Another Silver Brick
in the wall for Hinsdale C.
Baderman’s free kick gives Red Devils win over Lyons
By Matt Le Cren
HINSDALE – A golden bullet secured the Silver Brick.
Jack Baderman scored on a brilliant free kick with 25:30 remaining in the second half and Hinsdale Central held off a furious rally to edge rival Lyons Township 1-0 at Dickinson Field.
The goal allowed the host Red Devils to win the Silver Brick for the third consecutive year. The win puts them in the driver’s seat in the West Suburban Conference Silver Division race.
“He did a nice job,” Hinsdale Central coach Mike Wiggins said of Baderman. “That’s not the first time he’s done that, so there’s no surprise there.”
Baderman, a senior midfielder, unleashed his decisive shot from 23 yards out after the Lions were whistled for a foul just outside the penalty area.
LT set up a five-man wall in front of goalie Donald Darrus as Baderman and Bryan Loebig stood over the ball. Loebig made a dummy run past the ball, and Baderman drilled a left-footed shot over the wall and off the inside of the crossbar. Darrus had no chance to stop it.
It was Baderman’s sixth goal of the season and second off a free kick.
“In the summer, me and Evan Floersch would come out on the practice field and set up a [screen] in front of the real net, and we just worked on getting it up and over and back down,” said Baderman, who was named Chicagoland Soccer's Man of the Match. “Just coming out every day and getting the hours in I think is definitely a big key.”
Lyons (13-3, 3-1) came into the match riding an eight-game winning streak and had controlled play for significant stretches before Baderman’s free kick. The pressure-packed situation called for a calm strike and Baderman delivered.
“It’s just kind of one of those that you hit and you pray,” Baderman said. “Big game, big scenario, big pressure, it just paid off, I guess.”
The loss was a bitter pill to swallow for the Lions, who enjoyed an 18-8 edge in shots and had one shot hit the crossbar and two others barely miss the post.
“It’s tough,” LT coach Paul Labbato said. “It comes down to a set piece. I can’t tell you how many times it comes down to a set piece with Hinsdale Central. I can probably name three games in recent history that have come down to something similar to that.
“It’s a game that we could have won. They did a nice job of defending. They were very aggressive in the air, which helps them, and they win the second ball. If we get lucky enough to play them again, those are the kinds of things that we have to work on and maybe counteract.”
For much of the game, it was the Red Devils (9-3-2, 4-0) who had to counteract the brilliant playmaking of Harry Hilling and Patrick Duncan, who had Hinsdale Central’s defense scrambling to keep up.
“Let’s not kid ourselves; LT was very, very good today,” Wiggins said. “I thought at times when they really needed to hold on to the ball and possess it [they had the edge], but our All-State goalkeeper came up huge at least five, six times.
“Evan showed once again why he’s standing up some of the best forwards around. [Duncan] was outstanding and Evan was just as good.”
Baderman agreed.
“Credit to them there,” Baderman said. “They kind of locked us down in the first half. We came out and we played six in the mid and it didn’t really get going for us.
“Patrick Duncan and Harry Hilling, two phenomenal players on the other team, were pinging it around like no one’s business.”
The goal, however, changed the momentum, at once giving the Red Devils a huge lift and the Lions new purpose.
“It has always been a big thing for us coming out second half and just getting after teams,” Baderman said. “We were behind Peoria Notre Dame earlier in the year 3-1 and came back [to win 4-3]. We pride ourselves on coming out second half and just getting it done, so I think that was a big thing.”
But it wasn’t easy. The Red Devils had one good scoring chance early in the second half when Sam Johnson broke free just outside the box, but the senior forward aggravated a hamstring injury on the play. Darrus was able to rush off his line to knock the ball away.
Four minutes later, Baderman’s free kick against the run of play changed things.
“First half was kind of a battle,” Hilling said. “No team really established possession. Coach said at halftime they dominated the first five minutes and the last five minutes of the first half, which is key with momentum.
“But we turned around in the second half and managed to establish possession. We were unfortunate to foul a kid right outside the 18.”
The Lions were unfortunate not to find the equalizer, though it wasn’t for lack of trying. The visitors had all but one of the scoring chances in the final 25 minutes, but Hinsdale Central goalie Wes Bergevin made three of his six saves and the Floersch-led defense recorded the team’s ninth shutout.
“We came out of the first half, thought we played well,” Bergevin said. “They played hard as well. Our defense, our midfielders, our forwards, they all took part in defending at the end, and I think it was a whole team effort that allowed us to come up with a 1-0 victory."
Bergevin came up big every time the Lions broke down the defense. Hilling’s lead pass sprung Cole Gilchrist in the box with 21 minutes left, but a diving Bergevin got his hand on the shot. Gilchrist went by, and the ball rolled wide of the left post before Gilchrist could catch up to it.
