Canfield pops for CLS vs. Cary-Grove
Strong start leads to 3-1 win that keeps Gators perfect in FVC
By Matt Misiek
CRYSTAL LAKE – Soft drinks fizz because the fluid and carbon dioxide gas are put into their containter at high pressure.
Over the past few years, Alex Canfield has taken this scientific principle to the soccer field.
Not only does his name remind you of a famous beverage company, the senior forward, a runnerup in the 2018 Chicagoland Soccer Player of the Year voting, consistently brings high pressure to the opposition and unique flavor to each game.
Tuesday afternoon’s Fox Valley Conference game between Crystal Lake South and Cary-Grove was no exception. Canfield’s presence and abilities sparkled as the Gators got off to a fast start that propelled them to a 3-1 victory.
“Alex has been a bit disappointed about what he has been doing lately,” said Crystal Lake South coach Brian Allen. “He’s been trying to get everyone involved, and he has over 10 assists. But we need him to do what he did today which is put a stamp on the game and be the most dangerous player on the field.”
Canfield came out firing right away in the second minute, taking a ball from senior defender Jake Bimbi at the top of the 18 and forcing a save from Trojans keeper Samuel Kedzior. A minute later, he played a great service that met the head of junior midfielder Tyler Getzinger but went wide.
However, the reward came at the 6:11 mark. Off of a Bimbi corner kick, midfielder Michel Dejworek headed across goal towards fellow midfielder Garett Schneider. Schneider wasn’t able to get much on his volley attempt, but the ball found its way to Canfield. From eight yards out he slotted the shot to the right of Kedzior and into the net.
“Just being in the right position,” said Canfield of the goal. “Garett (Schneider) wasn’t able to get much of a swing on the shot, but he nicely tapped the ball across the net, and I was able to get a foot on it.”
Canfield, the Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match, added to his assist total at the 30:17 mark. After a supreme steal by sophomore midfielder Tom Coughlin, Canfield streaked down the right side and crossed far post where senior midfielder Colton Weidner confidently headed it past Kedzior.
“Alex took the ball end line,” Weidner added. “Being in the right position, I just sprinted forward and was able to make great contact with it.”
Canfield’s second goal for Crystal Lake South (8-3-2, 2-0-0) came at the 43:39 mark in the second half, but a huge portion of the credit goes to Dejworek. After he won the ball in the defensive half of the field, he sped down the left sideline and delivered a low cross that new Cary-Grove keeper Sam Larsen punched to his left. Canfield was able to clean it up and place it in the back of the net.
“I saw a lot of open space,” said Dejworek. “I decided to go green and take the defender on. I slowed down a bit to make him commit and go past him, and then I just slotted it in for Alex.”
Coach Allen has enjoyed the form of Dejworek in this game and all season.
“Mikey has been phenomenal all season long,” Allen said. “The Streamwood game (on Sep. 19 in the PepsiCo showdown) was really a breakout game for him. He was arguable our best player against Streamwood on both sides of the ball. He was getting up and down defensively as well as putting in the work rate of going forward and taking people on.”
“When he does these things, it gives us a second and even a third option for attacking so teams can’t just focus on Alex (Canfield).”
Cary-Grove (4-4-0, 1-1-0) did not have many chances in the first half. However, they almost caught a huge break in the 17th minute. Gators goalie Carson Hill went out to get a ball that was rolling towards the top right edge of the 18. However, midfielder Luke McCune beat Hill to the ball first, exposing the goal but McCune’s effort across goal went wide.
The second half for the Trojans saw more opportunities, and they were able to get on the board at the 66:56 mark. Midfielder Drew Szydlo was about 30 yards from goal when he passed left to fellow midfielder Dario Gamboa. Gamboa passed the ball back to Szydlo, who launched a drive towards the top left corner. Hill was able to get a hand on the shot but the ball bounced off the post and behind him.
“I put the ball out wide but then asked for it back, because I saw a wide-open area,” said Szydlo. “I got the ball back and just took the shot. I was hoping the sun was in the goalie’s eyes.”
“We told the guys to take shots as the sun could be a factor,” said Cary-Grove coach Mark Olson.
Olson didn’t mind the effort from his team today but noted a few key items.
