CL South's championship story
was months in the making
By Mike Garofola
The fairytale success of Crystal Lake South's 2018 Class AA championship goes back to the summer before its most memorable fall.
That's when a trip to a tournament in Iowa found the Gators on the short end of a loss in penalty kicks to Notre Dame (Peoria) -- its eventual opponent in the state final.
"Looking back, it's kind of ironic we lost to PND that way but came back later on the biggest stage to win the most important soccer match in program history," began Gators manager Brian Allen.
"After that loss, I knew we had a strong core of experienced players we could lean on. The biggest thing change I saw was the guys were not thinking about themselves but each other.
"That individual growth from the guys and having the best interests of your teammates on the left and right of you signaled to me that if we stay healthy and continue to work hard, we just might put ourselves in a position to do something great in November."
Allen, and four of his key men, never dared to claim that they expected to lift the big trophy for the first time in program history. But looking back now as the new calendar year approaches, each of them can say how all the pieces fell into place in spectacular fashion.
The only losses of the Gators 22-2-3 season came at the PepsiCo Showdown -- a tournament that all said was the turning point in their championship campaign.
"We came into the Pepsi undefeated (8-0-1) and thinking we were almost invincible," recounted senior Jack Wruck. "But after that 4-0 loss to Wheaton Academy (in the quarterfinals), and 3-0 loss to Addison Trail to end the tournament for us, (we) found out we were not as invincible as we thought."
Allen describes Wruck, his husky 6-foot-2 midfielder, as often overlooked because of a lack of stats. But the coach holds him in high regard for a work rate that is second to none and an innate ability to consistently disrupt opponents' attacks.
Brad Grabowski concurred with his classmate.
"Yes, those two losses smacked all of us right in the face," said Grabowski, another one of Allen's four-year players who led by example and bought into the role his coach set forth. "But it was the reality check we all needed, so we all got together and said it wouldn't happen again. It didn't."
"What made a player like Brad so special was he understood his role as a guy we needed to give us 20-25 minutes, before giving way to Colton Weidner or Jake Bimbi," said Allen.
After its disappointing saga at the Pepsi and with its unbeaten streak in the history books, Crystal Lake South turned its attention turned to getting back on its front foot in order to build momentum for the second half of the regular season campaign and the state tournament.
"We kind of had the same thing happen to us last year at the Pepsi," said Grabowski. "There was a fall after we went 1-3-0. (We) never really recovered as we should have.
"(This year) all the players met with the coaching staff and said right there it would not happen again. We knew if we wanted to realize our dream of playing in the finals, we all had to be better."
Last season, the Gators entered the Pepsi at 5-2-1 and left with a 6-5-1 record after three-straight losses. The team followed with a win-one, lose-one close to the season. It concluded with a 1-0 loss to Jacobs in a sectional semifinal.
In 2018, the Gators bounced back from the disappointing tournament finish with victories over league rivals Cary-Grove and Huntley to stay clean in the Fox Valley Conference, followed by draws with Dundee-Crown and eventual Mid-Suburban League champion Buffalo Grove.
Before the postseason story unfolded, the battle for FVC supremacy came down to a 2-1 win over league rival Jacobs. That, followed by a 3-0 win over Hampshire, gave the Gators and their illustrious group of seniors a nice going-away present as it lifted the league championship silverware.
"To me, there were three turning-point games in our season, which I thought were difference-makers for this team," began senior defender Nick Langdon, who was recently named to the Chicagoland Soccer All-State Team.
"Winning the Wauconda tournament at the start of September after going one goal down showed me this team had a lot of fight in it. Our ability to come back from those two bad losses at the Pepsi showed that nothing would derail us despite that.
"But our first (state tournament) shootout win over Wauconda in the regional final, where Oscar (Estrada) came to our rescue for the first time in the postseason was the biggest turning point situation for us in my opinion."
Crystal Lake South's success this past soccer season was accomplished in part due to some blistering attacking futbal in the first half of its campaign. The Gators held down the back two-thirds of the field thanks to their hard-working midfielders, and the defense marshaled by the ever-present duo of Langdon, and fellow Chicagoland Soccer All-Stater Andrew Edge, who led the team with 14 helpers.
"We always knew our roster depth, versatility and defense were the strength of this team, so we were always in games because of it," said Langdon, who will attend Missouri next fall for studies in biology and chemistry.
