Lyons wins physical battle, tops Minooka
Clarke's late-game header snaps scoreless tie
By Dave Owen
LA GRANGE – Baywatch star David Hasselhoff may be the most famous Lyons alumnus associated with rescues. But Lions senior Charlie Clarke, after his heroics Tuesday, can certainly be added to the school’s list of last-minute saviors.
Clarke’s header goal off an Adam McGahay corner kick with just 6:48 left earned the 11th-ranked Lions (5-3-1) a hard-fought 1-0 win over Minooka (3-3-2) in Tuesday’s physical PepsiCo Showdown consolation pool battle.
“There’s always a sense of desperation when it’s tied 0-0 and you feel that you’ve been on top for most of the game, which I felt we were,” said Clarke, whose sixth goal of the season helped earn him Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match honors.
“At that point it’s about getting the ball in the goal, and not about making it look pretty.”
Clarke had already been denied on two pretty great chances on restarts. Off a Skip Locke corner kick with 36:40 left, Clarke’s well-placed 12-yard shot was deflected just over the crossbar by Minooka goalkeeper Carson Heglund.
Then 17 seconds before his tie-breaking goal, Clarke’s point-blank shot off an Adam McGahay corner kick was denied on an impressive Corey Crawford-esque kick save by Heglund.
“Props to the keeper -- I thought that (shot with 36:40 to go) was going upper nine,” Clarke said. “Then he made another great save on me. He’s a good keeper.”
On the ensuing corner kick, another nice McGahay send found Clarke in open space 8 yards out near the left post for a header into the right side of the net for the game-winner.
After seeing McGahay’s two great corner kicks, Lyons coach Paul Labbato was kicking himself a bit.
“I got lost in my lineup a little bit – our best corner kick guy (McGahay) sat on the bench most of the half,” Labbato said. “I kept watching a lot of the corners go, mostly with not great placement and not dangerous. Finally I was like, ‘You’ve got to get back in the game.’
“And he delivers a great ball, actually two great services (back-to-back) by Adam. And Charlie gets on the end of one and we get out of this somehow, someway.
“They (Minooka) have a good goalkeeper, and their guys in the back are tough kids,” Labbato added. “They play good soccer. They really work the ball and don’t make a lot of mistakes.”
Minooka was no mystery after battling third-ranked Morton to a 0-0 tie through regulation Saturday before losing the penalty kick session 4-2. But Lyon’s set pieces finally ended Minooka's impressive regulation scoreless streak against elite Cook County foes.
“They (Lyons) did a great job of getting restarts and corners,” Minooka coach Nate Spriggs said. “We tried to defend them as much as we can. But with five or six corners in a half, at some point they might get one. And that’s what they did.
“But I give our guys tons of credit -- they fought to the end. They wanted to get a win after playing Morton to a 0-0 tie and not finishing in PKs, but we’re getting close. I told the guys too that it’s not about this week. It’s long term.
“Come regionals if we get a regional championship and get to a sectional, these are the type of teams we’re going to play,” Spriggs added. “So hopefully they see the long-term benefits.”
Lyons is reaping huge benefits from several players.
“Charlie Clarke works hard all game long,” Labbato said. “He does a really nice job. And kind of an unsung hero out there is (midfielder) Charlie Hall. He works from box to box, keeps the game moving and defends when he needs to and gets forward when he needs to.
“Nick (Jacobs) is so great that you forget at center back how good he is. And a sophomore Mike Niedermeyer, no. 15, has really come on the last few games and is someone we want to experiment with more as we go forward.”
Speaking of experiments, the Lions tried several different formations on Tuesday. The hosts went with a 3-5-2 (two forwards) alignment much the game before switching to a 3-4-3 to produce added pressure and eventually the breakthrough goal.
“We switched a couple lineups with a couple formation changes during the game to see what was better,” Labbato said. “We’ll keep working at it. We have to be able to do things for different teams. But I felt when we had three forwards we were really strong.”
The Lyons players noted an adjustment to the new formation and also the potential for added versatility with the ability to vary attacks.
