Kristy, Lyons throw Waukegan for a loss
Long throw-ins help no. 9 Lions to 4-0 win
By Bill McLean
NORTHFIELD — Zack Kristy’s frame shot up six inches between the end of the sixth grade and the beginning of the seventh.
“I had to buy a whole new set of clothes,” the Lyons senior defender recalled after a Northside College Showcase match against Waukegan on Saturday afternoon.
Now a 6-foot, 185-pounder, Kristy wore out Waukegan with his otherworldly throw-ins during the Lions’ 4-0 victory. Forty yards? That’s the typical distance, give or take a few, of his two-armed chuck. And that's without the aid of the wind at his back.
“He’s ridiculous,” Lyons boys soccer coach Paul Labbato praised. “He’s ridiculous in volleyball, too, the hops he has -- such a great athlete, Zack.”
Had the Lyons-Waukegan soccer clash been a hockey contest, Kristy would have received credit for a secondary assist on the Lions' first tally. One of his wow-inducing tosses landed in front of a sideline-hugging Julio Torres, who controlled the ball cleanly and then delivered a swift, right-on cross to 6-4, 185-pound Jack Luttrell, a junior forward/defender. Luttrell popped straight up and headed the ball past Bulldogs senior goalkeeper Charly Trujillo in the seventh minute.
Fast break goal, indeed.
“Quick touches,” Labbato said referring to one of Torres’ strengths. “That was a fantastic assist on the first goal — an important goal. That set a good tone for us.”
Lyons (1-0-2), ranked No. 9 in the Chicagoland Soccer First 50 preseason poll, struck again seven minutes later, with junior forward Max Behm connecting via a resounding blast from about 35 yards. A soaring Trujillo tried valiantly to deny Behm’s laser.
Lions junior forward/defender Cameron Labbato capped the scoring in the first 40 minutes with a goal off a dish from senior forward Jake Fraser. Junior defender John Schmitt made the Fraser-Labbato link possible by using his chest to deflect a hard Waukegan shot at the other end of the pitch. The ball ricocheted and finally landed near midfield.
But the prevailing form of entertainment throughout the match began with Kristy standing out of bounds and ended with Kristy uncorking, violently, a dead ball. You could easily make the argument that Kristy’s bombs are as effective as well-struck corner kicks are.
Who knows? A ref someday might just yank a yellow card out after a Kristy throw-in and sprint toward the hurler. Infraction: dangerous play.
“Crazy stuff,” marveled Waukegan senior captain and midfielder Alberto Mendoza, a reigning FC United State Cup champion.
It’s all about Kristy’s shoulders, right? Has to be, right?
Not really, Kristy insisted afterward.
“My big run-up,” explained the volleyball libero. “That’s where I get the momentum I need for my throw-ins. I guess one of my club coaches, after my growth spurt, liked my throw-ins and decided, ‘OK, let’s continue to let him throw.’”
They’ll be talking about one of Kristy’s throw-ins against Waukegan for the rest of the season — and not for the reason you’re probably thinking. Kristy, right in front of Lyon's bench, did his usual throw-in run-up and unleashed the ball toward Waukegan’s goalie box. But the ball veered hard, to the right, in mid-flight.
Think screwball, as in baseball.
“I heard one of my teammates laughing behind me,” Kristy said. “Then he said, ‘What was that?’ Honestly I have no idea what that was. It was not intentional.”
Torres, for one, is thankful Lyon’s football coaching staff hasn’t successfully recruited Kristy to give spirals a try on another field.
“We don’t want anybody to take him from our team,” Torres said. “It’s good to have those, Zack’s throw-ins. Amazing; they’re amazing.”
Lions junior forward Tim Slusarczyk completed the scoring in the 71st minute off a flick assist from Fraser.
Waukegan had its moments. Lyons' senior defender Graham Bearman, stationed in the middle of the box, smothered a point-blank shot on goal near the midpoint of the first half. Shortly thereafter, Waukegan senior midfielder/defender Eric Ramirez curled a left-footed, well-intentioned cross that was a tad too high for a hustling teammate.
Late in the second half, Bulldogs senior back Daniel Flores exhibited sturdy ball control and poise before finding an open teammate near midfield on consecutive possessions.
Waukegan’s Bulldogs played significantly better in the second half.
“I’m happy with how we fought after halftime,” Waukegan coach Peter Valdez said after his team’s record slipped to 1-1-1. “And we did that with young players, first-time varsity players. [Lyons] capitalized on their opportunities very well in the first half. That team’s throw-ins are strong, as well as its restarts.
