Morton pressure wears out Mount Carmel
Mustangs 2nd half goals deliver to 2-0 sectional semifinal victory
By Patrick Z. McGavin
BERWYN -- Soccer results, like appearances, are deceptive at the surface and often demand their own context.
Morton coach Jim Bageanis worried his players might hold a slightly exaggerated sense of security after the Mustangs took out Mount Carmel 4-1 in the second game of the season.
That August 26 game was a lifetime ago in soccer terms.
“The first game was much closer than the score revealed,” he said. “They played short a man for about 18 minutes, and I think we scored two goals during that time.”
The stakes this time were far more consequential. Mount Carmel had an ace up their sleeve, in the sleek and dynamic presence of senior forward Marco Antonio Valencia.
He has the ability to dominate games by himself. Even if it sometimes felt like Valencia was up against 10 defenders in the field of play, he has a rare talent.
“He’s a very dynamic player,” Bageanis said.
The Mount Carmel forward entered the game as one of the state’s most explosive scorers with 37 goals and 10 assists.
The rematch was personal.
“A couple of the guys on the Morton team, I grew up playing with,” Valencia said. “We all played with the Raiders club team when we were little.”
Morton forward Giovanni Alvarez had the necessary frame of reference.
“I know how he plays,” he said. “He is a very talented player, very gifted, and he could have done something with the ball.
“Give credit to our defenders.”
The Mustangs’ dynamic arrangement of Alvarez and sophomore Max Aquino helped Morton push through to the sectional final by entwining the best parts of the team.
Alvarez and Aquino scored a goal each in the second half as the top-seeded Mustangs prevailed 2-0 in a semifinal of their own Class 3A sectional before a crowd of about 800 fans Tuesday.
Morton (19-1-3) will meet second-seeded Benet (15-5-1) on Friday at 7 p.m.
Benet, the defending 2019 Class AA state champions, prevailed over Lyons 3-1 in a four-shot shootout after regulation and two overtimes ended in a 2-2 tie.
John Kolb scored in the seventh minute and T.J. McVey converted a penalty kick in the 70th minute. Keeper Evan Lucas made a big early save during the shootout.
Heading into Morton’s second meeting against the Caravan (13-4-1), Bageanis stressed the earlier match had little relevance.
“We knew before the game this was going to be a tough match either way,” he said. “Both teams get up for each other, and these guys play together a lot during the summer.”
In the state tournament, goals are naturally a scarce commodity and by and large difficult to come by.
Morton discovered that throughout a dominant first half that yielded a great many set pieces and creative possessions. Alvarez, Aquino and midfielder Jonathan Murillo either hit or grazed the bar with shots during the run of play.
“Soccer is a crazy game,” Alvarez said. “The games are not going to get any easier the rest of the way. Everything is going to be close, and a lot of back and forth.
“We knew how they liked to play from the first game. We also wanted to go out today like we never played them before. We wanted to attack them.”
Mount Carmel sophomore Efrain Farias proved an imposing and difficult final obstacle as the Caravan’s keeper. Athletic and filled with energy, he showed excellent timing and aggressive counter movements at the point of attack.
He made three standout saves in the first half that helped stymie the Mustangs throughout the opening 40 minutes.
The threat of Valencia on the counter was also a point of emphasis for the Mustangs. Midfielder Christian Leon generated two corner kicks at the onset.
“They had most of the possession, but we had some sparks in the first half,” Valencia said.
Those tactical actions meant the Mustangs could not afford to lose sight of him, or their focus.
“Gio got free a couple of times more than he did, and we were lucky not to be on the end of his counter,” Bageanis said.
“I told the guys, the few opportunities we get, we have to come through on them.”
Alvarez’s runs, in concert with Aquino and the sharp play of Murillo, effectively stretches the field and optimizes the already dangerous attack.
“Gio was dragging guys away and opening up guys like Ismael Zepeda,” Bageanis said. “They were moving well on their own, and I gave them the green light to find that sweep spot on the field where they can be more effective.”
The on-the-field ramifications of playing Morton are always felt. The near constant pressure and the forward attack often means, at some point, Morton is going to find a weakness.
“We felt if we kept the pressure on, we’d find a way to score,” Aquino said. “We kept sending those long balls through, and we just figured at some point it would be too much for them to handle.”
In the 56th minute, that pressure delivered the desired result.
Aquino played a ball out of the back to the Mustangs’ quick, lively forward Deyair Ruiz just outside the top of the box.
Ruiz waited for Alvarez to make his run and slotted him a perfect ball on the left flank.
Alvarez blasted the one-touch ball inside the near post from about 15 yards. The bang-bang sequence never allowed Farias a chance to react.
“They were pressuring the ball well, and we just came out stronger in that second half,” Ruiz said. “I saw Gio running, and I just played it to him.
“I knew right away it was going in.”
