Downers Grove South barely
prevails over Hinsdale South
Southern Bell rivals keep it closer than records indicated
By Dave Owen
DOWNERS GROVE -- Downers Grove South earned the Southern Bell trophy with its 1-0 win Tuesday over Hinsdale South, but the Hornets left Downers Grove with their own prize: rapidly rising confidence.
The apparent mismatch on paper between the Mustangs (now 9-0-2) and the Hornets (0-10) never materialized on the field.
Despite Downers South’s control of first-half possession and chances, Hinsdale South’s strong defense nullified threats close to the net in a 0-0 first half.
And even after Eric Diaz’s eighth goal of the season with 38 minutes to play put the Mustangs up 1-0, the Hornets remained a brick wall while generating some transition chances of their own.
“We finally got our defense together,” Hinsdale South sweeper Lucas Carlson said. “And they’re a great team. That’s the best we’ve played in my three years on varsity, so I’m content with that. But we need a win. Except for Morton, every other game we’ve played has been close.”
Downers Grove South coach Jon Stapleton was aware of the Hornets’ deceiving record and the intangibles that go into the Bell series, a nearly 40-year rivalry that the Mustangs lead 20-14-5.
“You look at their results and they’ve had a lot of one-goal games,” Stapleton said of Hinsdale South's 2014 season. “We knew they’d come in tough, and obviously the rivalry adds another dimension to this match. So we knew it wouldn’t be easy.
“Through the history of it, there’s a reason why these games are close,” Stapleton added. “We know each other so well, you’re close by, and playing for that prize at the end of the game is something you don’t get to do every day. I think it adds that motivation for both sides.”
Downers South’s high motivation to strike early met with major resistance.
“I thought we possessed the ball the majority of the game, and that’s a tribute to our kids not losing focus, remaining patient and looking for opportunities,” Stapleton said. “Eric finished a great one there to score. But give Hinsdale South credit. They tactically put numbers behind the ball and looked for counters, and that kept them in the game.”
The Hornets served early notice with Carlson’s 39-yard direct kick just over the net three minutes in, then used an airtight defense to repel numerous Mustangs threats the rest of the half.
Nick Rohl sped in on right wing to create several early threats but met late resistance. A Paul Figus block and Carlson clear of the box denied Rohl’s first dash, then Mike Noble intercepted Rohl’s next cross to the front of the net in the 11th minute.
Dino Vessol broke up a burst in on goal by Diaz and Hunter Thoren in the 17th minute, and Myk Meilus and Homar Garcia made nice steals to deny Thoren threats during the first half. Carlson’s defense denied a Diaz drive in on right wing in the 21st minute. Hornets goalkeeper Alec Carpenter also made a nice save of Joseph Caldarazzo’s low 15-yard shot 16 minutes before halftime.
“The guys came out ready to play,” Hornets coach James VanDenburgh said, “and that solves half the problem when you can come out in the first five (minutes) and show the other team ‘we’re here to play.'
“That gave us a little confidence, and then our defensive shape and our transition game were clicking today, where we were picking our opportunities and making the best out of them. But staying essentially compact and ready to go defensively was the difference today.”
The Hornets’ transition created a chance with 4:40 left in the half. With Noble and Chris Metcalf in on net, a Mustangs clearing attempt inside the box deflected off Metcalf and just wide.
But the Mustangs’ majority of possession and relentless pressure in the final third was the theme of the half.
“We were getting pretty frustrated,” Diaz said, “but we’ve had a couple games where we didn’t score early, and we’ve just learned not to get flustered. It comes with experience basically.”
Diaz is an experienced goal scorer, and the Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match made his next chance count two minutes into the second half.
After his initial header toward the net off a Jason Galik corner kick was cleared away, Diaz recovered the rebound right of the net and lined a 15-yard blast into the lower left corner of the net for a 1-0 Mustangs lead.
“I took a shot, it came off a rebound, and I saw it go it in the air,” Diaz said of the sequence. “I didn’t even think about it – I just shot it, and it went in.”
That Downers Grove South goal didn’t rattle the Hornets. Off a Metcalf throw-in just 65 seconds later, Alec Raatz found a seam deep in the box and sent an 8-yard shot just over the net to nearly tie the match.
The Downers Grove South defense led by Kyle Harty, Andrew Dobosenski, Griffin Overbeck, Matthew Buczko and goalkeeper Sam Dumford earned the shutout with other big stops when needed.
