South blanks North in Downers Grove clash
2 late 1st half goals send Mustangs on their way to 3-0 win
By Curt Herron
DOWNERS GROVE – Two late first half goals to open the scoring are enough to fire any team. Then when you survive a PK early in the second half, you might just begin to feel it’s your night.
That was the scenario for Downers Grove South on Thursday when it played district rival Downers Grove North on the latter's field in a nonconference match between West Suburban Conference squads.
The Mustangs added an insurance goal just past the hour mark and relied on good defense and goaltending throughout to hold on to the clean-sheet in a 3-0 victory in the Downers Grove derby before a large crowd at Carstens Field.
Senior Paul Kruszewski put Downers Grove South (7-7-1) up for good with a goal in the 34th minute. Senior Julian Lopez made it 2-0 with a score in the 40th minute. Senior goalie Andrik Vidaurri recorded several big saves to keep Downers Grove North (4-11-1) at bay.
Lopez also played a big role in his team's final goal when he set up sophomore Daniel Smazil for the score following a free kick in the 63rd minute.
It was a nice rebound for the Mustangs, who were denied in their hopes of putting together a three-match win streak for the first time this season. Two days earlier they dropped a 3-1 decision at Addison Trail in a Gold Division contest.
The shutout was the second in the last three matches and fourth this season for Downers Grove South. It was also the third time the team had scored three or more goals.
A year ago, the squads settled for a split as the Mustangs won 2-0 at home during the regular-season match, and the Trojans took revenge by capturing a 2-1 semifinal victory at the Class 3A Morton Regional.
Downers Grove North continues its offensive struggles. The Trojans were shut out for the third-straight match and for the fifth time in its last six contests. The lone bright spot during that span was a 2-1 victory over Fenton on Sept. 22.
Downers Grove South has a week off before hosting Hinsdale South next Friday. Afterward the Mustangs will hit the road to play two members of the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25, fifth-ranked conference leader Morton and no. 7 Naperville North, to close out regular-season play.
Downers Grove South is a sixth-seed in the Class 3A Hinsdale Central Sectional and will host a regional tournament. Coach Jon Stapleton hopes that his squad can be a dark horse in the sectional where no. 3 Lyons, no. 5 Morton, no. 14 Benet, no. 18 Hinsdale Central and no. 21 Young are seeded ahead of his club.
Coach Mike Schmitt's Trojans are seeded one spot behind the Mustangs. Other regional sites include Argo, Morton and Proviso East.
Stapleton certainly knows a lot about the rivalry between the Community High School District 99 schools. Stapleton was a three-sport athlete for Downers Grove South and has been head coach of the since 2002. In the 2004-05 school year, he accomplished a rare feat -- leading his Mustangs to the IHSA Class AA championship during the two-class era and following up on that title in the winter by assisting coach Paul Runyon with the boys basketball team that placed third in Class AA.
The coach credited his keeper with an important role in the win Thursday.
"Andrik came up with some pretty big saves," Stapleton said. "He had one in the first half and if the PK had gone their way, that would have changed the entire complexion. And he had another big save in the second half, so he played really well.
“At the same time, we finished our chances. Paul had a nice finish in the first half. I thought that we played really well. North had some dangerous players, but we were up to the task defensively.
"Hopefully we're starting to peak at the right time, but we have some tests still ahead of us before we get to the tournament. I told the guys that games like this prepare you for that. It was a playoff-like atmosphere, and I thought that we responded well.
“Hopefully that provides some confidence going into the rest of conference play and the playoffs. This is a very cohesive group. I think they enjoy playing for each other and are willing to work hard for each other. Those are some intangibles that kind of sets this group apart.
"One of the nice things that we saw was guys taking pictures with the other players since they've grown up playing together. Mike and I have the philosophy that we want to make it a rivalry, but there's also a relationship here."
With his team struggling to score goals, the last thing that Trojans coach Mike Schmitt needed to see was his team down 2-0 shortly before the halftime whistle.
"We haven't had an easy game all year so we basically had a battle on our hands every single game that we've had, but the guys have always fought their way through," Schmitt said. "We were kind of unlucky. We switched off on a couple of plays that allowed them to score goals in the first half. We had opportunities, but it just wasn't our night, unfortunately.
"Our guys battle through every single game, and I have to applaud them for that. There's kind of like a never-quit mentality on this team, and we keep plugging away. The results haven't gone our way most of the season, but we've played tough in every single game.
