BG tops Fremd to end 30-year drought
Bison take overdue MSL Cup; Eloiza, Peici lead charge
By Mike Garofola
BUFFALO GROVE -- Both Buffalo Grove and Fremd arrived at Grant Blaney Stadium hoping to make history at the 42nd Mid-Suburban League Soccer Cup
For the East Division champion Bison (14-4-1) the wish was to become the school's second group to lift the trophy and first since 1988, when future U.S. National Team star Brian McBride and his mates took the title on their way to the lone state championship in program history.
For Fremd, the game provided a chance to grab an unprecedented ninth league title and break a tie with crosstown rival Palatine.
But on the coldest night of the 2018 fall season, Buffalo Grove put on a magnificent 80-minute performance when it counted the most. The host Bison claimed a well-deserved 2-0 victory to claim the MSL's biggest prize.
"This is truly a remarkable feeling right now," Bison manager Darren Llewellyn said while in close proximity to his lads, who were surrounded by friends and family long after the final whistle ended this memorable night of soccer for the home side.
The longtime league manager has now won four MSL cups, the first three in a row while at Hersey (2006-2008) . He moved to Buffalo Grove this fall following his retirement from teaching after the 2017-2018 academic year.
"Tonight these guys did what they had to do in order win," Llewellyn said.
"They adapted their play to what Fremd allowed (us to do), and it worked. At the same time, they took away from Fremd what they've had success doing during the regular season."
"When that final whistle blew, it was all kind of surreal to me," said Buffalo Grove backline star Christian Kozacyka, who along with his center back partner Brian Hanus, and outside backs Marcin Czaplinski and Jack Coughlin, kept the chances at keeper Adam Sempoch to a minimum to help the first-year varsity starter record a much-valued clean-sheet.
"All of us from the 2017 team that lost in a shootout to Barrington made a promise to each other right afterwards that we would get back to the Cup and win it for those 6-7 guys who graduated. When we did, we sent a text to those guys to let them know we won it for all of us tonight."
"Buffalo Grove was the better team tonight and clearly deserved the win," said Fremd manager Steve Keller, who is always affable regardless of the outcome.
"We just weren't ourselves tonight. We lacked focus in our attack. We were too predictable and uncertain defensively and never really showed much urgency at all.
"They played well and their no. 20 impressed me a lot tonight. He was a load up-top, and a player we struggled with all night long."
The no. 20 Keller spoke of was Bison forward Jon Peici, who last year scored one goal. This year the big senior has bagged 11, many of which were wonder-goals for game-winners, or like on this this night, goals that likely killed off any hope of a fight-back by an opponent.
Perhaps there was a little more at stake for Peici, Kozaczka and all-state candidate Kevin Eloiza than their mates.
In 2017, all three saw glorious chances to finish that could have changed the final result of the 2017 MSL Cup with Barrington go awry. The missed opportunities have stayed with the trio but likely started to ease when Eloiza converted his 33rd minute spot-kick.
"We lost in the shootout last year to Barrington," said Eloiza. "When I stepped up to take that PK tonight, that's what I was thinking of."
The senior was magnificent throughout the game, whether deployed withdrawn from Peici up-top, or in the midfield where he pulled the strings in the Bison attack. He partnered with whomever Llewellyn switched from what began as a 4-3-1-2 formation.
"(I) missed a great chance in the first half against Barrington last year, so that wasn't going to happen tonight if it came my way again," added Peici, who has enjoyed a breakout season this fall, not only because of his fantastic finishes, but from his pace, powerful leg and hard running at backlines that has created chances for himself and others.
"We all had so much to play for tonight, so to win the MSL championship is such a great feeling."
During what has become an annual part of this longest running championship soccer game in the state of Illinois, MSL officials honored the 2018 all-conference players and the divisional players of the year. Eloiza and Wheeling senior Jared Urueta shared the East Division prize; Fremd junior Jake Schoffstall was named the top player in the West.
The contest started as one that was played in a cagey fashion. Neither side showed much of what it had to their opponent, but tested the waters to see how each would react to the other.
"Llewellyn is like a mad scientist," Kozaczka said. "(He) watched hours of film then dissects our opponent before giving up clips of film to study and watch.
"But it's great to have a manager like that, because he gives us everything we need to know in order to prepare us. It's up to us to perform."
Hersey players said the challenge with Fremd was to close the middle down, pinch the middle to force play wide, win the air war, and read and react to predict one of the Vikings strengths -- the long service.
"Kozaczka and Hanus did a wonderful job of winning balls," said Llewellyn. "Our mids, after the first 20 minutes, began switching correctly to keep the ball out of the middle so their attack would become more predictable for us to defend."
