Streamwood no match
for unbeaten Normal
Early deficit and red card prove too much to overcome for Sabres
By Mike Garofola
HOFFMAN ESTATES -- State powerhouse Normal fired in two first half strikes, then benefitted from a red card in the 48th minute against Streamwood to win 4-0 Friday night and advance to the Class 3A championship.
The loss put coach Matt Polovin's Sabres (17-6-2) into the third-place match at 5 p.m. Saturday against his alma mater, Fremd, which lost last Saturday night to Hinsdale Central, 2-1.
"We lost our top defender, Christian (Balbino), with that red card, one that none of us agrees with, but with that said, we lost to a better team tonight, and that's something you cannot take away from Normal," said the Sabres coach. Polovin also saw assistant coach Martin Khoshaba sent off when he continued his sideline argument with officials long after center official Chris Rudolph gave Balbino a straight red after a shoving match between Balbino and Normal goalkeeper Josh Millmore. The dustup came as the two clubs set up for a Sabres corner.
"Their keeper and I were each pushing each other's hands off of each other," Balbino said. "Then all of a sudden he went down, and the official on our side put up his flag, and the center official and he had a meeting. Then I was gone."
Balbino had a difficult time keeping his emotions in check when describing the 48th-minute sequence, which will force the Sabres captain to miss Saturday's contest with Fremd.
"I won't be playing in my final high school game today, and I still don't know really why," he said. "But what's done is done."
The Sabres began brightly enough, controlling possession in the early stages. Their all-state midfielder, Alan Camarena, and Donnie Sosa were both influential during the first quarter-hour against the nationally ranked Ironmen, now 23-0-2.
"I cannot say enough about the way we came out, and in particular, with the way Donnie played on one leg," Polovin said. "It just shows the heart that kid has, as well as our team for not hanging their heads and giving in once we went down a man early in that second half."
Sosa injured his knee during the Sabres' stunning 2-1 victory over Lake Park on Tuesday night at the Barrington Supersectional to secure its first-ever state appearance.
Even though the Sabres enjoyed the run of play in the first 15 minutes, it was the Ironmen who looked more dangerous. Normal played in a 4-5-1 formation, targeting its top scorer, Eddie Pleasha, up top, while playing through its terrific CMF, Mason Maier, who would lead a big and strong unit running out of the middle for Normal.
"We knew coming in that Streamwood liked to possess and that they could get forward quickly in their attack, but I thought we did a good job of limiting their touches and getting anything too serious on Josh, our keeper," said the senior Maier, who earned Man of the Match honors from Chicagoland Soccer.
The Sabres' failure to defend dead balls in their own end would spell disaster when Alex Gordon slipped inside to finish a long throw past a diving Sergio Blanco in the 23rd minute.
From there it got worse. Seven minutes later, Meier thumped his header past Blanco from 6 yards when Connor Oltman's well-struck free kick fell freely inside the box --leaving Blanco with little chance of stopping the 6-foot-3 Maier.
"We've defended so well this season, but those two goals were from some uncharactistic play from our guys in the back," Polovin admitted.
The Sabres would be a man down for the next 32 minutes following Balbino's expulsion, but Polovin's club, much to its credit, responded with a nice spell of play and pressure on the Ironmen afterward.
Jasminko Dizdarevic nearly beat Normal's high line to collect Edwin Rueda's lovely ball over the top, but the assistant referee correctly raised his flag for the offsides.
Despite having most of the possession, the Sabres would soon find itself chasing three goals when Ryan Woodside finished a Plesha helper in the 53rd minute. Plesha would later bag his 38th with a superb piece of individual football to finish the scoring in the 75th minute.
"Normal was just a little too big, strong and relentless for us today," Polovin explained. "We worked hard after that red card and didn't let down, but that third goal just about did us in, and that was about it for us.
"We never really could get anything dangerous to penetrate their big backline in order to get something on frame, but it wasn't for lack of effort.
"We're here for the first time in program history, and we're all proud of what we've accomplished, regardless of the result, or even tomorrow. These guys have proved a lot to themselves, and our school, and that is something they will always have."
Starting lineups
Streamwood
GK Sergio Blanco
D Christian Balbino
D Mike Delaney
D Eric Ortiz
D Rafael Gill
MF Blerim Shabani
MF Edwin Rueda
MF Alex Herrera
MF Donnie Sosa
F Alan Camarena
F Jasminko Dizdarevic
Normal
GK Josh Millmore
D Connor Oltman
D Josh Schapmire
D Jack Watt
D Chris Tanton
MF Dalton Bruso
MF Ryan Woodside
MF Mason Maier
MF Riley Hutchison
MF Brandon Lam
F Eddie Plesha
Man of the Match: Mason Maier, Normal
Officials: Chris Rudolph (center), John Vargo, Richard Goldberg, Mairo Castillo (4th)
for unbeaten Normal
Early deficit and red card prove too much to overcome for Sabres
By Mike Garofola
HOFFMAN ESTATES -- State powerhouse Normal fired in two first half strikes, then benefitted from a red card in the 48th minute against Streamwood to win 4-0 Friday night and advance to the Class 3A championship.
