Addison Trail strikes early,
knocks off no. 1 Lyons
Blazers shut out hands Lions 1st loss of the season
By Steve Millar
WESTERN SPRINGS – Addison Trail followed a classic recipe to take down Chicagoland Soccer’s top-ranked team Saturday: get an early goal and then hold on.
Anthony Hernandez scored off a well-placed free kick from distance from Angel Gomez in the 11th minute and Addison Trail made it hold up, giving the host Lyons 1-0 their first loss of the season in a West Suburban Conference cross-over.
“It’s a statement on our team,” Hernandez said. “We were not ranked. I know after this game that everybody is going be talking about us. We’re going to stay humble and keep moving forward and keep winning games.”
The Blazers (4-2-1) fought off some early pressure from Lyons (5-1-0) before stunning the home side with the set piece strike.
Gomez, a senior defender, took the free kick 65 yards from goal and crushed a long ball into the box. Hernandez ran onto it and smashed a header over the outstretched hands of Lyons goalkeeper Johnathan Laczynski and into the top of the net.
“It was a free kick from all the way in the back,” Hernandez said. “I knew Angel would try to hit it at the PK spot. I saw it going over to the right because of the wind. The defenders were right in front of me, but I backed away from them and got an angle. The keeper came out, but he couldn’t make the save.
“It was amazing, especially to get the first goal. It definitely changed (Lyons’) mentality. We carried that momentum all the way to the end.”
Gomez, named Chicagoland Soccer’s Man of the Match for his efforts on defense as well as the pivotal assist, was confident he could threaten the Lyons defense with his free kick, even from so far out.
“I take all the set pieces, and our guys know I can put a dangerous ball in from far back,” he said. “If I put a dangerous ball in, one of my teammates is going to put the ball in the back of the net.
“I’ve been playing soccer for almost 13 years and training every day, and that’s what makes my leg muscles stronger to be able to hit those long kicks.”
Gomez knows Hernandez is a dependable target.
“I knew I was going to look for Tony,” he said. “He’s amazing on set pieces. I knew if I could put the ball in the right spot, he’d be challenging for that ball. He went up and got it and put it in the back of the net.”
Addison Trail coach Ryan Dini saw the goal as a well-earned turn of fortunes.
“Angel can put in a dangerous ball from just about anywhere on the field,” he said. “We were due one of those. Our last game (a 3-2 win over Hinsdale South), I think we hit the post five or six times.”
While the Blazers were elated, Lyons was stunned.
“We created some chances in those first 10 minute; and I felt like if we could have got one there, it could have been a different game,” Lyons coach Paul Labbato said. “But then they got the first goal instead.
“Their kid got up, made a great play, caught everyone by surprise.”
Addison Trail had the lead, but still had nearly 70 minutes to hold off the high-powered Lyons squad.
“We shocked them with that goal, but we knew they knew they had to come back; and they would be pushing hard,” Gomez said. “We knew if we stayed compact and everyone did their own role, we would keep the clean-sheet. We needed it.”
Lyons tested Addison Trail goalkeeper Mateo Gomez a few times.
In the 35th minute, John Swicionis hit a well-struck free kick from 25 yards. The low liner forced Mateo Gomez to get down for the catch.
The Lions’ Jackson Sullivan had a great chance moments later, firing just wide from the top of the box after an extended offensive push.
In the second half, Lyons controlled possession throughout but put just two shots on goal. Ryan Herchenroether drove down the left sideline and fired a tough-angle shot that Mateo Gomez caught in the 43rd minute.
The Lions’ last great chance came off a deep throw with just under 17 minutes to go. The ball was knocked around the box several times before finding its way to Swicionis, whose quick shot was again stopped by Mateo Gomez.
Lyons was just off the mark on a couple other high-quality chances, with Aiden Hilling and Tommy Slusarczyk firing shots high.
Otherwise, Addison Trail was successful at limiting good looks. Angel Gomez, Marcus Baciu, Uriel Bibiano and David Peters were all strong on the backline.
“We were ready for it,” Angel Gomez said. “We knew in the second half that they were going to change their mindset. They didn’t want to lose. They wanted to keep that no. 1 ranking. We knew they were going to be desperate for a goal. We just kept communicating, and we kept that shutout.”
Peters made a huge play in the 63rd minute. Jack Luttrell, a tall, physical forward for the Lions, broke into the box and was close to having a clean look at the net before Peters clamped down and knocked the ball away.
“The backline played so tough,” Dini said. “They were winning a lot of balls. Mateo was ready when we needed him.
“This one obviously means a lot, beating a team that hadn’t lost yet. We showed that we’re making improvements with our team and our program. I’m just really proud of our guys.”
Mateo Gomez finished with four saves.
