Albrighton shuts out Round Lake,
displays Loyola goalkeeper depth
Senior's standout play secures 1-0 tourney victory
By Patrick Z. McGavin
NORTHFIELD — Even during the most unpredictable and random of events, Tommy Albrighton was tailor made to become the hero for his team.
The senior backup got a start and shined.
In the 65th minute, Albrighton was put under the harshest of glares after an aggressive foul threatened Loyola’s already tenuous lead against Round Lake.
The Ramblers’ defender was issued a red card. Just as damaging, Round Lake’s best player, midfielder Cristisan Ortiz, had a free kick, on the center left edge, about 16 yards out.
“I was feeling a rush of emotion,” Albrighton said. “I just wanted to keep our team in it. We got a red card, so everyone was getting a little down.
“I wanted to keep the emotions up and keep going.”
Albright made a spectacular diving stop on that free kick that helped secure the no. 6 Ramblers’ 1-0 victory in a Northside College Showcase friendly on Saturday.
“I was thinking if I keep this out of the net, we just sit back and get the victory,” he said. “I had my wall set right, and I knew he was going to try and beat me to my left side. I like to cheat to the right, make him think he’s got it, and just react.”
Ortiz delivered a rocket ball.
“It was maybe not as wide as I wanted to go with it, and the keeper got to it,” he said. “It didn’t go in.”
Albrighton is typically the understudy to all-state keeper Alex Ainsworth, who was named to the all-tournament team.
The senior showed he is equally capable, an athletic and physical talent who kept the Panthers at bay despite repeated and often dangerous activity.
He finished with nine saves in earning the Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match for the Ramblers (5-1-0).
The game-saving block of the free kick underscored his approach. He is not a passive player who waits for others to dictate the action.
“Being bigger, it is easier to get in front of the ball,” he said. “It’s easier to block shots, having a bigger body. That’s kind of my game.
“I’m more of a shot stopper.”
Loyola finished 3-1-0 in the tournament, having previously dispatched Grayslake Central and then no. 7 Libertyville. The Ramblers lost 2-1 against rival and eventual champion New Trier in group play.
Senior forward Frank Mediema scored his fourth goal of the season in the 20th minute.
Midfielder Oliver Szorc intercepted a Panthers’ pass and created a counter in the middle of the field that created the ideal circumstances for the athletic Ramblers’ forward.
With Szorc controlling the ball in the middle, Miedema made a run off the ball.
“Our coaches always say you can always have a diagonal ball and a straight run, or a straight ball and a diagonal run,” Miedema said.
“That’s exactly what I was looking for. I knew I was coming across, so I was trying to bring the keeper with me. I just wanted to hit that far post and drag it across.”
A fast and physical player who is very good in space and also in the air, Miedema is one of the connective threads binding past and present. He has helped create an orderly transition.
“With the high school season, there is normally a big separation of time with the club season,” he said. “The silver lining to the pandemic is that we have been together.
“We are all getting together, playing pick up games. That has been really nice. We have been trying to get these pieces together. We have some new players and some returners. Some guys who have come from the sophomore team have really stepped up.”
Senior defender Niko Douvalakis is another crucial link whose speed, physical style and experience is another cog in the Ramblers’ roster construction and a key part of the three early shutouts.
Loyola had to dig deep to preserve the victory, and not just because it had to adapt to playing down a field player for the final 15 minutes.
Round Lake (2-4-0) is better than its record. The Panthers have always been a high-scoring and athletic team. Coach Hugo Tellez, who was not available during the spring, is back on the sidelines.
“It’s really nice just hearing the game of soccer again,” Tellez said. “These kids are very understanding. In years past, I’ve had kids who were always trying to go over the top.
“These kids understand it’s about possession and moving the ball forward. I also have three players who are back from the fall of 2019. Basically these guys are new to me. It’s a great group, and they understand the game.”
