West Aurora’s Thompson foils
Plainfield North upset bid
Tigers fall 2-1 in battle of SWP titans; Blackhawks clinch title
By Patrick Z. McGavin
AURORA — Plainfield North obliterated most expectations to this most unorthodox of seasons.
With new coach Lukasz Majewski and a gifted young sophomore class, the Tigers appeared to be in transition.
But, except for one hiccup against Oswego, Plainfield North has lived a charmed existence, flashing talent, depth, individual start power and some elite shotmakers.
Midfielder Shea Bechtel, a four-year standout, is one of the state’s top scorers with 20 goals.
Keeper Miguel Rodriguez is another dizzying talent; he notched his fifth shutout after the 4-0 victory over Joliet West on Tuesday.
But Thursday’s road game against undefeated West Aurora, posed a whole different kind of problem. The Tigers had a slighter margin for error. They also needed to find a way to neutralize Blackhawks’ star Zach Thompson.
“We are just trying to figure this out,” Majewski said. “Most of the time we have very good days. Today we wanted to put on a good performance and play the way we are capable of.”
The Tigers, ranked no. 23 in the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25, overcame an early fluke goal to equalize in the first half. But Thompson found the game-winner in the 11th-ranked Blackhawks’ 2-1 afternoon victory.
West Aurora (13-0-0, 10-0-0) clinched the regular-season conference title and the top seed of the Southwest Prairie conference tournament.
Despite the loss, Plainfield North 10-2-1, 9-2-0) is assured the no. 2 seed of the tournament.
“You don’t always get what you want,” Majewski said. “We had hopes for today. Sometimes it goes your way, and sometimes it doesn’t.
“Our goal was to win the conference. That’s gone, and now we move onto the next thing.”
Thompson;s breakthrough junior year earned him a spot on the 2019Chicagoland Soccer All-State Team. The versatile star has played every field position during his career.
He started in the midfield and shifted to the backline during his sophomore year after the Blackhawks suffered a string of injuries.
As a junior he made the move permanently to the top of the formation.
That fall he powered the Blackhawks to a Class 3A sectional final, where they lost to three-time defending state champion Naperville North in double overtime.
Thompson brace Thursday added to his career-high season totals of 20 goals and 17 assists.
He has an innate ability of putting himself in the center of activity.
That special talent played out at the start. Off a wind blown free kick by Loretto Lopez, Thompson saw the ball take a quirky hop that eluded the grasp of Rodriguez. He took advantage, smashing in the header for the opening goal.
“It took a lucky bounce over the keeper, and I was in a good position,” Thompson said.
Plainfield North responded well to the nearly surreal early sequence.
“I think after that goal, we did a good job of settling in,” Bechtel said. “That goal was definitely a fluke, and I think we started playing better through the rest of the game.”
Bechtel is the offensive centerpiece, capably balanced by forward Cooper Allen and midfielders Sean Elster, Jake Gruben and Justin Williams.
The Tigers have shown superb balance and awareness of each other’s presence on the field. They pass and move exceptionally well.
Plainfield North took advantage late in the first half with its own variation of a misplayed free kick. Williams blasted the ball into the box.
Defender Brady Hardwood seized on the apprehensive touch by Blackhawks’ keeper Carlos Garci for the equalizer.
It was his second goal of the year.
“We’ve been trying to play a lot more possession and ball on the ground,” Harwood said. “We are trying to be over the top and play more direct.
“The idea is to draw the other team and we can find the gaps.”
Harwood said the moment the Tigers adjusted to the berserk, nature-influenced bounces off the ball off the super-charged turf, they found their natural rhythm.
West Aurora plays a forward, aggressive style, and the Tigers kept them off balance for much of the game. Rodriguez was a wonder, coming off his line and making some highlight-reel saves.
Thompson delivered the game-winner in the 61st minute. He intercepted a ball and wove through a wave of bodies. He took advantage of that confusion.
“The ball was bouncing around the box, and it came out to me. I just drove it hard and low into the far corner,” Thompson said.