Many in the big crowd moaned and groaned when center official Dimitri Katsimigos blew his whistle often in the first quarter hour. It was clear the intent of this well-regarded Division I referee was to stamp out some of the chippy play displayed in this high-stakes affair.
Katsimigos never hesitated when he sent Eloiza to the spot after Peici was brought down in the box. Keller did not question the critical play at the time but asked for clarity at intermission.
"The PK call was a tough one, but it happens," Keller said. "You cannot allow a player like no. 20 to get into the area like that in the first place."
Fremd keeper Artur Cholewa, whom Keller praised in the lead up before this contest, guessed correctly that Eloiza would send his effort to his right. But the pace and near-perfect placement just inside the post found the back of the net to send the Bison faithful into orbit.
"We opened pretty strong tonight, but after that first 5-6 minutes we got on our heels," said classy Vikings senior midfielder Connor Sapiente, who didn't shy away from postgame comments despite the disappointing defeat.
"We didn't play with the confidence that we've had, don't really know why. That PK shocked us and woke us up a bit, but we fell right back to playing the way we did after the break. And we never got back into the game after that."
A trio of deep throws from Joe Beaupre, and a pair of free kicks by the aforementioned Schoffstall, greeted Buffalo Grove in the early stages of the second half. So did a well-paced free kick sent in by Kaelan Conway, that took the breath away from the Bison crowd when one of its defenders nearly redirected the attempt into the net.
But after a lethal-looking counter from Brian Perez, Eloiza and Peici ended with Peici rattling the football crossbar. Then the Bison goal-scoring leader added another to his resume when he stuck a dagger into the heart of the Fremd faithful.
"We needed another goal badly, because Fremd has so much firepower and can score goals on you quickly," said Llewellyn.
"I saw the central through-ball available to us and yelled to (Alex) Berk to give a straight through-ball to Jon Peici. He gave him a perfectly placed and weighted ball, and Jon did the rest."
The goal upped the intensity from both sides. The Vikings (11-4-1) showed urgency and managed the ball for most of the final 26 minutes.
Buffalo Grove was content to let the Vikings possess as much as they liked before entering the final third. But once there, the home side dropped nine behind the ball and continued to flood the middle of the park, daring their guests to play wide.
Beaupre went over the bar at 56 minutes, then went close after Anthony Tambellini and Sapiente navigated free of their marks to sent up their teammate.
Both clubs registered a couple of half-chances during the next 10 minutes. The Bison came out of their defensive shell to warn the Vikings they were still looking to counter to keep them from throwing too many players forward.
"We played three different formations tonight, all predicated upon the attack from Fremd," began Llewellyn.
"As I said, we began with a 4-3-1-2, moved to a 4-2-1-1-2 (triangle in the middle) then went to a 4-2-3-1 after we got the lead.
"The guys did a very good job of following our tactical plan in order to beat a very good opponent."
The Vikings came at the Bison with a ferocious force in the last few minutes, desperate to pull closer.
Doran Lesiuk, who led the Vikings with 12 goals this season, tested Sempoch after a quick restart in the 72nd minute, followed by another on frame from Tambellini with his snap-shot from 20 yards.
Sapiente went wide twice, Beaupre forced another save by Sempoch, but in the end, the Bison survived the frantic late charge by Fremd to begin a long celebration.
"That first goal was big for all of us, and especially me after that miss last year in the shootout," began Eloiza.
"It felt good to get that goal, because I think it gave all of us the boost we needed, and that second one from Jon was great. It was exactly what we needed to carry us through the rest of the way."
"I'm thrilled for the guys tonight and very happy for our program here at Buffalo Grove," said Llewellyn.
"I said the night of Homecoming, when they saluted that 1988 championship team, how cool it would be for these guys to finally bring another MSL Cup home. And it all came true with a terrific effort from everyone."
Starting lineups
Fremd (4-4-2)
G- Artur Cholewa
D- Jake Scesniak
D- Jake Schoffstall
D- Cole Jackson
D- Kaelan Conway
M- Vince Daidone
M- Anthony Tambellini
M- Connor Sapiente
M- Josh Bennett
F- Dorian Lesiuk
F- Joe Beaupre
Buffalo Grove (4-3-1-2)
G- Adam Sempoch
D- Jack Coughlin
D- Christian Kozaczka
D- Brian Hanus
D- Marcin Czaplinski
M- Shane Adams
M- Ryan Kim
M- Alex Berk
M- Brian Perez
F- Jon Peici
F- Kevin Eloiza
Chicagoland Soccer Men of the Match: Kevin Eloiza, sr., M, Buffalo Grove
Jon Peici, sr., F, Buffalo Grove
Officials: Dimitri Katsimigos (center); Adrian Werbecki; Lukazs Zielinski
Scoring Summary
First half
Buffalo Grove: Eloiza (PK) 33'
Second half
Buffalo Grove: Peici (Berk) 53'
Bison take overdue MSL Cup; Eloiza, Peici lead charge
By Mike Garofola
BUFFALO GROVE -- Both Buffalo Grove and Fremd arrived at Grant Blaney Stadium hoping to make history at the 42nd Mid-Suburban League Soccer Cup
For the East Division champion Bison (14-4-1) the wish was to become the school's second group to lift the trophy and first since 1988, when future U.S. National Team star Brian McBride and his mates took the title on their way to the lone state championship in program history.