Laczynski made two saves for the Lyons defense, which didn’t face much pressure after the opening goal.
“They’re a quality team,” Labbato said of Addison Trail. “They’re very good. We were under the gun the whole way. We had three defenders out and other guys shifting into different positions.
“Our set piece defending was a little disoriented by guys being in different spots.”
Labbato said there was some concern about playing this game coming off an emotional 1-0 win over rival Hinsdale Central two days earlier.
“Our sophomore coach even said to watch out for the ‘Hinsdale letdown’ that next game,” Labbato said. “We knew that next game could be a trap game for us, and it looks like we fell into that trap.
“Soccer is a funny sport. You have a lot of chances and don’t put any away. The other team only has a couple chances and scores one. That’s the way it goes sometimes.”
Lyons was left looking to regroup.
“With no postseason or anything like that, it was a goal to go undefeated, so this one hurts for our guys,” Labbato said. “We have a goal to be one of the top teams, and this doesn’t change that. The first loss is always difficult to swallow. Now, we have to see how we respond. It’s a challenge for the guys to come back out strong Tuesday against Glenbard West.”
Addison Trail, meanwhile, has a signature win. It’s one Hernandez saw coming.
“Before the game, I told the guys that I feel like we’re the only team in the state that could win against (Lyons),” Hernandez said. “We’re such a dynamic team, and we have so many different things that people don’t expect from us. No one looks at us as a top school. They don’t expect us to play like that. They’re not ready for us.
“Coming out and playing like we did today just shows what we can do.”
Starting lineups
Addison Trail
GK – Mateo Gomez
D – Marcus Baciu
D - Angel Gomez
D – Uriel Bibiano
D – David Peters
MF – Anthony Hernandez
MF – Alex Sandoval
MF - Anthony Baciu
MF – Eric Garcia
F - Brian Flores
F – Adrian Guzman
Lyons
GK - Johnathan Laczynski
D - John Swicionis
D - Ryan Herchenroether
D - Jackson Sullivan
D - Dominick Panopoulos
MF – Aiden Hilling
MF – Jonathan Hill
MF - Cameron Labbato
F - Jack Luttrell
F – Max Behm
F - Tommy Slusarczyk
Chicagoland Soccer’s Man of the Match: Angel Gomez, sr. d, Addison Trail
Scoring summary
First half
Addison Trail – Hernandez (A. Gomez), 11th minute
Second half
No scoring
knocks off no. 1 Lyons
Blazers shut out hands Lions 1st loss of the season
By Steve Millar
WESTERN SPRINGS – Addison Trail followed a classic recipe to take down Chicagoland Soccer’s top-ranked team Saturday: get an early goal and then hold on.
Anthony Hernandez scored off a well-placed free kick from distance from Angel Gomez in the 11th minute and Addison Trail made it hold up, giving the host Lyons 1-0 their first loss of the season in a West Suburban Conference cross-over.
“It’s a statement on our team,” Hernandez said. “We were not ranked. I know after this game that everybody is going be talking about us. We’re going to stay humble and keep moving forward and keep winning games.”
The Blazers (4-2-1) fought off some early pressure from Lyons (5-1-0) before stunning the home side with the set piece strike.
Gomez, a senior defender, took the free kick 65 yards from goal and crushed a long ball into the box. Hernandez ran onto it and smashed a header over the outstretched hands of Lyons goalkeeper Johnathan Laczynski and into the top of the net.
“It was a free kick from all the way in the back,” Hernandez said. “I knew Angel would try to hit it at the PK spot. I saw it going over to the right because of the wind. The defenders were right in front of me, but I backed away from them and got an angle. The keeper came out, but he couldn’t make the save.
“It was amazing, especially to get the first goal. It definitely changed (Lyons’) mentality. We carried that momentum all the way to the end.”
Gomez, named Chicagoland Soccer’s Man of the Match for his efforts on defense as well as the pivotal assist, was confident he could threaten the Lyons defense with his free kick, even from so far out.
“I take all the set pieces, and our guys know I can put a dangerous ball in from far back,” he said. “If I put a dangerous ball in, one of my teammates is going to put the ball in the back of the net.
“I’ve been playing soccer for almost 13 years and training every day, and that’s what makes my leg muscles stronger to be able to hit those long kicks.”
Gomez knows Hernandez is a dependable target.
“I knew I was going to look for Tony,” he said. “He’s amazing on set pieces. I knew if I could put the ball in the right spot, he’d be challenging for that ball. He went up and got it and put it in the back of the net.”
Addison Trail coach Ryan Dini saw the goal as a well-earned turn of fortunes.
“Angel can put in a dangerous ball from just about anywhere on the field,” he said. “We were due one of those. Our last game (a 3-2 win over Hinsdale South), I think we hit the post five or six times.”
