S. Elgin, Glenbard N. gain from stalemate
2-2 tie end teams' losing streaks, builds optimism
By Steve Nemeth
CAROL STREAM --- When it comes to building momentum for the upcoming playoffs, Thursday’s nonconference 2-2 draw served a purpose for both South Elgin and host Glenbard North.
Technically both sides can say they snapped losing streaks and that alone is a boost for the rest of the regular season and an IHSA postseason that is just around the corner.
The Panthers (4-8-3) had lost seven straight, the majority of which had turned a promising 1-0-1 start in the new DuKane Conference into a frustrating 1-4-1 league record.
South Elgin (3-11-2) came in on an eight-game skid, although the Storm’s previous outing was a narrow 2-1 loss to Upstate Eight Conference power Streamwood that included a goal erased by a foul.
Glenbard North overcame a 1-0 deficit and owned a lead much to the delight of the home team’s Senior Night faithful.
However, South Elgin found an equalizer in keeping with the back-and-forth nature of the match.
“After all those disappointments a tie is better than a loss,” South Elgin senior Jack McCall said. “It’s a step in the right direction in terms of being better for the playoffs.”
Glenbard North's Erik Hernandez shared the same sentiment for his squad.
“Getting a couple goals and not losing are two reasons to look forward to what’s coming up,” e said.
At times the match was a series of opportunities at either end that left both benches reacting vocally to a near-miss or a scoring chance that went unfinished. The Panthers opened with the first dangerous opportunity, but the shot from the right wing went wide left. South Elgin countered with a Ryan Doherty 30-yard blast that North goalie Martin Agirov handled.
The Storm’s McCall bore down on the goal when Agirov rushed out to cover the ball. At the opposite end, Panthers defender Andres Sanchez negated an open-net chance by booting the ball clear. Flores was wide right once and too high on another chance before South Elgin finally broke through.
“I got a good ball out wide (from Anthony Sisler), and I saw their keeper coming my way,” McCall explained. “I was debating laying it off or taking a shot, and I decided on placing it far side. Thankfully it hit off the post just right.”
The ricochet put it squarely into the netting, and the Storm took the lead after 22 minutes and six seconds of play.
Glenbard North’s Gabriel Jurado and substitute Nestor Dominguez had solid shots from the right and left, respectively, however South starting goalie Zack Jusko was equal to both challenges.
South Elgin's Sisler tried executing a surprise with a reverse kick over his shoulder that bounced high and was dipping toward the net when Agirov made a leaping save.
The home side pressed for an equalizer and thought it came at 36:07 on a Dominguez cracker from the left wing, however a foul was whistled prior to his shot. The ensuing free kick by Ode Emena caromed off the Storm’s defensive wall.
Continuing their attack, the Panthers pulled even with 2:20 left before halftime. Manny Castanon served a wicked in-swinging corner kick for his second goal of the year. It was the kind of singular ESPN Top Plays-type strike that earned the junior the Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match accolade. It also had a veteran officiating trio discussing the shot’s spin and curve during intermission.
“At the moment I was getting lined up I found their keeper off his line, and I went for the near post,” Castanon said. “It’s an example of how repetition in practice pays off. It feels great to score in front of our fans and then to have all your teammates running to you makes it more special.
“Getting a couple goals and avoiding another loss should definitely give us some momentum going forward and also push more to get victories.”
“Manny is a top-notch player who sets the tone for our attack,” noted Glenbard North first-year coach Spero Mandakas. “He’s solid academically and athletically has played for the Fire Academy and FC United, but this is his first year playing for his high school. Although he’s a natural defender, he’s taken on a captain’s role and moved to midfield to help us.”
The second half began with a South Elgin pack-attack on the Panthers net, but the wild scramble ended with McCall getting too much elevation on a shot. Minutes later Storm defender Jacob Zupan drilled a direct kick that Agirov stopped.
Then it was Glenbard North’s turn. Jurado launched a long bomb from the right side that glanced off the far left post. While South’s Christian Andrew took over in net and was doing an equally admirable job of keeping the Panthers from scoring, a breakaway for the hosts became a dramatic play.
Andrew raced off his line and collided with Castanon on a play that South Elgin coach Simon Brinklow was convinced began with a handling violation and was followed by an offsides play. The result as called on the field was a foul that gave Glenbard North a penalty kick.
The play eventually gave Castanon ice-packs for his shoulder. For Flores it provided his first goal of the season after the PK conversion at 52:26.
“I usually pick a side and then stick with it while making sure my kick is solid, hard, and low,” Flores explained. “I was especially glad to have the chance to put us ahead and to do it successfully.”
