Rolling Meadows falls on OT strike
Mustangs lose lead late, drop 3-2 decision to Elk Grove
By Mike Garofola
PALATINE -- Elk Grove staged a memorable comeback, twice, en route to an upset 3-2 overtime win over favored Rolling Meadows in a thrilling Friday night contest in the season and league-opener for both clubs.
The third annual Mid-Suburban League College Showcase, which features a full slate of conference games at the Palatine Celtic Soccer Club grounds, again kicked off the new MSL season. It included wins from Chicagoland Soccer clubs: reigning East Division champ Buffalo Grove, which scored the opening quartet of goals and then held off Wheeling 4-3; Hersey, which posted a 3-0 win over Palatine; and Fremd, which recorded a 2-0 win over Prospect in the only head-to-head action between Chicagoland Soccer members.
Elk Grove's Brandon Lazcano-Llanos' remarkable game-winner in the 88th minute was the difference against Rolling Meadows.
"Playing your conference opener without having a game in hand is a dangerous thing," said Rolling Meadows manager Brett Olson. "It's the very reason we wished we could have found a way to play Deerfield after our game with them was postponed on Monday due to the severe weather.
"Any MSL game is a tough one. Elk Grove, which is coached so well by Alex (Stavropoulos) is young in a lot of spots (but) a dangerous opponent without having at least one soccer match under your belt to get the nerves out of the way.
"That first half was pretty frantic for both teams -- just as you would expect in a season-opener. But in the end, our failure to finish our chances, miss a PK, and get a little careless and not manage the game just before their guy hit that great shot is what cost us."
"Obviously we're all disappointed with this result," began senior Sergio Lucero Herrera, who along with frontline mate Sammy Olague drove Elk Grove batty throughout the night. The pair is expected to continue that against opponents this season because of their all-state ability to score, and create and trick with pace.
"But it's also just one loss. It's over now, and we'll learn and move on from it. There's a lot of confidence on this team, and we're all going to do the things needed be be better next time out."
That's what the all-sectional duo did from the opening whistle as did their mates senior Adan Ramirez and varsity newcomer and sophomore Ethan Kakavetsis, who helped run the show in the middle of the park.
"Adan is that veteran guy we'll look to count on in the midfield, and he exhibited why tonight with a very strong performance all the way around," said Olson. "Ethan showed he'll be able to handle things on both sides of the ball."
The picture postcard pitch at Celtic Park saw possession and two-touch soccer become nearly impossible as frantic and physical play led to far too many turnovers and an immediate switch to a more direct style of soccer until both clubs got their feet underneath them.
All of that didn't matter when Olague, who scored 14 goals a year ago, bagged the opener at the quarter hour after he buried his right-footed 16-yard attempt.
Olague nearly doubled the Rolling Meadows advance moments later if not for an alert clearing effort off the line from Elk Grove's Nazar Peron.
The Peron save proved key for the Grens, who soon earned their first of two spot-kicks on the evening.
This one came on a hand ball in the box, and senior Paul Jonas buried it by going the other way of a Matt Galvan dive in the 17th minute.
The fortunes of Rolling Meadows appeared to turn in its favor just after the Jonas conversion. Rosando Montiel charged into the Elk Grove box only to nearly have the life squeezed out of him by a pair of overly enthusiastic Grens, who brought the opportunistic senior down.
Unlike his counterpart between the sticks: Elk Grove keeper, Sean Martinez guessed correctly that Olague would steer his spot-kick to his right which gave the Grens junior the chance to turn the Olague blast around.
"Sammy had a terrific night offensively, but he'll admit that missed PK was one he should have buried," said Olson.
The game finally settled in after the wild and wacky first 20 minutes, and it was the aforementioned Rolling Meadows quartet of: Lucero Herrera, Kakavetsis, Olague and Ramirez, along with outside midfielder Michael Taskin, who kept a young Grens club in its own end more than it would have liked.
"As the game went on, you could see our backline, which is without one of its starters, play with more confidence, while stepping up and winning balls to help keep the Elk Grove attack from getting anything going," said Olson.
The coach praised the work of Jason Flores and Jesus Padilla, who each turned in solid defensive work when called upon. That bodes well when his club welcomes back several injured players.
