Hampered Rojas leads
Hinsdale Central over Lyons
Striker's brace before almost 3,000
spectators retains "Silver Brick" rivalry trophy
By Matt Le Cren
WESTERN SPRINGS – Hinsdale Central striker Rigoberto Rojas took only two shots against Lyons on Friday night.
Both of them went in the net.
Rojas' pair of first half goals was all the visiting Red Devils needed to beat their archrival Lyons 2-0 in front of a crowd estimated at nearly 3,000 at Bennett Field to retain possession of the rivalry's traveling trophy the Silver Brick.
Lyons still leads the all-time series 22-21-4 but Hinsdale Central has now beaten the Lions four-straight games, the last three by shutout.
In knocking off the hosts, the reigning state champions: gained the upper hand in the race for the West Suburban Conference Silver Division title: won their 21st-consecutive conference match; and remained unbeaten (10-0-1) against Illinois opponents this season.
“We talked about tonight being a state championship-type environment, and that’s exactly what it was,” Hinsdale Central coach Mike Wiggins said. “You could close your eyes and open them up and think you were playing at Hoffman Estates playing against Normal (in the 2014 state final) and that’s a compliment to (the Lions). LT is that good, and we know that we’re going to see them again.”
The Lions (9-3-1, 2-1-0) have seen enough of Rojas, who did not start the game because of a hamstring injury but came off the bench to score twice off set pieces.
The senior gave the Red Devils (10-1-1, 3-0-0) the lead at the 21:06 mark when he booted a left-footed 26-yard free kick that deflected off one member of five-man defensive wall and inside the left post.
“I just tried to keep (the hamstring) warm throughout the first half,” Rojas said. “I knew that (the game) would be competitive, but I just tried to stay calm and relaxed. I didn’t let the fans get in my head.”
Instead, he scored literally in front of the Lyons student section.
“Initially I was just trying to place the ball,” Rojas said of his first strike. “I got lucky enough that I got a deflection and it went towards goal, and I got the goal.”
Rojas got another one eight minutes later off another dead ball, one which didn’t seem dangerous when it started.
Hinsdale Central goalkeeper Ethan Gama recorded his first varsity point when he took a free kick from about 10 yards in front of his own penalty area. The sturdy senior boomed the kick about 70 yards in the air toward the Lyons penalty area.
The ball took a huge bounce forward just outside the top of the box, and Rojas ran under it and scored on a 10-yard shot from just outside the left post with 12:01 to go in the opening half.
“I saw Ethan play a long ball, and I knew (Jack) Semba was running forward to get a deflection,” Rojas said. “But he didn’t, and once I saw it bounce, all I could think about was turning around and trying to get my foot on the ball.”
Gama, who made seven saves to record his sixth clean sheet, wasn’t specifically looking for Rojas on the play.
“I was just putting it on the spot, which was the PK spot,” Gama said. “That’s where all the damage happens.
“That’s where everything gets dirty and whatever happens, happens. Luckily the ball was able to find a gap, and Rigo was able to get behind and put it in.”
Hinsdale Central has made a habit of beating Lyons on restarts and Lions coach Paul Labbato was disappointed it happened again.
“It was a huge bounce, and Rigo collected it and hit it,” Labbato said. “It was a great finish but (the difference) was two restarts. We knew going in that that was their strength.
“We’re not happy with no one getting a head on that. The no. 1 cardinal rule is ‘Do not let the ball bounce.’ There, we did.”
At the other end, the Lions didn’t. They got plenty of shots, throw-ins and corner kicks, but did not get a goal, even though they had the upper hand for much of the second half.
Hinsdale Central had only one chance to increase the lead. That came with 27:00 left when Louis St. John’s shot beat Lyons keeper Donald Darrus but was deflected off the underside of the crossbar by Lions defender Alex Contreras.
The host had several chances to get on the scoreboard. Carlos Molina came the closest, hitting the left post with a 15-yard shot with 29:15 remaining. Eleven minutes later, a long throw-in flashed across the crease to Charles Hall, whose couldn’t get much on the volley and missed it wide right.
“I thought we played well and had our chances,” Labbato said. “One of those chances goes in, it cranks it up. Unfortunately we just couldn’t get anything actually in the goal. They played very solid at the end, cleared everything.”
While the Red Devils retained the Brick, both teams played well and are anticipating a rematch in the sectional next month.
“First and foremost, we’re just really disappointed,” Lyons senior midfielder Aaron Onion said. “We came out and there was a big crowd, and we wanted to make our students happy and unfortunately we couldn’t do that tonight. But we’re thankful for their support.
“We want to take a positive out of this game, and I think tonight we proved that we can play with the best team in the state, essentially. So we can take confidence from this performance, even as disappointing as it is.”
The Red Devils have plenty of confidence but know they cannot afford to be cocky.
“It was a great atmosphere and I’m happy we got the ‘W,’” Rojas said. “Credit to (the Lions). They played 80-competitive minutes.”
Wiggins agreed.
“We played a good team,” he said. “They’re very well-coached. They’re very well-organized.
“They’re a great opponent, and we’re going to see them again. So we passed the test tonight, but we also know that we’re going to see them again.”
Starting lineups
Hinsdale Central
G Ethan Gama
D Nick Silva
D Max Snodgrass
D Daniel Lillard
M Jimmy Walker
M Stephen Coan
M Louis St. John
M Mikey Usher
F Bryan Loebig
F Mitch Collins
F Jake Semba
Lyons
G Donald Darrus
D Devin Ekstam
D John Mazur
D Dylan Jones
D Nick Economou
M Alex Contreras
M Camilo Drobny
M Nikolas Darrus
M Aaron Onion
F Isaiah Nieves
F Diego Lopez
Man of the Match – Rigoberto Rojas, F, Hinsdale Central
Hinsdale Central over Lyons
Striker's brace before almost 3,000
spectators retains "Silver Brick" rivalry trophy
By Matt Le Cren
WESTERN SPRINGS – Hinsdale Central striker Rigoberto Rojas took only two shots against Lyons on Friday night.
