Jesus Perez delivers perfect apex for
great career as Morton bests Leyden
Senior's brace includes game-winner, delivers league title
By Patrick Z. McGavin
BERWYN — Jesus Perez knows his way around athletic spaces.
The venue is secondary to his grand sense of place and time. A basketball court or a soccer field, the Morton senior has always had a flair for impacting a game.
A two-sport star, he made his final high school soccer game a deeply memorable one. It also conjured a rash of memories and sublime moments.
“I think one thing I learned was just to enjoy every moment I have,” Perez said. “I remember playing on this field as a freshman, and now look where I am.
“It’s already my last game.”
Perez ignited a first half shootout with a goal in the second minute and punctuated the activity with a splendid game-winner late as Morton, ranked seventh in the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25, edged no. 16 Leyden 4-3 in West Suburban Conference Gold Division finale on Thursday.
Morton (8-1-2, 6-0) captured its 10th-consecutive division title.
In a clash of division unbeatens, the Mustangs captured their 54th-consecutive game in the Gold Division. Leyden was the last team to beat Morton in division play, capturing the conference title in 2011.
Morton ended up winning the Class 3A state title that year.
“Morton’s a good team, and we always look forward to playing them,” Leyden forward Alan Vazquez said. His goal in the eighth minute reversed the Mustangs’ fast start.
The game featured remarkable flourishes on each side, with Morton delivering an apparent haymaker in the opening minutes only to see the Eagles respond with a dramatic flurry of their own.
The teams combined for three goals in the first eight minutes.
Morton had the Eagles (7-4-0, 5-1) reeling in the opening moments. Perez broke free in space and caught a beautiful through-ball from midfielder Giovanni Alvarez down the left edge.
Leyden keeper Israel Marin came out and blocked the first ball by Perez.
The Morton forward controlled the rebound and blasted in the recovery shot just 1:04 into the game.
Perez missed the Mustangs’ first two games due to the overlap with the end of his basketball season. He earned varsity letters in the two sports. He is being recruited to play as a guard in college.
His quickness, balance, vision and shotmaking are something to behold. Morton missed him significantly at the start of the season: losing 3-2 against no. 2 Lyons; and trailing York before salvaging a 2-2 tie.
His presence opens up the offense and provides the rest of the Mustangs’ devastating middle attack to take hold.
In the eighth minute, midfielder Jonathan Murillo finished a ball from Julian Vargas for a stunning 2-0 lead.
Leyden answered authoritatively by scoring three goals over the next 13 minutes.
“I think the worst thing that could have happened with us today is that we did get those two quick goals,” Morton coach Jim Bageanis said.
“I think we thought it was going to be an easy game.”
Leyden had other plans. The Eagles have been the only team historically able to play with the Mustangs over the last decade.
They have taken Morton to overtime twice during its 10-year unbeaten streak.
Leyden recovered and showed plenty of moxie and resilience. The Eagles pushed numbers out wide and found vulnerabilities in the Mustangs’ back.
“We were not in the right mindset at the start of the game,” Vazquez said. The Eagles were coming off a difficult 2-1 loss against York on Tuesday.
In this abbreviated season with multiple games over a compressed schedule, the players have been forced to adjust on the run and negotiate profound emotional and physical difficulties.
“You have to credit our guys,” Leyden coach Mark Valintis said. “They’re sore, wounded and injured, and they’re playing on heart, emotion and adrenaline.”
In the eighth minute, midfielder Alan Jacino, the Eagles’ most creative and dangerous talent, slotted a pass just outside the top of the box that Vazquez blasted for the Eagles’ opening goal.
“Alan’s goal gave us a world of confidence,” Valintis said.
With that began the Leyden onslaught, a series of pincer movements toward the Mustangs’ final third that shifted the dynamics profoundly.
“We made mistakes in the back that they made us pay for,” Bageanis said. “When we play in the back like that, we don’t usually have good results.
