Plainfield South on schedule
with Lincoln-Way tourney title win
Displays complete performance
in 2-0 score versus Joliet West
By Dave Surico
FRANKFORT -- You can put the first checkmark on the list of things Plainfield South's players want to accomplish this season.
"We had three goals at the beginning of the season, win conference, win a tournament and then ultimately win state," said midfielder Parker Gallt. "So far we've been doing great. We beat Plainfield North to start conference, and then we won this tournament."
The senior midfielder had a lot to do with that Saturday in the Lincoln-Way Tournament final at Lincoln-Way North. He scored both second half goals in the Cougars' 2-0 win over Joliet West that accomplished the team's first mission for the season.
"In the second half we wanted it more than Joliet West. We got on the end of every ball," he said. "In our huddle we said we're going to score real quick in this half. We need to and then we're going to defend. And it worked."
Gallt's first goal shocked Joliet West.
With a strong wind at his back, the senior had a go from 35 yards and put it upper shelf on the right side of the net after only 49 seconds had disappeared from the clock.
"It was a nice throw-in play that got cleared by Joliet West and I took a touch and just struck it." said Chicagoland Soccer's Man of the Match. 'Wasn't really thinking, just aiming for the corner. Might as well hit it. Why not?"
Plainfield South and coach Dave Brown played the windy conditions to their advantage.
"We felt all year that defending is one of our team strengths," said Brown. "So we wanted to go into the wind the first half and were able to do that with the coin toss.
"I felt pretty good at halftime at 0-0 that we limited their chances and were starting to find some chances against the wind as the half wore on. To come out second half and put one away early, it puts a lot of pressure on them the second half."
The Cougars continued to dictate the run of play in the second half and put the game away 10 minutes later when Gallt got between Joliet West defenders in the middle of the box.
"I flicked it around the first guy, and I saw the goalie coming out," he said of his soon-to-be 11th goal of the season. "So I knew all I had to do was put it over the top of him, and happily it went in."
The wind aided Plainfield South, which controlled the run of play for more the three-quarters of the the game.
The conditions had the opposite effect on Joliet West according to coach Patrick Korthauer.
Though the Tigers did keep the ball inside the upper third of Plainfield South's end for the first 10 minutes of the game, they couldn't create anything dangerous. It was a prelude for an attack that lacked spark.
"The wind can almost have a negative impact on a team," Korthauer said. "In the first half we saw the winds as an opportunity to dump the ball and just run on to it, which is not the style we want to be playing.
"And then in the second half, when that continues the ball dies and we don't even get those dumped balls in. We continue to emphasize playing the ball on the ground, playing the ball to feet -- moving up as a unit and not just sending the ball to one or two players and hoping that they can beat six.
"So the wind can be more detrimental to our play when we use it more as crutch than a tool."
Joliet West didn't make it over midfield in the second half until the 46th minute. After their deficit doubled, they put together their best two offensive opportunites of the game.
Juniors Dan Ramos and Ivan Armenta forced Plainfield South keeper Eric Fischer to contend with dangerous volleys in the 65th and 68th minutes respectively, but that was as close as the Tigers (6-3-2) came.
Plainfield South's Gallt came close to scoring several more goals. He banged a 35-yard free kick off the near post in the 58th minute and rolled another just past it minutes later.
It's clear the Cougars are in a very good place.
"We're feeling great about ourselves," said Galtt, who has played on the varsity side for three seasons with Michael Santillo, Michael Decker, Dominic Nirchi, Fischer and Adam Burt. "We have probably the best chemistry of any team because, we've been together. Nine of our 11 starters are seniors, and we know what we have to do this year to compete for a state title. We love playing together."
Joliet West will try to learn from its disappointing effort. The Tigers clearly expected more from their performance.
"We played hard through everything even though we were losing," said junior sweeper Andres Guerrero. "It was a pretty hard game. Every ball that was kicked up in the air they got to before us, and that, I think, that's what threw us off. They were pretty good.
"We came out a little bit flat in the beginning. But as we were going through the flow we turned it up a notch. But it was a bit too late."
Coach Korthauer will talk to his defense about the game.
"They're the first four offensive players too," he said. "When we're playing at our worst, they start off by booting the ball and bypassing midfield and sending it to our forwards. When we're at our best they're starting the offensive push, the transition by playing the ball out under control to feet. "
The coach praised keeper Baldobinos, who kept his team in the game in the first half.