Alvarez scored his 21st goal of the season. The Chicagoland Soccer all-stater again showed his instinct for being in the center of activity.
“I was in the right place at the time,” he said.
Ruiz said the goal just heightened his team’s confidence, and motivated the Mustangs to continue to create and push numbers.
Farias made a couple of excellent stops. The Caravan generated a couple of additional corner kicks. Valencia was held in check.
He had a couple of shots, largely from distance. Morton keeper Daniel Martinez was never truly threatened.
The curtain closed on the Caravan’s season.
“We had a lot of supporters out there today, and we wanted to do well,” Valencia said. “We were unlucky with the result.
“We had a good season. We grew a lot as a team, and I’m really proud of the guys.”
Aquino put the game away in the 73rd minute.
Sophomore defender Ivan Ramirez cleared the
ball from the Mustangs’ end and created the counter down the left edge.
Ismael Zepeda drove the ball on the left side and played a sharp ball to Aquino, who found Farias out of position. Aquino smashed home the ball from about 12 yards inside the far post to match Alvarez’s team-high of 21 goals.
Aquino earned the Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match distinction for his crucial involvement with the two goals.
As sophomores, Aquino and Ivan Ramirez are playing their first state tournament series.
Alvarez, Murillo, Zepeda defender Juan Ramirez and midfielder Luis Gonzalez played on the Mustangs’ 2019 team that finished as the Class 3A runnerup after a surprise loss to West Chicago.
This is their time.
“We have a nice mix of the older guys pushing the younger guys,” Aquino said. “Everybody just motivates each other.”
Starting lineups
Mount Carmel
GK: Efrain Farias
D: Andrew Torres
D: Sebastian Palma
D: Patrick Sullivan
D: Diego Zarate
MF: Dominic Gadilinski
MF: Christian Leon
MF: Irving Moreno
MF: Hugo Rincon
MF: Gerardo Rangel
F: Marco Antonio Valencia
Morton
GK: Daniel Martinez
D: Ivan Ramirez
D: Eddie Barraza
D: Juan Ramirez
D: Luis Gonzalez
MF: Edgar Quintero
MF: Giovanni Alvarez
MF: Daniel Diaz
MF: Max Aquino
MF: Jonathan Murillo
F: Deyair Ruiz
Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match: Max Aquino, so., MF, Morton
Scoring
First half
No scoring
Second half
Morton—Giovanni Alvarez (Deyair Ruiz), 56th minute
Morton—Max Aquino (Ismael Zepeda), 73rd minute
Mustangs 2nd half goals deliver to 2-0 sectional semifinal victory
By Patrick Z. McGavin
BERWYN -- Soccer results, like appearances, are deceptive at the surface and often demand their own context.
Morton coach Jim Bageanis worried his players might hold a slightly exaggerated sense of security after the Mustangs took out Mount Carmel 4-1 in the second game of the season.
That August 26 game was a lifetime ago in soccer terms.
“The first game was much closer than the score revealed,” he said. “They played short a man for about 18 minutes, and I think we scored two goals during that time.”
The stakes this time were far more consequential. Mount Carmel had an ace up their sleeve, in the sleek and dynamic presence of senior forward Marco Antonio Valencia.
He has the ability to dominate games by himself. Even if it sometimes felt like Valencia was up against 10 defenders in the field of play, he has a rare talent.
“He’s a very dynamic player,” Bageanis said.
The Mount Carmel forward entered the game as one of the state’s most explosive scorers with 37 goals and 10 assists.
The rematch was personal.
“A couple of the guys on the Morton team, I grew up playing with,” Valencia said. “We all played with the Raiders club team when we were little.”
Morton forward Giovanni Alvarez had the necessary frame of reference.
“I know how he plays,” he said. “He is a very talented player, very gifted, and he could have done something with the ball.
“Give credit to our defenders.”
The Mustangs’ dynamic arrangement of Alvarez and sophomore Max Aquino helped Morton push through to the sectional final by entwining the best parts of the team.
Alvarez and Aquino scored a goal each in the second half as the top-seeded Mustangs prevailed 2-0 in a semifinal of their own Class 3A sectional before a crowd of about 800 fans Tuesday.
Morton (19-1-3) will meet second-seeded Benet (15-5-1) on Friday at 7 p.m.
Benet, the defending 2019 Class AA state champions, prevailed over Lyons 3-1 in a four-shot shootout after regulation and two overtimes ended in a 2-2 tie.
John Kolb scored in the seventh minute and T.J. McVey converted a penalty kick in the 70th minute. Keeper Evan Lucas made a big early save during the shootout.
Heading into Morton’s second meeting against the Caravan (13-4-1), Bageanis stressed the earlier match had little relevance.
“We knew before the game this was going to be a tough match either way,” he said. “Both teams get up for each other, and these guys play together a lot during the summer.”
In the state tournament, goals are naturally a scarce commodity and by and large difficult to come by.
