Streamwood bikes past
South Elgin on Toboada kick
Sabres rally twice to upend Storm 3-2, gain 1st U8 win
By Chris Walker
STREAMWOOD -- This recent run of beautiful weather has stirred many out of their homes and into the good old sunshine where activities like walks and bicycle rides can boost moods, instill feelings of calm and improve focus.
Streamwood wasn’t necessarily in a bad mood when it was on the tail of rival South Elgin and trailed by just one goal almost midway through the second half of Wednesday’s Upstate Eight Conference tilt, but time wasn’t on the side of the Sabres. Nor was their recent past -- the Sabres entered the night winless in five conference games.
Pedaling himself into Chicagoland Soccer’s Man of the Match honors, Streamwood’s Aaron Taboada had his back turned to the goal when he secured possession with 23:41 left in the game, somersaulted backwards and struck the ball past South Elgin goalkeeper Zachary Juszko (five saves).
Such a gorgeous bicycle-kick goal, as lovely as any of the 70-degree sunny days we’ve experienced in the last week, not only drew the Sabres even but inspired their play the rest of the way. They would score twice more in the next four minutes and then hold off the Storm 3-2 at Millennium Field.
“It seems like that has been our season,” Streamwood coach Matt Polovin said. “I’m just glad that we finished the way we finished, and that’s one thing we really worked on in practice yesterday, situational finishing the game. You got the lead; you’ve got to protect the lead.”
The Sabres didn’t protect the tie, surrendering the go-ahead goal to South Elgin’s Chris Coria just two minutes and 14 seconds after Taboada electrified the small crowd (due to COVID-19 safety precautions).
Streamwood answered right back this time, scoring exactly a minute later. After the ball was deflected his way, Anthony Caldera shot just inside the far post to knot the score at 2-2 midway through the second half.
And the Sabres weren’t finished. They still hadn’t led yet. What an opportunity for someone to come through who hadn’t necessarily had many great moments to celebrate so far this spring but was still motoring aound the field, playing hard and looking for his chance to contribute in a big way.
It finally paid off big-time for Aldo Jimenez who was able to turn a messy situation in the penalty box into the game-winning goal. He snuck a shot into the back of net with 19:36 remaining to lift the Sabres to a thrilling victory.
“A lot of white shirts around him, and he was able to find a quick touch and tuck it in before the goalie could get down on it,” Polovin said. “He needed that. He’s had a rough season. I think the guys expect a lot out of him. He showed up at the right time and got us what we needed.”
It was an instant confidence booster for the sophomore.
“I’m really happy; it’s got my confidence back up,” Jimenez said. “It’s really important, because I know I can perform, and I know that we can perform as a team. It’s kind of weird that we have our first conference win. I know that as a team, and me personally, we can beat anybody in this conference.”
Jimenez, who now has two goals this spring, acknowledged that he was fired up during the wild four-minute stretch that saw a pair of ties and lead-changes, something atypical in soccer.
“I think the second half we just had more energy than them. We kept attacking and attacking, and we just scored,” he said. “On my goal I just saw the ball, and I had a chance. So I had to drive it to the far corner.”
Calling the situation messy, Jimenez certainly cleaned up matters and gave the Sabres the lead for the first time all evening.
“I saw it and had to shoot second post,” he said. “And the keeper wasn’t getting it so I just shot it.”
Of the game’s five goals, all but one of them was scored during a chaotic 4:05 of action.
“It was just really a rollercoaster,” Streamwood senior defender Jose Ibarra said. “When they scored again, and we scored again I had to tell the freshmen (Marcos Gutierrez and Bryan Huerta) to keep it up, to be confident in back and just talk to me, because it was a rollercoaster.”
South Elgin coach Jerzy Skowron probably didn’t expect the Sabres to score a bunch of goals in a few minutes, but he was worried.
“I don’t want to say it’s ‘I told you so’ to my guys, but I knew what they were capable of,” Skowron said. “I grew up in this town, you know I used to coach here, I know what is growing here and (Streamwood coach Matt) Polovin is lucky that he has this kind of (talent). He never rebuilds; he reloads. It’s talent on talent on talent, and I told (our) kids the last three days that this is what they’re going to do, and that’s exactly what they did to us.”
