Addison Trail posts 'weird'
Novy title victory over Sycamore
Blazers (10 men) triumph 2-1 over Sycamore (9 men)
By Dave Owen
ADDISON – Addison Trail coach Ryan Dini’s first words of his postgame interview said it all after his team’s 2-1 win over Sycamore on Saturday.
“Weird game. Weird game.”
How else can one sum up a Novy Classic title match that featured three red cards, major contributions on both goals by Addison Trail reserves, and a player for Sycamore (3-1-0) both scoring a goal and being scored on as a goalkeeper in a span of 17 minutes?
Weird, yes. But also great for the Blazers (4-0-0), who won their annual Labor Day weekend tournament for the first time in five years with a series of impressive victories.
“I love the start of our season,” Dini said. “Especially going through our group (bracket) with West Chicago, Glenbard North and now here taking care of business. Starting 4-0-0 is awesome. We have a ton of seniors, and in the spring they really built some confidence and won some big games – we played (then no. 1) Lyons and beat them.
“You saw it (confidence) in a game like this. It wasn’t the cleanest game, both teams had their moments, but I definitely think we deserved to win this game.”
Addison Trail began the match on the offensive. Off a scramble in front just over two minutes in, Emilio Macias’ header towards an open net was cleared off the goal line by Sycamore defender Max Breidenbach.
After Blazers goalkeeper Mateo Gomez nicely hustled off his line to cover a loose ball off a nice run by Sycamore’s Jules Breidenbach in the 16th minute, Addison Trail’s first corner kick of the day in the 21st minute nearly paid off.
Nick Parente’s send resulted in a Peter Savinos header off the football upright just high and wide.
Reserve forward Savinos’ second big chance of the day would later decide the match. But it was fellow reserve Christian Alcaraz whose maximum effort play would open the scoring – and start in motion the match’s more unusual events.
Battling for possession just inside the box, Alcaraz was taken down on a hard foul 15 yards out to give the Blazers a penalty kick, and more.
Alex Sandoval’s ensuing PK produced his team-high third goal of the season and a 1-0 lead with 11:36 left in the half.
“I was thinking ‘Go to the goal, score the goal. It’s the championship game,’” Alcaraz said. “Sometimes you get fouled, and I knew then and there that my teammate Alex would score it.”
The foul of Alcaraz came with a bonus: a red card on the Sycamore defender gave the Blazers an 11-on-10 advantage.
But if Addison Trail fans were excited about the man advantage from the tightly-called play, that excitement lasted a whole 45 seconds.
When the Blazers Frank Ruggieri and Sycamore’s Caden Carl butted heads vying for a high 50-50 ball 10:51 before halftime, Addison Trail was slapped with its own red card to again even up sides 10-on-10.
Sycamore coach David Bachta, who coached Boylan to top-three finishes at state in 2005 and 2007, put the changing strategies required by the sudden card show into perspective.
“You keep one guy up-front and tell him to work his butt off,” Bachta said. “That’s all you can do. And in the back and middle you adjust and keep rotating.”
The adjustments to the more open field produced decent chances for each side late in the first half.
Sycamore’s Roman Friedrichs lined a shot just wide right in the 31st minute, then Addison Trail closed the half with threats by Macias (a shot in the box blocked by Julio Milan in the 36th minute) and a trio of sends to the box by Sandoval that Sycamore goalkeeper Kevin Munoz covered just ahead of Addison Trail attackers.
Those Blazers chances obscured a period of adjustment to 10-on-10 soccer.
“It definitely took awhile (after the red card),” Dini said. “The first 15 minutes of the second half, we didn’t have much possession.”
The Blazers also lost their lead in that time span. Less than two minutes in, a goal by Sycamore’s Max Breidenbach evened the score.
“Our kids battled,” Bachta said. “They (the Blazers) were a very good technical team. They were a little bit quicker than us, and sometimes we had to be physical to counter that. But both teams were (physical) really.”
Addison Trail had a great scoring chance with 31 minutes left, as an Ethan Oliva corner kick set up Sebastian Alicia’s shot in front that was blocked by a Sycamore defender.
The next play in the box would produce a return to physical play.
Munoz won another race to a Blazers’ send to the box with 25:24 to play, but endured a collision with Addison Trail’s Jose Leyva that forced the Sycamore keeper briefly to the sidelines.
Addison Trail used its speed and Munoz’s absence to net the winning goal with 21:06 to play.
Alcaraz was again the catalyst, winning a ball along the sideline near midfield. His ensuing pass sprung Matias Aguilar on a dash to the end line, and Aguilar’s cross towards the back post found Savinos.
Savinos nicely booted the bouncing cross past usual defender Breidenbach (who shifted to goalkeeper with Munoz out) and inside the right post.
“We practice all the time taking it down the line and crossing it,” Alcaraz said, “That’s all I was trying to do.
“I saw my teammate (Aguilar) open, he’s much faster than I was so I gave it to him, he crossed it in, and we scored. That’s what we practiced and executed.”
The goal was Savinos’ first of the fall.
“I was just trying to hustle and give my team a great opportunity to score,” he said. “It hit my foot and went in. That’s all I can say about that one.
“I just thought if I don’t hit this, someone’s going to have to hit it so get it done now. I just put my leg in the air and prayed to God it went in.”
For Sycamore, the timing was far from heavenly.
“I feel bad for Max,” Bachta said. “That’s a tough spot to be in. They score in the 10 minutes our goalkeeper (Munoz) is out.
