Plainfield South hangs on,
gives Plainfield North first loss
Perfect defensive effort ends foes' dream of perfect season
By Derek Wolff
PLAINFIELD — Plainfield South may have been playing its Southwest Prairie Conference opener when crosstown rival Plainfield North came to town on Tuesday, but the game had the look and feel of a playoff match.
The Cougars (6-1-1) walked away with a 1-0 victory behind Adam Burt’s strike in the 41st minute, handing their rivals to the north their first loss of the season in the process.
Plainfield North (10-1-0) pushed the play from the onset, keeping South pinned down in their defensive third for most of a first half marked by a number of fouls and stoppages but no cards.
With a few minutes remaining in the first half, the Cougars finally were able to push forward but had to fight off another counterattack before halftime.
The first minute of the second half changed the game. Burt made an attacking run down the right side and took an open shot near the corner flag.
The ball curled in on net before it was punched in by North goalkeeper Cade Fink, giving Plainfield South the game-winning goal.
Burt said he saw an opportunity and seized it.
“I was planning on shooting it, but I did not plan on it going in like that,” Burt said. “I got sent down the line by Diego (De Urquijo Fernandez), took a touch in and just ripped it. The goalie wasn’t where he thought he was and punched it into the net. It was an unfortunate goal for them, but we’ll take what we can get.”
It was all the offense the Cougars would need, although the defense was the real standout.
North’s intensity doubled after falling behind because the Tigers continuously pushed forward, looking for the equalizer.
It nearly came half a dozen times, but Cougars goalkeeper and Chicagoland Soccer’s Man of the Match Eric Fischer refused to give up the lead.
With four minutes remaining in the game, the Tigers won a free kick a few yards outside the 18. James Thompson’s blast rang off the crossbar before Fischer made a diving save to preserve the lead on a redirected ball.
Fischer said he didn’t fully see the shot and just reacted to this situation. The Cougars back line bent but refused to break all afternoon, earning them praise.
“We knew they were going to come at us with high pressure, and one of the things that we work on a lot and like to take pride in is our team defending,” Fischer said. “We just held together in the back, communicated well and kept solid on the marks to get the good result.”
Dynamic Plainfield North forward Austin Collier was frustrated with himself and the result after the team’s perfect start to the season but said the adversity his side experienced in the loss will help in the long run.
“That was probably one of the hardest things, knowing I’m a forward and I didn’t do my job,” Collier said. “Words can’t explain how mad I am right now.
"We came out thinking that we were going to win. We came out knowing that it was going to be a battle that we could win but we think that we just need to work our butts off to win the rest of the season. We just have to think that it’s been half the season, so one loss shouldn’t put our heads down.”
Plainfield North coach Mike Skupien wasn’t pleased with the field conditions but gave his opposition credit. He didn’t rule out the potential for another match between the two sides.
“The whole game was going to be the ball bouncing,” Skupien said. “It was going to be won or lost on a set piece. Give them a lot of credit; they’ve got good players. Both teams created the same amount of chances in the game. If both teams end up going far, I could definitely see ourselves playing those guys again at some point.”
With high expectations after winning the Southwest Prairie Conference last year, the start to the season has been magical for the Tigers. Skupien said the defeat should strengthen his team’s resolve.
“Having some adversity at some point in the season probably is a good thing to see how we respond to it on Thursday," he said. "They’re upset, but what they do, how they respond to it, we’ll see what happens.”
For Plainfield South, the win added to an impressive start that includes big wins over Lincoln-Way Central and Lincoln-Way East, as well as a tie against Bolingbrook. The Cougars' only loss came on Aug. 28 at Naperville Central.
Coach Dave Brown said those matches have prepared his side for the grueling nature of conference play, particularly against top competition like Plainfield North.
“Absolutely I think the big games against Naperville Central, Lincoln-Way Central, Bolingbrook, all those better teams in the area (help), and that’s why we play them -- to give preparation when we play conference games,” Brown said. "Every conference game is a battle. It doesn’t matter what the overall records are.
"When you get on the field and you have the conference game title in front of it, everybody’s emotions get a little bit higher and everybody brings their best efforts and best games.
“In terms of those games building our confidence, I think we’ve been a confident group from the beginning. I think what they’ve learned is that we can compete with anyone. They know a lot of the guys on the other team and how good a start they’ve had and what they did last year. We knew this was a good opportunity for us on our home field. We’ve been playing well and we found a way to win today.”
Like Fischer, Burt attributed the team’s success to its team defense and said the Cougars will go as far as that carries them this season.
“A lot of these tough conference games and later on in the state playoffs, they’re going to come down to one-, two-goal wins. We just need to make sure we keep our defense in shape,” Burt said. “That’s our biggest quality this season, our team defense. We have a lot of older guys in the back who have a lot of experience, and that’s what’s going to be the driving force the rest of the season.”
Starting lineups
Plainfield North
G-Cade Fink
D-Ethan Barangan
D-Alex Lynch
M-Zachary Barangan
M-Jake Farley
M-Mitchell Rathbun
M-Jordan Schure
M-James Thompson
F-Austin Collier
F-Austin Hansen
F-Nicholas Anweiler
Plainfield South
G-Eric Fischer
D-Michael Santillo
D-Anthony Hernandez
D-Chase Cleaseby
M-Diego De Urquijo Fernandez
M-Colin Marmoll
M-Dominic Nirchi
M-Adam Burt
M-Parker Gallt
M-Dominick Skrip
F-Michael Decker
Referees: Jim Broderick, Mitch Hake, Alex Alvarado
Man of the Match: Eric Fischer, Plainfield South
gives Plainfield North first loss
Perfect defensive effort ends foes' dream of perfect season
By Derek Wolff
PLAINFIELD — Plainfield South may have been playing its Southwest Prairie Conference opener when crosstown rival Plainfield North came to town on Tuesday, but the game had the look and feel of a playoff match.