“Just go back to the Lyons or York game.”
Off a restart in the 21st minute, Oscar Flores served a terrific free kick that midfielder Javier Solis put an elegant repurposed touch on for the second Leyden goal.
Leyden changed the terms of the game. Now Morton was the team out of balance.
Eagles forward Pablo Mancha completed the comeback by intercepting a ball in the Morton end and adroitly avoided two players.
He moved swiftly and drilled a left-footed ball from about 14 yards in the 31st minute for the 3-2 lead.
“Those were all the things we talked about before the game that when we had chances like that, we had to finish them,” Valintis said.
“We didn’t get as many in the second half.”
Like much of the first half, no dominant narrative ever emerged. Things changed moment to moment. Sure enough, the Leyden lead was also just a temporary action.
Morton midfielder Julian Guzman created another momentum switch with his goal in the 36th minute.
A wild first half featured one goal every six minutes.
“That was a huge goal by Julian Guzman to get us back to even,” Bageanis said. “We got to halftime,and we said that the score was zero-zero.
“Who’s going to win these last 40 minutes?”
Perez took up the challenge.
“I think we got a little bit ahead of ourselves after the start,” he said. “The game just goes to show you can’t stop playing, even if you’re up 2-0 or score in the first five minutes.
“We had to come out with more intensity.”
In the 69th minute, Perez provided the perfect bookend.
Like his first goal, it developed off a rebound with him perfectly positioned to finish the original shot of Alvarez by smashing it home from the right wing.
“I just realized I had to step it up in that situation,” he said. “This is my senior year, and I had to make a play on the ball. You never know if the ball’s going to come out on a rebound, or something like that.
“I was in the right place.”
The disappointment of the finish soon gave way to a more introspective and expansive consideration of everything the players have endured.
“I’m proud of my team,” said Leyden’s Vazquez. “Being able to come out this year was fun, especially with so much of our team being seniors.
“We tried to make the best out of it. This was one of our best games of the year, and so was our first game against Oak Park. We wanted it so badly, and we got the win.”
Valintis is likely to remember the off-moments and quiet times, the funny exchanges, the byplay among the players during practice or on the bus to games.
“It’s great to see these boys grow up,” he said. “I’m just glad that we played. I have 14 seniors, and six of them have been with me since they were sophomores.
“I’m glad they got some closure, I’m glad they got this opportunity. Despite the loss, they are going to look back on this with some fond memories.”
Perez is weighing scholarship interest from Lewis. He wants to try and play both sports in college.
In his final high school game, he earned the Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match honor.
“It’s a pleasure we had a season,” he said. “Even if it had only been two or three games, I’d have been happy.
“We didn’t have state, but today felt like a state playoff game.”
Starting lineups
Leyden
GK: Isael Marin
D: Jesus Recendez
D: Krystian Martinez
D: Matt Espinoza
D: Edgar Orozco
MF: Dylan Santamaria
MF: Alan Jacinto
MF: Ozzie Pacheco
F: Alan Vazquez
F: Pablo Mancha
F: Cris Hernandez
Morton
GK: Sebastian Mayorga
D: Julian Yanez
D: Juan Ramirez
D: Luis Gonzalez
D: Eddie Barraza
MF: Jonathan Murillo
MF: Julian Vargas
MF: Edgar Quintero
MF: Cristian Perez
F: Jesus Perez
F: Giovanni Alvarez
Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match: Jesus Perez. sr., F, Morton
Scoring summary
First half
Morton—Jesus Perez (unassisted), 2nd minute
Morton—Jonathan Murillo (Julian Vargas), 6th minute
Leyden—Alan Vazquez (Alan Jacinto), 8th minute
Leyden—Javier Solis (Oscar Flores), 21st minute
Leyden—Pablo Mancha (unassisted), 31st minute
Morton—Julian Guzman (unassisted), 36th minute
Second half
Morton—Jesus Perez (Giovanni Alvarez), 69th minute
great career as Morton bests Leyden
Senior's brace includes game-winner, delivers league title
By Patrick Z. McGavin
BERWYN — Jesus Perez knows his way around athletic spaces.
