Plainfield South scores
historic win over Oswego East
Cougars claim 1st conference title
By Steve Nemeth
OSWEGO – “It’s great to know our team will be up there forever.”
That was what Adam Burt said through the smile of satisfaction on his face following Plainfield South’s 5-1 victory at Oswego East.
The triumph gave the Cougars their first Southwest Prairie Conference championship in soccer, earning Burt and his 2014 teammates a banner in the school’s gymnasium.
Host Oswego East entered its regular season and home finale with the opportunity to force a three-way tie for the title with its opponent plus Plainfield North, but Plainfield South was simply too determined.
Within the opening minute, sharpshooter Parker Gallt and Dominick Skrip both had shots requiring saves by Oswego East goalie Jake Leonard. At 9:12, the Cougars weren’t to be denied. Colin Marmoll’s textbook cross led to a missile launched off Burt’s forehead. It was the first of two goals by Burt that led to his selection as Chicagoland Soccer’s Man of the Match.
“Once I saw Colin loading up for a cross I knew to get to the back post and simply put my head through the ball,” Burt explained. “Yes, we practice those every day, but the real thing in a game is a feeling beyond compare. I knew exactly where that (shot) was headed.”
And that got Plainfield South headed in the direction of boosting its season record to 14-3-1 and the 6-1 SPC ledger that left Plainfield North second (5-2) and the Wolves (7-11-1, 4-3) sharing third place.
Only 2:24 elapsed before the Cougars doubled their lead on a 20-yard direct free kick off the foot of Parker Gallt. Another four minutes led to a series of attacks by Plainfield South. The Wolves’ inability to clear the ball proved costly as Gallt pounced on a loose ball and connected on a nine-yarder from the middle.
With 15:51 left before halftime, Rocco Del Real’s corner kick became an assist for Burt’s second header of the match and his eighth goal of the season.
“We came out and played our best soccer of the year in the first 20-25 minutes,” Plainfield South coach Dave Brown said. “Scoring early put the pressure on their keeper and things kind of snowballed on them.”
Brown's counterpart on the other bench was impressed.
“They definitely wanted this one more,” Oswego East coach Steve Szymanski added. “I was very impressed with their attack, they’ve got a lot of seniors and the two captains up top (Gallt and Burt) are very, very good.”
The Wolves’ didn’t get a shot on goal until 10:52 was left prior to halftime, but they made it count. The narrow angle shot from the right side by James Jones had enough spin to rifle across the back netting.
“Another friend of mine who is a forward always tells me to try that angle if the defense figures you can’t make it, so I let that one rip,” Jones said. “It felt great seeing it go in, but it’s a little hard to celebrate that when you see the final score.”
The goal worried Plainfield South's coach.
“I was a little disappointed we let one in because you don’t want any opponent to gain momentum,” Brown said. “That’s why (Michael) Decker had such a huge goal to start the second half.”
Yet another of the Cougars’ 13 seniors, Decker notched his seventh goal of the season by eluding a defender and hitting the unassisted strike just 52 seconds into the final 40 minutes.
“Coach stressed to us at halftime to set the tone early like we did at the start of the match,” Decker said. “Once I got the ball, I got a good touch to dribble past a defender and then simply took the shot. So many of us have been playing together since our freshman year, it’s great to get the school’s first (soccer) title as seniors.”
Regardless of what happens in the postseason, Brown was positive the current group has set a school record for fewest goals allowed during the regular season.
“Our whole back line – Michael (Santillo), Anthony (Hernandez), Colin (Marmoll) and Benjamin (Graunke) – has played some phenomenal soccer, and this match was another example,” Brown said. “We told the players and their parents afterward, when they’re much older, and I’m probably in a wheelchair by then, we can take pride in this being the first (conference soccer crown) in our school history.”
Plainfield South now has to refocus for Tuesday’s 7 p.m. semifinal of the Naperville North Regional. The Cougars, seeded fifth within the 19-school Bolingbrook Sectional structure, take on 12-seed Bolingbrook with the aim of advancing to the regional title match against either four-seed North or 13-seed Marmion Academy.
Oswego East needs to regroup sooner as the 14th-seeded Wolves host an 11 a.m. play-in game Saturday as part of the Geneva Regional. A win over 19-seed Yorkville earns a Tuesday 4:30 p.m. semifinal against three-seed Benet. The other semi pits the host and 11-seed Geneva against six-seed Plainfield North.
The Wolves will be ready.
“It’s always disappointing to lose, but you have to learn from your mistakes and look ahead to the next opportunity,” Wolves sophomore Victor Cuevas said. “We need to have more intensity right from the start.”
Szymanski is optimistic his team will earn a shot at a semifinal upset.
“Victor’s a good example of someone who wasn’t seeing the minutes he wanted early, but worked hard and continued to improve,” Szymanski said. “Spencer (Moriaty) in back never quits and never comes out regardless of how tough things get. James (Jones) scoring that goal showed just how hard he plays every single game. He’s the kind of guy that will run through a wall. If we can get that kind of intensity out of everyone, we’ll keep this season going.”
Starting lineups
Plainfield South
G Eric Fischer
D Chase Cleasby
D Colin Marmol
D Michael Santillo
D Anthony Hernandez
M Adam Burt
M Parker Gallt
M Diego De Urquijo Fernandez
M Benjamin Graunke
F Dominick Skrip
F Michael Decker
Oswego East
G Jake Leonard
D Arnold Arevalo
D Spencer Moriaty
D Austin Petsch
D Saul Hernandez
M Michael Waclaw
M Jesus Cepeda
M Tristen Stewart
M Victor Cuevas
F Sean Phetchanpheng
F James Jones
Man of the Match: Adam Burt, Plainfield South
Referees: Keith Angel, Miguel Chavez, Bryce Camm
historic win over Oswego East
Cougars claim 1st conference title
By Steve Nemeth
OSWEGO – “It’s great to know our team will be up there forever.”