“He definitely stepped up with a lot of confidence, and it’s great to see him get in the scorebook,” Mandakas said.
There was 15:44 left in regulation when South Elgin’s Zupan opportunistically intercepted a weak kick from Agirov that gave the Storm senior a 1-v.-1. Agirov raced out with a body block that resulted in Zupan tapping the ball past the keeper and then fighting to maintain his balance and try for a follow-up into a open net.
Virtually any professional-level match would have seen the attacker go to the ground and writhe in pain. But Zupan stayed on his feet and kept the attack alive before a a defender get a foot in the way and allowed the Panthers fans to breathe a sigh of relief. But the calm didn't last long.
McCall repaid Sisler's earlier set-up when he found him open on the right side. Sisler’s well-placed shot was well inside the far left post to make it 2-2 with 12:38 still to play.
“It was a great pass from Jack. I stepped to my left; I saw the goalie shifting to his right,” Sisler recalled. “It’s a great experience scoring, but it also comes from the way we practice at 100 percent. That's why we’re always prepared to play.”
The Storm stayed aggressive and a minute later McCall forced his way through two defenders and was one-on-one again with Agirov, who sprinted out to cut down the possible angles. The chip attempt over the Glenbard North goalie saw the ball glance off the top of the crossbar. With 3:20 showing, a free kick by McCall from the right side was cleared by the Panthers. With 2:04 left, McCall made a solid cross but a header by Zupan was caught by Agirov.
At the opposite end with 1:28 remaining, North’s Jesus Aragon drew groans on a header that went wide left, but was actually voided by an offsides whistle.
A last-ditch South Elgin effort came from the right wing with just five seconds left, however, the McCall shot sailed over the cage.
“We played well two nights ago against Streamwood, and we continued many of the positives from that match,” Brinklow said. “I thought they all played well even though we didn’t walk away with a win. We scored first, created many chances, were a little unlucky at times. Our aim is to play even better so that at this time next week we’re ready for Huntley.”
The Storm continue their “Glenbard Tour” with a return to the area on Saturday for an 11 a.m. league match against Glenbard East. Then it’s back home for the Oct. 10 regular season and loop finale against Glenbard South.
Two days after that, South has an Oct. 12 playoff match against regional host Huntley to start the postseason.
To better prepare for its post-season, Glenbard North has added two more matches to its schedule. The Panthers will welcome Young this Saturday for a 2 p.m. match. Coach Mandakas will know a lot of faces on the other bench -- he moved to Glenbard North after turning the Young girls program into a consistent winner.
South Elgin travels to Geneva on Oct. 9 for the conclusion of DKC play and then has an Oct. 11 home date at 4 p.m. versus Prosser. The team's postseason begins on Oct. 17 against St. Charles North at the St. Charles East Regional.
Starting lineups
South Elgin
GK Zack Jusko
D Jacob Zupan
D Edwin Ayala
D Lucas Reutimann
D Ernesto Gomez
D Ryan Doherty
M Grayson Downsing
M Daniel Quintana
M Jose Rangel
M Anthony Sisler
F Jack McCall
Glenbard North
GK Martin Agirov
D Jeisson Aguilar
D Andres Sanchez
D Yaj Maheshwari
D Owen Van Poucke
M Anthony Pena
M Ode Emena
M Manny Castanon
M Erik Hernandez Flores
F Gabriel Jurado
F Ben Solano
Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match: Manny Castanon, jr., M, Glenbard North
Referees: Chuck Raksinh (center), David Kintz, Rauel Farfan
Game summary
South Elgin 2, Glenbard North 2
South Elgin 1 1 --- 2 (3-11-2)
Glenbard North 1 1 --- 2 (4-8-3)
Scoring
First half
SE – McCall 11-yard cannon shot from right side caroms off far left post and in (Sisler assist), 22:06 gone
GN – Castanon perfect curve in-swinger off corner kick from left of goal (unassisted), 37:40 gone
Second half
GN – Flores penalty kick conversion (unassisted), 52:26 gone
SE – Sisler right wing 15-yarder inside far left post (McCall assist), 67:22 gone
Shots
SE 7 – 9 --- 16
GN 13 – 6 --- 19
Shots on goal
SE 5 – 6 --- 11
GN 7 – 4 --- 11
Saves (GK)
SE (Jusko, 40 min.) 6 – (Andrew, 40 min.) 3 --- 9
GN (Agirov, 80 min.) 4 – 5 --- 9
Corner kicks
SE 1 – 1 --- 2
GN 2 – 2 --- 4
Offsides
SE 0 – 0 --- 0
GN 3 – 3 --- 6
2-2 tie end teams' losing streaks, builds optimism
By Steve Nemeth
CAROL STREAM --- When it comes to building momentum for the upcoming playoffs, Thursday’s nonconference 2-2 draw served a purpose for both South Elgin and host Glenbard North.
