Family affair inspires
Warren victory over Deerfield
Junior Crowson shows frosh brother how it's done in 2-0 win
By Bobby Narang
GURNEE – Warren’s Chris Crowson had an unexpected family member at Monday night’s nonconference game against Deerfield.
And that person had a really good seat.
Is that what sparked the junior midfielder to score both goals in the Blue Devils’ 2-0 win over the Warriors in nonconference play?
Crowson joked he played well because his brother, freshman Charlie Crowson, was promoted to the varsity Monday. Before the 2-0 win, Crowson’s lone goal came against Wauconda on Sept. 26.
“I’m feeling good,” Crowson said. “Today was the first time in a long time playing with my brother.”
The Blue Devils (10-3-2) ventured outside the North Suburban Conference for a tune-up game against the Class AA Warriors. Crowson, the Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match, scored his first goal with 29:31 left until halftime.
Matt Paraskos sent a beautiful cross into the box, allowing a ready and able Crowson to tap in a shot from eight yards for a 1-0 lead. Twenty-four seconds earlier, the Blue Devils nearly scored off a shot from Tyler Hughes.
Early in the second half, Crowson struck again. He received a pass from Lucas Ahonen right in front of the goal line and hit the ball hard and high into the back of the net for the final advantage in the 44th minute.
“I haven’t had many chances this season, but I finished them today,” Crowson said. “I got great balls from Lucas and Matt that gave me a chance. Coach is giving me good opportunities, and I’m trying to play hard and help the team.”
Warren coach Jason Ahonen said the elder Crowson played one of his best games of the season, noting the Blue Devils will need contributions from up and down the lineup to play deep into October.
“Chris played the six (spot) for us the last few games,” the coach said. “I flip-flopped Chris and Mike (Galvan) today, and it paid dividends. Chris was on the varsity last year. He saw limited time, especially at the end of the year. I’ve been around him since he was a kid. He’s a player who definitely has the skill and is growing game by game with his confidence.
“Today was special day for him because his little brother was on the field with him. Maybe that’s the key. ... I’m really happy for Chris.
“We could’ve had a few more (goals), but we also took a few off the line from them. I would’ve loved to get that third goal to ease things and empty the bench. We didn’t do our job in the attacking third finishing.
“We’re trying to find ourselves. I think we did a better job of keeping the ball today than we did against Lake Forest last Thursday (in a 1-1 tie). We’re definitely not clicking on all cylinders right now. We look really good at times. I’m glad we scored on a set piece.”
Deerfield (6-10-1) ended with a zero on the scoreboard, but that wasn’t reflective of their play.
The Warrior’s Ryder Coleman had a potential goal that was deflected off a Warren defender in the 22nd minute. Another shot missed wide despite an open net with 12:43 left.
Warren goalie Ethan Cole, who had four saves, picked up an easy one at the 11:37 mark. Cole played solid in his return to the net after missing a few games. The only sophomore on the varsity made a memorable save off a long shot from Nathan Garcia in the 50th minute. The Warriors’ last attempt to score came off a header after a corner with 1:27 left.
“Ethan played really well tonight,” Jason Ahonen said. “It’s challenging being the only sophomore on the roster, from the highs and lows and how to deal with them. It’s all about experience. He’s logging some very good minutes. We’re going to keep riding the hot hand.”
Deerfield midfielder Matthew Seed, a recent varsity call-up, said his team easily could’ve scored a few goals Monday, but struggled finishing in the final third.
“I think in the first half we outplayed them a lot, but we just didn’t get the goal,” Seed said. “In the second half, they outplayed us. I still think we could’ve put some in. These games matter, but the playoffs are more important. We need our starters to perform and to finish our chances. Our defense is playing great.”
Deerfield sophomore goalie Xander Yang returned from a half-game absence. He collected four saves in the loss. The Blue Devils made Yang work hard throughout the game, peppering shots in his direction. The Blue Devils hit a shot off the post in the 12th minute; and Yang had a leaping tap-out save four minutes later. The Blue Devils rushed a few shots and missed several close ones, including hitting the crossbar midway through the second half.