For Fremd, the game provided a chance to grab an unprecedented ninth league title and break a tie with crosstown rival Palatine.
But on the coldest night of the 2018 fall season, Buffalo Grove put on a magnificent 80-minute performance when it counted the most. The host Bison claimed a well-deserved 2-0 victory to claim the MSL's biggest prize.
"This is truly a remarkable feeling right now," Bison manager Darren Llewellyn said while in close proximity to his lads, who were surrounded by friends and family long after the final whistle ended this memorable night of soccer for the home side.
The longtime league manager has now won four MSL cups, the first three in a row while at Hersey (2006-2008) . He moved to Buffalo Grove this fall following his retirement from teaching after the 2017-2018 academic year.
"Tonight these guys did what they had to do in order win," Llewellyn said.
"They adapted their play to what Fremd allowed (us to do), and it worked. At the same time, they took away from Fremd what they've had success doing during the regular season."
"When that final whistle blew, it was all kind of surreal to me," said Buffalo Grove backline star Christian Kozacyka, who along with his center back partner Brian Hanus, and outside backs Marcin Czaplinski and Jack Coughlin, kept the chances at keeper Adam Sempoch to a minimum to help the first-year varsity starter record a much-valued clean-sheet.
"All of us from the 2017 team that lost in a shootout to Barrington made a promise to each other right afterwards that we would get back to the Cup and win it for those 6-7 guys who graduated. When we did, we sent a text to those guys to let them know we won it for all of us tonight."
"Buffalo Grove was the better team tonight and clearly deserved the win," said Fremd manager Steve Keller, who is always affable regardless of the outcome.
"We just weren't ourselves tonight. We lacked focus in our attack. We were too predictable and uncertain defensively and never really showed much urgency at all.
"They played well and their no. 20 impressed me a lot tonight. He was a load up-top, and a player we struggled with all night long."
The no. 20 Keller spoke of was Bison forward Jon Peici, who last year scored one goal. This year the big senior has bagged 11, many of which were wonder-goals for game-winners, or like on this this night, goals that likely killed off any hope of a fight-back by an opponent.
Perhaps there was a little more at stake for Peici, Kozaczka and all-state candidate Kevin Eloiza than their mates.
In 2017, all three saw glorious chances to finish that could have changed the final result of the 2017 MSL Cup with Barrington go awry. The missed opportunities have stayed with the trio but likely started to ease when Eloiza converted his 33rd minute spot-kick.
"We lost in the shootout last year to Barrington," said Eloiza. "When I stepped up to take that PK tonight, that's what I was thinking of."
The senior was magnificent throughout the game, whether deployed withdrawn from Peici up-top, or in the midfield where he pulled the strings in the Bison attack. He partnered with whomever Llewellyn switched from what began as a 4-3-1-2 formation.
"(I) missed a great chance in the first half against Barrington last year, so that wasn't going to happen tonight if it came my way again," added Peici, who has enjoyed a breakout season this fall, not only because of his fantastic finishes, but from his pace, powerful leg and hard running at backlines that has created chances for himself and others.
"We all had so much to play for tonight, so to win the MSL championship is such a great feeling."
During what has become an annual part of this longest running championship soccer game in the state of Illinois, MSL officials honored the 2018 all-conference players and the divisional players of the year. Eloiza and Wheeling senior Jared Urueta shared the East Division prize; Fremd junior Jake Schoffstall was named the top player in the West.
The contest started as one that was played in a cagey fashion. Neither side showed much of what it had to their opponent, but tested the waters to see how each would react to the other.
"Llewellyn is like a mad scientist," Kozaczka said. "(He) watched hours of film then dissects our opponent before giving up clips of film to study and watch.
"But it's great to have a manager like that, because he gives us everything we need to know in order to prepare us. It's up to us to perform."
Hersey players said the challenge with Fremd was to close the middle down, pinch the middle to force play wide, win the air war, and read and react to predict one of the Vikings strengths -- the long service.
"Kozaczka and Hanus did a wonderful job of winning balls," said Llewellyn. "Our mids, after the first 20 minutes, began switching correctly to keep the ball out of the middle so their attack would become more predictable for us to defend."
Many in the big crowd moaned and groaned when center official Dimitri Katsimigos blew his whistle often in the first quarter hour. It was clear the intent of this well-regarded Division I referee was to stamp out some of the chippy play displayed in this high-stakes affair.