The venue is secondary to his grand sense of place and time. A basketball court or a soccer field, the Morton senior has always had a flair for impacting a game.
A two-sport star, he made his final high school soccer game a deeply memorable one. It also conjured a rash of memories and sublime moments.
“I think one thing I learned was just to enjoy every moment I have,” Perez said. “I remember playing on this field as a freshman, and now look where I am.
“It’s already my last game.”
Perez ignited a first half shootout with a goal in the second minute and punctuated the activity with a splendid game-winner late as Morton, ranked seventh in the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25, edged no. 16 Leyden 4-3 in West Suburban Conference Gold Division finale on Thursday.
Morton (8-1-2, 6-0) captured its 10th-consecutive division title.
In a clash of division unbeatens, the Mustangs captured their 54th-consecutive game in the Gold Division. Leyden was the last team to beat Morton in division play, capturing the conference title in 2011.
Morton ended up winning the Class 3A state title that year.
“Morton’s a good team, and we always look forward to playing them,” Leyden forward Alan Vazquez said. His goal in the eighth minute reversed the Mustangs’ fast start.
The game featured remarkable flourishes on each side, with Morton delivering an apparent haymaker in the opening minutes only to see the Eagles respond with a dramatic flurry of their own.
The teams combined for three goals in the first eight minutes.
Morton had the Eagles (7-4-0, 5-1) reeling in the opening moments. Perez broke free in space and caught a beautiful through-ball from midfielder Giovanni Alvarez down the left edge.
Leyden keeper Israel Marin came out and blocked the first ball by Perez.
The Morton forward controlled the rebound and blasted in the recovery shot just 1:04 into the game.
Perez missed the Mustangs’ first two games due to the overlap with the end of his basketball season. He earned varsity letters in the two sports. He is being recruited to play as a guard in college.
His quickness, balance, vision and shotmaking are something to behold. Morton missed him significantly at the start of the season: losing 3-2 against no. 2 Lyons; and trailing York before salvaging a 2-2 tie.
His presence opens up the offense and provides the rest of the Mustangs’ devastating middle attack to take hold.
In the eighth minute, midfielder Jonathan Murillo finished a ball from Julian Vargas for a stunning 2-0 lead.
Leyden answered authoritatively by scoring three goals over the next 13 minutes.
“I think the worst thing that could have happened with us today is that we did get those two quick goals,” Morton coach Jim Bageanis said.
“I think we thought it was going to be an easy game.”
Leyden had other plans. The Eagles have been the only team historically able to play with the Mustangs over the last decade.
They have taken Morton to overtime twice during its 10-year unbeaten streak.
Leyden recovered and showed plenty of moxie and resilience. The Eagles pushed numbers out wide and found vulnerabilities in the Mustangs’ back.
“We were not in the right mindset at the start of the game,” Vazquez said. The Eagles were coming off a difficult 2-1 loss against York on Tuesday.
In this abbreviated season with multiple games over a compressed schedule, the players have been forced to adjust on the run and negotiate profound emotional and physical difficulties.
“You have to credit our guys,” Leyden coach Mark Valintis said. “They’re sore, wounded and injured, and they’re playing on heart, emotion and adrenaline.”
In the eighth minute, midfielder Alan Jacino, the Eagles’ most creative and dangerous talent, slotted a pass just outside the top of the box that Vazquez blasted for the Eagles’ opening goal.
“Alan’s goal gave us a world of confidence,” Valintis said.
With that began the Leyden onslaught, a series of pincer movements toward the Mustangs’ final third that shifted the dynamics profoundly.
“We made mistakes in the back that they made us pay for,” Bageanis said. “When we play in the back like that, we don’t usually have good results.
“Just go back to the Lyons or York game.”
