Willowbrook seniors drive win over DGS
Gomez bags 2, Warriors upset Mustangs 4-3 on Senior Night
By Matt Le Cren
VILLA PARK – Willowbrook forward Efren Gomez wanted to put on a show for the friends and family members who showed up to cheer him and his fellow seniors on Tuesday night.
He and his teammates did that and more in their final home game. Gomez scored twice, including the game-winner, and senior captain Miguel Correa added a goal and assist as the host Warriors stunned Downers Grove South 4-3 on Senior Night.
It was the first time Willowbrook has defeated the Mustangs in at least 15 years and gave the Warriors their first winning streak of the season as well as their first West Suburban Conference Gold Division victory of 2017.
“I just wanted to give everything, my all, because my parents were here,” Gomez said. “My whole family was here and the community, so I just wanted to give my all.”
Gomez’s all was good enough for a historic victory which many doubted the Warriors could pull off. But Willowbrook coach Eddie DeLaCruz had faith in his team and took pride not only in beating the Mustangs, but how they did it.
“It definitely feels good, especially on Senior Night,” said DeLaCruz, whose team snapped a six-game losing streak with a 8-2 cross-over win over Proviso West on Sept. 28.
“A lot of people know in regards to the situation that we’ve had that injuries have been a big, big problem. Of my top four guys, I lost three of them, one for the season.
“But now we’re on track for the playoffs. The last couple games I’ve been very, very pleased. Now that we’re pretty much fully healthy, you can totally tell the difference.”
It wasn’t immediately evident in the early going as Downers South took a 1-0 lead at the 28:03 mark when Alex Flores scored on his own rebound.
But the Mustangs (5-9-3, 2-3-0) weren’t dominating the game, and the Warriors (5-10-0, 1-4-0) were matching opportunities in the often end-to-end action. The hosts blew three open shots over the crossbar but got the equalizer in spectacular fashion just before intermission.
Correa launched a 59-yard free kick from the right wing into the Downers Grove South box. Senior Patrick Florey headed the ball forward to Gomez, who was tightly marked outside the near post.
Gomez got under the ball and somehow volleyed it across his body and inside the far post with 35.7 seconds left.
“I didn’t know I could even do that,” Gomez marveled. “Patrick Florey headed it to me.
“Before (Correa) even kicked the ball, I had an idea in my head that, ‘Oh, they’re going to kick it to Patrick, so maybe there is going to be a rebound or something,’ and it did happen. I ended up capitalizing on it.”
The goal changed the complexion of the game in a way all too familiar to Downers Grove South coach Jon Stapleton, whose team has given up late goals before.
“It was a nice finish,” Stapleton said. “Maybe we manage that situation better, once again (it happened) right before half. Ultimately we might get a different result if we go into halftime 1-0 versus 1-1.
“But they were inspired tonight. I think it starts with Senior Night, and they played hard. They finished well on the opportunities they had.”
Gomez’s goal had the crowd buzzing and the Warriors feeling good at halftime.
“It fed us,” Gomez said. “It was momentum.”
Indeed, the Warriors continued to play at high level in the second half, scoring three quality goals on counterattacks.
The first goal happened in a flash, as the Warriors cleared a Downers South corner kick and launched a 4-on-3 counterattack. A hustling Gomez stayed ahead of a defender and slotted the ball behind the last defender to the top of the box.
Mustangs goalkeeper Parker Smith came out to field the ball, but Correa beat him to it and won the challenge by tapping the ball to his left and then scoring into the empty net for a 2-1 lead with 32:10 remaining.
“The way we transitioned to our goals today was really nice to see,” DeLaCruz said. “We haven’t seen those types of transition goals much all season, but injuries play a role in that.”
The Warriors continued to put the hurt on the Mustangs, scoring twice more on quick counters.
First, Florey took a ball to the right corner before crossing into the middle, where the ball was poked away by a defender. But Thomas Waldord got to the loose ball and poked it to his left to onrushing junior David Rizzo, who blasted an 18-yard shot inside the left post at the 10:29 mark.
Then it was Gomez’s turn again. Correa fed him into the top of the box, and Gomez rolled the ball past Smith to make it 4-1 with 7:11 left.
“The communication was the most important part that helped us,” Correa said. “I feel like the boys did everything (well).
“I’m happy for myself and for the team especially. They came out to play for me and the whole team. I’m just very happy for the team.”
The mood was much more muted on the Downers South bench after another in a series of disappointing results.
The Mustangs did make things interesting, scoring two quick goals in response to the Willowbrook run and put a lot of pressure on their hosts in the final five minutes.
Flores scored his second goal of the game on a rebound just 23 seconds after Gomez’s last strike. Then sophomore Enrique Gonzalez scored on a similar play to make it 4-3 with 5:02 to go.
That got the Mustangs fired-up and from then on the Warriors did everything they could to hang on. The visitors nearly had the equalizer but Willowbrook goalkeeper Mario Giase made three saves, including two brilliant efforts, in the final 95 seconds to avoid overtime.
First, Giase dove to his left to knock away a header from Joseph Vargas with 1:35 left. Thirty seconds later, he went the other way to parry Kurt Bennett’s hard shot away.
