Willowbrook gets back in the win column
Versatile Guallpa sparks 4-0 win over visiting Montini
By Gary Larsen
VILLA PARK -- Choosing Chicagoland Soccer’s Man of the Match can sometimes be difficult, but after Willowbrook’s 4-0 win over Montini, all a person had to do was ask Warriors seniors Tomas Hernandez and Steven Cerda.
“We played very well as a whole today,” Hernandez said, “But I’d have to give it to Aaron Guallpa. He turned on a switch and got us going today.”
“I definitely have to give it to Aaron,” Cerda said. “He scored our first goal and that’s when we all picked it up. ... And whenever someone is missing, we can use him anywhere.”
Guallpa has been Willowbrook’s Swiss army knife this year, their player most likely to play every position. He’s listed on the roster as a defender, but coach Eddie DeLaCruz started Guallpa in the midfield Saturday, and he responded by opening the scoring from 12 yards in the 15th minute.
Guallpa left the stadium at Willowbrook quickly after the game to go on a college visit, leaving his coach to speak to his versatility.
“I’ll put him at right fullback, to defensive mid, to right mid -- he’s just an all-around utility guy,” DeLaCruz said. “Every single soccer coach needs a player like Aaron.
“He’s very confident with his left and right foot. He’s got a great vertical for as short as he is, and I can put him at any position and knows exactly what to do.”
Guallpa’s goal stood up as the game-winner, though Willowbrook got another goal before halftime from center mid Miguel Correa, from a tough angle on the left side at 34 minutes.
Second half goals came from midfielder Enrique DeLeon and Cerda, for a team aiming to slam the brakes on a recent skid.
“We were on a four-game losing streak. We definitely needed this,” DeLaCruz said. “The injuries have been piling up for Willowbrook soccer. But at the same time, it’s the next man up, and the guys came out with a lot of energy today.”
The Warriors (3-4-0) have had to step-up en masse to start the year -- injuries to key players have decimated the team. Senior forward Nico Hernandez was lost for the year to a preseason injury, and senior forward Patrick Florey has been absent due to mono.
Most recently, senior keeper Mario Giase suffered a hip injury and won't return until the postseason, if at all.
So when play was stopped on Saturday after senior captain Correa went down with an ankle injury, the Warriors were naturally concerned. Correa is the team’s midfield engine and losing him would cripple the Warriors’ attack.
Luckily, Correa had his ankle taped by a trainer and returned to finish the game.
“Someone stepped on his ankle. My heart stopped,” DeLaCruz said. “I don’t think I took a breath for maybe a minute.”
Junior midfielder David Rizzo created the Warriors’ third goal, taking a ball to the endline on the left side and centering a cross to DeLeon, whose head shot from eight yards stretched the back netting at 48 minutes.
Willowbrook’s final goal began with a free kick on the right side taken by Guallpa at 55 minutes. Guallpa’s serve to the far post found a crowd, the ball hit the carpet, and Cerda buried it from point-blank range.
“Miguel distributed the ball left and right, and (Cerda and Hernandez) and my backline played well,” DeLaCruz said. “And the combination of David Rizzo’s left foot and the header (goal) by Enrique was nice to see.
“When you lose so many starters, passing is one of those things that you struggle with. We scored two goals in four games in the Addison Trail tournament, and that’s just not going to get it done.”
Good news for the Warriors’ attack will arrive on Tuesday, when team captain Florey returns to the field.
“That will help us a lot,” Hernandez said. “He brings that speed and strength in the front. He’s big, and he’ll help us with balls in the air.”
Central defenders Hernandez and Cerda have been the glue holding down the backline as outside defenders rotate in, and as the offense adjusts to assorted absences in pursuit of attacking chemistry.
“With the offense struggling, the pressure is coming back on the defense,” Cerda said. “But we’re kind of used to that pressure now. We’re using our outside backs to push forward so that’s helping the offense, and we all just have to keep our heads up.”
Cerda and Hernandez have also been pivotal figures as senior Hugo Gutierrez gets acclimated as the team’s starting goalkeeper with Giase now gone to injury. Gutierrez earned his first shutout with Saturday’s win.
