Weaver weaves spell, New Trier tops Lyons
Scores goal, adds assist in 4-0 victory over no. 15 Lions
By Patrick Z. McGavin
NORTHFIELD -- Talent is the great leveler in sports, but it is never distributed evenly. Some players just exert an unfair advantage over the field.
Logan Weaver is that kind of player. New Trier coach Matt Ravenscraft knows that gives his team a special edge in any game they play.
“He’s a great player,” Ravenscraft said. “Great players change the game. He shows you time and time again his quality and what he can do. We are grateful to have him.”
Weaver scored his third goal in as many games and created a jaw-dropping assist to end the first half as the Trevians, ranked 19th in the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25, put together their most impressive game in a 4-0 victory over no. 15 Lyons in the third place game of the Northshore College Showcase here Saturday.
Defending tournament champion and second-ranked Libertyville defeated conference rival and no. 17 Waukegan 3-0 in the championship. No. 8 Buffalo Grove and no. 24 Loyola played to a 1-1 draw in the fifth place game. Twentieth-ranked Glenbrook North defeated Grayslake Central 4-1 for seventh place.
A Northwestern recruit, Weaver pushed his season totals to three goals and three assists. He previously scored first half goals against Waukegan and Glenbrook North in pool play games.
Weaver earned the Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match prize. His first half pressure led to a Lions’ turnover in the back that he pounced on for the vital first scoring chance.
“The keeper [Gavin Fertitta] kind of fluffed the pass toward the middle of the field, and I was able to be in the right place at the right time,” Weaver said. “I just went for it and got past the last defender. He did a great job of bodying me off the ball, and my only opportunity was a toe poke, and I kind of got what I could on it.
“Fortunately it went into the right corner.”
New Trier (2-1-2) made everything work. The Trevians finished 2-0-2 in the tournament, playing four ranked teams..
“It felt like the first time where everything really clicked for us,” Weaver said. “A lot of it was just trusting that process of playing technical soccer, building from the back and it finally paid off.”
As the best early-season tournament, the Northside College Showcase is a telling indicator of a program’s strengths and vulnerabilities. The tournament also offers few lulls, or opportunities to take a deep breath.
Lyons (3-3-0) played without four starters, including all-tournament selections forward Nolan O’Malley and midfielder Skip Locke. Sophomore midfielder Jackson Turner was also unavailable. Senior forward Jonny Gray had a family obligation.
“This is a hard tournament,” Lyons coach Paul Labbato said. “You play four games, and they are all top-level, and systematically starting picking up injuries and then you end up getting into a game like this.
“We struggled.”
New Trier shaped the flow and pace of the game. As much as the Trevians dictated the tempo, the game was still just 1-0 late in the first half. Weaver’s magic act changed the time permanently.
In the 40th minute, he drove the right side and got to the edge. He crystallized what makes him such a singular talent, his ability to elevate the play of his teammates and put the opposition under constant peril. Driving the ball hard to toward the endline, Weaver made a superb cross that junior forward Aidan Crowder finished with a run to the near post for the superb finish.
Just 9.6 seconds remained on the first half clock.
“It was an amazing finish by Aidan,” Weaver said. “Our coaches do a great job of stressing playing really hard the last five minutes of each half. We always try to play hard until the buzzer goes off.”
Lyons regrouped at the break and played with terriffic energy and quality in the early stages of the second half. Sophomore midfielder Tim Slusarczyk drilled a shot from about 19 yards that was just wide of the target.
“We brought a whole new group in, and it was largely younger guys with the missing starters,” Labbato said. “The group that might be substitutes became starters and then it just went from there. I was very happy with the start of the second half. We started to settle in and do things and tried to pass it around. We had a good run, and then they got us on the counter attack.”
Lyons has played the state’s toughest schedule two weeks into the season. The Lions played two-time defending Class 3A champion and top-ranked Naperville North. Two days later, Lyons played No. 2 Libertyville in the opening of pool play. Labbato is working in uncharted territory. For the first time in his career, he returned zero starters from last year’s Class 3A sectional finalist.
“We had a special couple of years with a group that was all seniors, and they took all the starting spots,” Labbato said. “Overall, I think this group is able to build something. We are sitting 3-3-0, but the losses are against great teams, two that are nationally rated.
“As long as we keep our heads up and take losses and turn them into positives, I see them moving forward quite well.”
Even with its depleted roster, Lyons played well in the second half. Junior midfielder Mike Niedermeyer is another promising young talent. He said the team is learning on the fly.
“We have a lot of new guys in and we are trying to fit together,” Niedermeyer said. “We are just trying to play quickly, get the ball down and find guys’ feet and stay touch on defense.
“It was important to come out strong at the beginning of the second half. We are trying to play defensively, really high press, hunting in packs and getting after the other team. When we do that, we can get the ball down and play quicker off of that.”
New Trier nullified the Lions’ attack. Senior defender Andrew Kuhn led a spirited effort as the Trevians notched their first shutout.
“We were able to play three excellent teams leading up to today, and that is why we do our tournament,” Kuhn said. “We are still growing as a team. Offensively and defensively, we are still yet to reach our full potential. Today the team really came together.”