While the ability to score three times in a little more than four minutes wasn’t the exact message he conveyed to his kids, he made them aware of the depth of the talent that Streamwood has and the challenge the game would present.
“It was a tough ending, and we were right there with them,” South Elgin senior midfielder Alex Wano said. “We played really well in the first half. We got a goal and kind of sat more, and we defended well so we closed out the half well. The second half looked good. They got a goal, but we bounced back right away. Then they (scored twice); we just didn’t get the result we wanted.”
The loss might sting now, but Wano said the Storm have plenty to be pleased with. They are playing good soccer despite the adversity they’ve been dealt: multiple postponements after the long delayed season finally got started.
“That’s a strong team, but I think they’re a beatable team,” he said. “We’re playing well. It’s those little mistakes and little hardships, and we don’t get the result. We’re playing great as a team. This team is one of the most talented teams I’ve ever been on. The players and the dedication and the toughness in the field is something that truly amazes me, honestly. We’re always working, always doing our best. The last couple games we haven’t gotten the result we wanted, but we’re going to keep going at it trying to keep getting better every day.”
Much like a rim-shaking jam that fires up a basketball team, Toboada’s Tour de Streamwood of a goal changed the game. Up to that point the teams exchanged some opportunities and the Storm enjoyed a 1-0 lead for about 40 minutes until Toboada pedaled.
“It boosted everybody’s confidence up. It kept my team up; it kept us going, definitely,” he said. “The crowd was growing wild. It changed the game.”
Spotting the ball coming his way from junior midfielder Joel Sandoval, Toboada knew his window of opportunity was a slim one. With his back turned to the goal, he determined that the bicycle kick really was his only option.
“I saw it coming. I was like 'This is perfect,' and I just took the chance,” Toboada said. “I took it; and I saw it go in, and I was like ‘Yeah! It’s a goal!’”
The following four minutes were something else and not likely to be forgotten anytime soon by those who were on the field to share in it.
“Aaron with the bicycle kick caught me off guard, but hey, I’ll take it,” Polovin said. “At this point for us to score like we did, we’ll take it because our defense has been lights out all season.”
Streamwood’s one weakness has been set pieces, and if not for Toboada’s brilliant effort igniting the rally, it may have cost them. The Sabres surrendered a rebound goal with 29:26 left to play in the first half to South Elgin junior forward Chris Coria from Wano.
“With a team like Streamwood, once we got the foot on the throat we’ve got to keep it there,” Skowron said. “We just weren’t fortunate enough to keep it there.”
Said Polovin: “Unfortunately it’s been the set pieces that have us killed us again, and we worked on that yesterday too. That’s what killed us, but when you’ve got someone like Jose Ibarra, you’re just not going to beat him. He’s the best, and he really makes those defending around him beetter. He has two freshmen and a sophomore (E.J. Satsatin) playing next to him. He makes those guys more confident, stronger and it’s an education for those guys every game. I’m glad we finally got out first conference win.”
Starting lineups
South Elgin
GK Zachary Juszko
D Edwin Ayala
D Bryce Jungers
D Omar Lara
D Johnny Nitti
M Ryan Doherty
M Rocco Marzullo
M Alex Wano
F Kendall Andrewin
F Christopher Coria
F Ryan Nguyen
Streamwood
GK Harvey Partida
D Marcos Gutierrez
D Bryan Huerta
D Jose Ibarra
D E.J. Satsatin
M Michael Garcia
M Fernando Mancera
M Joel Sandoval
F Jose Banuelos
F Aldo Jimenez
F Aaron Taboada
Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match: Aaron Taboada, so., F, Streamwood
Scoring summary
First half
South Elgin – Kendall Andrewin (Alex Wano) 11th minute
Second half
Streamwood – Aaron Taboada (Joel Sandoval), 56th minute
South Elgin – Chris Coria (Kendall Andrewin), 59th minute
Streamwood – Anthony Caldera (u/a), 59th minute
Streamwood – Aldo Jimenez (u/a), 60th minute
South Elgin on Toboada kick
Sabres rally twice to upend Storm 3-2, gain 1st U8 win
By Chris Walker
STREAMWOOD -- This recent run of beautiful weather has stirred many out of their homes and into the good old sunshine where activities like walks and bicycle rides can boost moods, instill feelings of calm and improve focus.