“There were a lot of bodies that it got by, and it was hard for the keeper to see it. The ball snuck in the far corner.”
For his accomplishments, Zach Thompson was named the Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match.
Earlier this season, West Aurora coach Joe Sustersic won his 300th career game.
The game-winner gave the Blackhawks the best start in program history. Only the in-season 15-game winning streak in 2018 surpasses their current 13-consecutive wins.
“I had a good group of kids that twice lost to Naperville North in the Sweet Sixteen,” Susterric said. “I have three seniors, and they have almost 50 wins and just nine losses on the varsity.
“When the kids found out we were going to have a season, they came to me and said they were going to do something special and win every game.”
Despite the loss, Bechtel sees his team as one energized by its top-level and consistent play.
He hopes the seeds play out and the Tigers get another crack at West Aurora in the conference championship.
“It’s been really worthwhile to play and have a senior season,” he said. “Under a new coach, we have taken advantage of our time together.
“I think now we are going into the conference tournament refreshed and setting our minds back, almost as if it’s a new season.”
Starting lineups
Plainfield North
GK: Miguel Rodriguez
D: Ryan Mauder
D: Brady Harwood
D: Lloyd Quezada
MF: Braden Fink
MF: Shea Bechtel
MF: Sean Elster
MF: Jake Gruben
MF: Justin Williams
F: Timi Usikalu
F: Cooper Allen
West Aurora
GK: Carlos Garci
D: Kyle Rucka
D: Raul Magana
D: Matt Lopez-Martinez
MF: Danny Espino
MF: Ijah Hardersen
MF: Sam Sanchez
MF: Loretto Lopez
MF: Frankie Perez
F: Jaziel Enriquez
F: Zach Thompson
Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match: Zach Thompson, sr., F, West Aurora;
Scoring summary
First half
West Aurora—Zach Thompson (Loretto Lopez), ninth minute
Plainfield North—Brady Harwood (Justin Williams), 37th minute
Second half
West Aurora—Thompson (unassisted), 61st minute
Plainfield North upset bid
Tigers fall 2-1 in battle of SWP titans; Blackhawks clinch title
By Patrick Z. McGavin
AURORA — Plainfield North obliterated most expectations to this most unorthodox of seasons.
With new coach Lukasz Majewski and a gifted young sophomore class, the Tigers appeared to be in transition.
But, except for one hiccup against Oswego, Plainfield North has lived a charmed existence, flashing talent, depth, individual start power and some elite shotmakers.
Midfielder Shea Bechtel, a four-year standout, is one of the state’s top scorers with 20 goals.
Keeper Miguel Rodriguez is another dizzying talent; he notched his fifth shutout after the 4-0 victory over Joliet West on Tuesday.
But Thursday’s road game against undefeated West Aurora, posed a whole different kind of problem. The Tigers had a slighter margin for error. They also needed to find a way to neutralize Blackhawks’ star Zach Thompson.
“We are just trying to figure this out,” Majewski said. “Most of the time we have very good days. Today we wanted to put on a good performance and play the way we are capable of.”
The Tigers, ranked no. 23 in the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25, overcame an early fluke goal to equalize in the first half. But Thompson found the game-winner in the 11th-ranked Blackhawks’ 2-1 afternoon victory.
West Aurora (13-0-0, 10-0-0) clinched the regular-season conference title and the top seed of the Southwest Prairie conference tournament.
Despite the loss, Plainfield North 10-2-1, 9-2-0) is assured the no. 2 seed of the tournament.
“You don’t always get what you want,” Majewski said. “We had hopes for today. Sometimes it goes your way, and sometimes it doesn’t.
“Our goal was to win the conference. That’s gone, and now we move onto the next thing.”
Thompson;s breakthrough junior year earned him a spot on the 2019Chicagoland Soccer All-State Team. The versatile star has played every field position during his career.
He started in the midfield and shifted to the backline during his sophomore year after the Blackhawks suffered a string of injuries.
As a junior he made the move permanently to the top of the formation.
