Streamwood dismantles
Niles West in Pepsi opener
Sosa leads Sabres' prolific scoring attack in 7-1 rout
By Mike Garofola
LA GRANGE -- Streamwood waltzed into the second round of the 14th PepsiCo Showdown after cruising past Niles West 7-1 Saturday morning.
Donnie Sosa scored two wonderful first half goals as the Sabres asserted themselves against an undermanned Wolves side. Niles West was playing without its fine sophomore keeper Carlos Lome and two others from its first 11, which Matt Polovin's club took full advantage of from the opening whistle.
"It's tough going at it whenever you're missing a few of your starters, especially your keeper, but I think even if (Niles West) had its full compliment, we still would have had the best of the them today after the way we played," said the Sabres coach. Polovin's club will travel to No. 5 Libertyville on Tuesday as the tournament continues.
Niles West coach Scott Ackman thought his team's manpower shortage may have made the difference.
"You saw Carlos (Lome) when we played Prospect in our season opener, so you know how much we lean on him and how important he is to this team," he said. "But he wasn't the reason we lost today. It was a total breakdown along the back, and our inability to get forward and generate any kind of attack that really did us in."
Niles West (2-4-2) lost Lome last Thursday when the sophomore was sent off during the early stages of the Wolves' 4-1 loss to Central Suburban League rival Niles North.
Sosa put the Sabres ahead just four minutes into this chilly tournament opener when the Wolves failed to defend a throw-in deep in its own end. Alan Camarena quickly put his teammate through with a defense-shredding crossfield serve, and Sosa did the rest -- drawing junior goalkeeper Pujan Patel far off his line -- before steering in his fourth goal of the year.
Polovin was none too happy about what transpired after the Sosa strike, as he watched his backline suffer a communication breakdown to allow Denis Soldo to find the equalizer less than 60 seconds after the Sabres' opening goal.
"There were so many bright spots in this game, but that particular sequence was not something that I want to see," Polovin said. "You cannot give away opportunities like that, and when we play an even more important match, a quality team will just punish you for that kind of mental mistake."
Sosa would put his club back in front for good in the eighth minute with a searing drive from the right side, then watch Camarena, when at the tail end of some rampant attacking soccer, finish past a helpless Patel. The Niles West goalkeeper just moments earlier did well to turn away a Sosa blast.
"We've had a little trouble scoring lately, especially the other day when we lost to 2-0 to Batavia, so it was good to see us come out, create chances and finish them like we did in the first half," said Sosa, who would earn Chicagoland Soccer's Man of the Match honors for his two-goal, one-assist day, as well as some terrific play up top all throughout alongside Camarena.
The Sabres midfield quartet of Edwin Rueda, Marcus Rojo, Rafael Gil and Christian Balbino had far too much pace and energy for their counterparts, which in turn helped keep the pressure on the Wolves all throughout a miserable first period.
Sosa and his mates would add to the Wolves misery with a steady stream of one-way traffic, which ended sensationally for Blerim Shabani. The Streamwood substitute recorded a hat trick, beginning in the 23rd minute and ending just seconds before intermission to give the Sabres (5-2-1) a 6-1 advantage at the break.
"It was nice to see guys like Blerim come off the bench and contribute like he did, as well as others when we finally brought a few of our starters off for good in the second half," Polovin said.
The Sabres continued to dominate the play after intermission, and would finish off the Wolves for good in the 76th minute with Jasminko Dizdarevic finding the back of the net after Camarena helped set up the junior.
"This has been (Nestor Ascencio's) team the past couple of years, and he was the guy we counted on to score and create," Sosa said. "But now that he's gone, it means more of us have to take over and do the things he did out there."
Ascencio, now playing at Dominican University in River Forest, was a two-time all-state player for the Sabres.
"I think today you saw us physically and mentally come ready to play, and if we continue to play that way, it will more than make up for the loss of Nestor," Sosa said.
Polovin added, "It was a good team win for us, and obviously a great way to start the tournament. I like the PepsiCo because it gives us a chance to play teams we never would, while giving my guys the chance to be seen by college coaches on the two Saturdays we play here in La Grange."
Starting lineups
Niles West
Pujan Patel (GK)
Kevin Sanchez (D)
Mario Bajric (D)
Steve Ivezic (D)
Emin Ademi (D)
Edgar Rodriguez (MF)
Anthony Morales (MF)
Nick Dallas (MF)
Mario Ljubic (MF)
Denis Soldo (F)
Antwan Mousa (F)
Streamwood
Sergio Blanco (GK)
Aaron Villegas (D)
Mike Delaney (D)
Erie Ortiz (D)
Rafael Gil (MF)
Christian Balbino (MF)
Edwin Rueda (MF)
Marcos Rojo (MF)
Donnie Sosa (F)
Alan Camarena (F)
Man of the Match: Donnie Sosa, Streamwood.
Referee: Humberto Ramirez.