Taskin, who struck the game-winner here a year ago against Hoffman Estates, continued his Celtic Park magic. Just four minutes into the second period, he clinically finished with his left-footed attempt off a Herrera Lucero helper.
"That goal Mike scored here last year was his only of one of the season, but he's very capable of giving us a lot more this year, and I know he'll be working hard to do just that," Olson said.
The Taskin goal was just the inspirational type of strike the Mustangs needed to send the club off and running during the next quarter of play, which at times was chippy and led to three of the seven yellow card bookings issued in this match.
Olague and Herrera Lucero helped orchestrate a chance for Kakavetsis, which was headed wide, before the sophomore had a go from 20 yards that forced a save from the Grens' Martinez at 49 minutes.
Olague dispossessed a Grens player deep in his opponent's end which led to a corner after the senior fired off the gloves of Martinez.
A trio of corners followed and ended when Erik Martens' went over the bar in the 57th minute.
Elk Grove's Jonas would leave with a bloody lip following a 50-50 encounter with Olague. While being tended to, the Grens' captain watched mates Peron, Lazcano-Llanos and Luis Godinez pick up the slack and run the attack with the squad's best possession thus far.
Rolling Meadows continued to earn deep throws and a handful of corners but failed to convert any of its opportunities.
Through the run of play, Olague tested Martinez, who made a smart save in the 74th minute after Padilla got things going from just the other side of the midline.
Olson's men would regret their inability to finish when they conceded a second spot-kick. This time they allowed Godinez to get free inside the box. That forced keeper Galvan to challenge off his line. In the process he clipped just enough of Godinez to force the hand of the referee.
Jonas smashed in his second of the night with less than two minutes left in regulation.
"Credit Elk Grove for hanging in there," Olson said. "(We) helped them, but nonetheless they took advantage of their chances. And we just didn't."
Rolling Meadows' fate took a turn for the worse when Lazcano-Llanos turned the match upside-down when he unloaded a brilliant, curling strike into the upper left corner from just inside the box to send the Grens bench into orbit.
"It was a great shot. There was nothing we could do about it," said Lucero Herrera, who was named Chicagoland Soccer's Man of the Match for his effort.
Elk Grove will savor its hard-fought win.
"Rolling Meadows has so much attacking talent on their team," said Stavropoulos. "At times we had a difficult time keeping it under control.
"But I am so proud of our guys, who never gave up, came back from being down twice and somehow found a way to put one in to get the three points."
Rolling Meadows will lament the loss after dominating the match but can't lose focus as its prepares for a four-game week at the 33rd annual Jim Wolters Titan Invitational, which opens on Tuesday at Glenbrook South. The Mustangs will play pool games against the the hosts, Notre Dame and Stevenson. Placing-round play is Sept. 1.
"It will a great test for us and will really help get us ready for several consecutive games against opponents from the MSL," began Olson.
"Like I told the guys afterwards, there's no reason to hang your heads after this loss. So let's get back at it, get in the right frame of mind, and go after that first tournament game on Tuesday."
Starting lineups
Elk Grove (4-4-2)
GK- Sean Martinez
D- Drew Talens
D- Alex Pillath
D- Kevin Rodriguez
D- Hector Torres
M- Brandon Lazcano-Llanos
M- Paul Jonas
M- Diego Negrete Meza
M- Jaziel Avelar Aburto
F- Luis Godinez
F- Nazar Perron
Rolling Meadows (4-4-2)
GK- Matt Galvan
D- Leonardo Buenrostro
D- Jason Flores
D- Cesar Perez
D- Jesus Padilla
M- Michael Taskin
M- Erik Martens
M- Ethan Kakavetsis
M- Adan Ramirez
F- Sammy Olague
F- Sergio Lucero Herrera
Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match: Sergio Lucero Herrera, sr., F/MF, Rolling Meadows
Officials: Edward Sachin (referee); Roman Wojtan (assistant); Orlando Dobinev (assistant)
Scoring summary
First half
Elk Grove: Jonas (PK) 17'
Rolling Meadows:Lucero Herrera (Olague) 15'
Second half
Rolling Meadows:Taskin (Lucero Herrera, Olague) 44'
Elk Grove: Jonas (PK) 79'
First overtime
Elk Grove: Lazcano-Llanos (U/A) 88'
Mustangs lose lead late, drop 3-2 decision to Elk Grove
By Mike Garofola
PALATINE -- Elk Grove staged a memorable comeback, twice, en route to an upset 3-2 overtime win over favored Rolling Meadows in a thrilling Friday night contest in the season and league-opener for both clubs.