“Lyons’ players,” he added, “play well within their system.”
Waukegan’s next two matches in the 6th annual Northside College Showcase are Tuesday vs. host Glenbrook North at 6:30 p.m. and two days later vs. visiting Buffalo Grove at 4:45 p.m.. Lyons travels to Buffalo Grove Tuesday for its next tourney contest and hosts Glenbrook North at SC Bennett Field for Showcase game no. 3.
The eight-team invite concludes Sept. 7 at New Trier's Northfield Campus. The field also includes the Trevians, Grayslake Central, Libertyville and Loyola Academy.
“We like coming up here,” coach Labbato said minutes before taking on Waukegan as referee Todd Abraham and his officials pumped air into the soccer balls near the scorer’s table. “We like the strength of the teams here. We usually go 2-2.”
Labbato’s boys of fall settled for 1-1 ties in their first two games: vs. visiting Sandburg on Aug. 27, vs. host and reigning Class 3A state champion Naperville North on Aug. 29. North’s Huskies landed the top ranking in Chicagoland Soccer’s First 50 preseason poll.
“The closeness we have is what I like most about our team,” Kristy said. “We all get along. It’s fun to hang with my teammates.
“And you’re not going to find anyone with a big ego.”
Starting lineups
Lyons
GK: Gavin Fertitta
D: Sean Shepard
D: Tommy Abbs
D: Zack Kristy
D: Graham Bearman
MF: Max Behm
MF: Jackson Turner
MF: Alex Becerra
F: Julio Torres
F: Jack Luttrell
F: Tim Slusarczyk
Waukegan
GK: Charly Trujillo
D: Joshua Flores
D: Eric Ramirez
D: Daniel Flores
MF: Alberto Mendoza
MF: Jaime Sebastian
MF: Omar Santos
MF: Adrian Zarinana
F: Kevin Popoca
F: Alejandro Jasso
F: Leonardo Cabezas
Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match: Julio Torres, senior, F, Lyons
Referee: Todd Abraham
Scoring summary
First half
Lyons: Luttrell (Torres) 7’
Lyons: Behm (UA) 14’
Lyons: Cameron Labbato (Jake Fraser) 23’
Second half
Lyons: Slusarczyk (Fraser) 71’
Long throw-ins help no. 9 Lions to 4-0 win
By Bill McLean
NORTHFIELD — Zack Kristy’s frame shot up six inches between the end of the sixth grade and the beginning of the seventh.
“I had to buy a whole new set of clothes,” the Lyons senior defender recalled after a Northside College Showcase match against Waukegan on Saturday afternoon.
Now a 6-foot, 185-pounder, Kristy wore out Waukegan with his otherworldly throw-ins during the Lions’ 4-0 victory. Forty yards? That’s the typical distance, give or take a few, of his two-armed chuck. And that's without the aid of the wind at his back.
“He’s ridiculous,” Lyons boys soccer coach Paul Labbato praised. “He’s ridiculous in volleyball, too, the hops he has -- such a great athlete, Zack.”
Had the Lyons-Waukegan soccer clash been a hockey contest, Kristy would have received credit for a secondary assist on the Lions' first tally. One of his wow-inducing tosses landed in front of a sideline-hugging Julio Torres, who controlled the ball cleanly and then delivered a swift, right-on cross to 6-4, 185-pound Jack Luttrell, a junior forward/defender. Luttrell popped straight up and headed the ball past Bulldogs senior goalkeeper Charly Trujillo in the seventh minute.
Fast break goal, indeed.
“Quick touches,” Labbato said referring to one of Torres’ strengths. “That was a fantastic assist on the first goal — an important goal. That set a good tone for us.”
Lyons (1-0-2), ranked No. 9 in the Chicagoland Soccer First 50 preseason poll, struck again seven minutes later, with junior forward Max Behm connecting via a resounding blast from about 35 yards. A soaring Trujillo tried valiantly to deny Behm’s laser.
Lions junior forward/defender Cameron Labbato capped the scoring in the first 40 minutes with a goal off a dish from senior forward Jake Fraser. Junior defender John Schmitt made the Fraser-Labbato link possible by using his chest to deflect a hard Waukegan shot at the other end of the pitch. The ball ricocheted and finally landed near midfield.
But the prevailing form of entertainment throughout the match began with Kristy standing out of bounds and ended with Kristy uncorking, violently, a dead ball. You could easily make the argument that Kristy’s bombs are as effective as well-struck corner kicks are.
