Solorio survives late flurry,
dominates PK session to top Joliet West
Sun Warriors recover from PK loss vs. Lyons to earn victory
By Dave Owen
VILLA PARK – Solorio didn’t take long to correct its lone misstep of 2019.
Coming off their first loss of the season, a setback on penalty kicks to Lyons in the PepsiCo Showdown second round, the Sun Warriors (11-1-0) fought off a great performance by Joliet West (8-2-0) to win Thursday’s third round tournament game at Willowbrook High School.
And the method of victory was part of the correction. Going to penalty kicks after playing to a scoreless regulation tie, Solorio, which is ranked fifth in the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25, dominated the PK session by a 3-0 margin.
“When it came to the PKs, all we had to do was be confident and hope for the best,” said Solorio’s Rafael Soto, the third and final scorer in the session.
“It (the previous PK session vs. Lyons) was our first loss. The way we approached this PK match was be tough mentally. You don’t prepare for a game with PKs – you just hope for the best when it comes to shooting them.”
To even get to the PK session, Solorio needed to dodge a wave of last-minute danger from Joliet West.
With just 1:05 left in regulation, a 60-yard free kick by Joliet West’s Oscar Haro produced a Tigers header that was deflected just wide left for a corner kick.
Then, the game flashed before Solorio’s eyes.
Tony Kochev’s corner kick send found Diego Escamilla open near the back post but his shot went over the vacant right side of the net with 40 seconds left, putting a heartstopping end to a defense-dominated 80 minutes.
“To be honest, I thought that was game,” Soto said. “Their kid was in front of the goal by himself. I guess he had bad luck, but it was the best for us.”
And Solorio’s fortunes were about to really improve in the PK session.
While Sun Warriors shooters Hector Salto, Chris Cruz and Soto all made their PK shots, Joliet West wasn’t so fortunate.
Solorio goalkeeper Joel Estrada had a lot to do with that. With Estrada clapping and ready to pounce before each shot, the first Tigers try went low and wide right.
Then Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match Estrada took control of the PK session on the second Joliet West try.
Diving back to his left after an initial lean right, Estrada smothered the shot to put Solorio in command at 2-0.
“Their PK takers I think got a little rattled after their first guy missed,” Solorio coach Adrian Calleros said. “And then he (Estrada) makes a really nice save on the second where he fakes one way, comes back and smothers it.
“That put a lot of pressure on them. Then the third shooter, you’re chasing and our best shooter hasn’t even gone.”
Said Estrada: “I hadn’t blocked one yet this season (Lyons won the five-shot Tuesday PK session 5-3 after a 1-1 regulation tie), but I’ve been practicing (PKs) and it worked out.”
Third shooter Soto’s finish added to Joliet West’s frustration.
Goalkeeper Alan Guzman guessed right and deflected the shot, but Soto’s velocity on the drive allowed the ball to carom high inside the right post anyway.
“I typically wait until the keeper moves,” Soto said, “so I can shoot on the opposite side. This time I was too confident, and I shot it right side. The keeper guessed it and got a hand on it, but luckily it went in.”
When Joliet West’s third PK also went wide, Solorio had wrapped up the five-shooter PK session win as it is possible.
As for the Tigers, it was a tough though recognizable finish to what has been a season of strong performances.
“We’ve lost in two PK shootouts,” Joliet West coach Michael O’Shea said of his team’s lone losses this fall. “We don’t want to go there.
“We work on it (PKs). It’s just that it’s different when you have to do it in a game.”
Having just endured the heartbreak of a PK loss, Solorio was ready.
“It was now or never,” Soto said. “It would have been our second loss.”
Said Calleros: “It’s a learning experience,. Doing this (PKs) gets you ready for that state series when you’re under the lights (of postseason pressure) taking big shots.”
Long before the late regulation drama and PK session, Solorio had come out of the gates with a strong first half showing.
Just three minutes into the match, Kevin Patino’s send from the right side found Soto rushing the net. But Soto’s 6-yard redirect touch was denied by a Guzman catch near the left post.
An Angel Nevarez one-timer wide of the net (12th minute) and Deyahir Ruiz’s cross to the front that was cleared by two Tigers defenders (22nd minute) were among Solorio’s other first half bids.
The defensive focus on the latter was understandable -- the target of Ruiz’s cross was Solorio star Alex Sanchez.
“Our All-American (Sanchez) is sitting back there with five or six guys behind him,” Calleros said of the defensive attention Sanchez receives. “In basketball it would be a box-and-three. They have three guys watching his every move, and more behind him.
“They’re (Joliet West) a good team. It’s one of the things that we see now quite a bit with our team; teams will push back, we start tensing. They tuck in, they’re going to hold and cut off lanes.”