The third annual Mid-Suburban League College Showcase, which features a full slate of conference games at the Palatine Celtic Soccer Club grounds, again kicked off the new MSL season. It included wins from Chicagoland Soccer clubs: reigning East Division champ Buffalo Grove, which scored the opening quartet of goals and then held off Wheeling 4-3; Hersey, which posted a 3-0 win over Palatine; and Fremd, which recorded a 2-0 win over Prospect in the only head-to-head action between Chicagoland Soccer members.
Elk Grove's Brandon Lazcano-Llanos' remarkable game-winner in the 88th minute was the difference against Rolling Meadows.
"Playing your conference opener without having a game in hand is a dangerous thing," said Rolling Meadows manager Brett Olson. "It's the very reason we wished we could have found a way to play Deerfield after our game with them was postponed on Monday due to the severe weather.
"Any MSL game is a tough one. Elk Grove, which is coached so well by Alex (Stavropoulos) is young in a lot of spots (but) a dangerous opponent without having at least one soccer match under your belt to get the nerves out of the way.
"That first half was pretty frantic for both teams -- just as you would expect in a season-opener. But in the end, our failure to finish our chances, miss a PK, and get a little careless and not manage the game just before their guy hit that great shot is what cost us."
"Obviously we're all disappointed with this result," began senior Sergio Lucero Herrera, who along with frontline mate Sammy Olague drove Elk Grove batty throughout the night. The pair is expected to continue that against opponents this season because of their all-state ability to score, and create and trick with pace.
"But it's also just one loss. It's over now, and we'll learn and move on from it. There's a lot of confidence on this team, and we're all going to do the things needed be be better next time out."
That's what the all-sectional duo did from the opening whistle as did their mates senior Adan Ramirez and varsity newcomer and sophomore Ethan Kakavetsis, who helped run the show in the middle of the park.
"Adan is that veteran guy we'll look to count on in the midfield, and he exhibited why tonight with a very strong performance all the way around," said Olson. "Ethan showed he'll be able to handle things on both sides of the ball."
The picture postcard pitch at Celtic Park saw possession and two-touch soccer become nearly impossible as frantic and physical play led to far too many turnovers and an immediate switch to a more direct style of soccer until both clubs got their feet underneath them.
All of that didn't matter when Olague, who scored 14 goals a year ago, bagged the opener at the quarter hour after he buried his right-footed 16-yard attempt.
Olague nearly doubled the Rolling Meadows advance moments later if not for an alert clearing effort off the line from Elk Grove's Nazar Peron.
The Peron save proved key for the Grens, who soon earned their first of two spot-kicks on the evening.
This one came on a hand ball in the box, and senior Paul Jonas buried it by going the other way of a Matt Galvan dive in the 17th minute.
The fortunes of Rolling Meadows appeared to turn in its favor just after the Jonas conversion. Rosando Montiel charged into the Elk Grove box only to nearly have the life squeezed out of him by a pair of overly enthusiastic Grens, who brought the opportunistic senior down.
Unlike his counterpart between the sticks: Elk Grove keeper, Sean Martinez guessed correctly that Olague would steer his spot-kick to his right which gave the Grens junior the chance to turn the Olague blast around.
"Sammy had a terrific night offensively, but he'll admit that missed PK was one he should have buried," said Olson.
The game finally settled in after the wild and wacky first 20 minutes, and it was the aforementioned Rolling Meadows quartet of: Lucero Herrera, Kakavetsis, Olague and Ramirez, along with outside midfielder Michael Taskin, who kept a young Grens club in its own end more than it would have liked.
"As the game went on, you could see our backline, which is without one of its starters, play with more confidence, while stepping up and winning balls to help keep the Elk Grove attack from getting anything going," said Olson.
The coach praised the work of Jason Flores and Jesus Padilla, who each turned in solid defensive work when called upon. That bodes well when his club welcomes back several injured players.
