March 10, 2005

ROMEOVILLE - Lewis University head men's soccer coach Evan Fiffles has announced the signing of six high school players and one junior-college transfer to NCAA Division II national letters-of-intent.

The players are goalkeeper/forward Brian Byrne (Arlington Heights/Buffalo Grove H.S.), midfielder/forward Jorge DeJesus (Elmwood Park/Elmwood Park H.S.), forward/defender Cory Mastey (Tinley Park/Andrew H.S.), forward Craig McIntosh (New Lenox/Lincoln-Way Central H.S.), midfielder/defender/forward Payton Ransom (Midwest City, Okla./Northern Oklahoma College), goalkeeper Anthony Szymel (Naperville/Naperville North H.S.) and goalkeeper Nick Veselka (Plainfield/Plainfield Central H.S.).

Brian Byrne

Byrne (6-0, 160) was a Chicago Tribune all-state honorable mention selection, a Tribune Top 50 player, a Mid-Suburban East all-conference choice, Daily Herald all-area, all-sectional honorable mention and a selection to the Tribune state championship all-tournament team as a senior.

The team's captain and Most Inspirational Player, he helped lead the 2004 Bison to a 21-6-3 record, second place in the state and regional and sectional titles by posting a 0.80 goals-against average and a school-record 14 shutouts. He concluded the season with a school-record 35 shutouts.

Byrne was a Tribune Top 50 player, an all-conference forward and honorary season captain his junior year. After turning in a 1.30 GAA and four shutouts in Buffalo Grove's first 13 games, he played forward the last 14 contests and contributed two game-winning goals and a team-high 10 assists as the team finished 15-9-3.

As a sophomore, Byrne registered school season records for GAA (0.56) and fewest goals allowed (13) and registered 11 shutouts for Buffalo Grove's 14-6-3 squad. He was all-sectional honorable mention, Daily Herald all-area, all-conference, honorary season captain and the team's Most Inspirational that season. He helped lead the team to an 18-4-1 mark as a freshman with a 0.70 GAA, five shutouts, four goals and two assists.

Byrne, who plans to major in education, plays club soccer for the Elk Grove Arsenal, which finished third in the state in 2004. He also lettered four years in track and field.

Jorge DeJesus

DeJesus (5-6, 145) was the Suburban Prairie Conference's Most Valuable Player as a junior and senior. He earned all-conference first-team honors four times, was a three-time selection to the all-region first team and all-sectional first team as a senior. DeJesus was a three-time Elmwood Park MVP and served as team captain his junior and senior seasons, becoming the program's first-ever junior captain.

DeJesus set Elmwood Park career records of 74 goals and 39 assists, scoring 20 goals and 13 assists as a senior, 20 goals and 10 assists as a junior, 19 goals and nine assists as a sophomore, and 15 goals and seven assists as a freshman when he earned the team's Offensive Player of the Year award. He helped lead the Tigers to a 16-4 record, conference and regional titles and a spot in the sectional championship game his sophomore season.

Also successful in club soccer, DeJesus played with the Chicago Attack team that reached the state final and was ranked No. 3 in Illinois in 2000 and 2001. He played with the Hinsdale USA U-19 club that reached the state semifinals, was a member of a team that captured four consecutive CLASA titles and played on an ODP state team in 2000 and 2001.

DeJesus, who plans to major in accounting, also has excelled in the classroom. He has a 3.62 grade-point average, has made the honor roll all four years and is a National Honor Society member.

Cory Mastey

Mastey (5-11, 140) is a four-time all-area and all-conference honoree who concluded his prep career by making the all-state team last fall. He also earned Andrew's Most Valuable Player award and Star Newspapers Player of the Week honors as a senior, and he was chosen to the all-sectional team his sophomore and junior seasons. Mastey also lettered one year in track and field.

Craig McIntosh

McIntosh (6-0, 175) collected all-state honors last fall by helping lead Lincoln-Way Central to regional and sectional titles and the state quarterfinals. He scored a team-high 13 goals and added five assists, and he was selected Will County Player of the Year, all-area by the Herald News, Star and Daily Southtown, all-conference and Central's Best Offensive Player.

In his junior season, McIntosh netted a team-best 21 goals and collected six assists as Central reached the regional title game. He was a Herald News and Star all-area choice, all-conference and his team's Most Valuable Player and Best Offensive Player.

As a sophomore, McIntosh was instrumental in Central's march to the regional championship and the sectional final. He tallied 10 goals and four assists and was tabbed Star all-area and all-conference honorable mention.

In club soccer, McIntosh played three years with the Park Forest Wings team that won an indoor national championship. He plays now on the Magic U-18 team.

Payton Ransom

Ransom (5-11, 180) earned 2004 NJCAA region Player of the Year honors at Northern Oklahoma College. He played midfielder, defender and forward at Carl Albert High School in Midwest City, Okla., where he tallied 17 goals and 59 assists during his four-year career. He played on teams that made four consecutive playoff appearances, was selected district Player of the Year his junior season and was team captain as a senior.

The 5-foot-11, 180-pound Ransom also has enjoyed considerable success in club soccer. He was a member of the Royals Football Club in Edmond that was 2001 Beat the Heat champion and a 2000 Dallas Cup finalist in Tampa, Fla., a member of the Padova Football Club that won the 1999 Tennessee Cup, and a member of the Sooner State Games championship team.

Also an excellent student, Ransom made the President's Honor Roll at Northern Oklahoma and was an Academic All-State honoree at Carl Albert. He plans to major in communications at Lewis.

Anthony Szymel

Szymel (6-1, 190) earned DuPage Valley all-conference honors and all-sectional recognition all three years of his varsity career. He made the Naperville Sun all-city team and DuPage County all-area team and was North's team captain as a senior, when he posted a 1.23 goals-against average and five shutouts.

Szymel helped lead the Huskies to a 20-5-1 record and conference title (7-0) his junior season. He recorded a 1.00 GAA and eight shutouts that year and was named Daily Herald all-area special mention, Naperville Sun all-city and all-tournament at the Plainfield Central tourney. As a sophomore, Szymel registered a 0.97 GAA and nine shutouts as North went 17-9 and won conference (7-0), regional and sectional crowns on its way to a fourth-place state finish. He made the Daily Herald All-DuPage honorable mention list.

Szymel plays club soccer for Sockers U-18. He has been a part of six Illinois State Cup championship teams, a national qualifier, two regional semifinalists, two teams (U-15 and U-17) that have been ranked No. 1 in the nation and a U-16 team ranked among the nation's top five.

An honor roll student, Szymel plans to major in business administration.

Nick Veselka

Veselka (5-11, 165) set Plainfield Central records for shutouts in a career and shutouts and goals-against average in a season. He registered a Plainfield season-record 12 shutouts in 2004 and concluded his career with 25 shutouts. He also posted a school-record 1.05 GAA and was selected Herald News all-area first team and all-conference in 2004.

A two-time team captain, Veselka had a 1.38 GAA and eight shutouts as a junior and was chosen Herald News all-area second team and all-conference. He was Plainfield Central's Most Valuable Player as a sophomore when he tallied a 1.90 GAA and five shutouts.

Also an outstanding student, Veselka ranks first in his class and is an Illinois State Scholar. He plays club soccer with the Juventus U-18 team.