Estrada’s catch of Escamilla’s 40-yard free kick in the 36th minute was the last shot of the half by either side.
Then in the second half, Solorio nearly struck two minutes in. A 39-yard Sanchez free kick was batted down by Guzman, and Soto’s rebound shot in the crowd in the box was blocked.
Another Solorio set piece with 26:20 also created some trouble – off Soto’s short pass, Sanchez’s initial shot was repelled by a header block. Soto’s rebound send to the back post was then also cleared from danger.
Joliet West 6-foot-3 midfielder Haro was just one of the imposing factors for a Solorio side that has no starting field player taller than 5-9.
“We’ve played bigger teams all year,” Calleros said. “Realistically unless we play an eighth grade team, we’re not going to be bigger than them. But what we lack in size, we have to make up in skill.
“I tell my midfielders, if you’re going to sit there and try to crash with them, you’ll lose that battle every time. You have to be willing to touch the ball, move and keep going. If we’re going to hold it, we’re going to get ourselves in trouble.”
Eduardo Franco’s 28-yard shot saved by Guzman with 23:50 left continued Solorio’s offensive push.
But late in regulation, Joliet West impressively found a new gear to seize its share of momentum.
“We thought the game was in our hands in the first half,” Soto said. “But in the second half they (Joliet West) started playing a lot harder and like they wanted it more than us.”
That late Tigers surge really began to kick in with 11 minutes left. Off a cross to the box, Joliet West forward Damon Almazan’s shot was blocked by Franco – with the Tigers sending a long rebound try over the net.
Then with 8:40 to go, Almazan stole a Sun Warriors pass inside midfield. He raced in on the wing and had his cross to the front redirected by teammate Aaron Sanchez – but grabbed nicely at the post by Estrada.
“We just stayed calm and played our game,” Estrada said of Solorio’s defensive demeanor under late pressure. “We didn’t overreact or anything.”
Joliet West’s talent was only part of the adversity the backline faced.
“Our starting stopper Andy Salgado got injured against Lyons,” Calleros said, “so it’s been a little bit of an interesting dynamic changing that (defense) up. We’re losing a lot in the air, because he’s not playing. But he should be ready for conference on Monday.”
In Salgado’s absence, one Solorio junior defender has taken his excellent start to 2019 to an even higher level.
“Hector Salto is a first-year starter at sweeper,” Calleros said, “and never in my wildest dreams did I think we would open up the season at 11-1 with two brand new defenders.
“He’s playing back there like a senior, like somebody who’s been doing it three or four years. He’s so composed coming out of the back, and I’m harder on him because I’ve seen that he can handle it. He’s doing an awesome job.”
After a hand-ball call on Solorio with 7:45 left thwarted an Angel Nevarez and Raul Mariscal offensive threat for the Sun Warriors, Joliet West turned up the heat the rest of the way.
A Franco block denied a chance off a Tigers throw-in with 5:10 to go, then Estrada made a save on Almazan’s low 30-yard shot with 4:40 left.
Then came the aforementioned huge Joliet West threat in the final minute, which added even more to the Tigers’ good feelings about Thursday’s performance against the elite Sun Warriors.
Solorio’s a great team,” O’Shea said, “so for us to take it to the end and take it to PKs – I’m proud of them.
“And if we finish that ball (off the corner kick) at the end, it’s a different game.
“We were excited about playing them,” O’Shea added. “It’s a shame for it to come down to a PK shootout, but it is what it is. I’m happy with the way we played. The boys played hard.”
Having responded to a strong opponent’s best shots with a perfect penalty kick session, Solorio has reason for growing confidence.
“We try to be prepared for the harder games like this,” Soto said. “The team is progressing as we go. We’re getting better and better each day.”
Starting lineups
Solorio
GK Joel Estrada
D Ivan Soriano
D Kevin Patino
D Edgar Torres
M Alex Sanchez
M Eduardo Franco
M Rafael Soto
M Angel Nevarez
M Hector Salto
F Donovan Dorantes
F Deyahir Ruiz
Joliet West
GK Alan Guzman
D Jose Rodriguez
D Tony Kochev
D Marcos Quintana
D Brian Sanchez
M Diego Escamilla
M Giovanni Nicolas
M Oscar Haro
M Fabian Ulloa
F Damon Almazan
F Tony Bedolla
Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match: Joel Estrada, jr., GK, Solorio
Scoring summary
First half
No scoring
Second scoring
No scoring
Shootout
Solorio: 1, Hector Salto, score; 2, Chris Cruz, score; 3, Soto, score
Joliet West: 1, wide. 2, saved. 3, wide
dominates PK session to top Joliet West
Sun Warriors recover from PK loss vs. Lyons to earn victory
By Dave Owen
VILLA PARK – Solorio didn’t take long to correct its lone misstep of 2019.