Morton discovered that throughout a dominant first half that yielded a great many set pieces and creative possessions. Alvarez, Aquino and midfielder Jonathan Murillo either hit or grazed the bar with shots during the run of play.
“Soccer is a crazy game,” Alvarez said. “The games are not going to get any easier the rest of the way. Everything is going to be close, and a lot of back and forth.
“We knew how they liked to play from the first game. We also wanted to go out today like we never played them before. We wanted to attack them.”
Mount Carmel sophomore Efrain Farias proved an imposing and difficult final obstacle as the Caravan’s keeper. Athletic and filled with energy, he showed excellent timing and aggressive counter movements at the point of attack.
He made three standout saves in the first half that helped stymie the Mustangs throughout the opening 40 minutes.
The threat of Valencia on the counter was also a point of emphasis for the Mustangs. Midfielder Christian Leon generated two corner kicks at the onset.
“They had most of the possession, but we had some sparks in the first half,” Valencia said.
Those tactical actions meant the Mustangs could not afford to lose sight of him, or their focus.
“Gio got free a couple of times more than he did, and we were lucky not to be on the end of his counter,” Bageanis said.
“I told the guys, the few opportunities we get, we have to come through on them.”
Alvarez’s runs, in concert with Aquino and the sharp play of Murillo, effectively stretches the field and optimizes the already dangerous attack.
“Gio was dragging guys away and opening up guys like Ismael Zepeda,” Bageanis said. “They were moving well on their own, and I gave them the green light to find that sweep spot on the field where they can be more effective.”
The on-the-field ramifications of playing Morton are always felt. The near constant pressure and the forward attack often means, at some point, Morton is going to find a weakness.
“We felt if we kept the pressure on, we’d find a way to score,” Aquino said. “We kept sending those long balls through, and we just figured at some point it would be too much for them to handle.”
In the 56th minute, that pressure delivered the desired result.
Aquino played a ball out of the back to the Mustangs’ quick, lively forward Deyair Ruiz just outside the top of the box.
Ruiz waited for Alvarez to make his run and slotted him a perfect ball on the left flank.
Alvarez blasted the one-touch ball inside the near post from about 15 yards. The bang-bang sequence never allowed Farias a chance to react.
“They were pressuring the ball well, and we just came out stronger in that second half,” Ruiz said. “I saw Gio running, and I just played it to him.
“I knew right away it was going in.”
Alvarez scored his 21st goal of the season. The Chicagoland Soccer all-stater again showed his instinct for being in the center of activity.
“I was in the right place at the time,” he said.
Ruiz said the goal just heightened his team’s confidence, and motivated the Mustangs to continue to create and push numbers.
Farias made a couple of excellent stops. The Caravan generated a couple of additional corner kicks. Valencia was held in check.
He had a couple of shots, largely from distance. Morton keeper Daniel Martinez was never truly threatened.
The curtain closed on the Caravan’s season.
“We had a lot of supporters out there today, and we wanted to do well,” Valencia said. “We were unlucky with the result.
“We had a good season. We grew a lot as a team, and I’m really proud of the guys.”
Aquino put the game away in the 73rd minute.
Sophomore defender Ivan Ramirez cleared the
ball from the Mustangs’ end and created the counter down the left edge.
Ismael Zepeda drove the ball on the left side and played a sharp ball to Aquino, who found Farias out of position. Aquino smashed home the ball from about 12 yards inside the far post to match Alvarez’s team-high of 21 goals.
Aquino earned the Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match distinction for his crucial involvement with the two goals.
As sophomores, Aquino and Ivan Ramirez are playing their first state tournament series.
Alvarez, Murillo, Zepeda defender Juan Ramirez and midfielder Luis Gonzalez played on the Mustangs’ 2019 team that finished as the Class 3A runnerup after a surprise loss to West Chicago.
This is their time.
“We have a nice mix of the older guys pushing the younger guys,” Aquino said. “Everybody just motivates each other.”
Starting lineups
Mount Carmel
GK: Efrain Farias
D: Andrew Torres
D: Sebastian Palma
D: Patrick Sullivan
D: Diego Zarate
MF: Dominic Gadilinski
MF: Christian Leon
MF: Irving Moreno
MF: Hugo Rincon
MF: Gerardo Rangel
F: Marco Antonio Valencia
Morton
GK: Daniel Martinez
D: Ivan Ramirez
D: Eddie Barraza
D: Juan Ramirez
D: Luis Gonzalez
MF: Edgar Quintero
MF: Giovanni Alvarez
MF: Daniel Diaz
MF: Max Aquino
MF: Jonathan Murillo
F: Deyair Ruiz
Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match: Max Aquino, so., MF, Morton
Scoring
First half
No scoring
Second half
Morton—Giovanni Alvarez (Deyair Ruiz), 56th minute
Morton—Max Aquino (Ismael Zepeda), 73rd minute