That was what Adam Burt said through the smile of satisfaction on his face following Plainfield South’s 5-1 victory at Oswego East.
The triumph gave the Cougars their first Southwest Prairie Conference championship in soccer, earning Burt and his 2014 teammates a banner in the school’s gymnasium.
Host Oswego East entered its regular season and home finale with the opportunity to force a three-way tie for the title with its opponent plus Plainfield North, but Plainfield South was simply too determined.
Within the opening minute, sharpshooter Parker Gallt and Dominick Skrip both had shots requiring saves by Oswego East goalie Jake Leonard. At 9:12, the Cougars weren’t to be denied. Colin Marmoll’s textbook cross led to a missile launched off Burt’s forehead. It was the first of two goals by Burt that led to his selection as Chicagoland Soccer’s Man of the Match.
“Once I saw Colin loading up for a cross I knew to get to the back post and simply put my head through the ball,” Burt explained. “Yes, we practice those every day, but the real thing in a game is a feeling beyond compare. I knew exactly where that (shot) was headed.”
And that got Plainfield South headed in the direction of boosting its season record to 14-3-1 and the 6-1 SPC ledger that left Plainfield North second (5-2) and the Wolves (7-11-1, 4-3) sharing third place.
Only 2:24 elapsed before the Cougars doubled their lead on a 20-yard direct free kick off the foot of Parker Gallt. Another four minutes led to a series of attacks by Plainfield South. The Wolves’ inability to clear the ball proved costly as Gallt pounced on a loose ball and connected on a nine-yarder from the middle.
With 15:51 left before halftime, Rocco Del Real’s corner kick became an assist for Burt’s second header of the match and his eighth goal of the season.
“We came out and played our best soccer of the year in the first 20-25 minutes,” Plainfield South coach Dave Brown said. “Scoring early put the pressure on their keeper and things kind of snowballed on them.”
Brown's counterpart on the other bench was impressed.
“They definitely wanted this one more,” Oswego East coach Steve Szymanski added. “I was very impressed with their attack, they’ve got a lot of seniors and the two captains up top (Gallt and Burt) are very, very good.”
The Wolves’ didn’t get a shot on goal until 10:52 was left prior to halftime, but they made it count. The narrow angle shot from the right side by James Jones had enough spin to rifle across the back netting.
“Another friend of mine who is a forward always tells me to try that angle if the defense figures you can’t make it, so I let that one rip,” Jones said. “It felt great seeing it go in, but it’s a little hard to celebrate that when you see the final score.”
The goal worried Plainfield South's coach.
“I was a little disappointed we let one in because you don’t want any opponent to gain momentum,” Brown said. “That’s why (Michael) Decker had such a huge goal to start the second half.”
Yet another of the Cougars’ 13 seniors, Decker notched his seventh goal of the season by eluding a defender and hitting the unassisted strike just 52 seconds into the final 40 minutes.
“Coach stressed to us at halftime to set the tone early like we did at the start of the match,” Decker said. “Once I got the ball, I got a good touch to dribble past a defender and then simply took the shot. So many of us have been playing together since our freshman year, it’s great to get the school’s first (soccer) title as seniors.”
Regardless of what happens in the postseason, Brown was positive the current group has set a school record for fewest goals allowed during the regular season.
“Our whole back line – Michael (Santillo), Anthony (Hernandez), Colin (Marmoll) and Benjamin (Graunke) – has played some phenomenal soccer, and this match was another example,” Brown said. “We told the players and their parents afterward, when they’re much older, and I’m probably in a wheelchair by then, we can take pride in this being the first (conference soccer crown) in our school history.”
Plainfield South now has to refocus for Tuesday’s 7 p.m. semifinal of the Naperville North Regional. The Cougars, seeded fifth within the 19-school Bolingbrook Sectional structure, take on 12-seed Bolingbrook with the aim of advancing to the regional title match against either four-seed North or 13-seed Marmion Academy.
Oswego East needs to regroup sooner as the 14th-seeded Wolves host an 11 a.m. play-in game Saturday as part of the Geneva Regional. A win over 19-seed Yorkville earns a Tuesday 4:30 p.m. semifinal against three-seed Benet. The other semi pits the host and 11-seed Geneva against six-seed Plainfield North.
The Wolves will be ready.
“It’s always disappointing to lose, but you have to learn from your mistakes and look ahead to the next opportunity,” Wolves sophomore Victor Cuevas said. “We need to have more intensity right from the start.”
Szymanski is optimistic his team will earn a shot at a semifinal upset.
“Victor’s a good example of someone who wasn’t seeing the minutes he wanted early, but worked hard and continued to improve,” Szymanski said. “Spencer (Moriaty) in back never quits and never comes out regardless of how tough things get. James (Jones) scoring that goal showed just how hard he plays every single game. He’s the kind of guy that will run through a wall. If we can get that kind of intensity out of everyone, we’ll keep this season going.”
Starting lineups
Plainfield South
G Eric Fischer
D Chase Cleasby
D Colin Marmol
D Michael Santillo
D Anthony Hernandez
M Adam Burt
M Parker Gallt
M Diego De Urquijo Fernandez
M Benjamin Graunke
F Dominick Skrip
F Michael Decker
Oswego East
G Jake Leonard
D Arnold Arevalo
D Spencer Moriaty
D Austin Petsch
D Saul Hernandez
M Michael Waclaw
M Jesus Cepeda
M Tristen Stewart
M Victor Cuevas
F Sean Phetchanpheng
F James Jones
Man of the Match: Adam Burt, Plainfield South
Referees: Keith Angel, Miguel Chavez, Bryce Camm