Sports
Record Shattered: Brother Rice's Billy Savarino Happy for Crete-Monee Soccer Star
Former Crusaders' standout Billy Savarino enjoyed the soccer scoring record while it lasted, but not surprised Crete-Monee's Carlos Posada broke his IHSA career goals mark.
When Crete-Monee’s Carlos Posada broke the Illinois record for most career goals Oct. 11, no one knew what the experience was like more than Billy Savarino.
The 1993 Brother Rice graduate was the previous record holder.
“As he was inching closer to the record, I reached out to (Crete-Monee) coach (Julian Lagunas) and wished him and (Posada) luck,” Savarino said. “I told him I knew exactly what he was going through.
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"I felt a lot of pressure when I was getting closer. It was always on my mind and I felt a lot of weight on my shoulders. I told him to just play his game because that kind of pressure can take away from what you do best, scoring goals and playing as a team.”
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“Records are meant to be broken,” Savarino said. “It was good to see that it was a player from the South Side that broke it. The record was definitely special to me, but at the same time, I expected it to be broken. I held the record for 18 years and I’m sure (Posada) will have the record for many years. There is no jealously or hard feelings whatsoever.”
Following his record-setting high school career, Savarino went on to play four seasons at Notre Dame.
He played professionally for two years with the Kalamazoo Kingdom of the Premier Development League during summers of his collegiate career.
After graduating from Notre Dame, Savarino and Sandburg graduate and friend Josh Feigl started the Pinnacle Soccer Academy.
“We did training for different clubs and became directors of coaching for the Orland Park Soccer Club and worked closely with the Lincoln-Way and Tinley Park soccer clubs,” Savarino said. “We spent a lot of time on the soccer field training players.
"It was definitely fun dealing with younger kids and passing on our knowledge of the game. I had a fun time doing it with Josh. We had the same mindset of being able to develop younger players.”
Savarino owns and operates Savarino Builders in Frankfort and has built custom homes for many of his former soccer teammates and coaches, including Feigl and former U.S. National Team assistant coach and founder of the Chicago Magic Soccer Club Mike Matkovich.