LT’s best chance came with 9:10 left when defender John Mazur ripped a 12-yard shot off the crossbar. The rebound went straight to Daniel Gutierrez, whose header sailed high.
Then with 5:20 left, Hilling’s quick restart on a 31-yard free kick released Gilchrist into the right side of the box, but Bergevin made a kick save on the ensuing shot. Four other shots over the final few minutes were blocked by defenders.
“For the way we handled ourselves, I thought it was a great, great game all around,” Wiggins said. “LT is very good, and we know that it’s not over and we know there’s another chance to play them [in sectionals]. We’re thankful that we got the Silver Brick, and that’s a tribute to our guys.”
Hinsdale Central or LT have won at least a share of the conference title in each of the last six seasons, so barring a major upset the WSC Silver race has been decided. That made this game all the more meaningful.
“Silver Brick is definitely kind of the highlight of our season before playoffs,” Baderman said. “It’s kind of the big one we all look forward to and again. We all want it real bad. It’s just one of those games that everyone is 110 percent in for.”
But the Red Devils and Lions could meet again in the sectionals, so it may not be the end of the story.
“It’s a good win,” Bergevin said. “It’s nice to know where we stand, but we’re just going to take it one game at a time and prepare for the end of the season.”
The Red Devils don’t play again until next Saturday, when they travel to Willowbrook. But the Lions have to turn around and play Morton at 9:30 a.m. Sunday in the PepsiCo Showdown championship game at DePaul University in Chicago.
LT is hoping history will repeat itself in a way. Two years ago, the Lions lost to Hinsdale Central in Hinsdale but rebounded the next day to beat Morton in the PepsiCo final. This will be LT’s fourth appearance in the title game in the past six years.
“It will take a bit to kind of let this sink in, but we’ll be ready by tomorrow,” Hilling said. “Pepsi’s a big game. Morton is a huge rival of us. Come tomorrow, we should be ready.”
Starting lineups
Lyons
GK Donald Darrus
D Daniel Thomas
D Leo Gabrek
D John Mazur
D Tim Nolan
D Nick Economou
M Harry Hilling
M Paul Falup
F Daniel Guttierrez
F Cole Gilchrist
F Patrick Duncan
Hinsdale Central
GK Wes Bergevin
D Nicholas Silva
D Evan Floersch
M Jim Walker
M Justin Yi
M Sebastain Skiba
M Bryan Loebig
M Jack Baderman
M Jeremy Yi
M Michael Usher
Man of the Match: Jack Baderman, Hinsdale Central
in the wall for Hinsdale C.
Baderman’s free kick gives Red Devils win over Lyons
By Matt Le Cren
HINSDALE – A golden bullet secured the Silver Brick.
Jack Baderman scored on a brilliant free kick with 25:30 remaining in the second half and Hinsdale Central held off a furious rally to edge rival Lyons Township 1-0 at Dickinson Field.
The goal allowed the host Red Devils to win the Silver Brick for the third consecutive year. The win puts them in the driver’s seat in the West Suburban Conference Silver Division race.
“He did a nice job,” Hinsdale Central coach Mike Wiggins said of Baderman. “That’s not the first time he’s done that, so there’s no surprise there.”
Baderman, a senior midfielder, unleashed his decisive shot from 23 yards out after the Lions were whistled for a foul just outside the penalty area.
LT set up a five-man wall in front of goalie Donald Darrus as Baderman and Bryan Loebig stood over the ball. Loebig made a dummy run past the ball, and Baderman drilled a left-footed shot over the wall and off the inside of the crossbar. Darrus had no chance to stop it.
It was Baderman’s sixth goal of the season and second off a free kick.
“In the summer, me and Evan Floersch would come out on the practice field and set up a [screen] in front of the real net, and we just worked on getting it up and over and back down,” said Baderman, who was named Chicagoland Soccer's Man of the Match. “Just coming out every day and getting the hours in I think is definitely a big key.”
Lyons (13-3, 3-1) came into the match riding an eight-game winning streak and had controlled play for significant stretches before Baderman’s free kick. The pressure-packed situation called for a calm strike and Baderman delivered.
“It’s just kind of one of those that you hit and you pray,” Baderman said. “Big game, big scenario, big pressure, it just paid off, I guess.”
The loss was a bitter pill to swallow for the Lions, who enjoyed an 18-8 edge in shots and had one shot hit the crossbar and two others barely miss the post.
“It’s tough,” LT coach Paul Labbato said. “It comes down to a set piece. I can’t tell you how many times it comes down to a set piece with Hinsdale Central. I can probably name three games in recent history that have come down to something similar to that.
“It’s a game that we could have won. They did a nice job of defending. They were very aggressive in the air, which helps them, and they win the second ball. If we get lucky enough to play them again, those are the kinds of things that we have to work on and maybe counteract.”
For much of the game, it was the Red Devils (9-3-2, 4-0) who had to counteract the brilliant playmaking of Harry Hilling and Patrick Duncan, who had Hinsdale Central’s defense scrambling to keep up.