The Gators water-tight backline, and desire to defend almost box-to-box, helped lay the foundation to its ultimate success. Yet so did time spent by its manager as the Barrington girls keeper coach. The Fillies program, led by Ryan Stengren, is the two-time defending state 3A champion.
"Just being around a championship program and the culture, you tend to pick out little details and nuggets that may or may not fit your own program, but you figure out ways to do so -- just because of the success rate of Ryan has enjoyed," Allen said.
"He is so good at focusing on and noticing the details in preparation. So much so, that I soon found myself doing that more than any other time in all my years of coaching."
The association between the programs proved a boon for Crystal Lake South.
"Ryan is such a good friend and great coach, whom I have a great deal of respect (for). During our run in the playoffs, he was a fantastic sounding board for thoughts and ideas which ultimately were so valuable -- right on through the regular season and into the final."
Allen also learned to cope with high-pressure drama from Stengren and his club -- Barrington won its consecutive championships in shootouts vs. state powerhouse New Trier.
"It helped to be right in the middle of both of those final with the way they endeds," Allen said. "I remember before the PND game, it was all about just taking in the moment and allowing it to just soak in -- being so happy and proud of the entire team (knowing) this was a moment in their lives they will never forget."
The final weekend of the season required plenty of inspired play from the entire Crystal Lake South roster. It delivered moments of heroics and brilliance from several individuals.
The aforementioned Estrada came to the rescue like no other keeper in the state playoffs -- he came in for both shootouts and stood on his head to win both with a fiery enthusiasm that spurred his team.
Allen pointed to the superb showing of his all-state striker, Alex Canfield. In an incredible seven-game stretch in the state tournament, the junior launched into another stratosphere and provided the Gators scoring punch when most needed.
"It truly was an unreal run Alex put together," said Allen, who broke it down:
* 2 goals vs. Grayslake Central in regional semifinal
* Game-tying goal, and game winning PK in regional final
* 2 goals versus Boylan in sectional semifinal
* Game-tying goal in sectional final
* Hat-trick in supersectional
* Game-tying PK in state semifinal.
* One goal, one assist in state final
"Alex accounted for more than half of our offensive output during the entire postseason (10 of 18 goals). I am curious to know how many other players have enjoyed that kind of stretch in leading to an eventual state title."
Canfield played off the numbers.
"It wasn't just one player this season, it was all of us, that's what made this team so special," said Canfield.
"We were a really tight bunch, a brotherhood. We were just as close outside of soccer -- (that's) what I'll remember most from this team and season."
Though it's been recounted many times, the Herculean effort from the PK-specialist Estrada can't be retold enough.
The senior waited in the wings in full support of starting keeper and classmate Matt McCaleb until called upon when the Gators went to a shootout versus Wauconda in the regional final and both matches of the state finals.
"The character of Oscar is what stands out before you talk about what he did between the sticks for us," stated a proud Allen.
"He knew his role, and he embraced (it). But to see him step into the biggest pressure cooker of his soccer life and help us win those two games to capture the state title says a lot about that young man."
Upon its final departure from Garver Stadium at host state finals host Hoffman Estates High School, the Gators went home to meet their adoring fans.
"It was an amazing atmosphere when we got back," Canfield said. "Our football team was there waiting for us before they left for their state playoff game along with 75-100 fans and family members, many of whom were in our student section at the game."
While the PK shootouts capped a thrilling weekend with passages of play of the highest caliber and suspense, there was so much more to reflect on according to Allen.
"I am so thankful and happy for the school, community, parents, families and alumni, and most importantly, the players," he said.
"The best part: it was accomplished from a group of unselfish players who were so close, and who genuinely cared about each other on and off the field.
"They wanted to make the person next to them better, in an effort to make the team better."
As 2019 nears, Allen admits the state championship still remains surreal to him.
The state title was only the third in school history, It followed boys golf in 1980, and most recently baseball in 2017.
In addition, Crystal Lake South became just the second Fox Valley Conference club to lift a state championship trophy: Prairie Ridge did so in the old two class system as a Class A team in 1999.
"Even if were fortunate enough to make it back, this team was the first to get there and win, and that's really awesome, and I know the guys feel the same way," Allen said.
"You hear and see so many teams end up at the tournament and fall short, then say they were just happy to be there.