Coming off their first loss of the season, a setback on penalty kicks to Lyons in the PepsiCo Showdown second round, the Sun Warriors (11-1-0) fought off a great performance by Joliet West (8-2-0) to win Thursday’s third round tournament game at Willowbrook High School.
And the method of victory was part of the correction. Going to penalty kicks after playing to a scoreless regulation tie, Solorio, which is ranked fifth in the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25, dominated the PK session by a 3-0 margin.
“When it came to the PKs, all we had to do was be confident and hope for the best,” said Solorio’s Rafael Soto, the third and final scorer in the session.
“It (the previous PK session vs. Lyons) was our first loss. The way we approached this PK match was be tough mentally. You don’t prepare for a game with PKs – you just hope for the best when it comes to shooting them.”
To even get to the PK session, Solorio needed to dodge a wave of last-minute danger from Joliet West.
With just 1:05 left in regulation, a 60-yard free kick by Joliet West’s Oscar Haro produced a Tigers header that was deflected just wide left for a corner kick.
Then, the game flashed before Solorio’s eyes.
Tony Kochev’s corner kick send found Diego Escamilla open near the back post but his shot went over the vacant right side of the net with 40 seconds left, putting a heartstopping end to a defense-dominated 80 minutes.
“To be honest, I thought that was game,” Soto said. “Their kid was in front of the goal by himself. I guess he had bad luck, but it was the best for us.”
And Solorio’s fortunes were about to really improve in the PK session.
While Sun Warriors shooters Hector Salto, Chris Cruz and Soto all made their PK shots, Joliet West wasn’t so fortunate.
Solorio goalkeeper Joel Estrada had a lot to do with that. With Estrada clapping and ready to pounce before each shot, the first Tigers try went low and wide right.
Then Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match Estrada took control of the PK session on the second Joliet West try.
Diving back to his left after an initial lean right, Estrada smothered the shot to put Solorio in command at 2-0.
“Their PK takers I think got a little rattled after their first guy missed,” Solorio coach Adrian Calleros said. “And then he (Estrada) makes a really nice save on the second where he fakes one way, comes back and smothers it.
“That put a lot of pressure on them. Then the third shooter, you’re chasing and our best shooter hasn’t even gone.”
Said Estrada: “I hadn’t blocked one yet this season (Lyons won the five-shot Tuesday PK session 5-3 after a 1-1 regulation tie), but I’ve been practicing (PKs) and it worked out.”
Third shooter Soto’s finish added to Joliet West’s frustration.
Goalkeeper Alan Guzman guessed right and deflected the shot, but Soto’s velocity on the drive allowed the ball to carom high inside the right post anyway.
“I typically wait until the keeper moves,” Soto said, “so I can shoot on the opposite side. This time I was too confident, and I shot it right side. The keeper guessed it and got a hand on it, but luckily it went in.”
When Joliet West’s third PK also went wide, Solorio had wrapped up the five-shooter PK session win as it is possible.
As for the Tigers, it was a tough though recognizable finish to what has been a season of strong performances.
“We’ve lost in two PK shootouts,” Joliet West coach Michael O’Shea said of his team’s lone losses this fall. “We don’t want to go there.
“We work on it (PKs). It’s just that it’s different when you have to do it in a game.”
Having just endured the heartbreak of a PK loss, Solorio was ready.
“It was now or never,” Soto said. “It would have been our second loss.”
Said Calleros: “It’s a learning experience,. Doing this (PKs) gets you ready for that state series when you’re under the lights (of postseason pressure) taking big shots.”
Long before the late regulation drama and PK session, Solorio had come out of the gates with a strong first half showing.
Just three minutes into the match, Kevin Patino’s send from the right side found Soto rushing the net. But Soto’s 6-yard redirect touch was denied by a Guzman catch near the left post.
An Angel Nevarez one-timer wide of the net (12th minute) and Deyahir Ruiz’s cross to the front that was cleared by two Tigers defenders (22nd minute) were among Solorio’s other first half bids.
The defensive focus on the latter was understandable -- the target of Ruiz’s cross was Solorio star Alex Sanchez.
“Our All-American (Sanchez) is sitting back there with five or six guys behind him,” Calleros said of the defensive attention Sanchez receives. “In basketball it would be a box-and-three. They have three guys watching his every move, and more behind him.
“They’re (Joliet West) a good team. It’s one of the things that we see now quite a bit with our team; teams will push back, we start tensing. They tuck in, they’re going to hold and cut off lanes.”