New Trier capitalized on Lyons’ pushing numbers forward to diversify its attack. The Trevians were lying in wait.
“It was either the first half they had us on our heels or the second half they had us on the counter,” Labbato said. “They played really well. I looked at their record, and I am kind of shocked they have lost games. That team got it together today and put it to us.”
Lyons’ senior keeper Mark Jareczek played the second half and made a couple of spectacular stops, including a breakaway by New Trier forward Colin Gorney.
New Trier punctuated the one-two punch with two late goals. After an illegal Lyons’ touch outside the box awarded the Trevians a free kick, senior midfielder Dominic deBoer drilled a shot upper left corner.
Alex Powell completed the scoring by smashing home a ball in the 78th minute.
“I felt like we finished the tournament on a high note,” Ravenscraft said. “This was the first time we put four goals in, and we also earned the shutout, a great statistic, because it’s a team statistic and that is something to build on.
“It was a complete [performance] with regard to 80 minutes of focus, 80 minutes of executing our offense. I still don’t think we have hit our ceiling, and that is the exciting thing. I feel we are capable of playing much better. I thought our organization was really good. We were more lethal in the attack, and I just thought there was incredible balance.”
Lyons finished 2-2-0 in the tournament.
“You don’t like to leave the last game with a loss,” Labbato said. “Overall I was very happy with what we were able to do. My gut feeling is as the year wears on I think we can get this together. They’ve had it together -- three losses to three of the top teams around and always there at the end. I am not discouraged by this group."
Starting lineups
Lyons
GK: Gavin Fertitta
D: Jason Lichtenauer
D: Rory McLean
D: Tommy Abbs
D: Alex Jumic
MF: Ty Williams
MF: Mike Niedermeyer
MF: Zack Kristy
MF: Tim Slusarczyk
F: Max Behm
F: Jake Fraser
New Trier
GK: James McGranahan
D: Daniel Gunther
D: Andrew Kuhn
D: Charles Hoholik
D: William Gerstein
MF: Dominic deBoer
MF: Logan Weaver
MF: Benjamin Streett
MF: Sean Gooze
F: Jake Krueger
F: Alex Powell
Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match: Logan Weaver, sr., MF, New Trier
Scoring summary
First half
New Trier—Logan Weaver (unassisted), 19th minute
New Trier—Aidan Crowder (Weaver), 40th minute
Second half
New Trier—Dominic deBoer (unassisted), 74th minute
New Trier—Alex Powell (William Gerstein), 78th minute
Scores goal, adds assist in 4-0 victory over no. 15 Lions
By Patrick Z. McGavin
NORTHFIELD -- Talent is the great leveler in sports, but it is never distributed evenly. Some players just exert an unfair advantage over the field.
Logan Weaver is that kind of player. New Trier coach Matt Ravenscraft knows that gives his team a special edge in any game they play.
“He’s a great player,” Ravenscraft said. “Great players change the game. He shows you time and time again his quality and what he can do. We are grateful to have him.”
Weaver scored his third goal in as many games and created a jaw-dropping assist to end the first half as the Trevians, ranked 19th in the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25, put together their most impressive game in a 4-0 victory over no. 15 Lyons in the third place game of the Northshore College Showcase here Saturday.
Defending tournament champion and second-ranked Libertyville defeated conference rival and no. 17 Waukegan 3-0 in the championship. No. 8 Buffalo Grove and no. 24 Loyola played to a 1-1 draw in the fifth place game. Twentieth-ranked Glenbrook North defeated Grayslake Central 4-1 for seventh place.
A Northwestern recruit, Weaver pushed his season totals to three goals and three assists. He previously scored first half goals against Waukegan and Glenbrook North in pool play games.
Weaver earned the Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match prize. His first half pressure led to a Lions’ turnover in the back that he pounced on for the vital first scoring chance.
“The keeper [Gavin Fertitta] kind of fluffed the pass toward the middle of the field, and I was able to be in the right place at the right time,” Weaver said. “I just went for it and got past the last defender. He did a great job of bodying me off the ball, and my only opportunity was a toe poke, and I kind of got what I could on it.
“Fortunately it went into the right corner.”
New Trier (2-1-2) made everything work. The Trevians finished 2-0-2 in the tournament, playing four ranked teams..
“It felt like the first time where everything really clicked for us,” Weaver said. “A lot of it was just trusting that process of playing technical soccer, building from the back and it finally paid off.”
As the best early-season tournament, the Northside College Showcase is a telling indicator of a program’s strengths and vulnerabilities. The tournament also offers few lulls, or opportunities to take a deep breath.
Lyons (3-3-0) played without four starters, including all-tournament selections forward Nolan O’Malley and midfielder Skip Locke. Sophomore midfielder Jackson Turner was also unavailable. Senior forward Jonny Gray had a family obligation.
“This is a hard tournament,” Lyons coach Paul Labbato said. “You play four games, and they are all top-level, and systematically starting picking up injuries and then you end up getting into a game like this.
“We struggled.”