"It's always a great environment when we play this game. … It's got a great postseason vibe to it. And it's really good to play, since a lot of our players don't get to see a crowd that big. It's great to have a game like this every year. It's a battle, and I don't think that the score line tells the story of how competitive the game was."
Downers Grove South got good first half chances from senior Victor Carassco, junior Jonathan Venouziou and Kruszewski. Downers Grove North received threats from senior Jack Ryan and junior James Harkness.
Downers Grove South finally broke through in the 34th minute when Kruszewski fired in an attempt past Trojans junior goalkeeper Will Barnett from about 20 yards.
In the 40th minute, senior Jorge Alcantara sent a shot toward the Trojans' net but senior Bradley Szydlowski cleared it. But the visitors got one last chance before the break and made the most of it. After Lopez sent in a corner kick that was deflected, he got to the loose ball and put in an attempt from the side from about 25 yards with just 19 ticks left.
"There's always a sense of pride when we come together, especially after last year when they knocked us out in the first round of the playoffs," Lopez said. "I've always practiced my free kicks and I think that I have good aim to my players, especially when you have a big kid like Paul as a target. But give it to the players in the box, too, because I'm not the one that is heading it. They're the ones heading it.
"We had a rough start, especially in the first eight games, but we've definitely turned it around in the midseason. Even though we lost to Addison Trail two days ago, we brought it back here against our rivals. We're definitely just trying to find a rhythm until the playoffs come.
“We're happy with the win and it was a good night for us on the south side. Our next game is not until next Friday, so we have a good, long time off. We'll just be ready for our next match against Hinsdale South.
"Our discipline in the back has been really tight after we kind of struggled last year with discipline. All of our teammates have been playing since U9 or U10, so we know each other like the back of our hands. But we're also real with each other. We call each out as we see it, and we don't sugar-coat it. Our coaches call it out and are honest when they need to be."
Downers Grove North looked like it caught a huge break in the 42nd minute when a foul in the box was called. Junior Riley Botha got Vidaurri to guess the wrong side, but his shot at the opposite corner went just wide of the mark.
"I just thought the mood from the team was great," Vidaurri said. "I think after the second goal we scored, we went into the half knowing that we had to step it up and keep the pressure on. After we got the penalty but then overcame that, we had the momentum, and we really stayed in this game.
"That's what I love about these boys, they never give up. All of these boys work 110 percent every day in practice, and it shows on the field. I like the hard work and determination of this team and also the discipline that we have. This rivalry is really big and that shows by how important the team celebration is afterward."
Shortly after the unsuccessful penalty, Lopez sent in a corner kick that new Downers Grove North goalkeeper Adi Zaveri had to punch over the bar. Not long after Botha sent another shot to Vidaurri. Downers Grove South junior Redion Neritani responded on the other side of the field with a header that was hauled in by Zaveri.
The Mustangs closed out the scoring in the 63rd minute when Lopez directed a long free kick into the box and sophomore Daniel Smazil put it away.
Downers Grove North continued to battle. Junior Ben Llewellyn sent in two long free kicks, one that was headed away by Lopez and the other was cleared by Alcantara.
Downers Grove South looked for one more goal in the final 10 minutes when Lopez put in another dangerous free kick that senior Karol Niziolek got his head on, but it was hauled in. Then the visitors clamped down to secure the shutout.
Starting lineups
Downers Grove South
GK: Andrik Vidaurri
D: Michael Mendoza
D: Emiliano Lagunas
D: Victor Carrasco
D: Matthew Crowley
MF: Julian Lopez
MF: Jorge Alcantara
MF: Redion Neritani
MF: Jonathan Venouziou
F: Paul Kruszewski
D: Aleck Galvez
Downers Grove North
GK: Will Barnett
D: Jackson Irby
D: Will Beatty
D: Bradley Szydlowski
D: Tomislav Petkovski
MF: Aldo Velazquez
MF: Ryan Wilson
MF: James Harkness
MF: Ben Llewellyn
F: Jack Ryan
F: Dylan Hicks
Chicagoland Soccer Men of the Match:
Julian Lopez, sr., MF, Downers Grove South;
Andrik Vidaurri, sr., GK, Downers Grove South
Scoring summary
First half
DGS: Paul Kruszewski, 34'
DGS: Julian Lopez, 40'
Second half
DGS: Daniel Smazil (Julian Lopez), 63'
2 late 1st half goals send Mustangs on their way to 3-0 win
By Curt Herron
DOWNERS GROVE – Two late first half goals to open the scoring are enough to fire any team. Then when you survive a PK early in the second half, you might just begin to feel it’s your night.
