Waukegan nips Deerfield
in tooth-and-nail battle
Late goal stands up as Bulldogs nab North Shore Shootout crown
By Ken Keenan
DEERFIELD -- Though the 2015 season is barely a week old, there was a lot on the line when Deerfield hosted Waukegan Tuesday night.
Both teams entered the match undefeated -- Deerfield standing at 4-0-0 and the Bulldogs bringing a 3-0-1 mark -- and considering it served as the championship game of the North Shore Shootout, the players knew there could be no draw.
Something had to give, and it finally did when Waukegan senior forward David Cervantes drilled a low shot past Deerfield junior goalkeeper Leo Kolodkin with 9:18 remaining in the second half. The Warriors pressed for the equalizer, but it never came, and the Bulldogs jumped for joy after the horn sounded to signal a hard-fought 1-0 win.
"It was a great game," said Waukegan head coach Peter Valdez. "There was a lot of emotion, and it could have gone either way. I hope we don't have to see Deerfield in the playoffs. But I love the way they play -- rough but clean -- and that just makes our guys play harder."
The game-winning tally was set up by junior forward Osvaldo Zarinara, who sent a through-ball from midfield to Cervantes. Racing in from the left side, Cervantes unleashed a left-footed laser from about 20 yards that beat Kolodkin inside the far post.
"I had a little time to look, and I just went with it," Cervantes said. "When it went in, I thought I was in a dream."
Bulldogs senior defender Kevin Galarza -- Chicagoland Soccer's Man of the Match -- said, "I had a perfect view from the back. (Cervantes is) a fast guy, and when (the ball) went in, I was smiling ... happy. To win this game is huge."
Possessing an absolute cannon of a shot, Galarza was the game's Godzilla. In the 13th minute, he rifled a screaming line drive on a 45-yard free kick that Kolodkin grabbed, and then nipped the crossbar on a blast with 18:20 left in the opening session. Galarza narrowly missed on another low rocket in the 27th minute, and he uncorked yet
another fireball on Kolodkin with 12:45 to go before the break. He also sent many a goal kick well past midfield with his powerful right foot.
"We feel confident every time he kicks it," Cervantes said.
Less than a minute after Cervantes found the back of the net, Deerfield nearly knotted the score when senior midfielder Matt Record fired a hard shot that Waukegan senior keeper Jose Mora stopped with a leaping, one-handed save. With 4:20 to go, Deerfield senior mid Nick Klabjan -- who had a nose for the ball all night -- blasted a 30-yard free kick on net. In the final minute, a Klabjan corner kick was deflected out of harm's way in front of Mora.
"It was a good battle ... a great, exciting game," said Deerfield coach Elliott Hurtig. "Their guy (Cervantes) made a nice shot, so you tip your cap. But we played well, with a lot of intensity. The result was not what we wanted, but I'm proud of the way the guys fought.
"Klabjan, he's got a motor and he never stops. He's got great vision, and he can split defenders and cause havoc. Waukegan did a great job of double-teaming him, but he still played an amazing game."
Klabjan said, "It was a great battle ... could have gone either way. They got a few shots and scored one (goal), and we got a few shots and didn't."
Warriors junior forward Matt Grady had a good chance in the 17th minute, popping a shot wide from 15 yards out past a charging Mora. With 36:15 left in the second half, Grady deflected a Klabjan shot on goal. Grady also headed a Klabjan pass on Mora in the 58th minute.
"It's just one of those games," Grady said. "I thought we dominated the second half. We were working our (butts) off and could have put one away. We have to get over this and come back. You've got to have a short memory, especially when you work hard and things don't go your way."
Klabjan stated, "You have to forget about it. It's one game out of many. There's a long way to go."
The majority of the match featured back-and-forth midfield play, with each team finding limited possession time in an ongoing fight for 50-50 balls.
"Waukegan controlled the ball in the air the first half, and then our guys wanted to win the ball in the air the second half," Hurtig said. "We had more energy and focus in the second half. If we keep doing that and finish our chances, we'll be tough to beat in this state."
Klabjan pointed to the team's long-term focus.
"If we play our best at the end, that's what counts," he said.
Waukegan secured its second-straight North Shore Shootout crown with the win.
"It means a lot," Galarza said. "Deerfield is good, fast. We knew it would be a tough game."
Hurtig concluded, "We're playing well, and the guys really support each other. It's our first loss, but the team is strong and will move forward in a positive direction."
Starting lineups
Waukegan
G: Jose Mora
D: Kevin Galarza
D: Israel Gallegos
D: Alexis Garcia
D: Andres Lomeli
M: Ivan Salgado
M: Noe Hernandez
M: Irving Garcia
F: David Carmona
F: Osvaldo Zarinana
F: Juan Ramirez
Deerfield
G: Leo Kolodkin
D: Evan Gerke
D: Will Schmetterer
D: Ari Patterson
D: Levi Goldstein
M: Matt Record
M: Nick Klabjan
M: Michael Such
F: Steven Shore
F: Matt Grady
F: Eli Perez
Man of the Match: Kevin Galarza, D, Waukegan
Officials: Mark Zivin, Brett Straley, Oleg Podtynov
in tooth-and-nail battle
Late goal stands up as Bulldogs nab North Shore Shootout crown
By Ken Keenan
DEERFIELD -- Though the 2015 season is barely a week old, there was a lot on the line when Deerfield hosted Waukegan Tuesday night.
