CLS earns shot at repeat title
Canfield goals power 2-0 semifinal win over Triad
By Dave Owen
HOFFMAN ESTATES – The state playoff magic continues for Crystal Lake South.
After a would-be Triad goal eight minutes into Friday’s Class AA state semifinal match disappeared on an offsides call, Gators star forward Alex Canfield (34 goals, 18 assists) dug into his usual bag of tricks for two goals in the last 6:29 of the first half.
The end result: a 2-0 win for CLS (20-4-4), and a chance to repeat as Class AA champions when the Gators face Benet (19-1-2) in the title game at 1 p.m. Saturday.
“It’s a little surreal,” Gators coach Brian Allen said of his team’s 2019 run, “but the (nine) seniors kind of picked up right where last year’s senior class left off.
“They’re terrific leaders, amazing young men, and they did all the little things right as leaders to get this team ready.”
Entering Friday on a 12-1-2 run in its last 15 games, CLS faced a major test from St. Louis-area foe Triad (22-3-3).
That challenge became clear with 31:52 left in the first half, when one of many dangerous throw-ins all day by Triad’s Michael Tentis led to an apparent goal by forward Joe Wade.
But an offside call nullified the goal, denying a potential huge lift for the Knights.
“I think it was kind of a wakeup call,” CLS senior defender Evan Carlson said. “We got a little lucky there, but I think we used it to realize we had to play a little harder, step harder. I think it was for the good in the end.”
But not so good on the Triad side.
“It was pretty bad,” Tentis said, “because we were all celebrating and the ref was holding his hand up. It kind of shifts the momentum with all those fans there and everything.”
But the large contingent of Gators fans would have to endure another nervous moment in the 22nd minute. Off a Tucker Kendrick pass, Colton Clark’s 22-yard shot was swatted wide on a diving deflection by CLS goalkeeper Carson Hill.
Brandon Ostenberg’s clear on the ensuing corner kick ended that threat, and continued what would be a day long theme for the Gators defense.
“A bend-not-break mentality,” Allen said. “It took literally every guy on our team to continue to defend and see things through there.
“I think that’s the best we’ve defended all season long. And that (Triad) is a team that puts pressure on with every throw-in, every corner kick.”
Another threatening Tentis throw-in 11:50 before halftime required more Hill heroics.
Tentis’ toss led to a Roger Weber flick to the crease and a Eli Kraabel close-in redirect. But Hill came up big with a diving one-handed catch inches from the goal line to keep the score 0-0.
But not for long.
CLS’ offense had begun to click in the 26th minute, when Colton Weidner’s left post header off a Canfield cross was saved by Triad goalkeeper David DuPont.
The same two Gators catalysts would switch roles in the 34th minute to produce the game’s deciding goal.
Weidner dribbled up the left sideline and sent a cross to the front, where Canfield’s header sailed high inside the left post for a 1-0 CLS lead.
“I just saw Colton running down the line,” Canfield said, “and noticed that he had a lot of space and time to pick his head up and look for a target.
“As soon as he hit it I noticed it was kind of coming shorter, so I took a step in and put my head on it.”
Weidner’s seventh assist of 2019 was his biggest.
“I just saw space down to the corner,” Weidner said of his run. “They let me look up, I served the ball in and it hit Alex’s head and went in.”
Just 2:51 before halftime, pure individual effort by Canfield upped the CLS lead to 2-0.
Battling through the Triad defense on the dribble from the edge of the box, Canfield created enough space to plant a line drive into the upper left corner of the net.
“It’s a lot about just not stepping down from them,” Canfield said. “We were putting constant pressure on them (late in the half): they’re going to get nervous.
“After I poked it out from the first defender, that second defender felt he had to fill the gap. So he stepped in, and I was able to get a touch around him and put it away.”
Canfield’s talents were no mystery to the Knights.
“We watched him on film and knew he was a heck of a player,” Jackson said. “We watched their (sectional final) game in snow and ice on film the other night, and we knew on turf he’d be a lot stronger.
“He’s a phenomenal player. That’s why we put Austin Borri on him. I thought Austin did a heck of a job the whole game, but the kid got loose a couple of times and finished. That’s why he’s an all-state player with 30-something goals.”
Canfield’s two goals were the culmination of a frustrating first half for Triad.
“We score a goal, we’re all excited and they call it off,” Jackson said. “Then their keeper makes a phenomenal save on another ball, and it’s like ‘This might not be good.’ Then all of a sudden you could feel the momentum switching. He scores two goals, and we’re down.”
They were down, but not done.
Triad put up a furious rally in the final 20 seconds of the half. A Clark corner kick was blocked away by Danny Ciezadlo for a Knights throw-in, which Carlson repelled with a header in traffic away from danger.
The 6-foot-4 Carlson’s presence has been huge literally and figuratively in CLS’ repeat run this postseason.