That fall he powered the Blackhawks to a Class 3A sectional final, where they lost to three-time defending state champion Naperville North in double overtime.
Thompson brace Thursday added to his career-high season totals of 20 goals and 17 assists.
He has an innate ability of putting himself in the center of activity.
That special talent played out at the start. Off a wind blown free kick by Loretto Lopez, Thompson saw the ball take a quirky hop that eluded the grasp of Rodriguez. He took advantage, smashing in the header for the opening goal.
“It took a lucky bounce over the keeper, and I was in a good position,” Thompson said.
Plainfield North responded well to the nearly surreal early sequence.
“I think after that goal, we did a good job of settling in,” Bechtel said. “That goal was definitely a fluke, and I think we started playing better through the rest of the game.”
Bechtel is the offensive centerpiece, capably balanced by forward Cooper Allen and midfielders Sean Elster, Jake Gruben and Justin Williams.
The Tigers have shown superb balance and awareness of each other’s presence on the field. They pass and move exceptionally well.
Plainfield North took advantage late in the first half with its own variation of a misplayed free kick. Williams blasted the ball into the box.
Defender Brady Hardwood seized on the apprehensive touch by Blackhawks’ keeper Carlos Garci for the equalizer.
It was his second goal of the year.
“We’ve been trying to play a lot more possession and ball on the ground,” Harwood said. “We are trying to be over the top and play more direct.
“The idea is to draw the other team and we can find the gaps.”
Harwood said the moment the Tigers adjusted to the berserk, nature-influenced bounces off the ball off the super-charged turf, they found their natural rhythm.
West Aurora plays a forward, aggressive style, and the Tigers kept them off balance for much of the game. Rodriguez was a wonder, coming off his line and making some highlight-reel saves.
Thompson delivered the game-winner in the 61st minute. He intercepted a ball and wove through a wave of bodies. He took advantage of that confusion.
“The ball was bouncing around the box, and it came out to me. I just drove it hard and low into the far corner,” Thompson said.
“There were a lot of bodies that it got by, and it was hard for the keeper to see it. The ball snuck in the far corner.”
For his accomplishments, Zach Thompson was named the Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match.
Earlier this season, West Aurora coach Joe Sustersic won his 300th career game.
The game-winner gave the Blackhawks the best start in program history. Only the in-season 15-game winning streak in 2018 surpasses their current 13-consecutive wins.
“I had a good group of kids that twice lost to Naperville North in the Sweet Sixteen,” Susterric said. “I have three seniors, and they have almost 50 wins and just nine losses on the varsity.
“When the kids found out we were going to have a season, they came to me and said they were going to do something special and win every game.”
Despite the loss, Bechtel sees his team as one energized by its top-level and consistent play.
He hopes the seeds play out and the Tigers get another crack at West Aurora in the conference championship.
“It’s been really worthwhile to play and have a senior season,” he said. “Under a new coach, we have taken advantage of our time together.
“I think now we are going into the conference tournament refreshed and setting our minds back, almost as if it’s a new season.”
Starting lineups
Plainfield North
GK: Miguel Rodriguez
D: Ryan Mauder
D: Brady Harwood
D: Lloyd Quezada
MF: Braden Fink
MF: Shea Bechtel
MF: Sean Elster
MF: Jake Gruben
MF: Justin Williams
F: Timi Usikalu
F: Cooper Allen
West Aurora
GK: Carlos Garci
D: Kyle Rucka
D: Raul Magana
D: Matt Lopez-Martinez
MF: Danny Espino
MF: Ijah Hardersen
MF: Sam Sanchez
MF: Loretto Lopez
MF: Frankie Perez
F: Jaziel Enriquez
F: Zach Thompson
Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match: Zach Thompson, sr., F, West Aurora;
Scoring summary
First half
West Aurora—Zach Thompson (Loretto Lopez), ninth minute
Plainfield North—Brady Harwood (Justin Williams), 37th minute
Second half
West Aurora—Thompson (unassisted), 61st minute