Round Lake had the edge in possession time and shots on goal. In addition to Ortiz, forward Cristian Hernandez and midfielder Jorge Morales created sharp and recurrent pressure.
Albrighton had to make several standout stops to maintain the Ramblers’ narrow lead.
“After they scored, maybe just for a few minutes, we were down, but we came right back and stayed with the same intensity,” Ortiz said. “We had possession of the whole game pretty much. With the chances we had, we couldn’t put them away.
“The mistakes we had, we got punished.”
Loyola is embarking on a new era, entwining past success with a future direction going forward.
New coach Justin Dunn takes over a talent-laden program. The Ramblers went 11-1-0 during the abbreviated spring season and avenged their only loss to New Trier.
“We are just trying to keep the emotions high,” Albrighton said. “We are trying to keep in games. Our old coach was a little more technical. Now we’re about emotion, getting hyped and getting ready for the games.”
With a new coach, Miedema added, nothing is quite the same. Change is inevitable. The influx of new players and altered roles means a team open to experimentation and trying out new ideas.
“The coaches have been really focusing on the fact that nobody has guaranteed playing time,” Miedema said.
“Everybody is always competing for playing time.”
Starting lineups
Round Lake
GK: Jerry Perez
D: Jesus Garcia
D: Abner Contreras
D: Gianni Moreno
D: Saul Valadez
MF: Mario Ibarra
MF: Cristian Ortiz
MF: Jorge Morales
MF: Eric Nieto
F: Cristian Hernandez
F: Oscar Martinez
Loyola
GK: Tommy Albrighton
D: Liam Drehkoff
D: Niko Douvalakis
D: Ryan Leider
D: John Phillips
MF: Noah Rodrigues
MF: Joseph Roscoe
MF: Olivier Szorc
MF: Oscar Duenkel
F: Frank Miedema
F: James Collins
Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match: Tommy Albrighton, sr., GK, Loyola
Scoring summary
First half
Loyola—Frank Miedema (Oliver Szorc), 20th minute
Second half
No scoring
displays Loyola goalkeeper depth
Senior's standout play secures 1-0 tourney victory
By Patrick Z. McGavin
NORTHFIELD — Even during the most unpredictable and random of events, Tommy Albrighton was tailor made to become the hero for his team.
The senior backup got a start and shined.
In the 65th minute, Albrighton was put under the harshest of glares after an aggressive foul threatened Loyola’s already tenuous lead against Round Lake.
The Ramblers’ defender was issued a red card. Just as damaging, Round Lake’s best player, midfielder Cristisan Ortiz, had a free kick, on the center left edge, about 16 yards out.
“I was feeling a rush of emotion,” Albrighton said. “I just wanted to keep our team in it. We got a red card, so everyone was getting a little down.
“I wanted to keep the emotions up and keep going.”
Albright made a spectacular diving stop on that free kick that helped secure the no. 6 Ramblers’ 1-0 victory in a Northside College Showcase friendly on Saturday.
“I was thinking if I keep this out of the net, we just sit back and get the victory,” he said. “I had my wall set right, and I knew he was going to try and beat me to my left side. I like to cheat to the right, make him think he’s got it, and just react.”
Ortiz delivered a rocket ball.
“It was maybe not as wide as I wanted to go with it, and the keeper got to it,” he said. “It didn’t go in.”
Albrighton is typically the understudy to all-state keeper Alex Ainsworth, who was named to the all-tournament team.
The senior showed he is equally capable, an athletic and physical talent who kept the Panthers at bay despite repeated and often dangerous activity.
He finished with nine saves in earning the Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match for the Ramblers (5-1-0).
The game-saving block of the free kick underscored his approach. He is not a passive player who waits for others to dictate the action.
“Being bigger, it is easier to get in front of the ball,” he said. “It’s easier to block shots, having a bigger body. That’s kind of my game.
“I’m more of a shot stopper.”