Off a restart in the 21st minute, Oscar Flores served a terrific free kick that midfielder Javier Solis put an elegant repurposed touch on for the second Leyden goal.
Leyden changed the terms of the game. Now Morton was the team out of balance.
Eagles forward Pablo Mancha completed the comeback by intercepting a ball in the Morton end and adroitly avoided two players.
He moved swiftly and drilled a left-footed ball from about 14 yards in the 31st minute for the 3-2 lead.
“Those were all the things we talked about before the game that when we had chances like that, we had to finish them,” Valintis said.
“We didn’t get as many in the second half.”
Like much of the first half, no dominant narrative ever emerged. Things changed moment to moment. Sure enough, the Leyden lead was also just a temporary action.
Morton midfielder Julian Guzman created another momentum switch with his goal in the 36th minute.
A wild first half featured one goal every six minutes.
“That was a huge goal by Julian Guzman to get us back to even,” Bageanis said. “We got to halftime,and we said that the score was zero-zero.
“Who’s going to win these last 40 minutes?”
Perez took up the challenge.
“I think we got a little bit ahead of ourselves after the start,” he said. “The game just goes to show you can’t stop playing, even if you’re up 2-0 or score in the first five minutes.
“We had to come out with more intensity.”
In the 69th minute, Perez provided the perfect bookend.
Like his first goal, it developed off a rebound with him perfectly positioned to finish the original shot of Alvarez by smashing it home from the right wing.
“I just realized I had to step it up in that situation,” he said. “This is my senior year, and I had to make a play on the ball. You never know if the ball’s going to come out on a rebound, or something like that.
“I was in the right place.”
The disappointment of the finish soon gave way to a more introspective and expansive consideration of everything the players have endured.
“I’m proud of my team,” said Leyden’s Vazquez. “Being able to come out this year was fun, especially with so much of our team being seniors.
“We tried to make the best out of it. This was one of our best games of the year, and so was our first game against Oak Park. We wanted it so badly, and we got the win.”
Valintis is likely to remember the off-moments and quiet times, the funny exchanges, the byplay among the players during practice or on the bus to games.
“It’s great to see these boys grow up,” he said. “I’m just glad that we played. I have 14 seniors, and six of them have been with me since they were sophomores.
“I’m glad they got some closure, I’m glad they got this opportunity. Despite the loss, they are going to look back on this with some fond memories.”
Perez is weighing scholarship interest from Lewis. He wants to try and play both sports in college.
In his final high school game, he earned the Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match honor.
“It’s a pleasure we had a season,” he said. “Even if it had only been two or three games, I’d have been happy.
“We didn’t have state, but today felt like a state playoff game.”
Starting lineups
Leyden
GK: Isael Marin
D: Jesus Recendez
D: Krystian Martinez
D: Matt Espinoza
D: Edgar Orozco
MF: Dylan Santamaria
MF: Alan Jacinto
MF: Ozzie Pacheco
F: Alan Vazquez
F: Pablo Mancha
F: Cris Hernandez
Morton
GK: Sebastian Mayorga
D: Julian Yanez
D: Juan Ramirez
D: Luis Gonzalez
D: Eddie Barraza
MF: Jonathan Murillo
MF: Julian Vargas
MF: Edgar Quintero
MF: Cristian Perez
F: Jesus Perez
F: Giovanni Alvarez
Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match: Jesus Perez. sr., F, Morton
Scoring summary
First half
Morton—Jesus Perez (unassisted), 2nd minute
Morton—Jonathan Murillo (Julian Vargas), 6th minute
Leyden—Alan Vazquez (Alan Jacinto), 8th minute
Leyden—Javier Solis (Oscar Flores), 21st minute
Leyden—Pablo Mancha (unassisted), 31st minute
Morton—Julian Guzman (unassisted), 36th minute
Second half
Morton—Jesus Perez (Giovanni Alvarez), 69th minute