“We tried a 3-5-2 today, which is a different formation from our 3-4-3,” Jacobs said, “so we’ll probably keep working on that in practice and work on going forward. We need a little bit more going to the wide areas and trying to get a little better service on the corners, but Clarke scored today on the one that mattered.”
Said Clarke: “For me personally I play center mid normally, so adapting to two forwards is similar. And for the rest of the team it’s about getting wide and just figuring out where we’re supposed to be. You can practice it all you want, but it takes at least two or three games to get the hang of things.”
The late-game switch to the 3-4-3 paid off with added pressure and the winning goal. Another big second half chance came with 30:30 left, when Heglund made a great diving block at the left post of a Locke 15-yard one-timer that then saw Eric Gradilla rebound go wide.
“Carson Heglund is solid back there for us,” Spriggs said. “We rely on our seniors a lot in the middle, and they’ve really done a great job for us. We play super hard. It’s kind of the mantra for our team. And that feeds into everybody’s play on the field. But we just haven’t been able to get a goal or two lately. And we’re playing in a tough bracket, a bracket above the competition that we’re used to. But our kids aren’t backing down.”
The Lions’ defense wouldn’t relent, either. Gradilla set the tone in the 14th minute with his nice block and clear of a Minooka attack. Then 8:45 before halftime, Tyler Byrne had his own block of a cross to the box – and his send initiated a Lyons counterattack.
Those efforts started the Lions towards their second shutout of 2017 (and first since the Aug. 21 opener), and a bounce back from their 2-1 loss to Streamwood in a seeded-upset in the PepsiCo opener Saturday.
“We’ve had a few injuries,” Jacobs said. “We’re missing those guys, but we’re pretty deep. Everybody’s been stepping up to the plate. We’ve had some juniors starting who have all done their part.
“Obviously we miss (injured) Tate Riordan and Sam DeBoer who normally start, but Jason (Lichtenauer) and Jonathan Gray and everybody who have been stepping in have been doing a great job. And obviously we didn’t let in a goal today so it’s all going well for us.”
Up 1-0, the Lions nearly added another goal with 2:15 left on a Gradilla left-side shot just wide of the right post.
The physical yet well-played game took a downturn 15 seconds later when a midfield shoving match resulted in red cards for one player on each side.
The Lyons defense came into play late -- Jacobs blocked a shot with 1:30 left that was cleared by Niedermeyer and Gradilla, then came a nice 50-50 ball win in the box and clear by Quinn Frazer with 20 seconds left.
One final Minooka push was denied when Niedermeyer stepped in to tip away a dribble 35 yards out with five seconds left, thwarting any bid for a final shot.
“Obviously it’s hard to control your emotions when somebody pops up and tries to hit you,” Jacobs said of the red cards. “But I thought for the most part we played physical when we needed to be.”
Labbato thought the physical play (which included an early second half midfield collision) had a literal and figurative impact on the match.
“When it gets out of hand, it’s hard to keep the ball here and there because in a nice soft game and calm game you can kind of move the ball a little bit,” Labbato said. “We had trouble. That’s something we need to work on and get better at.”
Looking forward to the huge annual conference rivalry match Sept. 22 with Hinsdale Central, Clarke hopes the Lions can go on the offensive.
“We need to focus on our attack,” he said. “The defense and midfield are really stable, but we have to make sure we’re making the right runs. And just maybe look for the style we’re going to go forward with.”
Starting lineups
Minooka
GK Carson Heglund
D Nick Beasley
D Tim Doody
D Erik Lakota
D Isaac Westerhoff
M Frank Thompson
M Jared Avalos
M Dominic Ruettiger
M Jake Westerhoff
F Blake Brandenburg
F Conor Waldron
Lyons
GK Matt Vear
D Jonathan Gray
D Nick Jacobs
D Quinn Frazer
M Charlie Hall
M Charlie Clarke
M Mike Niedermeyer
M Luke Lusson
M Skip Locke
F Eric Gradilla
F Phil Panopoulos
Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match: Charlie Clarke, sr., MF/F, Lyons
Scoring summary
LT: Charlie Clarke (Adam McGahey), 73:12
Clarke's late-game header snaps scoreless tie
By Dave Owen
LA GRANGE – Baywatch star David Hasselhoff may be the most famous Lyons alumnus associated with rescues. But Lions senior Charlie Clarke, after his heroics Tuesday, can certainly be added to the school’s list of last-minute saviors.