Taskin, who struck the game-winner here a year ago against Hoffman Estates, continued his Celtic Park magic. Just four minutes into the second period, he clinically finished with his left-footed attempt off a Herrera Lucero helper.
"That goal Mike scored here last year was his only of one of the season, but he's very capable of giving us a lot more this year, and I know he'll be working hard to do just that," Olson said.
The Taskin goal was just the inspirational type of strike the Mustangs needed to send the club off and running during the next quarter of play, which at times was chippy and led to three of the seven yellow card bookings issued in this match.
Olague and Herrera Lucero helped orchestrate a chance for Kakavetsis, which was headed wide, before the sophomore had a go from 20 yards that forced a save from the Grens' Martinez at 49 minutes.
Olague dispossessed a Grens player deep in his opponent's end which led to a corner after the senior fired off the gloves of Martinez.
A trio of corners followed and ended when Erik Martens' went over the bar in the 57th minute.
Elk Grove's Jonas would leave with a bloody lip following a 50-50 encounter with Olague. While being tended to, the Grens' captain watched mates Peron, Lazcano-Llanos and Luis Godinez pick up the slack and run the attack with the squad's best possession thus far.
Rolling Meadows continued to earn deep throws and a handful of corners but failed to convert any of its opportunities.
Through the run of play, Olague tested Martinez, who made a smart save in the 74th minute after Padilla got things going from just the other side of the midline.
Olson's men would regret their inability to finish when they conceded a second spot-kick. This time they allowed Godinez to get free inside the box. That forced keeper Galvan to challenge off his line. In the process he clipped just enough of Godinez to force the hand of the referee.
Jonas smashed in his second of the night with less than two minutes left in regulation.
"Credit Elk Grove for hanging in there," Olson said. "(We) helped them, but nonetheless they took advantage of their chances. And we just didn't."
Rolling Meadows' fate took a turn for the worse when Lazcano-Llanos turned the match upside-down when he unloaded a brilliant, curling strike into the upper left corner from just inside the box to send the Grens bench into orbit.
"It was a great shot. There was nothing we could do about it," said Lucero Herrera, who was named Chicagoland Soccer's Man of the Match for his effort.
Elk Grove will savor its hard-fought win.
"Rolling Meadows has so much attacking talent on their team," said Stavropoulos. "At times we had a difficult time keeping it under control.
"But I am so proud of our guys, who never gave up, came back from being down twice and somehow found a way to put one in to get the three points."
Rolling Meadows will lament the loss after dominating the match but can't lose focus as its prepares for a four-game week at the 33rd annual Jim Wolters Titan Invitational, which opens on Tuesday at Glenbrook South. The Mustangs will play pool games against the the hosts, Notre Dame and Stevenson. Placing-round play is Sept. 1.
"It will a great test for us and will really help get us ready for several consecutive games against opponents from the MSL," began Olson.
"Like I told the guys afterwards, there's no reason to hang your heads after this loss. So let's get back at it, get in the right frame of mind, and go after that first tournament game on Tuesday."
Starting lineups
Elk Grove (4-4-2)
GK- Sean Martinez
D- Drew Talens
D- Alex Pillath
D- Kevin Rodriguez
D- Hector Torres
M- Brandon Lazcano-Llanos
M- Paul Jonas
M- Diego Negrete Meza
M- Jaziel Avelar Aburto
F- Luis Godinez
F- Nazar Perron
Rolling Meadows (4-4-2)
GK- Matt Galvan
D- Leonardo Buenrostro
D- Jason Flores
D- Cesar Perez
D- Jesus Padilla
M- Michael Taskin
M- Erik Martens
M- Ethan Kakavetsis
M- Adan Ramirez
F- Sammy Olague
F- Sergio Lucero Herrera
Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match: Sergio Lucero Herrera, sr., F/MF, Rolling Meadows
Officials: Edward Sachin (referee); Roman Wojtan (assistant); Orlando Dobinev (assistant)
Scoring summary
First half
Elk Grove: Jonas (PK) 17'
Rolling Meadows:Lucero Herrera (Olague) 15'
Second half
Rolling Meadows:Taskin (Lucero Herrera, Olague) 44'
Elk Grove: Jonas (PK) 79'
First overtime
Elk Grove: Lazcano-Llanos (U/A) 88'