Glenbard North tops St. Charles North
in battle fit for front-runners
Panthers win 1st league match on Escobedo’s electric goal
By Bill McLean
CAROL STREAM — The St. Charles North-Glenbard North clash looked nothing at all like a matchup between the DuKane Conference’s sixth- and seventh-place teams.
Sharp passes, gritty play, hustle efforts galore, fantastic saves, a goal that should have appeared near the apex of ESPN’s “Top Ten Plays” on Tuesday night — it had it all in mild, windless conditions.
Had an English-speaking alien witnessed the game from a bleacher seat at Weber Field on Day One on Planet Earth, they would have been excused for asking a Panthers fan or a North Stars fan, “So, which team is in first place?”
It was that competitive, that high-level.
St. Charles North and host Glenbard North had entered the game with a combined one win in DuKane Conference action.
One.
Glenbard North took its first league win by a 1-0 score and improved to 7-6-3, 1-3-2. The Panthers now sit in sixth place in the conference standings with five points, one ahead of the seventh-place North Stars (7-5-3, 1-3-1).
.
“Best conference in the state … it has to be,” Glenbard North senior midfielder Luis Roman said after his side’s win.
“It’s tough to beat any team in our conference,” St. Charles North coach Eric Willson said. “It’s an incredibly tough conference.”
Fittingly, it took a sensational, 25-yard goal off the right foot of Glenbard North junior midfielder Christian Escobedo to decide the game. Senior back Tyler Nack’s hard-working win near the sideline initiated the pivotal sequence.
Nack then served the ball at least 30 yards to senior forward Pablo DeLaCruz, whose through-ball found Escobedo seven yards from the top of the 18. He cut once, created space for himself, cut again, and then hammered a screaming far-post shot that had the potential to soar north of the crossbar and above North Stars junior goalkeeper Alex Curtis (five saves).
But the ball, while still accelerating at a supersonic speed, dipped better than a Cy Young Award-winner’s breaking ball and entered an upper-90 quadrant in the 56th minute.
The ball stayed lodged in the clutches of twine for a few seconds before Curtis did his best impression of a dentist and extracted it.
“Laser,” Willson said. “We could have played better defensively there, but you have to tip your cap to that goal-scorer.”
The goal was Escobedo’s third of the season and second in five days following his tally in a 2-1 loss to host Schaumburg on Sept. 30. He earned Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match honors Tuesday night for the shot heard ’round Carol Stream and who knows how many other villages in DuPage County, as well as for his sheer hustle and a couple of dangerous crosses.
“He’s quality,” Panthers coach Spero Mandakas said. “That was such a powerful shot. I thought Christian and our other midfielders (including Roman and junior Andy Pena) did such a great job in transitioning our attack tonight.”
Tuesday night’s contest was the start of Glenbard North’s regular-season-ending four-game home stand.
“It’s good to be home,” Mandakas said moments before kickoff.
St. Charles North produced the first significant chance in minute three.
Slick passes from senior forward Arnel Dizdarevic and senior midfielder Charlie Mazurek preceded senior midfielder Jacob Glanzman’s shot on goal and resulted in the first of senior keeper Stavros Veremis’ nine saves.
Glenbard North junior forward Jorge Roman, Luis’ little brother, played big throughout the scoreless first half, dribbling deftly and competing with a motor stuck on nonstop.
St. Charles North junior midfielder Walter DeLaPaz and sophomore midfielder Diego Torres, meanwhile, posed steady threats by extending possessions.
Glenbard North’s Nack entered the fray about midway through the first 40 minutes and made an immediate impact. The back doused countless offensive threats by booming moon-grazing sends to the other half of the pitch.
“Tyler and (senior back Mark Szklarczyk), you could call them the roots of our ‘D,’” Escobedo said.
“Tyler is a dog on defense for us,” added Luis Roman, referring to Nack’s tenaciousness.
DeLaCruz personified the home team’s game-long relentlessness in the 38th minute, dribbling hard and weaving smoothly before slipping near the elbow of the North Stars’ 18.
But he popped right back up, settled the ball and resumed dribbling. His shot sailed wide seconds later.
Neither team had a corner kick in the first half. Neither team let up in the second half.
Veremis made his top two saves in the final 13 minutes, diving to his right to stop a Dizdarevic sizzler and with 47 ticks left rising to punch away another Dizdarevic shot.
Szklarczyk was Veremis’ best friend late, disrupting a St. Charles North chance in the 79th minute and clearing a North Stars corner with only 0:20 showing on the scoreboard.
“Intense … the entire game was intense,” St. Charles North senior back Bryce Thomas said, adding he’d heard his team had allowed the second-fewest goals in the state through Oct. 3.
“We definitely had our chances.”
St. Charles North’s talent belies its goal total (0) in its last five matches.