“(Gutierrez) hasn’t had a lot of playing time in goal, but he’s learning in terms of communicating with us in back, and yelling out when it’s his ball or when someone needs to get it,” Hernandez said.
DeLaCruz is happy with the progress Gutierrez has shown.
“Hugo has been our second-in-charge, and he did a lot of work this summer,” DeLaCruz said. “He stepped in the last four games and stepped it up. We’re working on his communication but the guys are starting to play a lot better together.”
Team captain Hernandez hounded Montini forward Anthony Burger on Saturday, and tempers occasionally flared.
“Tomas is a three-year starter, and he started out at the right fullback position as a sophomore,” DeLaCruz said. “He’s been at center back the last two years, and he’s one of those guys that definitely does not shy away from these top forwards that he’s up against, from Morton, Leyden, and everyone else in our conference. He never backs down from a challenge. He’s got a little chip on his shoulder.”
Hernandez believes that a defender has to embrace that chip.
“You have to be confident and believe that you’re the best player on the field, whether it’s true or not,” Hernandez said. “You have to believe you’re the best, that you’re going to win the ball, and that you’ll succeed.”
Starting lineups
Willowbrook
GK Hugo Gutierrez
D Tomas Hernandez
D Steven Cerda
D Joey Gillono
D Thomas Waldorf
M Miguel Correa
M Aaron Guallpa
M David Rizzo
M Eric Hoda
M Izzy Roman
F Efren Gomez
Montini
GK Garrick Nielsen
D Nathaniel Lukasik
D Jack Sidler
D Henry Lambesis
D Max Hanzlik
M Jacob Mondschean
M George Lambesis
M Luc Larson
M Joshua Gonzaga
F Anthony Burger
F Cody Collier
Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match: Aaron Guallpa, jr. D, Willowbrook
Scoring summary
First half
Willowbrook: Guallpa (UA); Correa (UA)
Second half
Willowbrook: DeLeon (Rizzo); Cerda (UA)
Versatile Guallpa sparks 4-0 win over visiting Montini
By Gary Larsen
VILLA PARK -- Choosing Chicagoland Soccer’s Man of the Match can sometimes be difficult, but after Willowbrook’s 4-0 win over Montini, all a person had to do was ask Warriors seniors Tomas Hernandez and Steven Cerda.
“We played very well as a whole today,” Hernandez said, “But I’d have to give it to Aaron Guallpa. He turned on a switch and got us going today.”
“I definitely have to give it to Aaron,” Cerda said. “He scored our first goal and that’s when we all picked it up. ... And whenever someone is missing, we can use him anywhere.”
Guallpa has been Willowbrook’s Swiss army knife this year, their player most likely to play every position. He’s listed on the roster as a defender, but coach Eddie DeLaCruz started Guallpa in the midfield Saturday, and he responded by opening the scoring from 12 yards in the 15th minute.
Guallpa left the stadium at Willowbrook quickly after the game to go on a college visit, leaving his coach to speak to his versatility.
“I’ll put him at right fullback, to defensive mid, to right mid -- he’s just an all-around utility guy,” DeLaCruz said. “Every single soccer coach needs a player like Aaron.
“He’s very confident with his left and right foot. He’s got a great vertical for as short as he is, and I can put him at any position and knows exactly what to do.”
Guallpa’s goal stood up as the game-winner, though Willowbrook got another goal before halftime from center mid Miguel Correa, from a tough angle on the left side at 34 minutes.
Second half goals came from midfielder Enrique DeLeon and Cerda, for a team aiming to slam the brakes on a recent skid.
“We were on a four-game losing streak. We definitely needed this,” DeLaCruz said. “The injuries have been piling up for Willowbrook soccer. But at the same time, it’s the next man up, and the guys came out with a lot of energy today.”
The Warriors (3-4-0) have had to step-up en masse to start the year -- injuries to key players have decimated the team. Senior forward Nico Hernandez was lost for the year to a preseason injury, and senior forward Patrick Florey has been absent due to mono.