“Our guys played hard,” he added. “There were a few things that we didn’t execute very well and that led to some easier goals for them. They (Crystal Lake South) did have a great goal with the cross and the header. South is a very good team. They take it at you, and you have to give them all the credit.”
Crystal Lake South made a big jump to 12th in the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25 after a strong week against tough competition.
Allen took a few moments to discuss the PepsiCo Showdown results for the Gators, including a hard-fought 2-1 defeat against top-ranked Morton on Sept. 14 and a loss in penalty kicks to no. 5 last Saturday.
“Winning the midweek games against St. Edward and Streamwood were great,” said Allen. “But that can’t be the highlight. The team understands that these games are there for a reason. There is a long stretch of 6 conference games and ultimately, the postseason, so we need to make sure we are ready for that.”
The Gators will continue Fox Valley Conference play Thursday when they travel to Huntley for a 6:30 p.m. kickoff.
Cary-Grove hopes to rise above the .500 mark when its hosts league foe Dundee-Crown t 4:30 p.m. Thursday.
Starting Lineups
Crystal Lake South
GK Carson Hill
D Jake Bimbi
D Evan Carlson
D Tomasz Slawek
D Danny Ciezadlo
MF Michel Dejworek
MF Tyler Getzinger
MF Brandon Osterberg
MF Sam Bahnfleth
MF Garett Schneider
F Alex Canfield
Cary-Grove
GK Samuel Kedzior
D Jacob Motz
D Angel Lazaro
D Kameron Fadden
D Eric Szydlo
MF Anthony Warfield
MF Dario Gamboa
MF Drew Szydlo
MF Luke McCune
F Mateo Nunez
F Jesus Padilla
Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match: Alex Canfield, sr., F, Crystal Lake South
Referees: Patrick Legge (center), Michael Schmickley, David Petrosky
Scoring summary
First half
CLS – Alex Canfield (unassisted) – 6:11
CLS – Colton Weidner (Alex Canfield) – 30:17
Second half
CLS – Alex Canfield (Michel Dejworek) – 43:39
CG – Drew Szydlo (Dario Gamboa) 66:56
Strong start leads to 3-1 win that keeps Gators perfect in FVC
By Matt Misiek
CRYSTAL LAKE – Soft drinks fizz because the fluid and carbon dioxide gas are put into their containter at high pressure.
Over the past few years, Alex Canfield has taken this scientific principle to the soccer field.
Not only does his name remind you of a famous beverage company, the senior forward, a runnerup in the 2018 Chicagoland Soccer Player of the Year voting, consistently brings high pressure to the opposition and unique flavor to each game.
Tuesday afternoon’s Fox Valley Conference game between Crystal Lake South and Cary-Grove was no exception. Canfield’s presence and abilities sparkled as the Gators got off to a fast start that propelled them to a 3-1 victory.
“Alex has been a bit disappointed about what he has been doing lately,” said Crystal Lake South coach Brian Allen. “He’s been trying to get everyone involved, and he has over 10 assists. But we need him to do what he did today which is put a stamp on the game and be the most dangerous player on the field.”
Canfield came out firing right away in the second minute, taking a ball from senior defender Jake Bimbi at the top of the 18 and forcing a save from Trojans keeper Samuel Kedzior. A minute later, he played a great service that met the head of junior midfielder Tyler Getzinger but went wide.
However, the reward came at the 6:11 mark. Off of a Bimbi corner kick, midfielder Michel Dejworek headed across goal towards fellow midfielder Garett Schneider. Schneider wasn’t able to get much on his volley attempt, but the ball found its way to Canfield. From eight yards out he slotted the shot to the right of Kedzior and into the net.
“Just being in the right position,” said Canfield of the goal. “Garett (Schneider) wasn’t able to get much of a swing on the shot, but he nicely tapped the ball across the net, and I was able to get a foot on it.”
Canfield, the Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match, added to his assist total at the 30:17 mark. After a supreme steal by sophomore midfielder Tom Coughlin, Canfield streaked down the right side and crossed far post where senior midfielder Colton Weidner confidently headed it past Kedzior.
“Alex took the ball end line,” Weidner added. “Being in the right position, I just sprinted forward and was able to make great contact with it.”