Dumford made a leaping catch in traffic off Metcalf’s corner kick with 30:25 left, then caught Carlson’s strong 55-yard direct kick with a Hornet player racing in for a deflection at the 24:40 mark.
The junior goalkeeper then stopped Raatz’s header off a Metcalf corner kick with 7:35 to go. He sealed his shutout with a sliding stop at the post of Noble’s 23-yard shot with 3:10 left, then fielded Daniel Jaworski’s last-ditch 35-yard shot in the final seconds.
“Our back line and Sam Dumford deserve a lot of credit,” Stapleton said. “I think that’s our seventh shutout, and our last goal (allowed) came at North Central (Ind., more than two weeks ago).
“Our entire back line is playing very well, and that starts with our two center backs Kyle Harty and Andrew Dobosenski.”
Harty explained, “Me and Dobo have really good chemistry together and are always talking, so that helps a lot. And I can trust everyone on the field, so I can always put myself in the right position.”
The Mustangs offense continued to generate big chances despite a more back-and-forth second half.
Dobosenski went on the offensive to send a header just wide of the post off a Galik cross with 32:30 left, then Carpenter nicely saved Diaz’s 25-yarder toward the left post five minutes later.
Diaz and John Parilla later sent great chances just wide from 20 yards out, and Carlson nicely chest blocked a dangerous Alexander Escamilla cross to the crease off a Parilla steal with 15:40 to go.
The Hornets’ excellent defensive effort earned praise from across the field.
“They did a good job and stayed calm,” Harty said. “They’re a tough team, but they just couldn’t find a break.”
The Hornets had plenty of standout performances of note.
“Mike Noble does a great job in the middle of the field,” VanDenburgh said, “Alec Raatz came ready to play, which was great to see, and Lucas Carlson is kind of our heart and soul in the back and really leads the team. He was able to lead by example, moving the defense and getting everyone to buy in.
“(Forward) Zach Duffy had a few opportunities, but we’re looking for that final piece (on offense). We’re still searching, but we’re getting better every day.”
The Hornets were very good in giving the unbeaten Mustangs a battle.
“We had to look ourselves in the mirror and say, ‘What are we good at?’ ” VanDenburgh said. “We’ve always believed we’re a good defensive team, so we kind of said tonight that if we can’t score goals, we can’t concede them.
“It took an amazing finish by Diaz to crack our net. Hats off to them for a quality goal and a quality win, but I thought our game plan was working and our guys bought into it. We’re all on the same page, which is nice.”
That page could soon include multiple wins with a repeat of Tuesday’s effort.
“We want to win – we haven’t lost focus on that,” VanDenburgh said. “But we also know we want to play quality soccer, and tonight we did that. It speaks to our mental discipline. I can’t imagine as a high school student not winning but staying focused and enjoying the team. It’s not a bad vibe with the team, but a determined and frustrated vibe – which we can use.
“It definitely solidifies what we’re good at, but we still have to work on that offensive piece. This gives us kind of a platform to jump off – staying solid and compact on defense and looking for opportunities.”
As for the Mustangs, they survived the battle with possession of the Southern Bell intact.
“Coach always thinks that it’s important as the only trophy we have for the entire season besides the IHSA (state playoff series),” Diaz said.
“It’s really nice to win it,” Harty said of the Bell. “Like Diaz said, it’s the only medal you really have. It really gets hyped up in the locker room, so coming home with it is nice.”
The second reward from Tuesday also wasn’t too bad: remaining undefeated.
“It’s been a tough schedule so far, but we’ve all been calm during the games and haven’t got flustered,” Harty said. “We’ve been able to find chances and put things away.”
“The old ‘one game at a time’ is a cliche,” Stapleton said, “but we’ve stressed that with our guys and they’ve bought into it. Right now we’re enjoying the ride and trying to continue what we’re doing.”
Starting lineups
Hinsdale South
G-Alec Carpenter
D-Lucas Carlson
D-Myk Meilus
D-Austin West
D-Paul Figus
M-Mike Noble
M-Alec Raatz
M-Daniel Jaworski
M-Dino Vessol
F-Chris Metcalf
F-Zach Duffy
Downers Grove South
G-Sam Dumford
D-Griffin Overbeck
D-Kyle Harty
D-Andrew Dobosenski
D-Matthew Buczko
M-Hunter Thoren
M-Peter Becht
M-Peter Fish
M-Jason Galik
F-Eric Diaz
F-Nicholas Rohl
Man of the Match: Eric Diaz, Downers Grove South
prevails over Hinsdale South
Southern Bell rivals keep it closer than records indicated
By Dave Owen
DOWNERS GROVE -- Downers Grove South earned the Southern Bell trophy with its 1-0 win Tuesday over Hinsdale South, but the Hornets left Downers Grove with their own prize: rapidly rising confidence.