The loss put coach Matt Polovin's Sabres (17-6-2) into the third-place match at 5 p.m. Saturday against his alma mater, Fremd, which lost last Saturday night to Hinsdale Central, 2-1.
"We lost our top defender, Christian (Balbino), with that red card, one that none of us agrees with, but with that said, we lost to a better team tonight, and that's something you cannot take away from Normal," said the Sabres coach. Polovin also saw assistant coach Martin Khoshaba sent off when he continued his sideline argument with officials long after center official Chris Rudolph gave Balbino a straight red after a shoving match between Balbino and Normal goalkeeper Josh Millmore. The dustup came as the two clubs set up for a Sabres corner.
"Their keeper and I were each pushing each other's hands off of each other," Balbino said. "Then all of a sudden he went down, and the official on our side put up his flag, and the center official and he had a meeting. Then I was gone."
Balbino had a difficult time keeping his emotions in check when describing the 48th-minute sequence, which will force the Sabres captain to miss Saturday's contest with Fremd.
"I won't be playing in my final high school game today, and I still don't know really why," he said. "But what's done is done."
The Sabres began brightly enough, controlling possession in the early stages. Their all-state midfielder, Alan Camarena, and Donnie Sosa were both influential during the first quarter-hour against the nationally ranked Ironmen, now 23-0-2.
"I cannot say enough about the way we came out, and in particular, with the way Donnie played on one leg," Polovin said. "It just shows the heart that kid has, as well as our team for not hanging their heads and giving in once we went down a man early in that second half."
Sosa injured his knee during the Sabres' stunning 2-1 victory over Lake Park on Tuesday night at the Barrington Supersectional to secure its first-ever state appearance.
Even though the Sabres enjoyed the run of play in the first 15 minutes, it was the Ironmen who looked more dangerous. Normal played in a 4-5-1 formation, targeting its top scorer, Eddie Pleasha, up top, while playing through its terrific CMF, Mason Maier, who would lead a big and strong unit running out of the middle for Normal.
"We knew coming in that Streamwood liked to possess and that they could get forward quickly in their attack, but I thought we did a good job of limiting their touches and getting anything too serious on Josh, our keeper," said the senior Maier, who earned Man of the Match honors from Chicagoland Soccer.
The Sabres' failure to defend dead balls in their own end would spell disaster when Alex Gordon slipped inside to finish a long throw past a diving Sergio Blanco in the 23rd minute.
From there it got worse. Seven minutes later, Meier thumped his header past Blanco from 6 yards when Connor Oltman's well-struck free kick fell freely inside the box --leaving Blanco with little chance of stopping the 6-foot-3 Maier.
"We've defended so well this season, but those two goals were from some uncharactistic play from our guys in the back," Polovin admitted.
The Sabres would be a man down for the next 32 minutes following Balbino's expulsion, but Polovin's club, much to its credit, responded with a nice spell of play and pressure on the Ironmen afterward.
Jasminko Dizdarevic nearly beat Normal's high line to collect Edwin Rueda's lovely ball over the top, but the assistant referee correctly raised his flag for the offsides.
Despite having most of the possession, the Sabres would soon find itself chasing three goals when Ryan Woodside finished a Plesha helper in the 53rd minute. Plesha would later bag his 38th with a superb piece of individual football to finish the scoring in the 75th minute.
"Normal was just a little too big, strong and relentless for us today," Polovin explained. "We worked hard after that red card and didn't let down, but that third goal just about did us in, and that was about it for us.
"We never really could get anything dangerous to penetrate their big backline in order to get something on frame, but it wasn't for lack of effort.
"We're here for the first time in program history, and we're all proud of what we've accomplished, regardless of the result, or even tomorrow. These guys have proved a lot to themselves, and our school, and that is something they will always have."
Starting lineups
Streamwood
GK Sergio Blanco
D Christian Balbino
D Mike Delaney
D Eric Ortiz
D Rafael Gill
MF Blerim Shabani
MF Edwin Rueda
MF Alex Herrera
MF Donnie Sosa
F Alan Camarena
F Jasminko Dizdarevic
Normal
GK Josh Millmore
D Connor Oltman
D Josh Schapmire
D Jack Watt
D Chris Tanton
MF Dalton Bruso
MF Ryan Woodside
MF Mason Maier
MF Riley Hutchison
MF Brandon Lam
F Eddie Plesha
Man of the Match: Mason Maier, Normal
Officials: Chris Rudolph (center), John Vargo, Richard Goldberg, Mairo Castillo (4th)