Loyola finished 3-1-0 in the tournament, having previously dispatched Grayslake Central and then no. 7 Libertyville. The Ramblers lost 2-1 against rival and eventual champion New Trier in group play.
Senior forward Frank Mediema scored his fourth goal of the season in the 20th minute.
Midfielder Oliver Szorc intercepted a Panthers’ pass and created a counter in the middle of the field that created the ideal circumstances for the athletic Ramblers’ forward.
With Szorc controlling the ball in the middle, Miedema made a run off the ball.
“Our coaches always say you can always have a diagonal ball and a straight run, or a straight ball and a diagonal run,” Miedema said.
“That’s exactly what I was looking for. I knew I was coming across, so I was trying to bring the keeper with me. I just wanted to hit that far post and drag it across.”
A fast and physical player who is very good in space and also in the air, Miedema is one of the connective threads binding past and present. He has helped create an orderly transition.
“With the high school season, there is normally a big separation of time with the club season,” he said. “The silver lining to the pandemic is that we have been together.
“We are all getting together, playing pick up games. That has been really nice. We have been trying to get these pieces together. We have some new players and some returners. Some guys who have come from the sophomore team have really stepped up.”
Senior defender Niko Douvalakis is another crucial link whose speed, physical style and experience is another cog in the Ramblers’ roster construction and a key part of the three early shutouts.
Loyola had to dig deep to preserve the victory, and not just because it had to adapt to playing down a field player for the final 15 minutes.
Round Lake (2-4-0) is better than its record. The Panthers have always been a high-scoring and athletic team. Coach Hugo Tellez, who was not available during the spring, is back on the sidelines.
“It’s really nice just hearing the game of soccer again,” Tellez said. “These kids are very understanding. In years past, I’ve had kids who were always trying to go over the top.
“These kids understand it’s about possession and moving the ball forward. I also have three players who are back from the fall of 2019. Basically these guys are new to me. It’s a great group, and they understand the game.”
Round Lake had the edge in possession time and shots on goal. In addition to Ortiz, forward Cristian Hernandez and midfielder Jorge Morales created sharp and recurrent pressure.
Albrighton had to make several standout stops to maintain the Ramblers’ narrow lead.
“After they scored, maybe just for a few minutes, we were down, but we came right back and stayed with the same intensity,” Ortiz said. “We had possession of the whole game pretty much. With the chances we had, we couldn’t put them away.
“The mistakes we had, we got punished.”
Loyola is embarking on a new era, entwining past success with a future direction going forward.
New coach Justin Dunn takes over a talent-laden program. The Ramblers went 11-1-0 during the abbreviated spring season and avenged their only loss to New Trier.
“We are just trying to keep the emotions high,” Albrighton said. “We are trying to keep in games. Our old coach was a little more technical. Now we’re about emotion, getting hyped and getting ready for the games.”
With a new coach, Miedema added, nothing is quite the same. Change is inevitable. The influx of new players and altered roles means a team open to experimentation and trying out new ideas.
“The coaches have been really focusing on the fact that nobody has guaranteed playing time,” Miedema said.
“Everybody is always competing for playing time.”
Starting lineups
Round Lake
GK: Jerry Perez
D: Jesus Garcia
D: Abner Contreras
D: Gianni Moreno
D: Saul Valadez
MF: Mario Ibarra
MF: Cristian Ortiz
MF: Jorge Morales
MF: Eric Nieto
F: Cristian Hernandez
F: Oscar Martinez
Loyola
GK: Tommy Albrighton
D: Liam Drehkoff
D: Niko Douvalakis
D: Ryan Leider
D: John Phillips
MF: Noah Rodrigues
MF: Joseph Roscoe
MF: Olivier Szorc
MF: Oscar Duenkel
F: Frank Miedema
F: James Collins
Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match: Tommy Albrighton, sr., GK, Loyola
Scoring summary
First half
Loyola—Frank Miedema (Oliver Szorc), 20th minute
Second half
No scoring