the tournament championship game on Saturday.
“I’m lucky to be surrounded by great teammates, and they commit with me,” Matute said. “My leadership is always loud and uplifting because I need everyone to be in sync.”
Zion-Benton senior forward Damonte Mason, who raised his season total to four goals with one against Palatine, credited Matute’s leadership for fueling the Zee-Bees’ strong start.
“He’s my captain,” Mason said. “He’s the biggest leader on the team. He talks to us, is really that leader that makes us want to keep playing hard.”
Matute said the Zee-Bees have to build off their first two weeks. They had just one win in the North Suburban Conference in each of the past two seasons.
“It’s a special start for us,” he said. “I’m very proud of us. In the previous years, we had the talent but never connected. This team is special.
“We were locked in today against Palatine. We wanted to play for first place. The potential is great on this team if we all stay on task. We’re extremely motivated to give Zion-Benton a special season.”
Bobby Narang is a freelance reporter for the News-Sun.