“We dug ourselves too much of a hole,” Stapleton said. “Ultimately we’re not at a level where we can turn it on.
“I know it appeared we turned it on, and I told the kids I was proud of how they didn’t give up at 4-1 and gave us an opportunity to maybe send it overtime. But we’re also not good enough to turn the switch on and off and expect results.”
The Mustangs haven’t gotten many positive results lately, winning just once in their last nine outings. Spurts of solid play have not been sustained.
“We’ve been inconsistent all season,” Stapleton said. “We need to reflect on that and what we need to do get better and be more consistent.
“We have to keep working. I was proud of how they battled back to make it close.
“If only they can maintain that level of fight for 80 minutes.”
Stapleton doesn’t have to tell DeLaCruz about that.
“We’ve got to talk about finishing a soccer game, that’s for sure,” DeLaCruz said. “With the hair that I have, I don’t want to get any gray ones just yet
“This one feels good, I’m not going to lie to you. Pretty much the seniors, every single one of them, they definitely stepped it up, and I cannot be more pleased for my team.”
Both teams will be heavy underdogs when the playoffs begin. That’s especially true for the Warriors, who are seeded 17th at the Conant Sectional and will have to get past Hoffman Estates in a preliminary round game before facing top-seeded St. Charles North in regional semifinals on the road.
“If we would have started like this and played every single game this way, we would have had a better record right now,” Correa said. “But we’re coming back, so that’s good.”
Starting lineups
Downers Grove South
GK Parker Smith
D Max Schmidt-Bailey
D Michael Beube
D Alex Wielgosz
M Kurt Bennett
M Jack Daly
M Alex Flores
M Erick Gonzalez
M James David
F Hristijan Veceski
F Enrique Gonzalez
Willowbrook
GK Mario Giase
D Joey Gillono
D Steven Cerda
D Aaron Guallpa
D Tomas Hernandez
M Jeffrey Wolski
M Miguel Correa
M David Rizzo
M Izzy Roman
F Efren Gomez
F Patrick Florey
Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match – Efren Gomez, sr., F, Willowbrook
Scoring summary
1st Half
Downers South – Alex Flores 28:03
Willowbrook – Effren Gomez (Patrick Florey, Miguel Correa) :35
2nd Half
Willowbrook – Correa (Gomez) 32:10
Willowbrook – Davod Rizzo (Thomas Waldord) 10:21
Willowbrook – Gomez (Correa) 7:11
Downers South – Flores 6:48
Downers South – Enrique Gonzalez 5:02
Gomez bags 2, Warriors upset Mustangs 4-3 on Senior Night
By Matt Le Cren
VILLA PARK – Willowbrook forward Efren Gomez wanted to put on a show for the friends and family members who showed up to cheer him and his fellow seniors on Tuesday night.
He and his teammates did that and more in their final home game. Gomez scored twice, including the game-winner, and senior captain Miguel Correa added a goal and assist as the host Warriors stunned Downers Grove South 4-3 on Senior Night.
It was the first time Willowbrook has defeated the Mustangs in at least 15 years and gave the Warriors their first winning streak of the season as well as their first West Suburban Conference Gold Division victory of 2017.
“I just wanted to give everything, my all, because my parents were here,” Gomez said. “My whole family was here and the community, so I just wanted to give my all.”
Gomez’s all was good enough for a historic victory which many doubted the Warriors could pull off. But Willowbrook coach Eddie DeLaCruz had faith in his team and took pride not only in beating the Mustangs, but how they did it.
“It definitely feels good, especially on Senior Night,” said DeLaCruz, whose team snapped a six-game losing streak with a 8-2 cross-over win over Proviso West on Sept. 28.
“A lot of people know in regards to the situation that we’ve had that injuries have been a big, big problem. Of my top four guys, I lost three of them, one for the season.
“But now we’re on track for the playoffs. The last couple games I’ve been very, very pleased. Now that we’re pretty much fully healthy, you can totally tell the difference.”
It wasn’t immediately evident in the early going as Downers South took a 1-0 lead at the 28:03 mark when Alex Flores scored on his own rebound.
But the Mustangs (5-9-3, 2-3-0) weren’t dominating the game, and the Warriors (5-10-0, 1-4-0) were matching opportunities in the often end-to-end action. The hosts blew three open shots over the crossbar but got the equalizer in spectacular fashion just before intermission.
Correa launched a 59-yard free kick from the right wing into the Downers Grove South box. Senior Patrick Florey headed the ball forward to Gomez, who was tightly marked outside the near post.
Gomez got under the ball and somehow volleyed it across his body and inside the far post with 35.7 seconds left.
“I didn’t know I could even do that,” Gomez marveled. “Patrick Florey headed it to me.
“Before (Correa) even kicked the ball, I had an idea in my head that, ‘Oh, they’re going to kick it to Patrick, so maybe there is going to be a rebound or something,’ and it did happen. I ended up capitalizing on it.”
The goal changed the complexion of the game in a way all too familiar to Downers Grove South coach Jon Stapleton, whose team has given up late goals before.