"This group never settled for anything but their best with maximum effort. Although we needed a few miracle efforts, as most championship teams do, they gave it their all each day in training and right up until that final moment in the state final."
was months in the making
By Mike Garofola
The fairytale success of Crystal Lake South's 2018 Class AA championship goes back to the summer before its most memorable fall.
That's when a trip to a tournament in Iowa found the Gators on the short end of a loss in penalty kicks to Notre Dame (Peoria) -- its eventual opponent in the state final.
"Looking back, it's kind of ironic we lost to PND that way but came back later on the biggest stage to win the most important soccer match in program history," began Gators manager Brian Allen.
"After that loss, I knew we had a strong core of experienced players we could lean on. The biggest thing change I saw was the guys were not thinking about themselves but each other.
"That individual growth from the guys and having the best interests of your teammates on the left and right of you signaled to me that if we stay healthy and continue to work hard, we just might put ourselves in a position to do something great in November."
Allen, and four of his key men, never dared to claim that they expected to lift the big trophy for the first time in program history. But looking back now as the new calendar year approaches, each of them can say how all the pieces fell into place in spectacular fashion.
The only losses of the Gators 22-2-3 season came at the PepsiCo Showdown -- a tournament that all said was the turning point in their championship campaign.
"We came into the Pepsi undefeated (8-0-1) and thinking we were almost invincible," recounted senior Jack Wruck. "But after that 4-0 loss to Wheaton Academy (in the quarterfinals), and 3-0 loss to Addison Trail to end the tournament for us, (we) found out we were not as invincible as we thought."
Allen describes Wruck, his husky 6-foot-2 midfielder, as often overlooked because of a lack of stats. But the coach holds him in high regard for a work rate that is second to none and an innate ability to consistently disrupt opponents' attacks.
Brad Grabowski concurred with his classmate.
"Yes, those two losses smacked all of us right in the face," said Grabowski, another one of Allen's four-year players who led by example and bought into the role his coach set forth. "But it was the reality check we all needed, so we all got together and said it wouldn't happen again. It didn't."
"What made a player like Brad so special was he understood his role as a guy we needed to give us 20-25 minutes, before giving way to Colton Weidner or Jake Bimbi," said Allen.
After its disappointing saga at the Pepsi and with its unbeaten streak in the history books, Crystal Lake South turned its attention turned to getting back on its front foot in order to build momentum for the second half of the regular season campaign and the state tournament.
"We kind of had the same thing happen to us last year at the Pepsi," said Grabowski. "There was a fall after we went 1-3-0. (We) never really recovered as we should have.
"(This year) all the players met with the coaching staff and said right there it would not happen again. We knew if we wanted to realize our dream of playing in the finals, we all had to be better."
Last season, the Gators entered the Pepsi at 5-2-1 and left with a 6-5-1 record after three-straight losses. The team followed with a win-one, lose-one close to the season. It concluded with a 1-0 loss to Jacobs in a sectional semifinal.
In 2018, the Gators bounced back from the disappointing tournament finish with victories over league rivals Cary-Grove and Huntley to stay clean in the Fox Valley Conference, followed by draws with Dundee-Crown and eventual Mid-Suburban League champion Buffalo Grove.
Before the postseason story unfolded, the battle for FVC supremacy came down to a 2-1 win over league rival Jacobs. That, followed by a 3-0 win over Hampshire, gave the Gators and their illustrious group of seniors a nice going-away present as it lifted the league championship silverware.
"To me, there were three turning-point games in our season, which I thought were difference-makers for this team," began senior defender Nick Langdon, who was recently named to the Chicagoland Soccer All-State Team.
"Winning the Wauconda tournament at the start of September after going one goal down showed me this team had a lot of fight in it. Our ability to come back from those two bad losses at the Pepsi showed that nothing would derail us despite that.
"But our first (state tournament) shootout win over Wauconda in the regional final, where Oscar (Estrada) came to our rescue for the first time in the postseason was the biggest turning point situation for us in my opinion."
Crystal Lake South's success this past soccer season was accomplished in part due to some blistering attacking futbal in the first half of its campaign. The Gators held down the back two-thirds of the field thanks to their hard-working midfielders, and the defense marshaled by the ever-present duo of Langdon, and fellow Chicagoland Soccer All-Stater Andrew Edge, who led the team with 14 helpers.
"We always knew our roster depth, versatility and defense were the strength of this team, so we were always in games because of it," said Langdon, who will attend Missouri next fall for studies in biology and chemistry.
