CL South climbs on Hill's back, tops Central
GK'S strong 2nd half work earns Gators city bragging rights
By Matt Misiek
CRYSTAL LAKE -- If the thought of Crystal Lake South versus Crystal Lake Central wasn't electric enough, the host Tigers amped things up Tuesday evening.
A change in start time brought the game under the lights at the Tigers' football stadium. The change was in coordination with the soccer program's Senior Night.
Crystal Lake Central came out charged up and got an early breakthrough. However, the visiting Gators pulled the plug on the early advantage and quickly erased the deficit en-route to a 3-1 Fox Valley Conference victory. The win ensured the Gators stayed in the swim for the conference title.
Crystal Lake Central (8-5-2, 4-3-0) opened the scoring at the 10:10 mark. After surviving an earlier header form Gators midfielder Garett Schneider that hit the left post, the Tigers had a free kick 53 yards out. Senior midfielder and captain Jake Nelson launched a high ball that found the head of senior forward Mason Pfeifer who placed the ball on the right side past Gators keeper Carson Hill.
"Mason (Pfeifer) is my guy to go to on free kicks," said Nelson. "He has scored about five or six headed goals with me teaming up with him. When I saw Mason 1-v.-1, I knew if I could chip the ball to the back post that he would be able to get a head to it."
As quickly as the Tigers gained the lead, Crystal Lake South (11-3-4, 5-0-1) equalized. A mere 38 seconds later off a free kick on the left side, senior defender and captain Danny Ciezadlo sent a low ball that was flicked by senior forward and fellow captain Alex Canfield past Tigers keeper Joseph Moore.
"It was a play that we ran in a prior game last year," Canfield said. "The play is for a front post ball that, hopefully, someone wins a flick off of. That's exactly what we were looking for. We saw a gap."
The Gators, ranked no. 12 in the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25, took the lead for good only three minutes later. Midfielder Brandon Osterberg found himself with the ball at midfield and sent a through-ball to the right side. The ball eluded two Tigers defenders and found the feet of a streaking Schneider. He raced toward the right post and struck a hard drive from 16 yards and found the bottom left corner of the net.
"The run that he (Schneider) made, he hit the ball so cleanly," said Crystal Lake South coach Brian Allen. "The keeper (Moore) did get a foot to it, but it was good that Garett didn't hesitate, showing that confidence. When our front three can bring that high work rate, it puts us at a better advantage."
In the first few minutes of the second half, Hill was in the center of the action. The first sequence was caused when he mishandled a save. Several Tiger attackers got a foot to the ball, but the attack was sent out of play for a corner kick.
The Gator keepers came up big in the 52nd and 53rd minutes, making back to back saves on Tigers forward Billy Cummings, who had been coming into the contest averaging nearly two goals a game.
"I wanted to improve myself and help the team more," said Hill, whose second half performance earned him Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match honors. "I made sure I was clean on the rest of my saves and come up big."
Hill, who had five saves on the evening, further elaborated on a huge point-blank save he made in the last minute on Crystal Lake Central midfielder Adian Hudak, ensuring only one goal was allowed.
"I put myself out there," he said. " I made myself as big as possible and put my leg out there and got a piece of the ball to make it go wide."
Coach Allen, a former standout keeper in his playing days at Rolling Meadows, appreciated Hill's second half work.
"Good mental composure," he said of Hill. "A bit of a shaky start, maybe some nerves with the environment. But he has been steady for us, making the saves that you are supposed to make. He's been consistent, and that's all we are looking for, to be even-keeled."
Crystal Lake South extended the lead at 57:31 mark. After earning a throw deep in their attacking third, senior defender Jake Bimbi came up for the toss. After receiving detailed instructions from coach Allen on the throw angle, he launched the ball into the six where Canfield headed it in to the left of Moore.
"Jake (Bimbi) works super hard," Hill said. "He always gives 110 percent. He wants the ball every game."