“We’re on the struggling bus, scoring goals,” Willson said. “We have to figure it out, get off it. I have to figure it out.
“We’ve been strong defensively all season.”
Glenbard North hosts Proviso West on Senior Night at 6:30 p.m. Thursday and entertains Wheaton Warrenville South on Oct. 11 at 6:30 p.m. in its final DuKane Conference game. The Panthers conclude the home run and regular-season with their Glenbard Cup finale against Glenbard West at 6:30 p.m. Oct. 13
St. Charles North hosts Wheaton North on Thursday at 7 p.m. and visits Batavia at 7 p.m. Oct. 11.
Ninth-seed Glenbard North and sixth-seeded St. Charles North were each assigned to the Class 3A St. Charles East Sectional, which DuKane Conference heavy.
Glenbard North faces eighth-seeded and host Lake Park in a regional semifinal on Oct. 19 at 7 p.m.. St. Charles North hosts a regional and meets 12th-seeded Glenbard West at 7 p.m. on Oct. 18.
“Ten or 12 teams (in the 17-team field) have the talent to reach the sectional final,” Mandakas said.
Footnotes
St. Charles North defeated Glenbard North 2-1 on Oct. 5 last fall before it knocked the Panthers out of the state playoffs by the same score in a Class 3A first-rounder. … Glenbard North played without senior back Diego Chicas (illness) Tuesday night. Mandakas praised the play of senior D Michael Bonsi, who battled at center back and outside back vs. the North Stars. … Glenbard North’s Luis Roman, after what he believed to be the Panthers’ best overall victory of the season said: “Some of our losses shouldn’t have been losses, and some of our ties shouldn’t have been ties. Look out for Glenbard North.”
Starting lineups
St. Charles North
GK Alex Curtis
D Ashton Goettel
D Stefano Nava
D Bryce Thomas
D Casey Kriz
MF Charlie Mazurek
MF Diego Torres
MF Jacob Glanzman
MF Devan Girish
MF Walter DeLaPaz
F Arnel Dizdarevic
Glenbard North
GK Stavros Veremis
D Diego Navarro
D Mark Szklarczyk
D Michael Bonsi
D Ayan Sheikh
MF Andy Pena
MF Luis Roman
MF Christian Escobedo
F Pablo DeLaCruz
F Rijad Kadiric
F Jorge Roman
Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match:
Christian Escobedo, jr., MF, Glenbard North
Scoring summary
First half
No scoring
Second half
GN: Escobedo (De La Cruz, Nack), 56’
in battle fit for front-runners
Panthers win 1st league match on Escobedo’s electric goal
By Bill McLean
CAROL STREAM — The St. Charles North-Glenbard North clash looked nothing at all like a matchup between the DuKane Conference’s sixth- and seventh-place teams.
Sharp passes, gritty play, hustle efforts galore, fantastic saves, a goal that should have appeared near the apex of ESPN’s “Top Ten Plays” on Tuesday night — it had it all in mild, windless conditions.
Had an English-speaking alien witnessed the game from a bleacher seat at Weber Field on Day One on Planet Earth, they would have been excused for asking a Panthers fan or a North Stars fan, “So, which team is in first place?”
It was that competitive, that high-level.
St. Charles North and host Glenbard North had entered the game with a combined one win in DuKane Conference action.
One.
Glenbard North took its first league win by a 1-0 score and improved to 7-6-3, 1-3-2. The Panthers now sit in sixth place in the conference standings with five points, one ahead of the seventh-place North Stars (7-5-3, 1-3-1).
.
“Best conference in the state … it has to be,” Glenbard North senior midfielder Luis Roman said after his side’s win.
“It’s tough to beat any team in our conference,” St. Charles North coach Eric Willson said. “It’s an incredibly tough conference.”
Fittingly, it took a sensational, 25-yard goal off the right foot of Glenbard North junior midfielder Christian Escobedo to decide the game. Senior back Tyler Nack’s hard-working win near the sideline initiated the pivotal sequence.
Nack then served the ball at least 30 yards to senior forward Pablo DeLaCruz, whose through-ball found Escobedo seven yards from the top of the 18. He cut once, created space for himself, cut again, and then hammered a screaming far-post shot that had the potential to soar north of the crossbar and above North Stars junior goalkeeper Alex Curtis (five saves).
But the ball, while still accelerating at a supersonic speed, dipped better than a Cy Young Award-winner’s breaking ball and entered an upper-90 quadrant in the 56th minute.
The ball stayed lodged in the clutches of twine for a few seconds before Curtis did his best impression of a dentist and extracted it.
“Laser,” Willson said. “We could have played better defensively there, but you have to tip your cap to that goal-scorer.”
The goal was Escobedo’s third of the season and second in five days following his tally in a 2-1 loss to host Schaumburg on Sept. 30. He earned Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match honors Tuesday night for the shot heard ’round Carol Stream and who knows how many other villages in DuPage County, as well as for his sheer hustle and a couple of dangerous crosses.