Streamwood wasn’t necessarily in a bad mood when it was on the tail of rival South Elgin and trailed by just one goal almost midway through the second half of Wednesday’s Upstate Eight Conference tilt, but time wasn’t on the side of the Sabres. Nor was their recent past -- the Sabres entered the night winless in five conference games.
Pedaling himself into Chicagoland Soccer’s Man of the Match honors, Streamwood’s Aaron Taboada had his back turned to the goal when he secured possession with 23:41 left in the game, somersaulted backwards and struck the ball past South Elgin goalkeeper Zachary Juszko (five saves).
Such a gorgeous bicycle-kick goal, as lovely as any of the 70-degree sunny days we’ve experienced in the last week, not only drew the Sabres even but inspired their play the rest of the way. They would score twice more in the next four minutes and then hold off the Storm 3-2 at Millennium Field.
“It seems like that has been our season,” Streamwood coach Matt Polovin said. “I’m just glad that we finished the way we finished, and that’s one thing we really worked on in practice yesterday, situational finishing the game. You got the lead; you’ve got to protect the lead.”
The Sabres didn’t protect the tie, surrendering the go-ahead goal to South Elgin’s Chris Coria just two minutes and 14 seconds after Taboada electrified the small crowd (due to COVID-19 safety precautions).
Streamwood answered right back this time, scoring exactly a minute later. After the ball was deflected his way, Anthony Caldera shot just inside the far post to knot the score at 2-2 midway through the second half.
And the Sabres weren’t finished. They still hadn’t led yet. What an opportunity for someone to come through who hadn’t necessarily had many great moments to celebrate so far this spring but was still motoring aound the field, playing hard and looking for his chance to contribute in a big way.
It finally paid off big-time for Aldo Jimenez who was able to turn a messy situation in the penalty box into the game-winning goal. He snuck a shot into the back of net with 19:36 remaining to lift the Sabres to a thrilling victory.
“A lot of white shirts around him, and he was able to find a quick touch and tuck it in before the goalie could get down on it,” Polovin said. “He needed that. He’s had a rough season. I think the guys expect a lot out of him. He showed up at the right time and got us what we needed.”
It was an instant confidence booster for the sophomore.
“I’m really happy; it’s got my confidence back up,” Jimenez said. “It’s really important, because I know I can perform, and I know that we can perform as a team. It’s kind of weird that we have our first conference win. I know that as a team, and me personally, we can beat anybody in this conference.”
Jimenez, who now has two goals this spring, acknowledged that he was fired up during the wild four-minute stretch that saw a pair of ties and lead-changes, something atypical in soccer.
“I think the second half we just had more energy than them. We kept attacking and attacking, and we just scored,” he said. “On my goal I just saw the ball, and I had a chance. So I had to drive it to the far corner.”
Calling the situation messy, Jimenez certainly cleaned up matters and gave the Sabres the lead for the first time all evening.
“I saw it and had to shoot second post,” he said. “And the keeper wasn’t getting it so I just shot it.”
Of the game’s five goals, all but one of them was scored during a chaotic 4:05 of action.
“It was just really a rollercoaster,” Streamwood senior defender Jose Ibarra said. “When they scored again, and we scored again I had to tell the freshmen (Marcos Gutierrez and Bryan Huerta) to keep it up, to be confident in back and just talk to me, because it was a rollercoaster.”
South Elgin coach Jerzy Skowron probably didn’t expect the Sabres to score a bunch of goals in a few minutes, but he was worried.
“I don’t want to say it’s ‘I told you so’ to my guys, but I knew what they were capable of,” Skowron said. “I grew up in this town, you know I used to coach here, I know what is growing here and (Streamwood coach Matt) Polovin is lucky that he has this kind of (talent). He never rebuilds; he reloads. It’s talent on talent on talent, and I told (our) kids the last three days that this is what they’re going to do, and that’s exactly what they did to us.”