“I’m coming off an injury, so I was little more reserved than I would’ve liked to be,” Yang said. “Still, it was a good performance. We’re looking to get ready for the playoffs. We want to get far in the playoffs. Warren is a good team. I have to be myself back there and perform.”
Warren junior midfielder Ahonen said the Blue Devils want to build momentum for the Class 3A playoffs.
“For us, we had a rough stretch that started with Stevenson,” Lucas Ahonen said. “We have to get as many wins as possible and get confidence and grow and get different goals from different guys before the playoffs. A win is a win. Any way we can get more confidence going is good.
“(Deerfield) was actually dangerous. They started pressing us late in the first half. They were on us again in the second half before we got to what we finally do, and scored a goal on a set piece. We felt confident after that second goal. At halftime, we knew we needed another goal to help put the game away. We got it, then the spirits were lifted, and we were good to go.”
Ahonen, of all players, understands the ebbs and flows of a long varsity season. The coach’s son said the team is building solid chemistry for the stretch run that includes the Blue Devils final conference game, a home match against Zion-Benton on Thursday. That’s followed by a road tilt against no. 10 New Trier on Saturday. The Blue Devils finish the regular-season with three more friendlies in Week 8.
“The key, especially in nonconference games, is to work on building out of the back and possessing the ball a lot better and playing through the middle,” Lucas Ahoneh said. “Last week was a bit rough with that, so that was our main goal coming into today. Communication and defending as a team is key.
“We need to get better as a whole. Every single game and practice is an opportunity. We’re starting to get closer and closer together every game and practice. At the start of the year, we knew each other a little bit but now are closer.
“Zion-Benton is our last conference game. I’m really excited for that. We beat them 2-1 last year, so we’re up for that.
“My mom works at Zion(-Benton). She has some of the players in her class, so they’ve been talking about it. I’m ready for that game. (Saturday is) New Trier’s Homecoming game, so we have to be ready for the big crowd and rise to the occasion. We can compete with anybody if we play our game and play the way we’re capable of. I’m excited.”
Warren is the second seed in the Buffalo Grove Supersectional. The Blue Devils open the Round Lake Regional with 15th-seeded Highland Park on Oct. 18.
Deerfield coach Ryan Crane said the Blue Devils were a quality test for his team before the start of the Class AA playoffs. The Warriors received the no. 10 seed in the Grayslake Central Sectional. They start the playoffs against sixth-seed Crystal Lake Central in a regional semifinal on Oct. 19 at 4 p.m. The winner will most likely play host Crystal Lake South in Oct. 21 final.
“I thought it was another good performance from us,” Crane said. “If you look at our last two games, Glenbrook North and Warren, both are two of the better teams on our schedule. I think we’ve had two of our best performances. The results are not what we wanted, but our team has worked incredibly hard and are buying into the system we want to play.
“I think once we get into the playoffs, it will start to show. One of the reasons I wanted to schedule Warren is because they’re one of the best 3A teams in the state on a year-to-year basis.
“This was a good test for us going into the playoffs. I think we have the potential to be a very dangerous no. 10 seed in our AA sectional. We’re going to have a really strong squad when we get to the end of the season.”
Starting lineups
Deerfield
GK: Xander Yang
D: Matthew Neumann
D: Ethan Helfand
D: James Weiner
D: Justin Blumenthal
MF: Addison Simon
MF: Nathan Garcia
MF: Jason Nieder
F: Ryder Coleman
F: Cole Gawin
F: Christian Castro
Warren
GK: Ethan Cole
D: Tyler Hughes
D: Ryan Stanciak
D: Jack Elkinton
MF: Chris Crowson
MF: Mike Galvan
MF: Tommy DeSanto
MF: Lucas Ahonen
F: Matt Paraskos
F: Miguel Garcia
F: Leonel Arizmendi
Chicagoland Man of the Match:
Chris Crowson, jr., MF, Warren
Scoring summary
First half
Warren: Crowson (Parasko), 11’
Second half
Warren: Crowson (Ahonen), 44’
Warren victory over Deerfield
Junior Crowson shows frosh brother how it's done in 2-0 win
By Bobby Narang
GURNEE – Warren’s Chris Crowson had an unexpected family member at Monday night’s nonconference game against Deerfield.