“Evan is our senior leader, a four-year (varsity) guy with Alex,” Allen said. “And he took two other seniors with him, (new starting defenders) Danny (Ciezadlo) and Jake (Bimbi), and they were up to the task.
“They saw what it took last year, and they embraced that role, and then for (sophomore) Tomasz (Slawek) to come along: Evan kind of took him under his wing.
“And early on when Evan was injured (missing nine games),” Allen added, “Tomasz got a lot of playing time along with Pawel (Dejworek), and that really paid dividends for us later on.
“It’s the leadership role of those seniors. When you have three seniors along the backline, and Carson in there as another senior, it makes you feel comfortable as a coach because they’ve been through it. And they showed that today.”
The CLS defense would need to continue to keep its cool in the second half.
With 27:40 to play, headers by Bimbi and Slawek cleared a Triad corner kick send to the box.
Then just over a minute later, another Clark corner kick send required a back post clear of the crease by a Gators defender to keep the clean-sheet.
“Our kids fought,” Jackson said. “We had numerous chances in the second half: they cleared one right off the line early in the second half off a corner or throw-in, and it’s like ‘Is this not our day or what?’
“They had a game plan. They played very defensive minded, and that worked very well.”
The Gators’ 11th shutout of the season required maximum effort.
“It looked like they (Triad) put another attacker up or midfielder,” Carlson said, “so we had to make sure we weren’t getting up too high and that our mids weren’t either. It was just waiting for our moment to step and get the ball back upfield.
Hill’s save on a 20-yard Clark shot with 22:05 to go continued CLS’ defensive stand.
Threatening set pieces followed with 14:20 left (a Wade shot just wide off a corner kick) and 12:30 to play (Tentis’ 6-yard shot just wide left off a Kraabel 34-yard free kick).
“When we did get a head on the ball, they (CLS) were sitting right there on the post or their keeper made a good save,” Tentis said. “They clogged the box really well.
“They were in like a zone: they had people in set areas. They weren’t marking us man to man, and they had two people on each post. They covered the goal well.”
The Gators defense would not face another major test, as a 30-yard free kick over the net by CLS’ Ciezadlo (6:30 left) and a Canfield shot on goal (5:50 to go) would mark the last threats by either side.
With the 2-0 win in the books, the Gators could look ahead to what in August seemed a longshot chance at a second-straight state title.
“We really just focused on getting better week to week, game to game,” Allen said. “We talked about that the playoff ride could be different and look different (than 2018).
“I think we started way below (last year). We had a lot more growth we had to obtain to get back to this point, but they stayed the course. They never got deterred with ups and downs.
“We were battle tested with a really grueling schedule,” Allen added. “They started to realize with that 2-1 loss to (3A finalist) Morton (on Sept. 14) when we were right there with them, then the Solorio PK shootout one, then all the way through the Fox Valley.
“If we just stayed focused on fixing little details, getting better and growing as a team, we had a chance to get back here.”
A 1-0 loss Oct. 15 to Class 3A sectional champion Jacobs remains CLS’ lone setback since Sept. 24.
“I think it says a lot about the depth we had last year,” Carlson said. “People stepping into new roles and kind of taking one for the team. Whatever we needed, people stepped in and did what was best for the team and not for themselves.
“I think (the 2018 title run) definitely helps with the nerves, especially this late,” Carlson added. “Being here (before) you kind of know what it’s like, and especially for the new guys who are nervous, helping them through it and telling them what to do.”
To Allen, that veteran guidance has been vital.
“All the credit to the senior leaders,” he said. “They’re the core, the backbone of the team. They’ve put us on their back this whole run.”
And with Canfield’s offensive prowess breaking defenses, the Gators are one win away from a title.
“When you have someone like Alex up-top, you’re able to use that to your advantage,” Allen said. “In my opinion, he’s one of the best if not the best player in the state. And today he showed a big reason for that.
“And the rest of the team understands that and embraces that. Defensively they know if they do their job, he’s going to be able to make some plays for us.”
Starting lineups
Crystal Lake South
GK: Carson Hill
D: Jake Bimbi
D: Evan Carlson
D: Danny Ciezadlo
D: Tomasz Slawek
M: Brandon Osterberg
M: Tom Coughlin
M: Tyler Getzinger
M: Garrett Schneider
M: Michal Dejworek
F: Alex Canfield
Triad
GK: David DuPont
D: Austin Borri
D: Joe McCulloch
D: Roger Weber
D: Ty Presley
M: Michael Tentis
M: Eli Kraabel
M: Jake Ellis
M: Colton Clark
F: Travis Speer
F: Joe Wade
Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match: Alex Canfield, sr. F, CLS
Scoring summary
First half
CLS- Alex Canfield (Colton Weidner), 34’
CLS- Canfield, 38’
Second half
No scoring
Canfield goals power 2-0 semifinal win over Triad
By Dave Owen
HOFFMAN ESTATES – The state playoff magic continues for Crystal Lake South.