Canfield’s second goal for Crystal Lake South (8-3-2, 2-0-0) came at the 43:39 mark in the second half, but a huge portion of the credit goes to Dejworek. After he won the ball in the defensive half of the field, he sped down the left sideline and delivered a low cross that new Cary-Grove keeper Sam Larsen punched to his left. Canfield was able to clean it up and place it in the back of the net.
“I saw a lot of open space,” said Dejworek. “I decided to go green and take the defender on. I slowed down a bit to make him commit and go past him, and then I just slotted it in for Alex.”
Coach Allen has enjoyed the form of Dejworek in this game and all season.
“Mikey has been phenomenal all season long,” Allen said. “The Streamwood game (on Sep. 19 in the PepsiCo showdown) was really a breakout game for him. He was arguable our best player against Streamwood on both sides of the ball. He was getting up and down defensively as well as putting in the work rate of going forward and taking people on.”
“When he does these things, it gives us a second and even a third option for attacking so teams can’t just focus on Alex (Canfield).”
Cary-Grove (4-4-0, 1-1-0) did not have many chances in the first half. However, they almost caught a huge break in the 17th minute. Gators goalie Carson Hill went out to get a ball that was rolling towards the top right edge of the 18. However, midfielder Luke McCune beat Hill to the ball first, exposing the goal but McCune’s effort across goal went wide.
The second half for the Trojans saw more opportunities, and they were able to get on the board at the 66:56 mark. Midfielder Drew Szydlo was about 30 yards from goal when he passed left to fellow midfielder Dario Gamboa. Gamboa passed the ball back to Szydlo, who launched a drive towards the top left corner. Hill was able to get a hand on the shot but the ball bounced off the post and behind him.
“I put the ball out wide but then asked for it back, because I saw a wide-open area,” said Szydlo. “I got the ball back and just took the shot. I was hoping the sun was in the goalie’s eyes.”
“We told the guys to take shots as the sun could be a factor,” said Cary-Grove coach Mark Olson.
Olson didn’t mind the effort from his team today but noted a few key items.
“Our guys played hard,” he added. “There were a few things that we didn’t execute very well and that led to some easier goals for them. They (Crystal Lake South) did have a great goal with the cross and the header. South is a very good team. They take it at you, and you have to give them all the credit.”
Crystal Lake South made a big jump to 12th in the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25 after a strong week against tough competition.
Allen took a few moments to discuss the PepsiCo Showdown results for the Gators, including a hard-fought 2-1 defeat against top-ranked Morton on Sept. 14 and a loss in penalty kicks to no. 5 last Saturday.
“Winning the midweek games against St. Edward and Streamwood were great,” said Allen. “But that can’t be the highlight. The team understands that these games are there for a reason. There is a long stretch of 6 conference games and ultimately, the postseason, so we need to make sure we are ready for that.”
The Gators will continue Fox Valley Conference play Thursday when they travel to Huntley for a 6:30 p.m. kickoff.
Cary-Grove hopes to rise above the .500 mark when its hosts league foe Dundee-Crown t 4:30 p.m. Thursday.
Starting Lineups
Crystal Lake South
GK Carson Hill
D Jake Bimbi
D Evan Carlson
D Tomasz Slawek
D Danny Ciezadlo
MF Michel Dejworek
MF Tyler Getzinger
MF Brandon Osterberg
MF Sam Bahnfleth
MF Garett Schneider
F Alex Canfield
Cary-Grove
GK Samuel Kedzior
D Jacob Motz
D Angel Lazaro
D Kameron Fadden
D Eric Szydlo
MF Anthony Warfield
MF Dario Gamboa
MF Drew Szydlo
MF Luke McCune
F Mateo Nunez
F Jesus Padilla
Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match: Alex Canfield, sr., F, Crystal Lake South
Referees: Patrick Legge (center), Michael Schmickley, David Petrosky
Scoring summary
First half
CLS – Alex Canfield (unassisted) – 6:11
CLS – Colton Weidner (Alex Canfield) – 30:17
Second half
CLS – Alex Canfield (Michel Dejworek) – 43:39
CG – Drew Szydlo (Dario Gamboa) 66:56