Clarke’s header goal off an Adam McGahay corner kick with just 6:48 left earned the 11th-ranked Lions (5-3-1) a hard-fought 1-0 win over Minooka (3-3-2) in Tuesday’s physical PepsiCo Showdown consolation pool battle.
“There’s always a sense of desperation when it’s tied 0-0 and you feel that you’ve been on top for most of the game, which I felt we were,” said Clarke, whose sixth goal of the season helped earn him Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match honors.
“At that point it’s about getting the ball in the goal, and not about making it look pretty.”
Clarke had already been denied on two pretty great chances on restarts. Off a Skip Locke corner kick with 36:40 left, Clarke’s well-placed 12-yard shot was deflected just over the crossbar by Minooka goalkeeper Carson Heglund.
Then 17 seconds before his tie-breaking goal, Clarke’s point-blank shot off an Adam McGahay corner kick was denied on an impressive Corey Crawford-esque kick save by Heglund.
“Props to the keeper -- I thought that (shot with 36:40 to go) was going upper nine,” Clarke said. “Then he made another great save on me. He’s a good keeper.”
On the ensuing corner kick, another nice McGahay send found Clarke in open space 8 yards out near the left post for a header into the right side of the net for the game-winner.
After seeing McGahay’s two great corner kicks, Lyons coach Paul Labbato was kicking himself a bit.
“I got lost in my lineup a little bit – our best corner kick guy (McGahay) sat on the bench most of the half,” Labbato said. “I kept watching a lot of the corners go, mostly with not great placement and not dangerous. Finally I was like, ‘You’ve got to get back in the game.’
“And he delivers a great ball, actually two great services (back-to-back) by Adam. And Charlie gets on the end of one and we get out of this somehow, someway.
“They (Minooka) have a good goalkeeper, and their guys in the back are tough kids,” Labbato added. “They play good soccer. They really work the ball and don’t make a lot of mistakes.”
Minooka was no mystery after battling third-ranked Morton to a 0-0 tie through regulation Saturday before losing the penalty kick session 4-2. But Lyon’s set pieces finally ended Minooka's impressive regulation scoreless streak against elite Cook County foes.
“They (Lyons) did a great job of getting restarts and corners,” Minooka coach Nate Spriggs said. “We tried to defend them as much as we can. But with five or six corners in a half, at some point they might get one. And that’s what they did.
“But I give our guys tons of credit -- they fought to the end. They wanted to get a win after playing Morton to a 0-0 tie and not finishing in PKs, but we’re getting close. I told the guys too that it’s not about this week. It’s long term.
“Come regionals if we get a regional championship and get to a sectional, these are the type of teams we’re going to play,” Spriggs added. “So hopefully they see the long-term benefits.”
Lyons is reaping huge benefits from several players.
“Charlie Clarke works hard all game long,” Labbato said. “He does a really nice job. And kind of an unsung hero out there is (midfielder) Charlie Hall. He works from box to box, keeps the game moving and defends when he needs to and gets forward when he needs to.
“Nick (Jacobs) is so great that you forget at center back how good he is. And a sophomore Mike Niedermeyer, no. 15, has really come on the last few games and is someone we want to experiment with more as we go forward.”
Speaking of experiments, the Lions tried several different formations on Tuesday. The hosts went with a 3-5-2 (two forwards) alignment much the game before switching to a 3-4-3 to produce added pressure and eventually the breakthrough goal.
“We switched a couple lineups with a couple formation changes during the game to see what was better,” Labbato said. “We’ll keep working at it. We have to be able to do things for different teams. But I felt when we had three forwards we were really strong.”
The Lyons players noted an adjustment to the new formation and also the potential for added versatility with the ability to vary attacks.