Both of them went in the net.
Rojas' pair of first half goals was all the visiting Red Devils needed to beat their archrival Lyons 2-0 in front of a crowd estimated at nearly 3,000 at Bennett Field to retain possession of the rivalry's traveling trophy the Silver Brick.
Lyons still leads the all-time series 22-21-4 but Hinsdale Central has now beaten the Lions four-straight games, the last three by shutout.
In knocking off the hosts, the reigning state champions: gained the upper hand in the race for the West Suburban Conference Silver Division title: won their 21st-consecutive conference match; and remained unbeaten (10-0-1) against Illinois opponents this season.
“We talked about tonight being a state championship-type environment, and that’s exactly what it was,” Hinsdale Central coach Mike Wiggins said. “You could close your eyes and open them up and think you were playing at Hoffman Estates playing against Normal (in the 2014 state final) and that’s a compliment to (the Lions). LT is that good, and we know that we’re going to see them again.”
The Lions (9-3-1, 2-1-0) have seen enough of Rojas, who did not start the game because of a hamstring injury but came off the bench to score twice off set pieces.
The senior gave the Red Devils (10-1-1, 3-0-0) the lead at the 21:06 mark when he booted a left-footed 26-yard free kick that deflected off one member of five-man defensive wall and inside the left post.
“I just tried to keep (the hamstring) warm throughout the first half,” Rojas said. “I knew that (the game) would be competitive, but I just tried to stay calm and relaxed. I didn’t let the fans get in my head.”
Instead, he scored literally in front of the Lyons student section.
“Initially I was just trying to place the ball,” Rojas said of his first strike. “I got lucky enough that I got a deflection and it went towards goal, and I got the goal.”
Rojas got another one eight minutes later off another dead ball, one which didn’t seem dangerous when it started.
Hinsdale Central goalkeeper Ethan Gama recorded his first varsity point when he took a free kick from about 10 yards in front of his own penalty area. The sturdy senior boomed the kick about 70 yards in the air toward the Lyons penalty area.
The ball took a huge bounce forward just outside the top of the box, and Rojas ran under it and scored on a 10-yard shot from just outside the left post with 12:01 to go in the opening half.
“I saw Ethan play a long ball, and I knew (Jack) Semba was running forward to get a deflection,” Rojas said. “But he didn’t, and once I saw it bounce, all I could think about was turning around and trying to get my foot on the ball.”
Gama, who made seven saves to record his sixth clean sheet, wasn’t specifically looking for Rojas on the play.
“I was just putting it on the spot, which was the PK spot,” Gama said. “That’s where all the damage happens.
“That’s where everything gets dirty and whatever happens, happens. Luckily the ball was able to find a gap, and Rigo was able to get behind and put it in.”
Hinsdale Central has made a habit of beating Lyons on restarts and Lions coach Paul Labbato was disappointed it happened again.
“It was a huge bounce, and Rigo collected it and hit it,” Labbato said. “It was a great finish but (the difference) was two restarts. We knew going in that that was their strength.
“We’re not happy with no one getting a head on that. The no. 1 cardinal rule is ‘Do not let the ball bounce.’ There, we did.”
At the other end, the Lions didn’t. They got plenty of shots, throw-ins and corner kicks, but did not get a goal, even though they had the upper hand for much of the second half.
Hinsdale Central had only one chance to increase the lead. That came with 27:00 left when Louis St. John’s shot beat Lyons keeper Donald Darrus but was deflected off the underside of the crossbar by Lions defender Alex Contreras.
The host had several chances to get on the scoreboard. Carlos Molina came the closest, hitting the left post with a 15-yard shot with 29:15 remaining. Eleven minutes later, a long throw-in flashed across the crease to Charles Hall, whose couldn’t get much on the volley and missed it wide right.
“I thought we played well and had our chances,” Labbato said. “One of those chances goes in, it cranks it up. Unfortunately we just couldn’t get anything actually in the goal. They played very solid at the end, cleared everything.”
While the Red Devils retained the Brick, both teams played well and are anticipating a rematch in the sectional next month.
“First and foremost, we’re just really disappointed,” Lyons senior midfielder Aaron Onion said. “We came out and there was a big crowd, and we wanted to make our students happy and unfortunately we couldn’t do that tonight. But we’re thankful for their support.
“We want to take a positive out of this game, and I think tonight we proved that we can play with the best team in the state, essentially. So we can take confidence from this performance, even as disappointing as it is.”
The Red Devils have plenty of confidence but know they cannot afford to be cocky.
“It was a great atmosphere and I’m happy we got the ‘W,’” Rojas said. “Credit to (the Lions). They played 80-competitive minutes.”
Wiggins agreed.
“We played a good team,” he said. “They’re very well-coached. They’re very well-organized.
“They’re a great opponent, and we’re going to see them again. So we passed the test tonight, but we also know that we’re going to see them again.”
Starting lineups
Hinsdale Central
G Ethan Gama
D Nick Silva
D Max Snodgrass
D Daniel Lillard
M Jimmy Walker
M Stephen Coan
M Louis St. John
M Mikey Usher
F Bryan Loebig
F Mitch Collins
F Jake Semba
Lyons
G Donald Darrus
D Devin Ekstam
D John Mazur
D Dylan Jones
D Nick Economou
M Alex Contreras
M Camilo Drobny
M Nikolas Darrus
M Aaron Onion
F Isaiah Nieves
F Diego Lopez
Man of the Match – Rigoberto Rojas, F, Hinsdale Central