That was the scenario for Downers Grove South on Thursday when it played district rival Downers Grove North on the latter's field in a nonconference match between West Suburban Conference squads.
The Mustangs added an insurance goal just past the hour mark and relied on good defense and goaltending throughout to hold on to the clean-sheet in a 3-0 victory in the Downers Grove derby before a large crowd at Carstens Field.
Senior Paul Kruszewski put Downers Grove South (7-7-1) up for good with a goal in the 34th minute. Senior Julian Lopez made it 2-0 with a score in the 40th minute. Senior goalie Andrik Vidaurri recorded several big saves to keep Downers Grove North (4-11-1) at bay.
Lopez also played a big role in his team's final goal when he set up sophomore Daniel Smazil for the score following a free kick in the 63rd minute.
It was a nice rebound for the Mustangs, who were denied in their hopes of putting together a three-match win streak for the first time this season. Two days earlier they dropped a 3-1 decision at Addison Trail in a Gold Division contest.
The shutout was the second in the last three matches and fourth this season for Downers Grove South. It was also the third time the team had scored three or more goals.
A year ago, the squads settled for a split as the Mustangs won 2-0 at home during the regular-season match, and the Trojans took revenge by capturing a 2-1 semifinal victory at the Class 3A Morton Regional.
Downers Grove North continues its offensive struggles. The Trojans were shut out for the third-straight match and for the fifth time in its last six contests. The lone bright spot during that span was a 2-1 victory over Fenton on Sept. 22.
Downers Grove South has a week off before hosting Hinsdale South next Friday. Afterward the Mustangs will hit the road to play two members of the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25, fifth-ranked conference leader Morton and no. 7 Naperville North, to close out regular-season play.
Downers Grove South is a sixth-seed in the Class 3A Hinsdale Central Sectional and will host a regional tournament. Coach Jon Stapleton hopes that his squad can be a dark horse in the sectional where no. 3 Lyons, no. 5 Morton, no. 14 Benet, no. 18 Hinsdale Central and no. 21 Young are seeded ahead of his club.
Coach Mike Schmitt's Trojans are seeded one spot behind the Mustangs. Other regional sites include Argo, Morton and Proviso East.
Stapleton certainly knows a lot about the rivalry between the Community High School District 99 schools. Stapleton was a three-sport athlete for Downers Grove South and has been head coach of the since 2002. In the 2004-05 school year, he accomplished a rare feat -- leading his Mustangs to the IHSA Class AA championship during the two-class era and following up on that title in the winter by assisting coach Paul Runyon with the boys basketball team that placed third in Class AA.
The coach credited his keeper with an important role in the win Thursday.
"Andrik came up with some pretty big saves," Stapleton said. "He had one in the first half and if the PK had gone their way, that would have changed the entire complexion. And he had another big save in the second half, so he played really well.
“At the same time, we finished our chances. Paul had a nice finish in the first half. I thought that we played really well. North had some dangerous players, but we were up to the task defensively.
"Hopefully we're starting to peak at the right time, but we have some tests still ahead of us before we get to the tournament. I told the guys that games like this prepare you for that. It was a playoff-like atmosphere, and I thought that we responded well.
“Hopefully that provides some confidence going into the rest of conference play and the playoffs. This is a very cohesive group. I think they enjoy playing for each other and are willing to work hard for each other. Those are some intangibles that kind of sets this group apart.
"One of the nice things that we saw was guys taking pictures with the other players since they've grown up playing together. Mike and I have the philosophy that we want to make it a rivalry, but there's also a relationship here."
With his team struggling to score goals, the last thing that Trojans coach Mike Schmitt needed to see was his team down 2-0 shortly before the halftime whistle.
"We haven't had an easy game all year so we basically had a battle on our hands every single game that we've had, but the guys have always fought their way through," Schmitt said. "We were kind of unlucky. We switched off on a couple of plays that allowed them to score goals in the first half. We had opportunities, but it just wasn't our night, unfortunately.
"Our guys battle through every single game, and I have to applaud them for that. There's kind of like a never-quit mentality on this team, and we keep plugging away. The results haven't gone our way most of the season, but we've played tough in every single game.