Crystal Lake Central did break a three-year scoreless drought against South in this game, but coach Jay Schwarzrock was very quick to give compliments to the visitors.
"Their aerial game is very tenacious," he said. "They don't stop; they run hard. (Canfield) running into the post was a terrific example of that. We have to match that level of energy, and we didn't do that, especially coming off the goal we scored. We tried to belly up with them instead of playing smart defense."
Crystal Lake South remains one-half game back of Jacobs in the Fox Valley Conference title race. Jacobs (10-3-3, 6-0-0) earned a 2-0 home win over Dundee-Crown Tuesday night.
Thursday afternoon is another day of Fox Valley Conference play. Crystal Lake South will host McHenry, while Jacobs travels to Cary-Grove. Crystal Lake Central will travel to Carpentersville to take on Dundee-Crown.
Many are already circling the October 15th date on their calendars for the clash between Jacobs and Crystal Lake South. However, as always, coach Allen has his teams focused on McHenry and what challenges they present.
"McHenry always plays super hard," Allen said. "They play a style that makes it difficult. We have to regenerate and recover, get our legs back and ready for another battle at home. What it is ultimately going to come down to is how can we get better that we were today."
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 Tom Coughlin
MF Garett Schneider
F Alex Canfield
Crystal Lake Central
GK Joseph Moore
D Bryden Freund
D Kacper Pruszynski
D Luke Montford
D Kareem Castaneda
MF Joey Cummings
MF Adian Hudak
MF Jairo Aguilar
MF Jake Nelson
F Mason Pfeifer
F Billy Cummings
Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match: Carson Hill, sr., GK, Crystal Lake South
Referees: Tom Guidara (center); Dave Ganshaw; Dave Petrosky
Scoring summary
First half
CLC - Mason Pfeifer (Jake Nelson) - 10:10
CLS – Alex Canfield (Danny Ciezadlo) – 10:48
CLS – Garett Schneider (Brandon Osterberg) – 13:27
Second half
CLS – Alex Canfield (Jake Bimbi) – 57:31
GK'S strong 2nd half work earns Gators city bragging rights
By Matt Misiek
CRYSTAL LAKE -- If the thought of Crystal Lake South versus Crystal Lake Central wasn't electric enough, the host Tigers amped things up Tuesday evening.
A change in start time brought the game under the lights at the Tigers' football stadium. The change was in coordination with the soccer program's Senior Night.
Crystal Lake Central came out charged up and got an early breakthrough. However, the visiting Gators pulled the plug on the early advantage and quickly erased the deficit en-route to a 3-1 Fox Valley Conference victory. The win ensured the Gators stayed in the swim for the conference title.
Crystal Lake Central (8-5-2, 4-3-0) opened the scoring at the 10:10 mark. After surviving an earlier header form Gators midfielder Garett Schneider that hit the left post, the Tigers had a free kick 53 yards out. Senior midfielder and captain Jake Nelson launched a high ball that found the head of senior forward Mason Pfeifer who placed the ball on the right side past Gators keeper Carson Hill.
"Mason (Pfeifer) is my guy to go to on free kicks," said Nelson. "He has scored about five or six headed goals with me teaming up with him. When I saw Mason 1-v.-1, I knew if I could chip the ball to the back post that he would be able to get a head to it."
As quickly as the Tigers gained the lead, Crystal Lake South (11-3-4, 5-0-1) equalized. A mere 38 seconds later off a free kick on the left side, senior defender and captain Danny Ciezadlo sent a low ball that was flicked by senior forward and fellow captain Alex Canfield past Tigers keeper Joseph Moore.
"It was a play that we ran in a prior game last year," Canfield said. "The play is for a front post ball that, hopefully, someone wins a flick off of. That's exactly what we were looking for. We saw a gap."
The Gators, ranked no. 12 in the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25, took the lead for good only three minutes later. Midfielder Brandon Osterberg found himself with the ball at midfield and sent a through-ball to the right side. The ball eluded two Tigers defenders and found the feet of a streaking Schneider. He raced toward the right post and struck a hard drive from 16 yards and found the bottom left corner of the net.