After a would-be Triad goal eight minutes into Friday’s Class AA state semifinal match disappeared on an offsides call, Gators star forward Alex Canfield (34 goals, 18 assists) dug into his usual bag of tricks for two goals in the last 6:29 of the first half.
The end result: a 2-0 win for CLS (20-4-4), and a chance to repeat as Class AA champions when the Gators face Benet (19-1-2) in the title game at 1 p.m. Saturday.
“It’s a little surreal,” Gators coach Brian Allen said of his team’s 2019 run, “but the (nine) seniors kind of picked up right where last year’s senior class left off.
“They’re terrific leaders, amazing young men, and they did all the little things right as leaders to get this team ready.”
Entering Friday on a 12-1-2 run in its last 15 games, CLS faced a major test from St. Louis-area foe Triad (22-3-3).
That challenge became clear with 31:52 left in the first half, when one of many dangerous throw-ins all day by Triad’s Michael Tentis led to an apparent goal by forward Joe Wade.
But an offside call nullified the goal, denying a potential huge lift for the Knights.
“I think it was kind of a wakeup call,” CLS senior defender Evan Carlson said. “We got a little lucky there, but I think we used it to realize we had to play a little harder, step harder. I think it was for the good in the end.”
But not so good on the Triad side.
“It was pretty bad,” Tentis said, “because we were all celebrating and the ref was holding his hand up. It kind of shifts the momentum with all those fans there and everything.”
But the large contingent of Gators fans would have to endure another nervous moment in the 22nd minute. Off a Tucker Kendrick pass, Colton Clark’s 22-yard shot was swatted wide on a diving deflection by CLS goalkeeper Carson Hill.
Brandon Ostenberg’s clear on the ensuing corner kick ended that threat, and continued what would be a day long theme for the Gators defense.
“A bend-not-break mentality,” Allen said. “It took literally every guy on our team to continue to defend and see things through there.
“I think that’s the best we’ve defended all season long. And that (Triad) is a team that puts pressure on with every throw-in, every corner kick.”
Another threatening Tentis throw-in 11:50 before halftime required more Hill heroics.
Tentis’ toss led to a Roger Weber flick to the crease and a Eli Kraabel close-in redirect. But Hill came up big with a diving one-handed catch inches from the goal line to keep the score 0-0.
But not for long.
CLS’ offense had begun to click in the 26th minute, when Colton Weidner’s left post header off a Canfield cross was saved by Triad goalkeeper David DuPont.
The same two Gators catalysts would switch roles in the 34th minute to produce the game’s deciding goal.
Weidner dribbled up the left sideline and sent a cross to the front, where Canfield’s header sailed high inside the left post for a 1-0 CLS lead.
“I just saw Colton running down the line,” Canfield said, “and noticed that he had a lot of space and time to pick his head up and look for a target.
“As soon as he hit it I noticed it was kind of coming shorter, so I took a step in and put my head on it.”
Weidner’s seventh assist of 2019 was his biggest.
“I just saw space down to the corner,” Weidner said of his run. “They let me look up, I served the ball in and it hit Alex’s head and went in.”
Just 2:51 before halftime, pure individual effort by Canfield upped the CLS lead to 2-0.
Battling through the Triad defense on the dribble from the edge of the box, Canfield created enough space to plant a line drive into the upper left corner of the net.
“It’s a lot about just not stepping down from them,” Canfield said. “We were putting constant pressure on them (late in the half): they’re going to get nervous.
“After I poked it out from the first defender, that second defender felt he had to fill the gap. So he stepped in, and I was able to get a touch around him and put it away.”
Canfield’s talents were no mystery to the Knights.
“We watched him on film and knew he was a heck of a player,” Jackson said. “We watched their (sectional final) game in snow and ice on film the other night, and we knew on turf he’d be a lot stronger.
“He’s a phenomenal player. That’s why we put Austin Borri on him. I thought Austin did a heck of a job the whole game, but the kid got loose a couple of times and finished. That’s why he’s an all-state player with 30-something goals.”
Canfield’s two goals were the culmination of a frustrating first half for Triad.
“We score a goal, we’re all excited and they call it off,” Jackson said. “Then their keeper makes a phenomenal save on another ball, and it’s like ‘This might not be good.’ Then all of a sudden you could feel the momentum switching. He scores two goals, and we’re down.”
They were down, but not done.
Triad put up a furious rally in the final 20 seconds of the half. A Clark corner kick was blocked away by Danny Ciezadlo for a Knights throw-in, which Carlson repelled with a header in traffic away from danger.
The 6-foot-4 Carlson’s presence has been huge literally and figuratively in CLS’ repeat run this postseason.