The senior made a sprawling save on Colin Marmoll's deflection in the 24th minute, stopped Gallt's 10-yard rocket aimed inside the near post in 31st minute, and stopped and then while on the ground cleared away Diego Fernandez's shot in the 37th minute.
Korthauer said the senior made spectacular saves that helped the Tigers advance to the final. He added that Guerrero's versatility has been instrumental in Joliet West's solid start.
Plainfield South improved to 8-1-1 and will ride a five-game winning streak and seven-game unbeaten skein into its road nonconference game with Metea Valley on Tuesday.
As usual, the Cougars will depend on their back line.
"We've played with some of the best teams in the state, and we've been right there with them defensively," said Brown. "It starts with center backs Michael Santillo and Ben Graunke. Our outsides Anthonty Hernandez and Chase Cleasby rock solid. ... and Fischer (six shutouts) in goal has been phenomenal when he was called on."
That fact is illustrated in the team's six-game run in the Lincoln-Way tournament. The only goals the Cougars surrendered came in a 2-2 tie to Bolingbrook (9-1-2).
But make no mistake, Plainfield South is a solid, and motivated, squad across the pitch.
"We have guys who fill roles, and they fill them the right way, and they play well together," Brown said. "Everybody knows what's expected of them, and they expect a lot out of themselves. It's all a credit to them.
"Very little do I have to tell them in terms of positioning. They know all that stuff. It's just a joy to watch them play together. They work hard for each other. They demand a lot out of each other."
Starting lineups
Plainfield South
GK: Eric Fischer
D: Michael Santillo
D: Chris Cleasby
D: Ben Graunke
D: Dominic Nirchi
MF: Michael Decker
MF: Diego Fernandez
MF: Adam Burt
MF: Parker Gallt
MF: Anthony Hernandez
F: Dominick Skrip
Joliet West
GK: Josh Baldobinos
D: Pedro Martinez
D: Jayson Graves
D: Andres Guerrero
D: Alex Meyers
MF: Ivan Lopez
MF: Michael Vallejo
MF: Josue Tellez
MF: Dan Ramos
F: Jesus Gutierrez
F: Elber Haro
Man of the Match: Parker Gallt, Plainfield South.
Referees: Tom Swingler (center); Ken Balcerzak; Chuck Reynolds.
with Lincoln-Way tourney title win
Displays complete performance
in 2-0 score versus Joliet West
By Dave Surico
FRANKFORT -- You can put the first checkmark on the list of things Plainfield South's players want to accomplish this season.
"We had three goals at the beginning of the season, win conference, win a tournament and then ultimately win state," said midfielder Parker Gallt. "So far we've been doing great. We beat Plainfield North to start conference, and then we won this tournament."
The senior midfielder had a lot to do with that Saturday in the Lincoln-Way Tournament final at Lincoln-Way North. He scored both second half goals in the Cougars' 2-0 win over Joliet West that accomplished the team's first mission for the season.
"In the second half we wanted it more than Joliet West. We got on the end of every ball," he said. "In our huddle we said we're going to score real quick in this half. We need to and then we're going to defend. And it worked."
Gallt's first goal shocked Joliet West.
With a strong wind at his back, the senior had a go from 35 yards and put it upper shelf on the right side of the net after only 49 seconds had disappeared from the clock.
"It was a nice throw-in play that got cleared by Joliet West and I took a touch and just struck it." said Chicagoland Soccer's Man of the Match. 'Wasn't really thinking, just aiming for the corner. Might as well hit it. Why not?"
Plainfield South and coach Dave Brown played the windy conditions to their advantage.
"We felt all year that defending is one of our team strengths," said Brown. "So we wanted to go into the wind the first half and were able to do that with the coin toss.
"I felt pretty good at halftime at 0-0 that we limited their chances and were starting to find some chances against the wind as the half wore on. To come out second half and put one away early, it puts a lot of pressure on them the second half."
The Cougars continued to dictate the run of play in the second half and put the game away 10 minutes later when Gallt got between Joliet West defenders in the middle of the box.
"I flicked it around the first guy, and I saw the goalie coming out," he said of his soon-to-be 11th goal of the season. "So I knew all I had to do was put it over the top of him, and happily it went in."
The wind aided Plainfield South, which controlled the run of play for more the three-quarters of the the game.
The conditions had the opposite effect on Joliet West according to coach Patrick Korthauer.
Though the Tigers did keep the ball inside the upper third of Plainfield South's end for the first 10 minutes of the game, they couldn't create anything dangerous. It was a prelude for an attack that lacked spark.