While the ability to score three times in a little more than four minutes wasn’t the exact message he conveyed to his kids, he made them aware of the depth of the talent that Streamwood has and the challenge the game would present.
“It was a tough ending, and we were right there with them,” South Elgin senior midfielder Alex Wano said. “We played really well in the first half. We got a goal and kind of sat more, and we defended well so we closed out the half well. The second half looked good. They got a goal, but we bounced back right away. Then they (scored twice); we just didn’t get the result we wanted.”
The loss might sting now, but Wano said the Storm have plenty to be pleased with. They are playing good soccer despite the adversity they’ve been dealt: multiple postponements after the long delayed season finally got started.
“That’s a strong team, but I think they’re a beatable team,” he said. “We’re playing well. It’s those little mistakes and little hardships, and we don’t get the result. We’re playing great as a team. This team is one of the most talented teams I’ve ever been on. The players and the dedication and the toughness in the field is something that truly amazes me, honestly. We’re always working, always doing our best. The last couple games we haven’t gotten the result we wanted, but we’re going to keep going at it trying to keep getting better every day.”
Much like a rim-shaking jam that fires up a basketball team, Toboada’s Tour de Streamwood of a goal changed the game. Up to that point the teams exchanged some opportunities and the Storm enjoyed a 1-0 lead for about 40 minutes until Toboada pedaled.
“It boosted everybody’s confidence up. It kept my team up; it kept us going, definitely,” he said. “The crowd was growing wild. It changed the game.”
Spotting the ball coming his way from junior midfielder Joel Sandoval, Toboada knew his window of opportunity was a slim one. With his back turned to the goal, he determined that the bicycle kick really was his only option.
“I saw it coming. I was like 'This is perfect,' and I just took the chance,” Toboada said. “I took it; and I saw it go in, and I was like ‘Yeah! It’s a goal!’”
The following four minutes were something else and not likely to be forgotten anytime soon by those who were on the field to share in it.
“Aaron with the bicycle kick caught me off guard, but hey, I’ll take it,” Polovin said. “At this point for us to score like we did, we’ll take it because our defense has been lights out all season.”
Streamwood’s one weakness has been set pieces, and if not for Toboada’s brilliant effort igniting the rally, it may have cost them. The Sabres surrendered a rebound goal with 29:26 left to play in the first half to South Elgin junior forward Chris Coria from Wano.
“With a team like Streamwood, once we got the foot on the throat we’ve got to keep it there,” Skowron said. “We just weren’t fortunate enough to keep it there.”
Said Polovin: “Unfortunately it’s been the set pieces that have us killed us again, and we worked on that yesterday too. That’s what killed us, but when you’ve got someone like Jose Ibarra, you’re just not going to beat him. He’s the best, and he really makes those defending around him beetter. He has two freshmen and a sophomore (E.J. Satsatin) playing next to him. He makes those guys more confident, stronger and it’s an education for those guys every game. I’m glad we finally got out first conference win.”
Starting lineups
South Elgin
GK Zachary Juszko
D Edwin Ayala
D Bryce Jungers
D Omar Lara
D Johnny Nitti
M Ryan Doherty
M Rocco Marzullo
M Alex Wano
F Kendall Andrewin
F Christopher Coria
F Ryan Nguyen
Streamwood
GK Harvey Partida
D Marcos Gutierrez
D Bryan Huerta
D Jose Ibarra
D E.J. Satsatin
M Michael Garcia
M Fernando Mancera
M Joel Sandoval
F Jose Banuelos
F Aldo Jimenez
F Aaron Taboada
Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match: Aaron Taboada, so., F, Streamwood
Scoring summary
First half
South Elgin – Kendall Andrewin (Alex Wano) 11th minute
Second half
Streamwood – Aaron Taboada (Joel Sandoval), 56th minute
South Elgin – Chris Coria (Kendall Andrewin), 59th minute
Streamwood – Anthony Caldera (u/a), 59th minute
Streamwood – Aldo Jimenez (u/a), 60th minute