The apparent mismatch on paper between the Mustangs (now 9-0-2) and the Hornets (0-10) never materialized on the field.
Despite Downers South’s control of first-half possession and chances, Hinsdale South’s strong defense nullified threats close to the net in a 0-0 first half.
And even after Eric Diaz’s eighth goal of the season with 38 minutes to play put the Mustangs up 1-0, the Hornets remained a brick wall while generating some transition chances of their own.
“We finally got our defense together,” Hinsdale South sweeper Lucas Carlson said. “And they’re a great team. That’s the best we’ve played in my three years on varsity, so I’m content with that. But we need a win. Except for Morton, every other game we’ve played has been close.”
Downers Grove South coach Jon Stapleton was aware of the Hornets’ deceiving record and the intangibles that go into the Bell series, a nearly 40-year rivalry that the Mustangs lead 20-14-5.
“You look at their results and they’ve had a lot of one-goal games,” Stapleton said of Hinsdale South's 2014 season. “We knew they’d come in tough, and obviously the rivalry adds another dimension to this match. So we knew it wouldn’t be easy.
“Through the history of it, there’s a reason why these games are close,” Stapleton added. “We know each other so well, you’re close by, and playing for that prize at the end of the game is something you don’t get to do every day. I think it adds that motivation for both sides.”
Downers South’s high motivation to strike early met with major resistance.
“I thought we possessed the ball the majority of the game, and that’s a tribute to our kids not losing focus, remaining patient and looking for opportunities,” Stapleton said. “Eric finished a great one there to score. But give Hinsdale South credit. They tactically put numbers behind the ball and looked for counters, and that kept them in the game.”
The Hornets served early notice with Carlson’s 39-yard direct kick just over the net three minutes in, then used an airtight defense to repel numerous Mustangs threats the rest of the half.
Nick Rohl sped in on right wing to create several early threats but met late resistance. A Paul Figus block and Carlson clear of the box denied Rohl’s first dash, then Mike Noble intercepted Rohl’s next cross to the front of the net in the 11th minute.
Dino Vessol broke up a burst in on goal by Diaz and Hunter Thoren in the 17th minute, and Myk Meilus and Homar Garcia made nice steals to deny Thoren threats during the first half. Carlson’s defense denied a Diaz drive in on right wing in the 21st minute. Hornets goalkeeper Alec Carpenter also made a nice save of Joseph Caldarazzo’s low 15-yard shot 16 minutes before halftime.
“The guys came out ready to play,” Hornets coach James VanDenburgh said, “and that solves half the problem when you can come out in the first five (minutes) and show the other team ‘we’re here to play.'
“That gave us a little confidence, and then our defensive shape and our transition game were clicking today, where we were picking our opportunities and making the best out of them. But staying essentially compact and ready to go defensively was the difference today.”
The Hornets’ transition created a chance with 4:40 left in the half. With Noble and Chris Metcalf in on net, a Mustangs clearing attempt inside the box deflected off Metcalf and just wide.
But the Mustangs’ majority of possession and relentless pressure in the final third was the theme of the half.
“We were getting pretty frustrated,” Diaz said, “but we’ve had a couple games where we didn’t score early, and we’ve just learned not to get flustered. It comes with experience basically.”
Diaz is an experienced goal scorer, and the Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match made his next chance count two minutes into the second half.
After his initial header toward the net off a Jason Galik corner kick was cleared away, Diaz recovered the rebound right of the net and lined a 15-yard blast into the lower left corner of the net for a 1-0 Mustangs lead.
“I took a shot, it came off a rebound, and I saw it go it in the air,” Diaz said of the sequence. “I didn’t even think about it – I just shot it, and it went in.”
That Downers Grove South goal didn’t rattle the Hornets. Off a Metcalf throw-in just 65 seconds later, Alec Raatz found a seam deep in the box and sent an 8-yard shot just over the net to nearly tie the match.
The Downers Grove South defense led by Kyle Harty, Andrew Dobosenski, Griffin Overbeck, Matthew Buczko and goalkeeper Sam Dumford earned the shutout with other big stops when needed.
