Shorthanded tie adds to Warren buildup
Blue Devils tie Round Lake 1-1, see adjustments working
By Rusty Silber
GURNEE – Much of Warren’s success this season have come in mini-streaks: three sets of back-to-back wins and a three-game victory skein for the Indian Trail (Wis.) tournament title on the second weekend of the season. The Blue Devils have been trying to pull everything together, and it may all be falling into place at a fortuitous time.
Nolan Ehlers scored a late, tying goal that increased Warren’s unbeaten stretch to three games (2-0-1) after a 1-1 draw with visiting Round Lake in a nonconference game Thursday night.
The Blue Devils could be excused if they thought the result felt more like a win. They played most of the second half a man down after one of a player received a red card.
"I'm proud of the way we played tonight," Warren coach Jason Ahonen said. "We handled the controllables after the incident as best as we possibly could. We had a tenacious 'D,' and we worked hard. We were trying to be dangerous for the one goal, and we got it."
Warren (10-10-3) was floundering after an unusual four-game losing streak against McHenry (2-0), fourth-ranked Waukegan (5-0), Zion-Benton (3-1) and Stevenson (4-0). The Blue Devils have turned things around in the last two weeks with victories over Lake Forest Academy (4-1) and Vernon Hills (2-0).
"It worked out really well, because this year we've had ups and downs more than any of us had expected," Ahonen said. "It's taken us to this point to realize we need everyone pulling the rope in the same direction.
“Stevenson was the eye-opener once again. We came back after Stevenson and added some pieces to the puzzle that we didn't have. Those players that we added have worked really well for us. They've given us energy and given us a little of creativity as well. I think it has brought us closer together.
“The seniors know that they’re the foundation to it and what we’re trying to do is add the pieces to it, building the structure we have."
The Blue Devils are the no. 12 seed in the Fremd Sectional. They open regional play against fifth-seeded Buffalo Grove in the Stevenson Regional at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday with the hopes being a sleeper team.
"Right now we're at .500," Ahonen said. "If you looked at it a couple of weeks ago, in theory we could be five games under .500. So we've battled back, and it's because the boys have finally come together and become tighter. I think it's the influx of energy from the players we've brought up. I'm not saying that they are game-changers, but they are high IQ, have great work rates and are very coachable. They just want to be a part of all this."
On Thursday, both Warren and Round Lake (12-3-4) played the first half scoreless. That changed in the 42nd minute when a Miseal Tellez free kick led to a Kevin Gomez header for a 1-0 Round Lake lead.
Just a few minutes later, Warren lost a player to a red card and had to play the rest of the match with nine field players.
Blue Devils' keeper Hunter Faurbo (five saves), who played the second half, was up for the task, He stopped shots off the legs of Round Lake’s Marqiis Harward on a volley kick and Alejandro Galindo on a short-range shot.
"It's something special actually," said Faurbo of the big stops. "You feel like you go down, you just have to get back up. It's just my job. It's reaction and a little bit of everything. I just have a really nice backline in front of me, and I can't thank them enough for the effort they put in every single day. We just get the job done."
The Blue Devils defense consists of Kevin Dominguez, Declan Porter, Ryan Sheehan and Ehlers.
Ehlers may have been in back supporting Warren defensively, but he was the one that pushed forward and found the game-tying goal in the 73rd minute. His defensive work and first goal of the season led to his selection as Chicagoland Soccer’s Man of the Match.
Tommy Travelstead started the scoring play with a service forward. Ehlers made a run on it from midfield and was able to slide and get a kick on the ball before Round Lake's keeper Ulies Nuno could reach it.
"Tommy (Travelstead) played a great ball to beat the defense," Ehlers said. "I was just onside when the ball was going. I just looked up as the ball was played. I was able to get past the defense.
“I did have a lot going through my mind. But with training, you're just competitive and do what you’re supposed to do. In a game like this, it came in my mind to slide to get there. Sometimes, sliding doesn't work, because it slows you down. In that case, the keeper came out, I just decided to get it passed him. He didn't get it, because he wasn't on the ground. I was surprised to get to the ball and was just moved up at the time from center back."
Round Lake has had a good season and spent most of it in or around the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25.
"It's the end of the season, and my respects are with Jason (Ahonen)," Round Lake coach Hugo Tellez said. "It's not like a rivalry or anything like that. It's helping each other to get ready for the playoffs. He's got a great program. To me, it's helping each other out."
Starting lineups
ROUND LAKE
GK-Johnny Campa
D-Jakub Bialkowski
D-Misael Tellez
D-Brian Murguia
D-Adrian Reyes
MF-Kevin Gomez
MF-Sergio Landa
MF-Christofer Gomez
MF-Ricardo Orozco
F-Alejandro Galindo
F-Antonio Fonseca
WARREN
GK-Austin Cortes
D-Kevin Dominguez
D-Nolan Ehlers
D-Declan Porter
D-Ryley Sheehan
MF-Tommy Travelstead
MF-Andre Chirinos
MF-Isiah Shah
MF-Mike Bassler
MF-Jovan Selakovic
F-Clayton Mobile
Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match: Nolan Ehlers, D, Warren
Officials: Przemyslaw (center); Ari Dragon Mioic; Arz Julion
Scoring summary
Warren 1, Round Lake 1
Round Lake 0 1 -- 1
Warren 0 1 -- 1
Second half
RL-Gomez (M. Tellez).
W-Ehlers (Travelstead)
Saves (keepers)
RL – 3 (Campa, 1; Nuno, 2)
W -- 9 (Cortes, 4; Faurbo, 5).
