Early-bird special against North Chicago
awakens Crystal Lake South offense
Gators end scoring slump with emphatic 7-0 victory
By Jared Birchfield
WAUCONDA – Crystal Lake South drew the first slot in Saturday’s placing round for the Alonso Sanchez Memorial Tournament at Wauconda High School.
The fifth place match against North Chicago (0-3-0) kicked off at 8 a.m.
Getting on the pitch an hour and 38 minutes after the sun rose appeared to be the antidote Crystal Lake South’s offense needed. After being held scoreless in their last three matches, the Gators didn’t bother with the snooze button.
Sophomore forward Ali Ahmed led the way with four goals and an assist. Junior Nolan Getzinger earned a brace, and Kevin Cardoso scored for the first time this season. Sophomore Nick Prus was credited with all three first half assists.
If not for an extraordinary effort by North Chicago goalkeeper Richard Martinez, Crystal Lake’s offensive output could have been much higher. The senior stopped an amazing 18 shots.
“First, a shout-out to their goalkeeper, because he could be one of the best goalkeepers that we may see this year,” said Crystal Lake South coach Brian Allen. “We needed this game, because we’ve had an issue scoring in the last three games.”
In tournament play this week, the Gators battled eventual tourney champion Zion-Benton, which is ranked no. 19 in the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25, to a scoreless tie and were then edged 1-0 by Palatine. Saturday’s output was a boost to the team’s confidence, according to Allen.
“We were right there in both games with chances, a penalty (kick) in one and a sitter in the other; and we missed both. So, we’ve got to earn our goals,” he said. “When you have a goalkeeper that plays that well and makes you earn goals, that’s a good thing, and for us to still score seven is a plus.”
North Chicago was unable to mount an offensive attack. Most of the action took place on the Warhawks side of the pitch.
North Chicago coach Yeison Navas said low numbers hurt his team.
“We need more players. That’s no excuse, but we’re supposed to be at 20, but we only had 14,” he said. “It’s my first year. I plan on doing my best and keep working with them.”
The lopsided play gave Crystal Lake’s defense, anchored by veterans Josh Washington and Andrew Smart along with freshman Pierce Johnson, a welcome respite according to their coach.
“The backline needed this,” he said. “They were rock solid the last two games, limiting Zion-Benton, a high-powered offense, to three or four chances. Against Palatine, the defense did its job keeping it close the whole time. They needed a game like this to give them a break”
Crystal Lake South (2-2-1) wasted little time in taking the lead. Ahmed scored his first goal thirty-six seconds into the match on a shot 10 yards from the right side of the goal. Cardoso and Ahmed scored seconds apart in the 20th minute on close-in shots to put the Gators comfortably ahead at halftime.
“We just played with confidence and finished our chances,” Ahmed said. “(Martinez) was a great goalie, but we could have finished a few more maybe. We got a great win. Four goals was good, and it was a great day.”
Allen is pleased with Ahmed’s development in the early season.
“Ahmed is a load up-top and has the consistency as a young sophomore coming into his own. He was on the team last year but was kind of a role player. So now, we rely on him a little bit more.
“Hopefully this will boost his confidence. What I liked about him today was he was doing different things. He went to go by himself a couple of times, and but he also looked to get others involved. We need him to be multidimensional, and it’s good to see.”
Ahmed earned a hat-trick in the 52nd minute of the 70-minute game.
Getzinger scored back-to-back goals to put Gators up 6-0 with 12 minutes left to play.
Then Getzinger corralled a Smart corner kick and passed it to Ahmed, who scored the final goal after battling Martinez for the ball at left corner of the goal box.
Ahmed won the contest and knocked the ball into the left corner of the net from 20 yards 11 minutes from time. Earlier, the sophomore missed scoring another goal on a try that bounced off the crossbar.
The last score reminded him of what his father directs him to do.
“My dad always tells me to press,” Ahmed said. “So I pressed him, and I got him.”
For his offensivee output, Ahmed was named one of the Chicagoland Soccer Men of the Match. Martinez shared the honor for his yeoman’s performance in the North Chicago goal.
Allen thinks the midfield combination of returning starter Getzinger and Prus, a newbie to the First 11, will yield good things for his team.
“I think Prus is coming into his own in the midfield and with Nolan we’re finding a good tandem between those two,” said the Gators’ coach. “Prus is still young, but the more experience he gets and settles in, the better he will be.”
North Chicago’s Martinez felt the number of years he has spent between the pipes help turned him into a tenacious keeper.