Most recently, senior keeper Mario Giase suffered a hip injury and won't return until the postseason, if at all.
So when play was stopped on Saturday after senior captain Correa went down with an ankle injury, the Warriors were naturally concerned. Correa is the team’s midfield engine and losing him would cripple the Warriors’ attack.
Luckily, Correa had his ankle taped by a trainer and returned to finish the game.
“Someone stepped on his ankle. My heart stopped,” DeLaCruz said. “I don’t think I took a breath for maybe a minute.”
Junior midfielder David Rizzo created the Warriors’ third goal, taking a ball to the endline on the left side and centering a cross to DeLeon, whose head shot from eight yards stretched the back netting at 48 minutes.
Willowbrook’s final goal began with a free kick on the right side taken by Guallpa at 55 minutes. Guallpa’s serve to the far post found a crowd, the ball hit the carpet, and Cerda buried it from point-blank range.
“Miguel distributed the ball left and right, and (Cerda and Hernandez) and my backline played well,” DeLaCruz said. “And the combination of David Rizzo’s left foot and the header (goal) by Enrique was nice to see.
“When you lose so many starters, passing is one of those things that you struggle with. We scored two goals in four games in the Addison Trail tournament, and that’s just not going to get it done.”
Good news for the Warriors’ attack will arrive on Tuesday, when team captain Florey returns to the field.
“That will help us a lot,” Hernandez said. “He brings that speed and strength in the front. He’s big, and he’ll help us with balls in the air.”
Central defenders Hernandez and Cerda have been the glue holding down the backline as outside defenders rotate in, and as the offense adjusts to assorted absences in pursuit of attacking chemistry.
“With the offense struggling, the pressure is coming back on the defense,” Cerda said. “But we’re kind of used to that pressure now. We’re using our outside backs to push forward so that’s helping the offense, and we all just have to keep our heads up.”
Cerda and Hernandez have also been pivotal figures as senior Hugo Gutierrez gets acclimated as the team’s starting goalkeeper with Giase now gone to injury. Gutierrez earned his first shutout with Saturday’s win.
“(Gutierrez) hasn’t had a lot of playing time in goal, but he’s learning in terms of communicating with us in back, and yelling out when it’s his ball or when someone needs to get it,” Hernandez said.
DeLaCruz is happy with the progress Gutierrez has shown.
“Hugo has been our second-in-charge, and he did a lot of work this summer,” DeLaCruz said. “He stepped in the last four games and stepped it up. We’re working on his communication but the guys are starting to play a lot better together.”
Team captain Hernandez hounded Montini forward Anthony Burger on Saturday, and tempers occasionally flared.
“Tomas is a three-year starter, and he started out at the right fullback position as a sophomore,” DeLaCruz said. “He’s been at center back the last two years, and he’s one of those guys that definitely does not shy away from these top forwards that he’s up against, from Morton, Leyden, and everyone else in our conference. He never backs down from a challenge. He’s got a little chip on his shoulder.”
Hernandez believes that a defender has to embrace that chip.
“You have to be confident and believe that you’re the best player on the field, whether it’s true or not,” Hernandez said. “You have to believe you’re the best, that you’re going to win the ball, and that you’ll succeed.”
Starting lineups
Willowbrook
GK Hugo Gutierrez
D Tomas Hernandez
D Steven Cerda
D Joey Gillono
D Thomas Waldorf
M Miguel Correa
M Aaron Guallpa
M David Rizzo
M Eric Hoda
M Izzy Roman
F Efren Gomez
Montini
GK Garrick Nielsen
D Nathaniel Lukasik
D Jack Sidler
D Henry Lambesis
D Max Hanzlik
M Jacob Mondschean
M George Lambesis
M Luc Larson
M Joshua Gonzaga
F Anthony Burger
F Cody Collier
Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match: Aaron Guallpa, jr. D, Willowbrook
Scoring summary
First half
Willowbrook: Guallpa (UA); Correa (UA)
Second half
Willowbrook: DeLeon (Rizzo); Cerda (UA)