“He’s quality,” Panthers coach Spero Mandakas said. “That was such a powerful shot. I thought Christian and our other midfielders (including Roman and junior Andy Pena) did such a great job in transitioning our attack tonight.”
Tuesday night’s contest was the start of Glenbard North’s regular-season-ending four-game home stand.
“It’s good to be home,” Mandakas said moments before kickoff.
St. Charles North produced the first significant chance in minute three.
Slick passes from senior forward Arnel Dizdarevic and senior midfielder Charlie Mazurek preceded senior midfielder Jacob Glanzman’s shot on goal and resulted in the first of senior keeper Stavros Veremis’ nine saves.
Glenbard North junior forward Jorge Roman, Luis’ little brother, played big throughout the scoreless first half, dribbling deftly and competing with a motor stuck on nonstop.
St. Charles North junior midfielder Walter DeLaPaz and sophomore midfielder Diego Torres, meanwhile, posed steady threats by extending possessions.
Glenbard North’s Nack entered the fray about midway through the first 40 minutes and made an immediate impact. The back doused countless offensive threats by booming moon-grazing sends to the other half of the pitch.
“Tyler and (senior back Mark Szklarczyk), you could call them the roots of our ‘D,’” Escobedo said.
“Tyler is a dog on defense for us,” added Luis Roman, referring to Nack’s tenaciousness.
DeLaCruz personified the home team’s game-long relentlessness in the 38th minute, dribbling hard and weaving smoothly before slipping near the elbow of the North Stars’ 18.
But he popped right back up, settled the ball and resumed dribbling. His shot sailed wide seconds later.
Neither team had a corner kick in the first half. Neither team let up in the second half.
Veremis made his top two saves in the final 13 minutes, diving to his right to stop a Dizdarevic sizzler and with 47 ticks left rising to punch away another Dizdarevic shot.
Szklarczyk was Veremis’ best friend late, disrupting a St. Charles North chance in the 79th minute and clearing a North Stars corner with only 0:20 showing on the scoreboard.
“Intense … the entire game was intense,” St. Charles North senior back Bryce Thomas said, adding he’d heard his team had allowed the second-fewest goals in the state through Oct. 3.
“We definitely had our chances.”
St. Charles North’s talent belies its goal total (0) in its last five matches.
“We’re on the struggling bus, scoring goals,” Willson said. “We have to figure it out, get off it. I have to figure it out.
“We’ve been strong defensively all season.”
Glenbard North hosts Proviso West on Senior Night at 6:30 p.m. Thursday and entertains Wheaton Warrenville South on Oct. 11 at 6:30 p.m. in its final DuKane Conference game. The Panthers conclude the home run and regular-season with their Glenbard Cup finale against Glenbard West at 6:30 p.m. Oct. 13
St. Charles North hosts Wheaton North on Thursday at 7 p.m. and visits Batavia at 7 p.m. Oct. 11.
Ninth-seed Glenbard North and sixth-seeded St. Charles North were each assigned to the Class 3A St. Charles East Sectional, which DuKane Conference heavy.
Glenbard North faces eighth-seeded and host Lake Park in a regional semifinal on Oct. 19 at 7 p.m.. St. Charles North hosts a regional and meets 12th-seeded Glenbard West at 7 p.m. on Oct. 18.
“Ten or 12 teams (in the 17-team field) have the talent to reach the sectional final,” Mandakas said.
Footnotes
St. Charles North defeated Glenbard North 2-1 on Oct. 5 last fall before it knocked the Panthers out of the state playoffs by the same score in a Class 3A first-rounder. … Glenbard North played without senior back Diego Chicas (illness) Tuesday night. Mandakas praised the play of senior D Michael Bonsi, who battled at center back and outside back vs. the North Stars. … Glenbard North’s Luis Roman, after what he believed to be the Panthers’ best overall victory of the season said: “Some of our losses shouldn’t have been losses, and some of our ties shouldn’t have been ties. Look out for Glenbard North.”
Starting lineups
St. Charles North
GK Alex Curtis
D Ashton Goettel
D Stefano Nava
D Bryce Thomas
D Casey Kriz
MF Charlie Mazurek
MF Diego Torres
MF Jacob Glanzman
MF Devan Girish
MF Walter DeLaPaz
F Arnel Dizdarevic
Glenbard North
GK Stavros Veremis
D Diego Navarro
D Mark Szklarczyk
D Michael Bonsi
D Ayan Sheikh
MF Andy Pena
MF Luis Roman
MF Christian Escobedo
F Pablo DeLaCruz
F Rijad Kadiric
F Jorge Roman
Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match:
Christian Escobedo, jr., MF, Glenbard North
Scoring summary
First half
No scoring
Second half
GN: Escobedo (De La Cruz, Nack), 56’