“Let’s not kid ourselves; LT was very, very good today,” Wiggins said. “I thought at times when they really needed to hold on to the ball and possess it [they had the edge], but our All-State goalkeeper came up huge at least five, six times.
“Evan showed once again why he’s standing up some of the best forwards around. [Duncan] was outstanding and Evan was just as good.”
Baderman agreed.
“Credit to them there,” Baderman said. “They kind of locked us down in the first half. We came out and we played six in the mid and it didn’t really get going for us.
“Patrick Duncan and Harry Hilling, two phenomenal players on the other team, were pinging it around like no one’s business.”
The goal, however, changed the momentum, at once giving the Red Devils a huge lift and the Lions new purpose.
“It has always been a big thing for us coming out second half and just getting after teams,” Baderman said. “We were behind Peoria Notre Dame earlier in the year 3-1 and came back [to win 4-3]. We pride ourselves on coming out second half and just getting it done, so I think that was a big thing.”
But it wasn’t easy. The Red Devils had one good scoring chance early in the second half when Sam Johnson broke free just outside the box, but the senior forward aggravated a hamstring injury on the play. Darrus was able to rush off his line to knock the ball away.
Four minutes later, Baderman’s free kick against the run of play changed things.
“First half was kind of a battle,” Hilling said. “No team really established possession. Coach said at halftime they dominated the first five minutes and the last five minutes of the first half, which is key with momentum.
“But we turned around in the second half and managed to establish possession. We were unfortunate to foul a kid right outside the 18.”
The Lions were unfortunate not to find the equalizer, though it wasn’t for lack of trying. The visitors had all but one of the scoring chances in the final 25 minutes, but Hinsdale Central goalie Wes Bergevin made three of his six saves and the Floersch-led defense recorded the team’s ninth shutout.
“We came out of the first half, thought we played well,” Bergevin said. “They played hard as well. Our defense, our midfielders, our forwards, they all took part in defending at the end, and I think it was a whole team effort that allowed us to come up with a 1-0 victory."
Bergevin came up big every time the Lions broke down the defense. Hilling’s lead pass sprung Cole Gilchrist in the box with 21 minutes left, but a diving Bergevin got his hand on the shot. Gilchrist went by, and the ball rolled wide of the left post before Gilchrist could catch up to it.
LT’s best chance came with 9:10 left when defender John Mazur ripped a 12-yard shot off the crossbar. The rebound went straight to Daniel Gutierrez, whose header sailed high.
Then with 5:20 left, Hilling’s quick restart on a 31-yard free kick released Gilchrist into the right side of the box, but Bergevin made a kick save on the ensuing shot. Four other shots over the final few minutes were blocked by defenders.
“For the way we handled ourselves, I thought it was a great, great game all around,” Wiggins said. “LT is very good, and we know that it’s not over and we know there’s another chance to play them [in sectionals]. We’re thankful that we got the Silver Brick, and that’s a tribute to our guys.”
Hinsdale Central or LT have won at least a share of the conference title in each of the last six seasons, so barring a major upset the WSC Silver race has been decided. That made this game all the more meaningful.
“Silver Brick is definitely kind of the highlight of our season before playoffs,” Baderman said. “It’s kind of the big one we all look forward to and again. We all want it real bad. It’s just one of those games that everyone is 110 percent in for.”
But the Red Devils and Lions could meet again in the sectionals, so it may not be the end of the story.
“It’s a good win,” Bergevin said. “It’s nice to know where we stand, but we’re just going to take it one game at a time and prepare for the end of the season.”
The Red Devils don’t play again until next Saturday, when they travel to Willowbrook. But the Lions have to turn around and play Morton at 9:30 a.m. Sunday in the PepsiCo Showdown championship game at DePaul University in Chicago.
LT is hoping history will repeat itself in a way. Two years ago, the Lions lost to Hinsdale Central in Hinsdale but rebounded the next day to beat Morton in the PepsiCo final. This will be LT’s fourth appearance in the title game in the past six years.
“It will take a bit to kind of let this sink in, but we’ll be ready by tomorrow,” Hilling said. “Pepsi’s a big game. Morton is a huge rival of us. Come tomorrow, we should be ready.”
Starting lineups
Lyons
GK Donald Darrus
D Daniel Thomas
D Leo Gabrek
D John Mazur
D Tim Nolan
D Nick Economou
M Harry Hilling
M Paul Falup
F Daniel Guttierrez
F Cole Gilchrist
F Patrick Duncan
Hinsdale Central
GK Wes Bergevin
D Nicholas Silva
D Evan Floersch
M Jim Walker
M Justin Yi
M Sebastain Skiba
M Bryan Loebig
M Jack Baderman
M Jeremy Yi
M Michael Usher
Man of the Match: Jack Baderman, Hinsdale Central