The Gators water-tight backline, and desire to defend almost box-to-box, helped lay the foundation to its ultimate success. Yet so did time spent by its manager as the Barrington girls keeper coach. The Fillies program, led by Ryan Stengren, is the two-time defending state 3A champion.
"Just being around a championship program and the culture, you tend to pick out little details and nuggets that may or may not fit your own program, but you figure out ways to do so -- just because of the success rate of Ryan has enjoyed," Allen said.
"He is so good at focusing on and noticing the details in preparation. So much so, that I soon found myself doing that more than any other time in all my years of coaching."
The association between the programs proved a boon for Crystal Lake South.
"Ryan is such a good friend and great coach, whom I have a great deal of respect (for). During our run in the playoffs, he was a fantastic sounding board for thoughts and ideas which ultimately were so valuable -- right on through the regular season and into the final."
Allen also learned to cope with high-pressure drama from Stengren and his club -- Barrington won its consecutive championships in shootouts vs. state powerhouse New Trier.
"It helped to be right in the middle of both of those final with the way they endeds," Allen said. "I remember before the PND game, it was all about just taking in the moment and allowing it to just soak in -- being so happy and proud of the entire team (knowing) this was a moment in their lives they will never forget."
The final weekend of the season required plenty of inspired play from the entire Crystal Lake South roster. It delivered moments of heroics and brilliance from several individuals.
The aforementioned Estrada came to the rescue like no other keeper in the state playoffs -- he came in for both shootouts and stood on his head to win both with a fiery enthusiasm that spurred his team.
Allen pointed to the superb showing of his all-state striker, Alex Canfield. In an incredible seven-game stretch in the state tournament, the junior launched into another stratosphere and provided the Gators scoring punch when most needed.
"It truly was an unreal run Alex put together," said Allen, who broke it down:
* 2 goals vs. Grayslake Central in regional semifinal
* Game-tying goal, and game winning PK in regional final
* 2 goals versus Boylan in sectional semifinal
* Game-tying goal in sectional final
* Hat-trick in supersectional
* Game-tying PK in state semifinal.
* One goal, one assist in state final
"Alex accounted for more than half of our offensive output during the entire postseason (10 of 18 goals). I am curious to know how many other players have enjoyed that kind of stretch in leading to an eventual state title."
Canfield played off the numbers.
"It wasn't just one player this season, it was all of us, that's what made this team so special," said Canfield.
"We were a really tight bunch, a brotherhood. We were just as close outside of soccer -- (that's) what I'll remember most from this team and season."
Though it's been recounted many times, the Herculean effort from the PK-specialist Estrada can't be retold enough.
The senior waited in the wings in full support of starting keeper and classmate Matt McCaleb until called upon when the Gators went to a shootout versus Wauconda in the regional final and both matches of the state finals.
"The character of Oscar is what stands out before you talk about what he did between the sticks for us," stated a proud Allen.
"He knew his role, and he embraced (it). But to see him step into the biggest pressure cooker of his soccer life and help us win those two games to capture the state title says a lot about that young man."
Upon its final departure from Garver Stadium at host state finals host Hoffman Estates High School, the Gators went home to meet their adoring fans.
"It was an amazing atmosphere when we got back," Canfield said. "Our football team was there waiting for us before they left for their state playoff game along with 75-100 fans and family members, many of whom were in our student section at the game."
While the PK shootouts capped a thrilling weekend with passages of play of the highest caliber and suspense, there was so much more to reflect on according to Allen.
"I am so thankful and happy for the school, community, parents, families and alumni, and most importantly, the players," he said.
"The best part: it was accomplished from a group of unselfish players who were so close, and who genuinely cared about each other on and off the field.
"They wanted to make the person next to them better, in an effort to make the team better."
As 2019 nears, Allen admits the state championship still remains surreal to him.
The state title was only the third in school history, It followed boys golf in 1980, and most recently baseball in 2017.
In addition, Crystal Lake South became just the second Fox Valley Conference club to lift a state championship trophy: Prairie Ridge did so in the old two class system as a Class A team in 1999.
"Even if were fortunate enough to make it back, this team was the first to get there and win, and that's really awesome, and I know the guys feel the same way," Allen said.
"You hear and see so many teams end up at the tournament and fall short, then say they were just happy to be there.
"This group never settled for anything but their best with maximum effort. Although we needed a few miracle efforts, as most championship teams do, they gave it their all each day in training and right up until that final moment in the state final."