Niles West in Pepsi opener
Sosa leads Sabres' prolific scoring attack in 7-1 rout
By Mike Garofola
LA GRANGE -- Streamwood waltzed into the second round of the 14th PepsiCo Showdown after cruising past Niles West 7-1 Saturday morning.
Donnie Sosa scored two wonderful first half goals as the Sabres asserted themselves against an undermanned Wolves side. Niles West was playing without its fine sophomore keeper Carlos Lome and two others from its first 11, which Matt Polovin's club took full advantage of from the opening whistle.
"It's tough going at it whenever you're missing a few of your starters, especially your keeper, but I think even if (Niles West) had its full compliment, we still would have had the best of the them today after the way we played," said the Sabres coach. Polovin's club will travel to No. 5 Libertyville on Tuesday as the tournament continues.
Niles West coach Scott Ackman thought his team's manpower shortage may have made the difference.
"You saw Carlos (Lome) when we played Prospect in our season opener, so you know how much we lean on him and how important he is to this team," he said. "But he wasn't the reason we lost today. It was a total breakdown along the back, and our inability to get forward and generate any kind of attack that really did us in."
Niles West (2-4-2) lost Lome last Thursday when the sophomore was sent off during the early stages of the Wolves' 4-1 loss to Central Suburban League rival Niles North.
Sosa put the Sabres ahead just four minutes into this chilly tournament opener when the Wolves failed to defend a throw-in deep in its own end. Alan Camarena quickly put his teammate through with a defense-shredding crossfield serve, and Sosa did the rest -- drawing junior goalkeeper Pujan Patel far off his line -- before steering in his fourth goal of the year.
Polovin was none too happy about what transpired after the Sosa strike, as he watched his backline suffer a communication breakdown to allow Denis Soldo to find the equalizer less than 60 seconds after the Sabres' opening goal.
"There were so many bright spots in this game, but that particular sequence was not something that I want to see," Polovin said. "You cannot give away opportunities like that, and when we play an even more important match, a quality team will just punish you for that kind of mental mistake."
Sosa would put his club back in front for good in the eighth minute with a searing drive from the right side, then watch Camarena, when at the tail end of some rampant attacking soccer, finish past a helpless Patel. The Niles West goalkeeper just moments earlier did well to turn away a Sosa blast.
"We've had a little trouble scoring lately, especially the other day when we lost to 2-0 to Batavia, so it was good to see us come out, create chances and finish them like we did in the first half," said Sosa, who would earn Chicagoland Soccer's Man of the Match honors for his two-goal, one-assist day, as well as some terrific play up top all throughout alongside Camarena.
The Sabres midfield quartet of Edwin Rueda, Marcus Rojo, Rafael Gil and Christian Balbino had far too much pace and energy for their counterparts, which in turn helped keep the pressure on the Wolves all throughout a miserable first period.
Sosa and his mates would add to the Wolves misery with a steady stream of one-way traffic, which ended sensationally for Blerim Shabani. The Streamwood substitute recorded a hat trick, beginning in the 23rd minute and ending just seconds before intermission to give the Sabres (5-2-1) a 6-1 advantage at the break.
"It was nice to see guys like Blerim come off the bench and contribute like he did, as well as others when we finally brought a few of our starters off for good in the second half," Polovin said.
The Sabres continued to dominate the play after intermission, and would finish off the Wolves for good in the 76th minute with Jasminko Dizdarevic finding the back of the net after Camarena helped set up the junior.
"This has been (Nestor Ascencio's) team the past couple of years, and he was the guy we counted on to score and create," Sosa said. "But now that he's gone, it means more of us have to take over and do the things he did out there."
Ascencio, now playing at Dominican University in River Forest, was a two-time all-state player for the Sabres.
"I think today you saw us physically and mentally come ready to play, and if we continue to play that way, it will more than make up for the loss of Nestor," Sosa said.
Polovin added, "It was a good team win for us, and obviously a great way to start the tournament. I like the PepsiCo because it gives us a chance to play teams we never would, while giving my guys the chance to be seen by college coaches on the two Saturdays we play here in La Grange."
Starting lineups
Niles West
Pujan Patel (GK)
Kevin Sanchez (D)
Mario Bajric (D)
Steve Ivezic (D)
Emin Ademi (D)
Edgar Rodriguez (MF)
Anthony Morales (MF)
Nick Dallas (MF)
Mario Ljubic (MF)
Denis Soldo (F)
Antwan Mousa (F)
Streamwood
Sergio Blanco (GK)
Aaron Villegas (D)
Mike Delaney (D)
Erie Ortiz (D)
Rafael Gil (MF)
Christian Balbino (MF)
Edwin Rueda (MF)
Marcos Rojo (MF)
Donnie Sosa (F)
Alan Camarena (F)
Man of the Match: Donnie Sosa, Streamwood.
Referee: Humberto Ramirez.