The Cougars (6-1-1) walked away with a 1-0 victory behind Adam Burt’s strike in the 41st minute, handing their rivals to the north their first loss of the season in the process.
Plainfield North (10-1-0) pushed the play from the onset, keeping South pinned down in their defensive third for most of a first half marked by a number of fouls and stoppages but no cards.
With a few minutes remaining in the first half, the Cougars finally were able to push forward but had to fight off another counterattack before halftime.
The first minute of the second half changed the game. Burt made an attacking run down the right side and took an open shot near the corner flag.
The ball curled in on net before it was punched in by North goalkeeper Cade Fink, giving Plainfield South the game-winning goal.
Burt said he saw an opportunity and seized it.
“I was planning on shooting it, but I did not plan on it going in like that,” Burt said. “I got sent down the line by Diego (De Urquijo Fernandez), took a touch in and just ripped it. The goalie wasn’t where he thought he was and punched it into the net. It was an unfortunate goal for them, but we’ll take what we can get.”
It was all the offense the Cougars would need, although the defense was the real standout.
North’s intensity doubled after falling behind because the Tigers continuously pushed forward, looking for the equalizer.
It nearly came half a dozen times, but Cougars goalkeeper and Chicagoland Soccer’s Man of the Match Eric Fischer refused to give up the lead.
With four minutes remaining in the game, the Tigers won a free kick a few yards outside the 18. James Thompson’s blast rang off the crossbar before Fischer made a diving save to preserve the lead on a redirected ball.
Fischer said he didn’t fully see the shot and just reacted to this situation. The Cougars back line bent but refused to break all afternoon, earning them praise.
“We knew they were going to come at us with high pressure, and one of the things that we work on a lot and like to take pride in is our team defending,” Fischer said. “We just held together in the back, communicated well and kept solid on the marks to get the good result.”
Dynamic Plainfield North forward Austin Collier was frustrated with himself and the result after the team’s perfect start to the season but said the adversity his side experienced in the loss will help in the long run.
“That was probably one of the hardest things, knowing I’m a forward and I didn’t do my job,” Collier said. “Words can’t explain how mad I am right now.
"We came out thinking that we were going to win. We came out knowing that it was going to be a battle that we could win but we think that we just need to work our butts off to win the rest of the season. We just have to think that it’s been half the season, so one loss shouldn’t put our heads down.”
Plainfield North coach Mike Skupien wasn’t pleased with the field conditions but gave his opposition credit. He didn’t rule out the potential for another match between the two sides.
“The whole game was going to be the ball bouncing,” Skupien said. “It was going to be won or lost on a set piece. Give them a lot of credit; they’ve got good players. Both teams created the same amount of chances in the game. If both teams end up going far, I could definitely see ourselves playing those guys again at some point.”
With high expectations after winning the Southwest Prairie Conference last year, the start to the season has been magical for the Tigers. Skupien said the defeat should strengthen his team’s resolve.
“Having some adversity at some point in the season probably is a good thing to see how we respond to it on Thursday," he said. "They’re upset, but what they do, how they respond to it, we’ll see what happens.”
For Plainfield South, the win added to an impressive start that includes big wins over Lincoln-Way Central and Lincoln-Way East, as well as a tie against Bolingbrook. The Cougars' only loss came on Aug. 28 at Naperville Central.
Coach Dave Brown said those matches have prepared his side for the grueling nature of conference play, particularly against top competition like Plainfield North.
“Absolutely I think the big games against Naperville Central, Lincoln-Way Central, Bolingbrook, all those better teams in the area (help), and that’s why we play them -- to give preparation when we play conference games,” Brown said. "Every conference game is a battle. It doesn’t matter what the overall records are.
"When you get on the field and you have the conference game title in front of it, everybody’s emotions get a little bit higher and everybody brings their best efforts and best games.
“In terms of those games building our confidence, I think we’ve been a confident group from the beginning. I think what they’ve learned is that we can compete with anyone. They know a lot of the guys on the other team and how good a start they’ve had and what they did last year. We knew this was a good opportunity for us on our home field. We’ve been playing well and we found a way to win today.”
Like Fischer, Burt attributed the team’s success to its team defense and said the Cougars will go as far as that carries them this season.
“A lot of these tough conference games and later on in the state playoffs, they’re going to come down to one-, two-goal wins. We just need to make sure we keep our defense in shape,” Burt said. “That’s our biggest quality this season, our team defense. We have a lot of older guys in the back who have a lot of experience, and that’s what’s going to be the driving force the rest of the season.”
Starting lineups
Plainfield North
G-Cade Fink
D-Ethan Barangan
D-Alex Lynch
M-Zachary Barangan
M-Jake Farley
M-Mitchell Rathbun
M-Jordan Schure
M-James Thompson
F-Austin Collier
F-Austin Hansen
F-Nicholas Anweiler
Plainfield South
G-Eric Fischer
D-Michael Santillo
D-Anthony Hernandez
D-Chase Cleaseby
M-Diego De Urquijo Fernandez
M-Colin Marmoll
M-Dominic Nirchi
M-Adam Burt
M-Parker Gallt
M-Dominick Skrip
F-Michael Decker
Referees: Jim Broderick, Mitch Hake, Alex Alvarado
Man of the Match: Eric Fischer, Plainfield South