Technically both sides can say they snapped losing streaks and that alone is a boost for the rest of the regular season and an IHSA postseason that is just around the corner.
The Panthers (4-8-3) had lost seven straight, the majority of which had turned a promising 1-0-1 start in the new DuKane Conference into a frustrating 1-4-1 league record.
South Elgin (3-11-2) came in on an eight-game skid, although the Storm’s previous outing was a narrow 2-1 loss to Upstate Eight Conference power Streamwood that included a goal erased by a foul.
Glenbard North overcame a 1-0 deficit and owned a lead much to the delight of the home team’s Senior Night faithful.
However, South Elgin found an equalizer in keeping with the back-and-forth nature of the match.
“After all those disappointments a tie is better than a loss,” South Elgin senior Jack McCall said. “It’s a step in the right direction in terms of being better for the playoffs.”
Glenbard North's Erik Hernandez shared the same sentiment for his squad.
“Getting a couple goals and not losing are two reasons to look forward to what’s coming up,” e said.
At times the match was a series of opportunities at either end that left both benches reacting vocally to a near-miss or a scoring chance that went unfinished. The Panthers opened with the first dangerous opportunity, but the shot from the right wing went wide left. South Elgin countered with a Ryan Doherty 30-yard blast that North goalie Martin Agirov handled.
The Storm’s McCall bore down on the goal when Agirov rushed out to cover the ball. At the opposite end, Panthers defender Andres Sanchez negated an open-net chance by booting the ball clear. Flores was wide right once and too high on another chance before South Elgin finally broke through.
“I got a good ball out wide (from Anthony Sisler), and I saw their keeper coming my way,” McCall explained. “I was debating laying it off or taking a shot, and I decided on placing it far side. Thankfully it hit off the post just right.”
The ricochet put it squarely into the netting, and the Storm took the lead after 22 minutes and six seconds of play.
Glenbard North’s Gabriel Jurado and substitute Nestor Dominguez had solid shots from the right and left, respectively, however South starting goalie Zack Jusko was equal to both challenges.
South Elgin's Sisler tried executing a surprise with a reverse kick over his shoulder that bounced high and was dipping toward the net when Agirov made a leaping save.
The home side pressed for an equalizer and thought it came at 36:07 on a Dominguez cracker from the left wing, however a foul was whistled prior to his shot. The ensuing free kick by Ode Emena caromed off the Storm’s defensive wall.
Continuing their attack, the Panthers pulled even with 2:20 left before halftime. Manny Castanon served a wicked in-swinging corner kick for his second goal of the year. It was the kind of singular ESPN Top Plays-type strike that earned the junior the Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match accolade. It also had a veteran officiating trio discussing the shot’s spin and curve during intermission.
“At the moment I was getting lined up I found their keeper off his line, and I went for the near post,” Castanon said. “It’s an example of how repetition in practice pays off. It feels great to score in front of our fans and then to have all your teammates running to you makes it more special.
“Getting a couple goals and avoiding another loss should definitely give us some momentum going forward and also push more to get victories.”
“Manny is a top-notch player who sets the tone for our attack,” noted Glenbard North first-year coach Spero Mandakas. “He’s solid academically and athletically has played for the Fire Academy and FC United, but this is his first year playing for his high school. Although he’s a natural defender, he’s taken on a captain’s role and moved to midfield to help us.”
The second half began with a South Elgin pack-attack on the Panthers net, but the wild scramble ended with McCall getting too much elevation on a shot. Minutes later Storm defender Jacob Zupan drilled a direct kick that Agirov stopped.
Then it was Glenbard North’s turn. Jurado launched a long bomb from the right side that glanced off the far left post. While South’s Christian Andrew took over in net and was doing an equally admirable job of keeping the Panthers from scoring, a breakaway for the hosts became a dramatic play.
Andrew raced off his line and collided with Castanon on a play that South Elgin coach Simon Brinklow was convinced began with a handling violation and was followed by an offsides play. The result as called on the field was a foul that gave Glenbard North a penalty kick.
The play eventually gave Castanon ice-packs for his shoulder. For Flores it provided his first goal of the season after the PK conversion at 52:26.
“I usually pick a side and then stick with it while making sure my kick is solid, hard, and low,” Flores explained. “I was especially glad to have the chance to put us ahead and to do it successfully.”