And that person had a really good seat.
Is that what sparked the junior midfielder to score both goals in the Blue Devils’ 2-0 win over the Warriors in nonconference play?
Crowson joked he played well because his brother, freshman Charlie Crowson, was promoted to the varsity Monday. Before the 2-0 win, Crowson’s lone goal came against Wauconda on Sept. 26.
“I’m feeling good,” Crowson said. “Today was the first time in a long time playing with my brother.”
The Blue Devils (10-3-2) ventured outside the North Suburban Conference for a tune-up game against the Class AA Warriors. Crowson, the Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match, scored his first goal with 29:31 left until halftime.
Matt Paraskos sent a beautiful cross into the box, allowing a ready and able Crowson to tap in a shot from eight yards for a 1-0 lead. Twenty-four seconds earlier, the Blue Devils nearly scored off a shot from Tyler Hughes.
Early in the second half, Crowson struck again. He received a pass from Lucas Ahonen right in front of the goal line and hit the ball hard and high into the back of the net for the final advantage in the 44th minute.
“I haven’t had many chances this season, but I finished them today,” Crowson said. “I got great balls from Lucas and Matt that gave me a chance. Coach is giving me good opportunities, and I’m trying to play hard and help the team.”
Warren coach Jason Ahonen said the elder Crowson played one of his best games of the season, noting the Blue Devils will need contributions from up and down the lineup to play deep into October.
“Chris played the six (spot) for us the last few games,” the coach said. “I flip-flopped Chris and Mike (Galvan) today, and it paid dividends. Chris was on the varsity last year. He saw limited time, especially at the end of the year. I’ve been around him since he was a kid. He’s a player who definitely has the skill and is growing game by game with his confidence.
“Today was special day for him because his little brother was on the field with him. Maybe that’s the key. ... I’m really happy for Chris.
“We could’ve had a few more (goals), but we also took a few off the line from them. I would’ve loved to get that third goal to ease things and empty the bench. We didn’t do our job in the attacking third finishing.
“We’re trying to find ourselves. I think we did a better job of keeping the ball today than we did against Lake Forest last Thursday (in a 1-1 tie). We’re definitely not clicking on all cylinders right now. We look really good at times. I’m glad we scored on a set piece.”
Deerfield (6-10-1) ended with a zero on the scoreboard, but that wasn’t reflective of their play.
The Warrior’s Ryder Coleman had a potential goal that was deflected off a Warren defender in the 22nd minute. Another shot missed wide despite an open net with 12:43 left.
Warren goalie Ethan Cole, who had four saves, picked up an easy one at the 11:37 mark. Cole played solid in his return to the net after missing a few games. The only sophomore on the varsity made a memorable save off a long shot from Nathan Garcia in the 50th minute. The Warriors’ last attempt to score came off a header after a corner with 1:27 left.
“Ethan played really well tonight,” Jason Ahonen said. “It’s challenging being the only sophomore on the roster, from the highs and lows and how to deal with them. It’s all about experience. He’s logging some very good minutes. We’re going to keep riding the hot hand.”
Deerfield midfielder Matthew Seed, a recent varsity call-up, said his team easily could’ve scored a few goals Monday, but struggled finishing in the final third.
“I think in the first half we outplayed them a lot, but we just didn’t get the goal,” Seed said. “In the second half, they outplayed us. I still think we could’ve put some in. These games matter, but the playoffs are more important. We need our starters to perform and to finish our chances. Our defense is playing great.”
Deerfield sophomore goalie Xander Yang returned from a half-game absence. He collected four saves in the loss. The Blue Devils made Yang work hard throughout the game, peppering shots in his direction. The Blue Devils hit a shot off the post in the 12th minute; and Yang had a leaping tap-out save four minutes later. The Blue Devils rushed a few shots and missed several close ones, including hitting the crossbar midway through the second half.