"The wind can almost have a negative impact on a team," Korthauer said. "In the first half we saw the winds as an opportunity to dump the ball and just run on to it, which is not the style we want to be playing.
"And then in the second half, when that continues the ball dies and we don't even get those dumped balls in. We continue to emphasize playing the ball on the ground, playing the ball to feet -- moving up as a unit and not just sending the ball to one or two players and hoping that they can beat six.
"So the wind can be more detrimental to our play when we use it more as crutch than a tool."
Joliet West didn't make it over midfield in the second half until the 46th minute. After their deficit doubled, they put together their best two offensive opportunites of the game.
Juniors Dan Ramos and Ivan Armenta forced Plainfield South keeper Eric Fischer to contend with dangerous volleys in the 65th and 68th minutes respectively, but that was as close as the Tigers (6-3-2) came.
Plainfield South's Gallt came close to scoring several more goals. He banged a 35-yard free kick off the near post in the 58th minute and rolled another just past it minutes later.
It's clear the Cougars are in a very good place.
"We're feeling great about ourselves," said Galtt, who has played on the varsity side for three seasons with Michael Santillo, Michael Decker, Dominic Nirchi, Fischer and Adam Burt. "We have probably the best chemistry of any team because, we've been together. Nine of our 11 starters are seniors, and we know what we have to do this year to compete for a state title. We love playing together."
Joliet West will try to learn from its disappointing effort. The Tigers clearly expected more from their performance.
"We played hard through everything even though we were losing," said junior sweeper Andres Guerrero. "It was a pretty hard game. Every ball that was kicked up in the air they got to before us, and that, I think, that's what threw us off. They were pretty good.
"We came out a little bit flat in the beginning. But as we were going through the flow we turned it up a notch. But it was a bit too late."
Coach Korthauer will talk to his defense about the game.
"They're the first four offensive players too," he said. "When we're playing at our worst, they start off by booting the ball and bypassing midfield and sending it to our forwards. When we're at our best they're starting the offensive push, the transition by playing the ball out under control to feet. "
The coach praised keeper Baldobinos, who kept his team in the game in the first half.
The senior made a sprawling save on Colin Marmoll's deflection in the 24th minute, stopped Gallt's 10-yard rocket aimed inside the near post in 31st minute, and stopped and then while on the ground cleared away Diego Fernandez's shot in the 37th minute.
Korthauer said the senior made spectacular saves that helped the Tigers advance to the final. He added that Guerrero's versatility has been instrumental in Joliet West's solid start.
Plainfield South improved to 8-1-1 and will ride a five-game winning streak and seven-game unbeaten skein into its road nonconference game with Metea Valley on Tuesday.
As usual, the Cougars will depend on their back line.
"We've played with some of the best teams in the state, and we've been right there with them defensively," said Brown. "It starts with center backs Michael Santillo and Ben Graunke. Our outsides Anthonty Hernandez and Chase Cleasby rock solid. ... and Fischer (six shutouts) in goal has been phenomenal when he was called on."
That fact is illustrated in the team's six-game run in the Lincoln-Way tournament. The only goals the Cougars surrendered came in a 2-2 tie to Bolingbrook (9-1-2).
But make no mistake, Plainfield South is a solid, and motivated, squad across the pitch.
"We have guys who fill roles, and they fill them the right way, and they play well together," Brown said. "Everybody knows what's expected of them, and they expect a lot out of themselves. It's all a credit to them.
"Very little do I have to tell them in terms of positioning. They know all that stuff. It's just a joy to watch them play together. They work hard for each other. They demand a lot out of each other."
Starting lineups
Plainfield South
GK: Eric Fischer
D: Michael Santillo
D: Chris Cleasby
D: Ben Graunke
D: Dominic Nirchi
MF: Michael Decker
MF: Diego Fernandez
MF: Adam Burt
MF: Parker Gallt
MF: Anthony Hernandez
F: Dominick Skrip
Joliet West
GK: Josh Baldobinos
D: Pedro Martinez
D: Jayson Graves
D: Andres Guerrero
D: Alex Meyers
MF: Ivan Lopez
MF: Michael Vallejo
MF: Josue Tellez
MF: Dan Ramos
F: Jesus Gutierrez
F: Elber Haro
Man of the Match: Parker Gallt, Plainfield South.
Referees: Tom Swingler (center); Ken Balcerzak; Chuck Reynolds.