“He definitely stepped up with a lot of confidence, and it’s great to see him get in the scorebook,” Mandakas said.
There was 15:44 left in regulation when South Elgin’s Zupan opportunistically intercepted a weak kick from Agirov that gave the Storm senior a 1-v.-1. Agirov raced out with a body block that resulted in Zupan tapping the ball past the keeper and then fighting to maintain his balance and try for a follow-up into a open net.
Virtually any professional-level match would have seen the attacker go to the ground and writhe in pain. But Zupan stayed on his feet and kept the attack alive before a a defender get a foot in the way and allowed the Panthers fans to breathe a sigh of relief. But the calm didn't last long.
McCall repaid Sisler's earlier set-up when he found him open on the right side. Sisler’s well-placed shot was well inside the far left post to make it 2-2 with 12:38 still to play.
“It was a great pass from Jack. I stepped to my left; I saw the goalie shifting to his right,” Sisler recalled. “It’s a great experience scoring, but it also comes from the way we practice at 100 percent. That's why we’re always prepared to play.”
The Storm stayed aggressive and a minute later McCall forced his way through two defenders and was one-on-one again with Agirov, who sprinted out to cut down the possible angles. The chip attempt over the Glenbard North goalie saw the ball glance off the top of the crossbar. With 3:20 showing, a free kick by McCall from the right side was cleared by the Panthers. With 2:04 left, McCall made a solid cross but a header by Zupan was caught by Agirov.
At the opposite end with 1:28 remaining, North’s Jesus Aragon drew groans on a header that went wide left, but was actually voided by an offsides whistle.
A last-ditch South Elgin effort came from the right wing with just five seconds left, however, the McCall shot sailed over the cage.
“We played well two nights ago against Streamwood, and we continued many of the positives from that match,” Brinklow said. “I thought they all played well even though we didn’t walk away with a win. We scored first, created many chances, were a little unlucky at times. Our aim is to play even better so that at this time next week we’re ready for Huntley.”
The Storm continue their “Glenbard Tour” with a return to the area on Saturday for an 11 a.m. league match against Glenbard East. Then it’s back home for the Oct. 10 regular season and loop finale against Glenbard South.
Two days after that, South has an Oct. 12 playoff match against regional host Huntley to start the postseason.
To better prepare for its post-season, Glenbard North has added two more matches to its schedule. The Panthers will welcome Young this Saturday for a 2 p.m. match. Coach Mandakas will know a lot of faces on the other bench -- he moved to Glenbard North after turning the Young girls program into a consistent winner.
South Elgin travels to Geneva on Oct. 9 for the conclusion of DKC play and then has an Oct. 11 home date at 4 p.m. versus Prosser. The team's postseason begins on Oct. 17 against St. Charles North at the St. Charles East Regional.
Starting lineups
South Elgin
GK Zack Jusko
D Jacob Zupan
D Edwin Ayala
D Lucas Reutimann
D Ernesto Gomez
D Ryan Doherty
M Grayson Downsing
M Daniel Quintana
M Jose Rangel
M Anthony Sisler
F Jack McCall
Glenbard North
GK Martin Agirov
D Jeisson Aguilar
D Andres Sanchez
D Yaj Maheshwari
D Owen Van Poucke
M Anthony Pena
M Ode Emena
M Manny Castanon
M Erik Hernandez Flores
F Gabriel Jurado
F Ben Solano
Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match: Manny Castanon, jr., M, Glenbard North
Referees: Chuck Raksinh (center), David Kintz, Rauel Farfan
Game summary
South Elgin 2, Glenbard North 2
South Elgin 1 1 --- 2 (3-11-2)
Glenbard North 1 1 --- 2 (4-8-3)
Scoring
First half
SE – McCall 11-yard cannon shot from right side caroms off far left post and in (Sisler assist), 22:06 gone
GN – Castanon perfect curve in-swinger off corner kick from left of goal (unassisted), 37:40 gone
Second half
GN – Flores penalty kick conversion (unassisted), 52:26 gone
SE – Sisler right wing 15-yarder inside far left post (McCall assist), 67:22 gone
Shots
SE 7 – 9 --- 16
GN 13 – 6 --- 19
Shots on goal
SE 5 – 6 --- 11
GN 7 – 4 --- 11
Saves (GK)
SE (Jusko, 40 min.) 6 – (Andrew, 40 min.) 3 --- 9
GN (Agirov, 80 min.) 4 – 5 --- 9
Corner kicks
SE 1 – 1 --- 2
GN 2 – 2 --- 4
Offsides
SE 0 – 0 --- 0
GN 3 – 3 --- 6