When Syracuse hosts No. 3 St. John’s at 7 p.m. Saturday, Chris Aloisi and Chris Wingert hope for more than a victory — they’ll be playing for bragging rights.

Wingert — the Red Storm (10-1-2, 6-1 Big East) captain and Big East Preseason Defensive Player of the Year — and Syracuse (7-5-1, 3-3) captain Aloisi grew up less then five minutes from each other in Babylon. Though Aloisi is one year older than Wingert, they became best friends while winning two state titles together at St. John the Baptist High School.

‘They’re like brothers,’ Wingert’s father, Norman, said. ‘Chris is like a member of the family. If they can both play professional, and anyone asked them where they wanted to play, they would both say wherever the other one was playing.’

Because of their age difference, Aloisi and Wingert hardly played together in youth leagues. Now, it seems they’re making up for lost time.

‘They train all the time,’ said Norman Wingert, who coached both his son and Aloisi as kids. ‘When they get home and it’s Christmas time, it doesn’t matter — they would never think it’s too cold to play. They’re similar people in that they’re both totally committed to soccer.’

Though the Aloisis and Wingerts consider themselves family — Chris’ father, Richard Aloisi, and Norman Wingert even attend their sons’ games together — those feelings might have to be put aside Saturday.

‘I talked to Chris Aloisi (Wednesday) night and asked him if he could take it easy on us and not ruin our run at the Big East title,’ Norman Wingert said. ‘He said, ‘I’m afraid not.’”

‘Friendship goes out the window in the sense that on the field they’re competitors,’ Richard Aloisi said. ‘Then when the game is over, they’ll hug. One of them will be happier than the other, but they’ll still hug.’

Wingert anchors a SJU backfield that has given up just two goals in its last 12 games and averages 0.30 goals against.

‘He runs their defense,’ Aloisi said. ‘He’s why their defense has given up (.30 goals per game). He’s like a general back there. He just keeps everything going. He’s not flashy, but he never makes any mistakes.’

‘They’re probably the best defense in the country,’ Syracuse head coach Dean Foti said. ‘The goal is hard to get to because they defend so well in front of it.’

Because of Wingert and the rest of the defensive unit, St. John’s goalkeeper Bill Gaudette averages less than 2.5 saves per game, lowest in the Big East. In a 1-0 victory over Seton Hall Wednesday night, SJU allowed just four shots while taking 14. Gaudette made one save.

‘We’re not going to change anything we’re doing,’ SU forward Guido Cristofori said when told about the Red Storm defensive statistics. ‘Every game, we’ve produced scoring chances so it’s just about maximizing those opportunities.’

‘When you’re playing a good team like St. John’s,” Foti said, “you’re not going to get as many good chances. You know each chance you have is crucial.’

Syracuse will play for the first time in a week because Wednesday’s game against Boston College was postponed to next Wednesday because of rain. Foti said the extra rest is welcome at this point in the season, especially with defender Kevin Boyle still hobbled by his right foot bruise. Out since Oct. 2, Boyle figures to make his return against the Red Storm, even if effects of his injury still linger.

‘They may be the best team in the country right now,’ Aloisi said. ‘They don’t have many weak points, but hopefully us playing well will be one of their weak points. We have the utmost respect for them, but at the same time, we’re not afraid of them.’

Published on October 17, 2002 at 12:00 pm