Estrada’s catch of Escamilla’s 40-yard free kick in the 36th minute was the last shot of the half by either side.
Then in the second half, Solorio nearly struck two minutes in. A 39-yard Sanchez free kick was batted down by Guzman, and Soto’s rebound shot in the crowd in the box was blocked.
Another Solorio set piece with 26:20 also created some trouble – off Soto’s short pass, Sanchez’s initial shot was repelled by a header block. Soto’s rebound send to the back post was then also cleared from danger.
Joliet West 6-foot-3 midfielder Haro was just one of the imposing factors for a Solorio side that has no starting field player taller than 5-9.
“We’ve played bigger teams all year,” Calleros said. “Realistically unless we play an eighth grade team, we’re not going to be bigger than them. But what we lack in size, we have to make up in skill.
“I tell my midfielders, if you’re going to sit there and try to crash with them, you’ll lose that battle every time. You have to be willing to touch the ball, move and keep going. If we’re going to hold it, we’re going to get ourselves in trouble.”
Eduardo Franco’s 28-yard shot saved by Guzman with 23:50 left continued Solorio’s offensive push.
But late in regulation, Joliet West impressively found a new gear to seize its share of momentum.
“We thought the game was in our hands in the first half,” Soto said. “But in the second half they (Joliet West) started playing a lot harder and like they wanted it more than us.”
That late Tigers surge really began to kick in with 11 minutes left. Off a cross to the box, Joliet West forward Damon Almazan’s shot was blocked by Franco – with the Tigers sending a long rebound try over the net.
Then with 8:40 to go, Almazan stole a Sun Warriors pass inside midfield. He raced in on the wing and had his cross to the front redirected by teammate Aaron Sanchez – but grabbed nicely at the post by Estrada.
“We just stayed calm and played our game,” Estrada said of Solorio’s defensive demeanor under late pressure. “We didn’t overreact or anything.”
Joliet West’s talent was only part of the adversity the backline faced.
“Our starting stopper Andy Salgado got injured against Lyons,” Calleros said, “so it’s been a little bit of an interesting dynamic changing that (defense) up. We’re losing a lot in the air, because he’s not playing. But he should be ready for conference on Monday.”
In Salgado’s absence, one Solorio junior defender has taken his excellent start to 2019 to an even higher level.
“Hector Salto is a first-year starter at sweeper,” Calleros said, “and never in my wildest dreams did I think we would open up the season at 11-1 with two brand new defenders.
“He’s playing back there like a senior, like somebody who’s been doing it three or four years. He’s so composed coming out of the back, and I’m harder on him because I’ve seen that he can handle it. He’s doing an awesome job.”
After a hand-ball call on Solorio with 7:45 left thwarted an Angel Nevarez and Raul Mariscal offensive threat for the Sun Warriors, Joliet West turned up the heat the rest of the way.
A Franco block denied a chance off a Tigers throw-in with 5:10 to go, then Estrada made a save on Almazan’s low 30-yard shot with 4:40 left.
Then came the aforementioned huge Joliet West threat in the final minute, which added even more to the Tigers’ good feelings about Thursday’s performance against the elite Sun Warriors.
Solorio’s a great team,” O’Shea said, “so for us to take it to the end and take it to PKs – I’m proud of them.
“And if we finish that ball (off the corner kick) at the end, it’s a different game.
“We were excited about playing them,” O’Shea added. “It’s a shame for it to come down to a PK shootout, but it is what it is. I’m happy with the way we played. The boys played hard.”
Having responded to a strong opponent’s best shots with a perfect penalty kick session, Solorio has reason for growing confidence.
“We try to be prepared for the harder games like this,” Soto said. “The team is progressing as we go. We’re getting better and better each day.”
Starting lineups
Solorio
GK Joel Estrada
D Ivan Soriano
D Kevin Patino
D Edgar Torres
M Alex Sanchez
M Eduardo Franco
M Rafael Soto
M Angel Nevarez
M Hector Salto
F Donovan Dorantes
F Deyahir Ruiz
Joliet West
GK Alan Guzman
D Jose Rodriguez
D Tony Kochev
D Marcos Quintana
D Brian Sanchez
M Diego Escamilla
M Giovanni Nicolas
M Oscar Haro
M Fabian Ulloa
F Damon Almazan
F Tony Bedolla
Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match: Joel Estrada, jr., GK, Solorio
Scoring summary
First half
No scoring
Second scoring
No scoring
Shootout
Solorio: 1, Hector Salto, score; 2, Chris Cruz, score; 3, Soto, score
Joliet West: 1, wide. 2, saved. 3, wide