Both teams entered the match undefeated -- Deerfield standing at 4-0-0 and the Bulldogs bringing a 3-0-1 mark -- and considering it served as the championship game of the North Shore Shootout, the players knew there could be no draw.
Something had to give, and it finally did when Waukegan senior forward David Cervantes drilled a low shot past Deerfield junior goalkeeper Leo Kolodkin with 9:18 remaining in the second half. The Warriors pressed for the equalizer, but it never came, and the Bulldogs jumped for joy after the horn sounded to signal a hard-fought 1-0 win.
"It was a great game," said Waukegan head coach Peter Valdez. "There was a lot of emotion, and it could have gone either way. I hope we don't have to see Deerfield in the playoffs. But I love the way they play -- rough but clean -- and that just makes our guys play harder."
The game-winning tally was set up by junior forward Osvaldo Zarinara, who sent a through-ball from midfield to Cervantes. Racing in from the left side, Cervantes unleashed a left-footed laser from about 20 yards that beat Kolodkin inside the far post.
"I had a little time to look, and I just went with it," Cervantes said. "When it went in, I thought I was in a dream."
Bulldogs senior defender Kevin Galarza -- Chicagoland Soccer's Man of the Match -- said, "I had a perfect view from the back. (Cervantes is) a fast guy, and when (the ball) went in, I was smiling ... happy. To win this game is huge."
Possessing an absolute cannon of a shot, Galarza was the game's Godzilla. In the 13th minute, he rifled a screaming line drive on a 45-yard free kick that Kolodkin grabbed, and then nipped the crossbar on a blast with 18:20 left in the opening session. Galarza narrowly missed on another low rocket in the 27th minute, and he uncorked yet
another fireball on Kolodkin with 12:45 to go before the break. He also sent many a goal kick well past midfield with his powerful right foot.
"We feel confident every time he kicks it," Cervantes said.
Less than a minute after Cervantes found the back of the net, Deerfield nearly knotted the score when senior midfielder Matt Record fired a hard shot that Waukegan senior keeper Jose Mora stopped with a leaping, one-handed save. With 4:20 to go, Deerfield senior mid Nick Klabjan -- who had a nose for the ball all night -- blasted a 30-yard free kick on net. In the final minute, a Klabjan corner kick was deflected out of harm's way in front of Mora.
"It was a good battle ... a great, exciting game," said Deerfield coach Elliott Hurtig. "Their guy (Cervantes) made a nice shot, so you tip your cap. But we played well, with a lot of intensity. The result was not what we wanted, but I'm proud of the way the guys fought.
"Klabjan, he's got a motor and he never stops. He's got great vision, and he can split defenders and cause havoc. Waukegan did a great job of double-teaming him, but he still played an amazing game."
Klabjan said, "It was a great battle ... could have gone either way. They got a few shots and scored one (goal), and we got a few shots and didn't."
Warriors junior forward Matt Grady had a good chance in the 17th minute, popping a shot wide from 15 yards out past a charging Mora. With 36:15 left in the second half, Grady deflected a Klabjan shot on goal. Grady also headed a Klabjan pass on Mora in the 58th minute.
"It's just one of those games," Grady said. "I thought we dominated the second half. We were working our (butts) off and could have put one away. We have to get over this and come back. You've got to have a short memory, especially when you work hard and things don't go your way."
Klabjan stated, "You have to forget about it. It's one game out of many. There's a long way to go."
The majority of the match featured back-and-forth midfield play, with each team finding limited possession time in an ongoing fight for 50-50 balls.
"Waukegan controlled the ball in the air the first half, and then our guys wanted to win the ball in the air the second half," Hurtig said. "We had more energy and focus in the second half. If we keep doing that and finish our chances, we'll be tough to beat in this state."
Klabjan pointed to the team's long-term focus.
"If we play our best at the end, that's what counts," he said.
Waukegan secured its second-straight North Shore Shootout crown with the win.
"It means a lot," Galarza said. "Deerfield is good, fast. We knew it would be a tough game."
Hurtig concluded, "We're playing well, and the guys really support each other. It's our first loss, but the team is strong and will move forward in a positive direction."
Starting lineups
Waukegan
G: Jose Mora
D: Kevin Galarza
D: Israel Gallegos
D: Alexis Garcia
D: Andres Lomeli
M: Ivan Salgado
M: Noe Hernandez
M: Irving Garcia
F: David Carmona
F: Osvaldo Zarinana
F: Juan Ramirez
Deerfield
G: Leo Kolodkin
D: Evan Gerke
D: Will Schmetterer
D: Ari Patterson
D: Levi Goldstein
M: Matt Record
M: Nick Klabjan
M: Michael Such
F: Steven Shore
F: Matt Grady
F: Eli Perez
Man of the Match: Kevin Galarza, D, Waukegan
Officials: Mark Zivin, Brett Straley, Oleg Podtynov