Blue Devils tie Round Lake 1-1, see adjustments working
By Rusty Silber
GURNEE – Much of Warren’s success this season have come in mini-streaks: three sets of back-to-back wins and a three-game victory skein for the Indian Trail (Wis.) tournament title on the second weekend of the season. The Blue Devils have been trying to pull everything together, and it may all be falling into place at a fortuitous time.
Nolan Ehlers scored a late, tying goal that increased Warren’s unbeaten stretch to three games (2-0-1) after a 1-1 draw with visiting Round Lake in a nonconference game Thursday night.
The Blue Devils could be excused if they thought the result felt more like a win. They played most of the second half a man down after one of a player received a red card.
"I'm proud of the way we played tonight," Warren coach Jason Ahonen said. "We handled the controllables after the incident as best as we possibly could. We had a tenacious 'D,' and we worked hard. We were trying to be dangerous for the one goal, and we got it."
Warren (10-10-3) was floundering after an unusual four-game losing streak against McHenry (2-0), fourth-ranked Waukegan (5-0), Zion-Benton (3-1) and Stevenson (4-0). The Blue Devils have turned things around in the last two weeks with victories over Lake Forest Academy (4-1) and Vernon Hills (2-0).
"It worked out really well, because this year we've had ups and downs more than any of us had expected," Ahonen said. "It's taken us to this point to realize we need everyone pulling the rope in the same direction.
“Stevenson was the eye-opener once again. We came back after Stevenson and added some pieces to the puzzle that we didn't have. Those players that we added have worked really well for us. They've given us energy and given us a little of creativity as well. I think it has brought us closer together.
“The seniors know that they’re the foundation to it and what we’re trying to do is add the pieces to it, building the structure we have."
The Blue Devils are the no. 12 seed in the Fremd Sectional. They open regional play against fifth-seeded Buffalo Grove in the Stevenson Regional at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday with the hopes being a sleeper team.
"Right now we're at .500," Ahonen said. "If you looked at it a couple of weeks ago, in theory we could be five games under .500. So we've battled back, and it's because the boys have finally come together and become tighter. I think it's the influx of energy from the players we've brought up. I'm not saying that they are game-changers, but they are high IQ, have great work rates and are very coachable. They just want to be a part of all this."
On Thursday, both Warren and Round Lake (12-3-4) played the first half scoreless. That changed in the 42nd minute when a Miseal Tellez free kick led to a Kevin Gomez header for a 1-0 Round Lake lead.
Just a few minutes later, Warren lost a player to a red card and had to play the rest of the match with nine field players.
Blue Devils' keeper Hunter Faurbo (five saves), who played the second half, was up for the task, He stopped shots off the legs of Round Lake’s Marqiis Harward on a volley kick and Alejandro Galindo on a short-range shot.
"It's something special actually," said Faurbo of the big stops. "You feel like you go down, you just have to get back up. It's just my job. It's reaction and a little bit of everything. I just have a really nice backline in front of me, and I can't thank them enough for the effort they put in every single day. We just get the job done."
The Blue Devils defense consists of Kevin Dominguez, Declan Porter, Ryan Sheehan and Ehlers.
Ehlers may have been in back supporting Warren defensively, but he was the one that pushed forward and found the game-tying goal in the 73rd minute. His defensive work and first goal of the season led to his selection as Chicagoland Soccer’s Man of the Match.
Tommy Travelstead started the scoring play with a service forward. Ehlers made a run on it from midfield and was able to slide and get a kick on the ball before Round Lake's keeper Ulies Nuno could reach it.
"Tommy (Travelstead) played a great ball to beat the defense," Ehlers said. "I was just onside when the ball was going. I just looked up as the ball was played. I was able to get past the defense.
“I did have a lot going through my mind. But with training, you're just competitive and do what you’re supposed to do. In a game like this, it came in my mind to slide to get there. Sometimes, sliding doesn't work, because it slows you down. In that case, the keeper came out, I just decided to get it passed him. He didn't get it, because he wasn't on the ground. I was surprised to get to the ball and was just moved up at the time from center back."
Round Lake has had a good season and spent most of it in or around the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25.
"It's the end of the season, and my respects are with Jason (Ahonen)," Round Lake coach Hugo Tellez said. "It's not like a rivalry or anything like that. It's helping each other to get ready for the playoffs. He's got a great program. To me, it's helping each other out."
Starting lineups
ROUND LAKE
GK-Johnny Campa
D-Jakub Bialkowski
D-Misael Tellez
D-Brian Murguia
D-Adrian Reyes
MF-Kevin Gomez
MF-Sergio Landa
MF-Christofer Gomez
MF-Ricardo Orozco
F-Alejandro Galindo
F-Antonio Fonseca
WARREN
GK-Austin Cortes
D-Kevin Dominguez
D-Nolan Ehlers
D-Declan Porter
D-Ryley Sheehan
MF-Tommy Travelstead
MF-Andre Chirinos
MF-Isiah Shah
MF-Mike Bassler
MF-Jovan Selakovic
F-Clayton Mobile
Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match: Nolan Ehlers, D, Warren
Officials: Przemyslaw (center); Ari Dragon Mioic; Arz Julion
Scoring summary
Warren 1, Round Lake 1
Round Lake 0 1 -- 1
Warren 0 1 -- 1
Second half
RL-Gomez (M. Tellez).
W-Ehlers (Travelstead)
Saves (keepers)
RL – 3 (Campa, 1; Nuno, 2)
W -- 9 (Cortes, 4; Faurbo, 5).