While the Blazers were elated, Lyons was stunned.
“We created some chances in those first 10 minute; and I felt like if we could have got one there, it could have been a different game,” Lyons coach Paul Labbato said. “But then they got the first goal instead.
“Their kid got up, made a great play, caught everyone by surprise.”
Addison Trail had the lead, but still had nearly 70 minutes to hold off the high-powered Lyons squad.
“We shocked them with that goal, but we knew they knew they had to come back; and they would be pushing hard,” Gomez said. “We knew if we stayed compact and everyone did their own role, we would keep the clean-sheet. We needed it.”
Lyons tested Addison Trail goalkeeper Mateo Gomez a few times.
In the 35th minute, John Swicionis hit a well-struck free kick from 25 yards. The low liner forced Mateo Gomez to get down for the catch.
The Lions’ Jackson Sullivan had a great chance moments later, firing just wide from the top of the box after an extended offensive push.
In the second half, Lyons controlled possession throughout but put just two shots on goal. Ryan Herchenroether drove down the left sideline and fired a tough-angle shot that Mateo Gomez caught in the 43rd minute.
The Lions’ last great chance came off a deep throw with just under 17 minutes to go. The ball was knocked around the box several times before finding its way to Swicionis, whose quick shot was again stopped by Mateo Gomez.
Lyons was just off the mark on a couple other high-quality chances, with Aiden Hilling and Tommy Slusarczyk firing shots high.
Otherwise, Addison Trail was successful at limiting good looks. Angel Gomez, Marcus Baciu, Uriel Bibiano and David Peters were all strong on the backline.
“We were ready for it,” Angel Gomez said. “We knew in the second half that they were going to change their mindset. They didn’t want to lose. They wanted to keep that no. 1 ranking. We knew they were going to be desperate for a goal. We just kept communicating, and we kept that shutout.”
Peters made a huge play in the 63rd minute. Jack Luttrell, a tall, physical forward for the Lions, broke into the box and was close to having a clean look at the net before Peters clamped down and knocked the ball away.
“The backline played so tough,” Dini said. “They were winning a lot of balls. Mateo was ready when we needed him.
“This one obviously means a lot, beating a team that hadn’t lost yet. We showed that we’re making improvements with our team and our program. I’m just really proud of our guys.”
Mateo Gomez finished with four saves.
Laczynski made two saves for the Lyons defense, which didn’t face much pressure after the opening goal.
“They’re a quality team,” Labbato said of Addison Trail. “They’re very good. We were under the gun the whole way. We had three defenders out and other guys shifting into different positions.
“Our set piece defending was a little disoriented by guys being in different spots.”
Labbato said there was some concern about playing this game coming off an emotional 1-0 win over rival Hinsdale Central two days earlier.
“Our sophomore coach even said to watch out for the ‘Hinsdale letdown’ that next game,” Labbato said. “We knew that next game could be a trap game for us, and it looks like we fell into that trap.
“Soccer is a funny sport. You have a lot of chances and don’t put any away. The other team only has a couple chances and scores one. That’s the way it goes sometimes.”
Lyons was left looking to regroup.
“With no postseason or anything like that, it was a goal to go undefeated, so this one hurts for our guys,” Labbato said. “We have a goal to be one of the top teams, and this doesn’t change that. The first loss is always difficult to swallow. Now, we have to see how we respond. It’s a challenge for the guys to come back out strong Tuesday against Glenbard West.”
Addison Trail, meanwhile, has a signature win. It’s one Hernandez saw coming.
“Before the game, I told the guys that I feel like we’re the only team in the state that could win against (Lyons),” Hernandez said. “We’re such a dynamic team, and we have so many different things that people don’t expect from us. No one looks at us as a top school. They don’t expect us to play like that. They’re not ready for us.
“Coming out and playing like we did today just shows what we can do.”
Starting lineups
Addison Trail
GK – Mateo Gomez
D – Marcus Baciu
D - Angel Gomez
D – Uriel Bibiano
D – David Peters
MF – Anthony Hernandez
MF – Alex Sandoval
MF - Anthony Baciu
MF – Eric Garcia
F - Brian Flores
F – Adrian Guzman
Lyons
GK - Johnathan Laczynski
D - John Swicionis
D - Ryan Herchenroether
D - Jackson Sullivan
D - Dominick Panopoulos
MF – Aiden Hilling
MF – Jonathan Hill
MF - Cameron Labbato
F - Jack Luttrell
F – Max Behm
F - Tommy Slusarczyk
Chicagoland Soccer’s Man of the Match: Angel Gomez, sr. d, Addison Trail
Scoring summary
First half
Addison Trail – Hernandez (A. Gomez), 11th minute
Second half
No scoring