New Trier shaped the flow and pace of the game. As much as the Trevians dictated the tempo, the game was still just 1-0 late in the first half. Weaver’s magic act changed the time permanently.
In the 40th minute, he drove the right side and got to the edge. He crystallized what makes him such a singular talent, his ability to elevate the play of his teammates and put the opposition under constant peril. Driving the ball hard to toward the endline, Weaver made a superb cross that junior forward Aidan Crowder finished with a run to the near post for the superb finish.
Just 9.6 seconds remained on the first half clock.
“It was an amazing finish by Aidan,” Weaver said. “Our coaches do a great job of stressing playing really hard the last five minutes of each half. We always try to play hard until the buzzer goes off.”
Lyons regrouped at the break and played with terriffic energy and quality in the early stages of the second half. Sophomore midfielder Tim Slusarczyk drilled a shot from about 19 yards that was just wide of the target.
“We brought a whole new group in, and it was largely younger guys with the missing starters,” Labbato said. “The group that might be substitutes became starters and then it just went from there. I was very happy with the start of the second half. We started to settle in and do things and tried to pass it around. We had a good run, and then they got us on the counter attack.”
Lyons has played the state’s toughest schedule two weeks into the season. The Lions played two-time defending Class 3A champion and top-ranked Naperville North. Two days later, Lyons played No. 2 Libertyville in the opening of pool play. Labbato is working in uncharted territory. For the first time in his career, he returned zero starters from last year’s Class 3A sectional finalist.
“We had a special couple of years with a group that was all seniors, and they took all the starting spots,” Labbato said. “Overall, I think this group is able to build something. We are sitting 3-3-0, but the losses are against great teams, two that are nationally rated.
“As long as we keep our heads up and take losses and turn them into positives, I see them moving forward quite well.”
Even with its depleted roster, Lyons played well in the second half. Junior midfielder Mike Niedermeyer is another promising young talent. He said the team is learning on the fly.
“We have a lot of new guys in and we are trying to fit together,” Niedermeyer said. “We are just trying to play quickly, get the ball down and find guys’ feet and stay touch on defense.
“It was important to come out strong at the beginning of the second half. We are trying to play defensively, really high press, hunting in packs and getting after the other team. When we do that, we can get the ball down and play quicker off of that.”
New Trier nullified the Lions’ attack. Senior defender Andrew Kuhn led a spirited effort as the Trevians notched their first shutout.
“We were able to play three excellent teams leading up to today, and that is why we do our tournament,” Kuhn said. “We are still growing as a team. Offensively and defensively, we are still yet to reach our full potential. Today the team really came together.”
New Trier capitalized on Lyons’ pushing numbers forward to diversify its attack. The Trevians were lying in wait.
“It was either the first half they had us on our heels or the second half they had us on the counter,” Labbato said. “They played really well. I looked at their record, and I am kind of shocked they have lost games. That team got it together today and put it to us.”
Lyons’ senior keeper Mark Jareczek played the second half and made a couple of spectacular stops, including a breakaway by New Trier forward Colin Gorney.
New Trier punctuated the one-two punch with two late goals. After an illegal Lyons’ touch outside the box awarded the Trevians a free kick, senior midfielder Dominic deBoer drilled a shot upper left corner.
Alex Powell completed the scoring by smashing home a ball in the 78th minute.
“I felt like we finished the tournament on a high note,” Ravenscraft said. “This was the first time we put four goals in, and we also earned the shutout, a great statistic, because it’s a team statistic and that is something to build on.
“It was a complete [performance] with regard to 80 minutes of focus, 80 minutes of executing our offense. I still don’t think we have hit our ceiling, and that is the exciting thing. I feel we are capable of playing much better. I thought our organization was really good. We were more lethal in the attack, and I just thought there was incredible balance.”
Lyons finished 2-2-0 in the tournament.
“You don’t like to leave the last game with a loss,” Labbato said. “Overall I was very happy with what we were able to do. My gut feeling is as the year wears on I think we can get this together. They’ve had it together -- three losses to three of the top teams around and always there at the end. I am not discouraged by this group."
Starting lineups
Lyons
GK: Gavin Fertitta
D: Jason Lichtenauer
D: Rory McLean
D: Tommy Abbs
D: Alex Jumic
MF: Ty Williams
MF: Mike Niedermeyer
MF: Zack Kristy
MF: Tim Slusarczyk
F: Max Behm
F: Jake Fraser
New Trier
GK: James McGranahan
D: Daniel Gunther
D: Andrew Kuhn
D: Charles Hoholik
D: William Gerstein
MF: Dominic deBoer
MF: Logan Weaver
MF: Benjamin Streett
MF: Sean Gooze
F: Jake Krueger
F: Alex Powell
Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match: Logan Weaver, sr., MF, New Trier
Scoring summary
First half
New Trier—Logan Weaver (unassisted), 19th minute
New Trier—Aidan Crowder (Weaver), 40th minute
Second half
New Trier—Dominic deBoer (unassisted), 74th minute
New Trier—Alex Powell (William Gerstein), 78th minute