“I would just say it’s the experience. I’ve been playing keeper since I was seven years old,” the senior captain said. “I would like to say it’s just the experience and constantly being at practice and getting ready for those shots.”
Martinez’ outstanding play made him a natural to head the team, Nava said.
“He’s a great guy. He was my first choice is as a captain,” said the North Chicago coach. “I’m very proud of him.”
Martinez said the Gators’ constant pressure wore him down.
“I was getting tired at the end,” he said. “Being goalkeeper, it’s very exhausting after you throw your body around the whole time.
As for the early wake-up call, Allen did not mind it at all.
“I like it. It forces the guys to wake up early as a routine and a habit,” the Crystal Lake South coach said. “The boys like to play, so this is just another chance to get out there.”
His North Chicago counterpart was not as enthusiastic about early morning matches.
“But it’s very hard for the boys to wake up to board the bus at 6:20 a.m. to be here at 7:20 a.m.,” said Navas.
The tournament is named for Alonso Sanchez, a former Wauconda player who died in an accident a year after his 2015 graduation.
Starting lineups
North Chicago
GK: Richard Martinez
D: Alexis Rodriguez
D: Kevin Albarran
D: Carlos Hernandez
D: Jesus Velazquez
M: Richard Gutierrez
M: Angel Rodriguez
M: Christian Rodriguez
F: Diego Bahena Tapia
F: Angel Rodriguez
F: Jesus Gallegos
Crystal Lake South
GK: Logan Vargas
D: Andrew Smart
D: Pierce Johnson
D: Josh Washington
D: Blake Marunde
M: Nicholas Prus
M: Nolan Getzinger
M: Garrett Hess
F: Mason Ross
F: Ali Ahmed
F: Kevin Cardoso
Chicagoland Soccer Men of the Match: Ali Ahmed, so., F, Crystal Lake South;
Richard Martinez, sr., GK, North Chicago
Scoring summary
First half
CLS: Ali Ahmed (Nicholas Prus), 1’
CLS: Kevin Cardoso (Nicholas Prus), 20’
CLS: Ali Ahmed (Nicholas Prus), 20’
Second half
CLS: Ali Ahmed (Nolan Getzinger), 52’
CLS: Nolan Getzinger (Ali Ahmed), 55’
CLS: Nolan Getzinger (Garret Hess), 58’
CLS Ali Ahmed (unassisted), 59
awakens Crystal Lake South offense
Gators end scoring slump with emphatic 7-0 victory
By Jared Birchfield
WAUCONDA – Crystal Lake South drew the first slot in Saturday’s placing round for the Alonso Sanchez Memorial Tournament at Wauconda High School.
The fifth place match against North Chicago (0-3-0) kicked off at 8 a.m.
Getting on the pitch an hour and 38 minutes after the sun rose appeared to be the antidote Crystal Lake South’s offense needed. After being held scoreless in their last three matches, the Gators didn’t bother with the snooze button.
Sophomore forward Ali Ahmed led the way with four goals and an assist. Junior Nolan Getzinger earned a brace, and Kevin Cardoso scored for the first time this season. Sophomore Nick Prus was credited with all three first half assists.
If not for an extraordinary effort by North Chicago goalkeeper Richard Martinez, Crystal Lake’s offensive output could have been much higher. The senior stopped an amazing 18 shots.
“First, a shout-out to their goalkeeper, because he could be one of the best goalkeepers that we may see this year,” said Crystal Lake South coach Brian Allen. “We needed this game, because we’ve had an issue scoring in the last three games.”
In tournament play this week, the Gators battled eventual tourney champion Zion-Benton, which is ranked no. 19 in the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25, to a scoreless tie and were then edged 1-0 by Palatine. Saturday’s output was a boost to the team’s confidence, according to Allen.
“We were right there in both games with chances, a penalty (kick) in one and a sitter in the other; and we missed both. So, we’ve got to earn our goals,” he said. “When you have a goalkeeper that plays that well and makes you earn goals, that’s a good thing, and for us to still score seven is a plus.”
North Chicago was unable to mount an offensive attack. Most of the action took place on the Warhawks side of the pitch.
North Chicago coach Yeison Navas said low numbers hurt his team.
“We need more players. That’s no excuse, but we’re supposed to be at 20, but we only had 14,” he said. “It’s my first year. I plan on doing my best and keep working with them.”
The lopsided play gave Crystal Lake’s defense, anchored by veterans Josh Washington and Andrew Smart along with freshman Pierce Johnson, a welcome respite according to their coach.