Who knows? A ref someday might just yank a yellow card out after a Kristy throw-in and sprint toward the hurler. Infraction: dangerous play.
“Crazy stuff,” marveled Waukegan senior captain and midfielder Alberto Mendoza, a reigning FC United State Cup champion.
It’s all about Kristy’s shoulders, right? Has to be, right?
Not really, Kristy insisted afterward.
“My big run-up,” explained the volleyball libero. “That’s where I get the momentum I need for my throw-ins. I guess one of my club coaches, after my growth spurt, liked my throw-ins and decided, ‘OK, let’s continue to let him throw.’”
They’ll be talking about one of Kristy’s throw-ins against Waukegan for the rest of the season — and not for the reason you’re probably thinking. Kristy, right in front of Lyon's bench, did his usual throw-in run-up and unleashed the ball toward Waukegan’s goalie box. But the ball veered hard, to the right, in mid-flight.
Think screwball, as in baseball.
“I heard one of my teammates laughing behind me,” Kristy said. “Then he said, ‘What was that?’ Honestly I have no idea what that was. It was not intentional.”
Torres, for one, is thankful Lyon’s football coaching staff hasn’t successfully recruited Kristy to give spirals a try on another field.
“We don’t want anybody to take him from our team,” Torres said. “It’s good to have those, Zack’s throw-ins. Amazing; they’re amazing.”
Lions junior forward Tim Slusarczyk completed the scoring in the 71st minute off a flick assist from Fraser.
Waukegan had its moments. Lyons' senior defender Graham Bearman, stationed in the middle of the box, smothered a point-blank shot on goal near the midpoint of the first half. Shortly thereafter, Waukegan senior midfielder/defender Eric Ramirez curled a left-footed, well-intentioned cross that was a tad too high for a hustling teammate.
Late in the second half, Bulldogs senior back Daniel Flores exhibited sturdy ball control and poise before finding an open teammate near midfield on consecutive possessions.
Waukegan’s Bulldogs played significantly better in the second half.
“I’m happy with how we fought after halftime,” Waukegan coach Peter Valdez said after his team’s record slipped to 1-1-1. “And we did that with young players, first-time varsity players. [Lyons] capitalized on their opportunities very well in the first half. That team’s throw-ins are strong, as well as its restarts.
“Lyons’ players,” he added, “play well within their system.”
Waukegan’s next two matches in the 6th annual Northside College Showcase are Tuesday vs. host Glenbrook North at 6:30 p.m. and two days later vs. visiting Buffalo Grove at 4:45 p.m.. Lyons travels to Buffalo Grove Tuesday for its next tourney contest and hosts Glenbrook North at SC Bennett Field for Showcase game no. 3.
The eight-team invite concludes Sept. 7 at New Trier's Northfield Campus. The field also includes the Trevians, Grayslake Central, Libertyville and Loyola Academy.
“We like coming up here,” coach Labbato said minutes before taking on Waukegan as referee Todd Abraham and his officials pumped air into the soccer balls near the scorer’s table. “We like the strength of the teams here. We usually go 2-2.”
Labbato’s boys of fall settled for 1-1 ties in their first two games: vs. visiting Sandburg on Aug. 27, vs. host and reigning Class 3A state champion Naperville North on Aug. 29. North’s Huskies landed the top ranking in Chicagoland Soccer’s First 50 preseason poll.
“The closeness we have is what I like most about our team,” Kristy said. “We all get along. It’s fun to hang with my teammates.
“And you’re not going to find anyone with a big ego.”
Starting lineups
Lyons
GK: Gavin Fertitta
D: Sean Shepard
D: Tommy Abbs
D: Zack Kristy
D: Graham Bearman
MF: Max Behm
MF: Jackson Turner
MF: Alex Becerra
F: Julio Torres
F: Jack Luttrell
F: Tim Slusarczyk
Waukegan
GK: Charly Trujillo
D: Joshua Flores
D: Eric Ramirez
D: Daniel Flores
MF: Alberto Mendoza
MF: Jaime Sebastian
MF: Omar Santos
MF: Adrian Zarinana
F: Kevin Popoca
F: Alejandro Jasso
F: Leonardo Cabezas
Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match: Julio Torres, senior, F, Lyons
Referee: Todd Abraham
Scoring summary
First half
Lyons: Luttrell (Torres) 7’
Lyons: Behm (UA) 14’
Lyons: Cameron Labbato (Jake Fraser) 23’
Second half
Lyons: Slusarczyk (Fraser) 71’