Katsimigos never hesitated when he sent Eloiza to the spot after Peici was brought down in the box. Keller did not question the critical play at the time but asked for clarity at intermission.
"The PK call was a tough one, but it happens," Keller said. "You cannot allow a player like no. 20 to get into the area like that in the first place."
Fremd keeper Artur Cholewa, whom Keller praised in the lead up before this contest, guessed correctly that Eloiza would send his effort to his right. But the pace and near-perfect placement just inside the post found the back of the net to send the Bison faithful into orbit.
"We opened pretty strong tonight, but after that first 5-6 minutes we got on our heels," said classy Vikings senior midfielder Connor Sapiente, who didn't shy away from postgame comments despite the disappointing defeat.
"We didn't play with the confidence that we've had, don't really know why. That PK shocked us and woke us up a bit, but we fell right back to playing the way we did after the break. And we never got back into the game after that."
A trio of deep throws from Joe Beaupre, and a pair of free kicks by the aforementioned Schoffstall, greeted Buffalo Grove in the early stages of the second half. So did a well-paced free kick sent in by Kaelan Conway, that took the breath away from the Bison crowd when one of its defenders nearly redirected the attempt into the net.
But after a lethal-looking counter from Brian Perez, Eloiza and Peici ended with Peici rattling the football crossbar. Then the Bison goal-scoring leader added another to his resume when he stuck a dagger into the heart of the Fremd faithful.
"We needed another goal badly, because Fremd has so much firepower and can score goals on you quickly," said Llewellyn.
"I saw the central through-ball available to us and yelled to (Alex) Berk to give a straight through-ball to Jon Peici. He gave him a perfectly placed and weighted ball, and Jon did the rest."
The goal upped the intensity from both sides. The Vikings (11-4-1) showed urgency and managed the ball for most of the final 26 minutes.
Buffalo Grove was content to let the Vikings possess as much as they liked before entering the final third. But once there, the home side dropped nine behind the ball and continued to flood the middle of the park, daring their guests to play wide.
Beaupre went over the bar at 56 minutes, then went close after Anthony Tambellini and Sapiente navigated free of their marks to sent up their teammate.
Both clubs registered a couple of half-chances during the next 10 minutes. The Bison came out of their defensive shell to warn the Vikings they were still looking to counter to keep them from throwing too many players forward.
"We played three different formations tonight, all predicated upon the attack from Fremd," began Llewellyn.
"As I said, we began with a 4-3-1-2, moved to a 4-2-1-1-2 (triangle in the middle) then went to a 4-2-3-1 after we got the lead.
"The guys did a very good job of following our tactical plan in order to beat a very good opponent."
The Vikings came at the Bison with a ferocious force in the last few minutes, desperate to pull closer.
Doran Lesiuk, who led the Vikings with 12 goals this season, tested Sempoch after a quick restart in the 72nd minute, followed by another on frame from Tambellini with his snap-shot from 20 yards.
Sapiente went wide twice, Beaupre forced another save by Sempoch, but in the end, the Bison survived the frantic late charge by Fremd to begin a long celebration.
"That first goal was big for all of us, and especially me after that miss last year in the shootout," began Eloiza.
"It felt good to get that goal, because I think it gave all of us the boost we needed, and that second one from Jon was great. It was exactly what we needed to carry us through the rest of the way."
"I'm thrilled for the guys tonight and very happy for our program here at Buffalo Grove," said Llewellyn.
"I said the night of Homecoming, when they saluted that 1988 championship team, how cool it would be for these guys to finally bring another MSL Cup home. And it all came true with a terrific effort from everyone."
Starting lineups
Fremd (4-4-2)
G- Artur Cholewa
D- Jake Scesniak
D- Jake Schoffstall
D- Cole Jackson
D- Kaelan Conway
M- Vince Daidone
M- Anthony Tambellini
M- Connor Sapiente
M- Josh Bennett
F- Dorian Lesiuk
F- Joe Beaupre
Buffalo Grove (4-3-1-2)
G- Adam Sempoch
D- Jack Coughlin
D- Christian Kozaczka
D- Brian Hanus
D- Marcin Czaplinski
M- Shane Adams
M- Ryan Kim
M- Alex Berk
M- Brian Perez
F- Jon Peici
F- Kevin Eloiza
Chicagoland Soccer Men of the Match: Kevin Eloiza, sr., M, Buffalo Grove
Jon Peici, sr., F, Buffalo Grove
Officials: Dimitri Katsimigos (center); Adrian Werbecki; Lukazs Zielinski
Scoring Summary
First half
Buffalo Grove: Eloiza (PK) 33'
Second half
Buffalo Grove: Peici (Berk) 53'