“The backline needed this,” he said. “They were rock solid the last two games, limiting Zion-Benton, a high-powered offense, to three or four chances. Against Palatine, the defense did its job keeping it close the whole time. They needed a game like this to give them a break”
Crystal Lake South (2-2-1) wasted little time in taking the lead. Ahmed scored his first goal thirty-six seconds into the match on a shot 10 yards from the right side of the goal. Cardoso and Ahmed scored seconds apart in the 20th minute on close-in shots to put the Gators comfortably ahead at halftime.
“We just played with confidence and finished our chances,” Ahmed said. “(Martinez) was a great goalie, but we could have finished a few more maybe. We got a great win. Four goals was good, and it was a great day.”
Allen is pleased with Ahmed’s development in the early season.
“Ahmed is a load up-top and has the consistency as a young sophomore coming into his own. He was on the team last year but was kind of a role player. So now, we rely on him a little bit more.
“Hopefully this will boost his confidence. What I liked about him today was he was doing different things. He went to go by himself a couple of times, and but he also looked to get others involved. We need him to be multidimensional, and it’s good to see.”
Ahmed earned a hat-trick in the 52nd minute of the 70-minute game.
Getzinger scored back-to-back goals to put Gators up 6-0 with 12 minutes left to play.
Then Getzinger corralled a Smart corner kick and passed it to Ahmed, who scored the final goal after battling Martinez for the ball at left corner of the goal box.
Ahmed won the contest and knocked the ball into the left corner of the net from 20 yards 11 minutes from time. Earlier, the sophomore missed scoring another goal on a try that bounced off the crossbar.
The last score reminded him of what his father directs him to do.
“My dad always tells me to press,” Ahmed said. “So I pressed him, and I got him.”
For his offensivee output, Ahmed was named one of the Chicagoland Soccer Men of the Match. Martinez shared the honor for his yeoman’s performance in the North Chicago goal.
Allen thinks the midfield combination of returning starter Getzinger and Prus, a newbie to the First 11, will yield good things for his team.
“I think Prus is coming into his own in the midfield and with Nolan we’re finding a good tandem between those two,” said the Gators’ coach. “Prus is still young, but the more experience he gets and settles in, the better he will be.”
North Chicago’s Martinez felt the number of years he has spent between the pipes help turned him into a tenacious keeper.
“I would just say it’s the experience. I’ve been playing keeper since I was seven years old,” the senior captain said. “I would like to say it’s just the experience and constantly being at practice and getting ready for those shots.”
Martinez’ outstanding play made him a natural to head the team, Nava said.
“He’s a great guy. He was my first choice is as a captain,” said the North Chicago coach. “I’m very proud of him.”
Martinez said the Gators’ constant pressure wore him down.
“I was getting tired at the end,” he said. “Being goalkeeper, it’s very exhausting after you throw your body around the whole time.
As for the early wake-up call, Allen did not mind it at all.
“I like it. It forces the guys to wake up early as a routine and a habit,” the Crystal Lake South coach said. “The boys like to play, so this is just another chance to get out there.”
His North Chicago counterpart was not as enthusiastic about early morning matches.
“But it’s very hard for the boys to wake up to board the bus at 6:20 a.m. to be here at 7:20 a.m.,” said Navas.
The tournament is named for Alonso Sanchez, a former Wauconda player who died in an accident a year after his 2015 graduation.
Starting lineups
North Chicago
GK: Richard Martinez
D: Alexis Rodriguez
D: Kevin Albarran
D: Carlos Hernandez
D: Jesus Velazquez
M: Richard Gutierrez
M: Angel Rodriguez
M: Christian Rodriguez
F: Diego Bahena Tapia
F: Angel Rodriguez
F: Jesus Gallegos
Crystal Lake South
GK: Logan Vargas
D: Andrew Smart
D: Pierce Johnson
D: Josh Washington
D: Blake Marunde
M: Nicholas Prus
M: Nolan Getzinger
M: Garrett Hess
F: Mason Ross
F: Ali Ahmed
F: Kevin Cardoso
Chicagoland Soccer Men of the Match: Ali Ahmed, so., F, Crystal Lake South;
Richard Martinez, sr., GK, North Chicago
Scoring summary
First half
CLS: Ali Ahmed (Nicholas Prus), 1’
CLS: Kevin Cardoso (Nicholas Prus), 20’
CLS: Ali Ahmed (Nicholas Prus), 20’
Second half
CLS: Ali Ahmed (Nolan Getzinger), 52’
CLS: Nolan Getzinger (Ali Ahmed), 55’
CLS: Nolan Getzinger (Garret Hess), 58’
CLS Ali Ahmed (unassisted), 59