Brother Rice’s Anthony Piech is constantly aware of the comfortable presence behind him.
The sophomore forward has a built-in safety apparatus and ideal teammate in senior midfielder Angelo Piech, his older brother.
”I love playing with my brother,” Anthony said of teaming up with Angelo. “We have great chemistry, and we play very well off each other. We combine off each other and read each other.
“In the past, I loved watching him play, but now I’m ready to get my own name out there.”
Anthony Piech put his name out there Wednesday night, scoring a goal that completed a 2-0 victory over Oak Forest for the host Crusaders in the Class 2A Brother Rice Sectional semifinals.
Senior goalkeeper Adam Jedrzejczyk closed out a superb four-year career with nine saves for Oak Forest (9-7-5).
Angelo Piech scored his team-leading 27th goal by converting a penalty kick in the 34th minute for second-seeded Brother Rice (16-3-3), which advances to play top-seeded Lemont (21-3-1) at 11 a.m. Saturday for the sectional title.
Working off an excellent cross from senior midfielder Julian Zambrano, Anthony Piech scored in the 57th minute to create the 2-0 lead.
“I love playing games like this with my brother, especially when we’re both scoring goals,” Angelo said. “We learn a lot from playing with each other. Obviously we talk a lot, on and off the field.
“We always have this great feel for each other. It’s been a great experience.”
Brother Rice coach Alvaro Perez is in his first year directing the program after capturing a Class 2A state championship and two other state trophies at Public League power Washington.
He knew the younger Piech was capable.
“He has been due for his breakout moment, and I think (Wednesday) was it,” Perez said. “For a 10th grader, he plays with patience and a lot of confidence on the ball. He’s an 80-minute player. He works hard. We’ve just been waiting for those goals to start coming in, just like his brother.”
In his second year on varsity, Anthony Piech has made the expected leap from being a situational, part-time player to a featured part of the attack.
“Julian played a great ball, and that’s just my instinct,” Anthony said. “I’ve been doing it most of my life, and I never felt any pressure. There’s no weight on my shoulders or anything.
“I told myself if I score this, we have a better chance of winning. If we don’t, then I have to work harder at finishing.”
Last season as a junior, Angelo Piech earned all-state recognition in leading the Crusaders to the supersectional. Anthony watched and learned.
“I feel like it helped a lot that I played on varsity last year as a freshman, even without playing as much as I do this year,” Anthony said. “It helped me adapt to the style, speed and physicality.
“Even if I wasn’t the main guy, I was part of the team. That’s definitely helped me this season.”
Anthony Piech is slightly bigger and has a weight advantage on his lithe brother.
If the situation in question involves video games, basketball or any other backyard activity at their Lemont home, the brothers bring out the best in each other.
“We’re equally competitive, and we’ve always been very competitive at everything we do,” Anthony said. “He’s more outgoing than I am, being older, a leader of the team.
“He’s been playing with most of these guys for four years.”
Angelo Piech knows how to motivate and push his younger brother.
“He’s always bugging me about being a forward but having fewer goals,” Anthony said. “I tell him to shut up. Of course, I want to match my brother all the time.
“Right now, we all want the same thing — go far and win a state championship.”
Patrick Z. McGavin is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