“We tried a 3-5-2 today, which is a different formation from our 3-4-3,” Jacobs said, “so we’ll probably keep working on that in practice and work on going forward. We need a little bit more going to the wide areas and trying to get a little better service on the corners, but Clarke scored today on the one that mattered.”
Said Clarke: “For me personally I play center mid normally, so adapting to two forwards is similar. And for the rest of the team it’s about getting wide and just figuring out where we’re supposed to be. You can practice it all you want, but it takes at least two or three games to get the hang of things.”
The late-game switch to the 3-4-3 paid off with added pressure and the winning goal. Another big second half chance came with 30:30 left, when Heglund made a great diving block at the left post of a Locke 15-yard one-timer that then saw Eric Gradilla rebound go wide.
“Carson Heglund is solid back there for us,” Spriggs said. “We rely on our seniors a lot in the middle, and they’ve really done a great job for us. We play super hard. It’s kind of the mantra for our team. And that feeds into everybody’s play on the field. But we just haven’t been able to get a goal or two lately. And we’re playing in a tough bracket, a bracket above the competition that we’re used to. But our kids aren’t backing down.”
The Lions’ defense wouldn’t relent, either. Gradilla set the tone in the 14th minute with his nice block and clear of a Minooka attack. Then 8:45 before halftime, Tyler Byrne had his own block of a cross to the box – and his send initiated a Lyons counterattack.
Those efforts started the Lions towards their second shutout of 2017 (and first since the Aug. 21 opener), and a bounce back from their 2-1 loss to Streamwood in a seeded-upset in the PepsiCo opener Saturday.
“We’ve had a few injuries,” Jacobs said. “We’re missing those guys, but we’re pretty deep. Everybody’s been stepping up to the plate. We’ve had some juniors starting who have all done their part.
“Obviously we miss (injured) Tate Riordan and Sam DeBoer who normally start, but Jason (Lichtenauer) and Jonathan Gray and everybody who have been stepping in have been doing a great job. And obviously we didn’t let in a goal today so it’s all going well for us.”
Up 1-0, the Lions nearly added another goal with 2:15 left on a Gradilla left-side shot just wide of the right post.
The physical yet well-played game took a downturn 15 seconds later when a midfield shoving match resulted in red cards for one player on each side.
The Lyons defense came into play late -- Jacobs blocked a shot with 1:30 left that was cleared by Niedermeyer and Gradilla, then came a nice 50-50 ball win in the box and clear by Quinn Frazer with 20 seconds left.
One final Minooka push was denied when Niedermeyer stepped in to tip away a dribble 35 yards out with five seconds left, thwarting any bid for a final shot.
“Obviously it’s hard to control your emotions when somebody pops up and tries to hit you,” Jacobs said of the red cards. “But I thought for the most part we played physical when we needed to be.”
Labbato thought the physical play (which included an early second half midfield collision) had a literal and figurative impact on the match.
“When it gets out of hand, it’s hard to keep the ball here and there because in a nice soft game and calm game you can kind of move the ball a little bit,” Labbato said. “We had trouble. That’s something we need to work on and get better at.”
Looking forward to the huge annual conference rivalry match Sept. 22 with Hinsdale Central, Clarke hopes the Lions can go on the offensive.
“We need to focus on our attack,” he said. “The defense and midfield are really stable, but we have to make sure we’re making the right runs. And just maybe look for the style we’re going to go forward with.”
Starting lineups
Minooka
GK Carson Heglund
D Nick Beasley
D Tim Doody
D Erik Lakota
D Isaac Westerhoff
M Frank Thompson
M Jared Avalos
M Dominic Ruettiger
M Jake Westerhoff
F Blake Brandenburg
F Conor Waldron
Lyons
GK Matt Vear
D Jonathan Gray
D Nick Jacobs
D Quinn Frazer
M Charlie Hall
M Charlie Clarke
M Mike Niedermeyer
M Luke Lusson
M Skip Locke
F Eric Gradilla
F Phil Panopoulos
Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match: Charlie Clarke, sr., MF/F, Lyons
Scoring summary
LT: Charlie Clarke (Adam McGahey), 73:12