"The run that he (Schneider) made, he hit the ball so cleanly," said Crystal Lake South coach Brian Allen. "The keeper (Moore) did get a foot to it, but it was good that Garett didn't hesitate, showing that confidence. When our front three can bring that high work rate, it puts us at a better advantage."
In the first few minutes of the second half, Hill was in the center of the action. The first sequence was caused when he mishandled a save. Several Tiger attackers got a foot to the ball, but the attack was sent out of play for a corner kick.
The Gator keepers came up big in the 52nd and 53rd minutes, making back to back saves on Tigers forward Billy Cummings, who had been coming into the contest averaging nearly two goals a game.
"I wanted to improve myself and help the team more," said Hill, whose second half performance earned him Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match honors. "I made sure I was clean on the rest of my saves and come up big."
Hill, who had five saves on the evening, further elaborated on a huge point-blank save he made in the last minute on Crystal Lake Central midfielder Adian Hudak, ensuring only one goal was allowed.
"I put myself out there," he said. " I made myself as big as possible and put my leg out there and got a piece of the ball to make it go wide."
Coach Allen, a former standout keeper in his playing days at Rolling Meadows, appreciated Hill's second half work.
"Good mental composure," he said of Hill. "A bit of a shaky start, maybe some nerves with the environment. But he has been steady for us, making the saves that you are supposed to make. He's been consistent, and that's all we are looking for, to be even-keeled."
Crystal Lake South extended the lead at 57:31 mark. After earning a throw deep in their attacking third, senior defender Jake Bimbi came up for the toss. After receiving detailed instructions from coach Allen on the throw angle, he launched the ball into the six where Canfield headed it in to the left of Moore.
"Jake (Bimbi) works super hard," Hill said. "He always gives 110 percent. He wants the ball every game."
Crystal Lake Central did break a three-year scoreless drought against South in this game, but coach Jay Schwarzrock was very quick to give compliments to the visitors.
"Their aerial game is very tenacious," he said. "They don't stop; they run hard. (Canfield) running into the post was a terrific example of that. We have to match that level of energy, and we didn't do that, especially coming off the goal we scored. We tried to belly up with them instead of playing smart defense."
Crystal Lake South remains one-half game back of Jacobs in the Fox Valley Conference title race. Jacobs (10-3-3, 6-0-0) earned a 2-0 home win over Dundee-Crown Tuesday night.
Thursday afternoon is another day of Fox Valley Conference play. Crystal Lake South will host McHenry, while Jacobs travels to Cary-Grove. Crystal Lake Central will travel to Carpentersville to take on Dundee-Crown.
Many are already circling the October 15th date on their calendars for the clash between Jacobs and Crystal Lake South. However, as always, coach Allen has his teams focused on McHenry and what challenges they present.
"McHenry always plays super hard," Allen said. "They play a style that makes it difficult. We have to regenerate and recover, get our legs back and ready for another battle at home. What it is ultimately going to come down to is how can we get better that we were today."
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 Tom Coughlin
MF Garett Schneider
F Alex Canfield
Crystal Lake Central
GK Joseph Moore
D Bryden Freund
D Kacper Pruszynski
D Luke Montford
D Kareem Castaneda
MF Joey Cummings
MF Adian Hudak
MF Jairo Aguilar
MF Jake Nelson
F Mason Pfeifer
F Billy Cummings
Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match: Carson Hill, sr., GK, Crystal Lake South
Referees: Tom Guidara (center); Dave Ganshaw; Dave Petrosky
Scoring summary
First half
CLC - Mason Pfeifer (Jake Nelson) - 10:10
CLS – Alex Canfield (Danny Ciezadlo) – 10:48
CLS – Garett Schneider (Brandon Osterberg) – 13:27
Second half
CLS – Alex Canfield (Jake Bimbi) – 57:31