“I’m coming off an injury, so I was little more reserved than I would’ve liked to be,” Yang said. “Still, it was a good performance. We’re looking to get ready for the playoffs. We want to get far in the playoffs. Warren is a good team. I have to be myself back there and perform.”
Warren junior midfielder Ahonen said the Blue Devils want to build momentum for the Class 3A playoffs.
“For us, we had a rough stretch that started with Stevenson,” Lucas Ahonen said. “We have to get as many wins as possible and get confidence and grow and get different goals from different guys before the playoffs. A win is a win. Any way we can get more confidence going is good.
“(Deerfield) was actually dangerous. They started pressing us late in the first half. They were on us again in the second half before we got to what we finally do, and scored a goal on a set piece. We felt confident after that second goal. At halftime, we knew we needed another goal to help put the game away. We got it, then the spirits were lifted, and we were good to go.”
Ahonen, of all players, understands the ebbs and flows of a long varsity season. The coach’s son said the team is building solid chemistry for the stretch run that includes the Blue Devils final conference game, a home match against Zion-Benton on Thursday. That’s followed by a road tilt against no. 10 New Trier on Saturday. The Blue Devils finish the regular-season with three more friendlies in Week 8.
“The key, especially in nonconference games, is to work on building out of the back and possessing the ball a lot better and playing through the middle,” Lucas Ahoneh said. “Last week was a bit rough with that, so that was our main goal coming into today. Communication and defending as a team is key.
“We need to get better as a whole. Every single game and practice is an opportunity. We’re starting to get closer and closer together every game and practice. At the start of the year, we knew each other a little bit but now are closer.
“Zion-Benton is our last conference game. I’m really excited for that. We beat them 2-1 last year, so we’re up for that.
“My mom works at Zion(-Benton). She has some of the players in her class, so they’ve been talking about it. I’m ready for that game. (Saturday is) New Trier’s Homecoming game, so we have to be ready for the big crowd and rise to the occasion. We can compete with anybody if we play our game and play the way we’re capable of. I’m excited.”
Warren is the second seed in the Buffalo Grove Supersectional. The Blue Devils open the Round Lake Regional with 15th-seeded Highland Park on Oct. 18.
Deerfield coach Ryan Crane said the Blue Devils were a quality test for his team before the start of the Class AA playoffs. The Warriors received the no. 10 seed in the Grayslake Central Sectional. They start the playoffs against sixth-seed Crystal Lake Central in a regional semifinal on Oct. 19 at 4 p.m. The winner will most likely play host Crystal Lake South in Oct. 21 final.
“I thought it was another good performance from us,” Crane said. “If you look at our last two games, Glenbrook North and Warren, both are two of the better teams on our schedule. I think we’ve had two of our best performances. The results are not what we wanted, but our team has worked incredibly hard and are buying into the system we want to play.
“I think once we get into the playoffs, it will start to show. One of the reasons I wanted to schedule Warren is because they’re one of the best 3A teams in the state on a year-to-year basis.
“This was a good test for us going into the playoffs. I think we have the potential to be a very dangerous no. 10 seed in our AA sectional. We’re going to have a really strong squad when we get to the end of the season.”
Starting lineups
Deerfield
GK: Xander Yang
D: Matthew Neumann
D: Ethan Helfand
D: James Weiner
D: Justin Blumenthal
MF: Addison Simon
MF: Nathan Garcia
MF: Jason Nieder
F: Ryder Coleman
F: Cole Gawin
F: Christian Castro
Warren
GK: Ethan Cole
D: Tyler Hughes
D: Ryan Stanciak
D: Jack Elkinton
MF: Chris Crowson
MF: Mike Galvan
MF: Tommy DeSanto
MF: Lucas Ahonen
F: Matt Paraskos
F: Miguel Garcia
F: Leonel Arizmendi
Chicagoland Man of the Match:
Chris Crowson, jr., MF, Warren
Scoring summary
First half
Warren: Crowson (Parasko), 11’
Second half
Warren: Crowson (Ahonen), 44’