Dumford made a leaping catch in traffic off Metcalf’s corner kick with 30:25 left, then caught Carlson’s strong 55-yard direct kick with a Hornet player racing in for a deflection at the 24:40 mark.
The junior goalkeeper then stopped Raatz’s header off a Metcalf corner kick with 7:35 to go. He sealed his shutout with a sliding stop at the post of Noble’s 23-yard shot with 3:10 left, then fielded Daniel Jaworski’s last-ditch 35-yard shot in the final seconds.
“Our back line and Sam Dumford deserve a lot of credit,” Stapleton said. “I think that’s our seventh shutout, and our last goal (allowed) came at North Central (Ind., more than two weeks ago).
“Our entire back line is playing very well, and that starts with our two center backs Kyle Harty and Andrew Dobosenski.”
Harty explained, “Me and Dobo have really good chemistry together and are always talking, so that helps a lot. And I can trust everyone on the field, so I can always put myself in the right position.”
The Mustangs offense continued to generate big chances despite a more back-and-forth second half.
Dobosenski went on the offensive to send a header just wide of the post off a Galik cross with 32:30 left, then Carpenter nicely saved Diaz’s 25-yarder toward the left post five minutes later.
Diaz and John Parilla later sent great chances just wide from 20 yards out, and Carlson nicely chest blocked a dangerous Alexander Escamilla cross to the crease off a Parilla steal with 15:40 to go.
The Hornets’ excellent defensive effort earned praise from across the field.
“They did a good job and stayed calm,” Harty said. “They’re a tough team, but they just couldn’t find a break.”
The Hornets had plenty of standout performances of note.
“Mike Noble does a great job in the middle of the field,” VanDenburgh said, “Alec Raatz came ready to play, which was great to see, and Lucas Carlson is kind of our heart and soul in the back and really leads the team. He was able to lead by example, moving the defense and getting everyone to buy in.
“(Forward) Zach Duffy had a few opportunities, but we’re looking for that final piece (on offense). We’re still searching, but we’re getting better every day.”
The Hornets were very good in giving the unbeaten Mustangs a battle.
“We had to look ourselves in the mirror and say, ‘What are we good at?’ ” VanDenburgh said. “We’ve always believed we’re a good defensive team, so we kind of said tonight that if we can’t score goals, we can’t concede them.
“It took an amazing finish by Diaz to crack our net. Hats off to them for a quality goal and a quality win, but I thought our game plan was working and our guys bought into it. We’re all on the same page, which is nice.”
That page could soon include multiple wins with a repeat of Tuesday’s effort.
“We want to win – we haven’t lost focus on that,” VanDenburgh said. “But we also know we want to play quality soccer, and tonight we did that. It speaks to our mental discipline. I can’t imagine as a high school student not winning but staying focused and enjoying the team. It’s not a bad vibe with the team, but a determined and frustrated vibe – which we can use.
“It definitely solidifies what we’re good at, but we still have to work on that offensive piece. This gives us kind of a platform to jump off – staying solid and compact on defense and looking for opportunities.”
As for the Mustangs, they survived the battle with possession of the Southern Bell intact.
“Coach always thinks that it’s important as the only trophy we have for the entire season besides the IHSA (state playoff series),” Diaz said.
“It’s really nice to win it,” Harty said of the Bell. “Like Diaz said, it’s the only medal you really have. It really gets hyped up in the locker room, so coming home with it is nice.”
The second reward from Tuesday also wasn’t too bad: remaining undefeated.
“It’s been a tough schedule so far, but we’ve all been calm during the games and haven’t got flustered,” Harty said. “We’ve been able to find chances and put things away.”
“The old ‘one game at a time’ is a cliche,” Stapleton said, “but we’ve stressed that with our guys and they’ve bought into it. Right now we’re enjoying the ride and trying to continue what we’re doing.”
Starting lineups
Hinsdale South
G-Alec Carpenter
D-Lucas Carlson
D-Myk Meilus
D-Austin West
D-Paul Figus
M-Mike Noble
M-Alec Raatz
M-Daniel Jaworski
M-Dino Vessol
F-Chris Metcalf
F-Zach Duffy
Downers Grove South
G-Sam Dumford
D-Griffin Overbeck
D-Kyle Harty
D-Andrew Dobosenski
D-Matthew Buczko
M-Hunter Thoren
M-Peter Becht
M-Peter Fish
M-Jason Galik
F-Eric Diaz
F-Nicholas Rohl
Man of the Match: Eric Diaz, Downers Grove South