“It was a nice finish,” Stapleton said. “Maybe we manage that situation better, once again (it happened) right before half. Ultimately we might get a different result if we go into halftime 1-0 versus 1-1.
“But they were inspired tonight. I think it starts with Senior Night, and they played hard. They finished well on the opportunities they had.”
Gomez’s goal had the crowd buzzing and the Warriors feeling good at halftime.
“It fed us,” Gomez said. “It was momentum.”
Indeed, the Warriors continued to play at high level in the second half, scoring three quality goals on counterattacks.
The first goal happened in a flash, as the Warriors cleared a Downers South corner kick and launched a 4-on-3 counterattack. A hustling Gomez stayed ahead of a defender and slotted the ball behind the last defender to the top of the box.
Mustangs goalkeeper Parker Smith came out to field the ball, but Correa beat him to it and won the challenge by tapping the ball to his left and then scoring into the empty net for a 2-1 lead with 32:10 remaining.
“The way we transitioned to our goals today was really nice to see,” DeLaCruz said. “We haven’t seen those types of transition goals much all season, but injuries play a role in that.”
The Warriors continued to put the hurt on the Mustangs, scoring twice more on quick counters.
First, Florey took a ball to the right corner before crossing into the middle, where the ball was poked away by a defender. But Thomas Waldord got to the loose ball and poked it to his left to onrushing junior David Rizzo, who blasted an 18-yard shot inside the left post at the 10:29 mark.
Then it was Gomez’s turn again. Correa fed him into the top of the box, and Gomez rolled the ball past Smith to make it 4-1 with 7:11 left.
“The communication was the most important part that helped us,” Correa said. “I feel like the boys did everything (well).
“I’m happy for myself and for the team especially. They came out to play for me and the whole team. I’m just very happy for the team.”
The mood was much more muted on the Downers South bench after another in a series of disappointing results.
The Mustangs did make things interesting, scoring two quick goals in response to the Willowbrook run and put a lot of pressure on their hosts in the final five minutes.
Flores scored his second goal of the game on a rebound just 23 seconds after Gomez’s last strike. Then sophomore Enrique Gonzalez scored on a similar play to make it 4-3 with 5:02 to go.
That got the Mustangs fired-up and from then on the Warriors did everything they could to hang on. The visitors nearly had the equalizer but Willowbrook goalkeeper Mario Giase made three saves, including two brilliant efforts, in the final 95 seconds to avoid overtime.
First, Giase dove to his left to knock away a header from Joseph Vargas with 1:35 left. Thirty seconds later, he went the other way to parry Kurt Bennett’s hard shot away.
“We dug ourselves too much of a hole,” Stapleton said. “Ultimately we’re not at a level where we can turn it on.
“I know it appeared we turned it on, and I told the kids I was proud of how they didn’t give up at 4-1 and gave us an opportunity to maybe send it overtime. But we’re also not good enough to turn the switch on and off and expect results.”
The Mustangs haven’t gotten many positive results lately, winning just once in their last nine outings. Spurts of solid play have not been sustained.
“We’ve been inconsistent all season,” Stapleton said. “We need to reflect on that and what we need to do get better and be more consistent.
“We have to keep working. I was proud of how they battled back to make it close.
“If only they can maintain that level of fight for 80 minutes.”
Stapleton doesn’t have to tell DeLaCruz about that.
“We’ve got to talk about finishing a soccer game, that’s for sure,” DeLaCruz said. “With the hair that I have, I don’t want to get any gray ones just yet
“This one feels good, I’m not going to lie to you. Pretty much the seniors, every single one of them, they definitely stepped it up, and I cannot be more pleased for my team.”
Both teams will be heavy underdogs when the playoffs begin. That’s especially true for the Warriors, who are seeded 17th at the Conant Sectional and will have to get past Hoffman Estates in a preliminary round game before facing top-seeded St. Charles North in regional semifinals on the road.
“If we would have started like this and played every single game this way, we would have had a better record right now,” Correa said. “But we’re coming back, so that’s good.”
Starting lineups
Downers Grove South
GK Parker Smith
D Max Schmidt-Bailey
D Michael Beube
D Alex Wielgosz
M Kurt Bennett
M Jack Daly
M Alex Flores
M Erick Gonzalez
M James David
F Hristijan Veceski
F Enrique Gonzalez
Willowbrook
GK Mario Giase
D Joey Gillono
D Steven Cerda
D Aaron Guallpa
D Tomas Hernandez
M Jeffrey Wolski
M Miguel Correa
M David Rizzo
M Izzy Roman
F Efren Gomez
F Patrick Florey
Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match – Efren Gomez, sr., F, Willowbrook
Scoring summary
1st Half
Downers South – Alex Flores 28:03
Willowbrook – Effren Gomez (Patrick Florey, Miguel Correa) :35
2nd Half
Willowbrook – Correa (Gomez) 32:10
Willowbrook – Davod Rizzo (Thomas Waldord) 10:21
Willowbrook – Gomez (Correa) 7:11
Downers South – Flores 6:48
Downers South – Enrique Gonzalez 5:02