"It's always a great environment when we play this game. … It's got a great postseason vibe to it. And it's really good to play, since a lot of our players don't get to see a crowd that big. It's great to have a game like this every year. It's a battle, and I don't think that the score line tells the story of how competitive the game was."
Downers Grove South got good first half chances from senior Victor Carassco, junior Jonathan Venouziou and Kruszewski. Downers Grove North received threats from senior Jack Ryan and junior James Harkness.
Downers Grove South finally broke through in the 34th minute when Kruszewski fired in an attempt past Trojans junior goalkeeper Will Barnett from about 20 yards.
In the 40th minute, senior Jorge Alcantara sent a shot toward the Trojans' net but senior Bradley Szydlowski cleared it. But the visitors got one last chance before the break and made the most of it. After Lopez sent in a corner kick that was deflected, he got to the loose ball and put in an attempt from the side from about 25 yards with just 19 ticks left.
"There's always a sense of pride when we come together, especially after last year when they knocked us out in the first round of the playoffs," Lopez said. "I've always practiced my free kicks and I think that I have good aim to my players, especially when you have a big kid like Paul as a target. But give it to the players in the box, too, because I'm not the one that is heading it. They're the ones heading it.
"We had a rough start, especially in the first eight games, but we've definitely turned it around in the midseason. Even though we lost to Addison Trail two days ago, we brought it back here against our rivals. We're definitely just trying to find a rhythm until the playoffs come.
“We're happy with the win and it was a good night for us on the south side. Our next game is not until next Friday, so we have a good, long time off. We'll just be ready for our next match against Hinsdale South.
"Our discipline in the back has been really tight after we kind of struggled last year with discipline. All of our teammates have been playing since U9 or U10, so we know each other like the back of our hands. But we're also real with each other. We call each out as we see it, and we don't sugar-coat it. Our coaches call it out and are honest when they need to be."
Downers Grove North looked like it caught a huge break in the 42nd minute when a foul in the box was called. Junior Riley Botha got Vidaurri to guess the wrong side, but his shot at the opposite corner went just wide of the mark.
"I just thought the mood from the team was great," Vidaurri said. "I think after the second goal we scored, we went into the half knowing that we had to step it up and keep the pressure on. After we got the penalty but then overcame that, we had the momentum, and we really stayed in this game.
"That's what I love about these boys, they never give up. All of these boys work 110 percent every day in practice, and it shows on the field. I like the hard work and determination of this team and also the discipline that we have. This rivalry is really big and that shows by how important the team celebration is afterward."
Shortly after the unsuccessful penalty, Lopez sent in a corner kick that new Downers Grove North goalkeeper Adi Zaveri had to punch over the bar. Not long after Botha sent another shot to Vidaurri. Downers Grove South junior Redion Neritani responded on the other side of the field with a header that was hauled in by Zaveri.
The Mustangs closed out the scoring in the 63rd minute when Lopez directed a long free kick into the box and sophomore Daniel Smazil put it away.
Downers Grove North continued to battle. Junior Ben Llewellyn sent in two long free kicks, one that was headed away by Lopez and the other was cleared by Alcantara.
Downers Grove South looked for one more goal in the final 10 minutes when Lopez put in another dangerous free kick that senior Karol Niziolek got his head on, but it was hauled in. Then the visitors clamped down to secure the shutout.
Starting lineups
Downers Grove South
GK: Andrik Vidaurri
D: Michael Mendoza
D: Emiliano Lagunas
D: Victor Carrasco
D: Matthew Crowley
MF: Julian Lopez
MF: Jorge Alcantara
MF: Redion Neritani
MF: Jonathan Venouziou
F: Paul Kruszewski
D: Aleck Galvez
Downers Grove North
GK: Will Barnett
D: Jackson Irby
D: Will Beatty
D: Bradley Szydlowski
D: Tomislav Petkovski
MF: Aldo Velazquez
MF: Ryan Wilson
MF: James Harkness
MF: Ben Llewellyn
F: Jack Ryan
F: Dylan Hicks
Chicagoland Soccer Men of the Match:
Julian Lopez, sr., MF, Downers Grove South;
Andrik Vidaurri, sr., GK, Downers Grove South
Scoring summary
First half
DGS: Paul Kruszewski, 34'
DGS: Julian Lopez, 40'
Second half
DGS: Daniel Smazil (Julian Lopez), 63'