“Evan is our senior leader, a four-year (varsity) guy with Alex,” Allen said. “And he took two other seniors with him, (new starting defenders) Danny (Ciezadlo) and Jake (Bimbi), and they were up to the task.
“They saw what it took last year, and they embraced that role, and then for (sophomore) Tomasz (Slawek) to come along: Evan kind of took him under his wing.
“And early on when Evan was injured (missing nine games),” Allen added, “Tomasz got a lot of playing time along with Pawel (Dejworek), and that really paid dividends for us later on.
“It’s the leadership role of those seniors. When you have three seniors along the backline, and Carson in there as another senior, it makes you feel comfortable as a coach because they’ve been through it. And they showed that today.”
The CLS defense would need to continue to keep its cool in the second half.
With 27:40 to play, headers by Bimbi and Slawek cleared a Triad corner kick send to the box.
Then just over a minute later, another Clark corner kick send required a back post clear of the crease by a Gators defender to keep the clean-sheet.
“Our kids fought,” Jackson said. “We had numerous chances in the second half: they cleared one right off the line early in the second half off a corner or throw-in, and it’s like ‘Is this not our day or what?’
“They had a game plan. They played very defensive minded, and that worked very well.”
The Gators’ 11th shutout of the season required maximum effort.
“It looked like they (Triad) put another attacker up or midfielder,” Carlson said, “so we had to make sure we weren’t getting up too high and that our mids weren’t either. It was just waiting for our moment to step and get the ball back upfield.
Hill’s save on a 20-yard Clark shot with 22:05 to go continued CLS’ defensive stand.
Threatening set pieces followed with 14:20 left (a Wade shot just wide off a corner kick) and 12:30 to play (Tentis’ 6-yard shot just wide left off a Kraabel 34-yard free kick).
“When we did get a head on the ball, they (CLS) were sitting right there on the post or their keeper made a good save,” Tentis said. “They clogged the box really well.
“They were in like a zone: they had people in set areas. They weren’t marking us man to man, and they had two people on each post. They covered the goal well.”
The Gators defense would not face another major test, as a 30-yard free kick over the net by CLS’ Ciezadlo (6:30 left) and a Canfield shot on goal (5:50 to go) would mark the last threats by either side.
With the 2-0 win in the books, the Gators could look ahead to what in August seemed a longshot chance at a second-straight state title.
“We really just focused on getting better week to week, game to game,” Allen said. “We talked about that the playoff ride could be different and look different (than 2018).
“I think we started way below (last year). We had a lot more growth we had to obtain to get back to this point, but they stayed the course. They never got deterred with ups and downs.
“We were battle tested with a really grueling schedule,” Allen added. “They started to realize with that 2-1 loss to (3A finalist) Morton (on Sept. 14) when we were right there with them, then the Solorio PK shootout one, then all the way through the Fox Valley.
“If we just stayed focused on fixing little details, getting better and growing as a team, we had a chance to get back here.”
A 1-0 loss Oct. 15 to Class 3A sectional champion Jacobs remains CLS’ lone setback since Sept. 24.
“I think it says a lot about the depth we had last year,” Carlson said. “People stepping into new roles and kind of taking one for the team. Whatever we needed, people stepped in and did what was best for the team and not for themselves.
“I think (the 2018 title run) definitely helps with the nerves, especially this late,” Carlson added. “Being here (before) you kind of know what it’s like, and especially for the new guys who are nervous, helping them through it and telling them what to do.”
To Allen, that veteran guidance has been vital.
“All the credit to the senior leaders,” he said. “They’re the core, the backbone of the team. They’ve put us on their back this whole run.”
And with Canfield’s offensive prowess breaking defenses, the Gators are one win away from a title.
“When you have someone like Alex up-top, you’re able to use that to your advantage,” Allen said. “In my opinion, he’s one of the best if not the best player in the state. And today he showed a big reason for that.
“And the rest of the team understands that and embraces that. Defensively they know if they do their job, he’s going to be able to make some plays for us.”
Starting lineups
Crystal Lake South
GK: Carson Hill
D: Jake Bimbi
D: Evan Carlson
D: Danny Ciezadlo
D: Tomasz Slawek
M: Brandon Osterberg
M: Tom Coughlin
M: Tyler Getzinger
M: Garrett Schneider
M: Michal Dejworek
F: Alex Canfield
Triad
GK: David DuPont
D: Austin Borri
D: Joe McCulloch
D: Roger Weber
D: Ty Presley
M: Michael Tentis
M: Eli Kraabel
M: Jake Ellis
M: Colton Clark
F: Travis Speer
F: Joe Wade
Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match: Alex Canfield, sr. F, CLS
Scoring summary
First half
CLS- Alex Canfield (Colton Weidner), 34’
CLS- Canfield, 38’
Second half
No scoring