“And it’s little things. When we give up goals, it’s mistakes we make. And I think it was the same thing here. We didn’t follow our runner, the ball came out (to Savinos), and there has to be somebody there to help clear that.
“Credit to them (Addison Trail),” Bachta added. “That was a great second goal they had. But we have to be better following guys on a cross like that.”
Munoz returned to the match with 19:40 to play, and Sycamore would respond two minutes later with a threat when Chase Thompson’s well-sent corner kick was punched out of the crease by Blazers second half goalkeeper Joey Dionne.
Addison Trail would produce two quality chances in the next 10 minutes: an Alicia header just wide off a Uriel Bibiano send with 14:35 left, then a Sandoval 20-yard liner just over the net off Alicia and Aguilar passes with 9:35 to go.
The Blazers’ push continued with 6:30 to play. After Jonathan Nasti was fouled on a run just outside the box, Sandoval’s ensuing free kick near the end line was headed away by Sycamore’s Austin Gerdes.
Then with 5:35 to go, a final blow was delivered to Sycamore’s comeback hopes. On another collision vying for a 50-50 ball, another red card left the Spartans with eight field players the rest of the match.
“We had five yellow cards altogether last spring (in the delayed 2020 season), and they’re going to give us eight in this one game,” Bachta said. “That’s a problem. That’s not the kids’ fault. We had linesmen making calls from 60 yards away. But it is what it is.”
The tightly-called contest didn’t excite either side.
“The cards, some were questionable,” Savinos said, “but it’s part of the game. We had to fight through the adversity. We played together, and we just pushed through.”
Being down a man didn’t prevent a final Sycamore push. With 1:20 left, Alec Garcia’s low liner off a throw-in required a juggling save by Dionne. Then in the final seconds, another attack near the box was denied by Addison Trail’s Nico Parente and Luca Fischer (long clear as time expired).
“Our team hasn’t won this tournament since 2016,” said Alcaraz, whose efforts to set up both Blazers goals earned him Man of the Match honors. “We came out with everything we had and we just wanted it. We put it on the field.”
Addison Trail’s depth and team chemistry helped win the day.
“The biggest thing about this team is how together they are,” Dini said. “They’re not the most skilled team I’ve had, but they’re so close. And it shows up in big games. The last three games we’ve won have been one-goal games.
“And the effort of Christian and Peter – those guys are subs and are only playing 15-20 minutes a half. Everybody knows it’s next guy up. Our goalies were very vocal, which was huge. Our defense, with three seniors and a junior has just two goals (allowed) in four games, we’re tough to score against.”
Sandoval joined defender David Peters and goalkeepers Gomez and Dionne as all-tournament selections for the Blazers.
“I play them both a half (Gomez and Dionne),” Dini said. “We’ve been doing that all year. They’re both seniors; they’ve both earned it. They’re best friends.”
Friendship is fueling the Blazers all over the field.
“We have such a close relationship with all our teammates,” Alcaraz said. “We love each other like brothers, and when it comes to the task we all know we’re going to all put out 100 and even 120 percent. We put our trust into each other fully.”
Said Savinos: “It’s teamwork. We’re like a family and it shows on the field.
“We have amazing starters,” Savinos added. “Everyone on the team is amazing. Coming off the bench, we know we have to put that extra effort and make that spark to push our team into a winning position. We just hustle, try to do our job and it pays off.”
From first indications, the payoffs could continue deep into the fall.
“We have Willowbrook Tuesday and then we’re in the PepsiCo in one of the hardest brackets, so we’ll be tested all season,” Dini said. “But good things are ahead. We’re a confident group, which I like.”
Starting lineups
Sycamore
GK Kevin Munoz
D Julio Milan
D Alec Garcia
D Max Breidenbach
D Kyle Huber
M Roman Friedrichs
M Chase Thompson
M Evan Radisic
M Caden Carl
F Austin Gerdes
F Jules Breidenbach
Addison Trail
GK Mateo Gomez
D Uriel Bibiano
D David Peters
D Brian Teran
D Luca Fischer
M Matias Aguilar
M Sebastian Alicia
M Jose Leyva
M Nick Parente
F Emilio Macias
F Alex Sandoval
Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match: Christian Alcaraz, jr. F, Addison Trail
Scoring summary
First half
AT- Alex Sandoval (PK), 29’
Second half
Syc- Max Breidenbach, 42’
AT- Peter Savinos (Matias Aguilar), 59’
Novy title victory over Sycamore
Blazers (10 men) triumph 2-1 over Sycamore (9 men)
By Dave Owen
ADDISON – Addison Trail coach Ryan Dini’s first words of his postgame interview said it all after his team’s 2-1 win over Sycamore on Saturday.
“Weird game. Weird game.”
How else can one sum up a Novy Classic title match that featured three red cards, major contributions on both goals by Addison Trail reserves, and a player for Sycamore (3-1-0) both scoring a goal and being scored on as a goalkeeper in a span of 17 minutes?
Weird, yes. But also great for the Blazers (4-0-0), who won their annual Labor Day weekend tournament for the first time in five years with a series of impressive victories.
“I love the start of our season,” Dini said. “Especially going through our group (bracket) with West Chicago, Glenbard North and now here taking care of business. Starting 4-0-0 is awesome. We have a ton of seniors, and in the spring they really built some confidence and won some big games – we played (then no. 1) Lyons and beat them.
“You saw it (confidence) in a game like this. It wasn’t the cleanest game, both teams had their moments, but I definitely think we deserved to win this game.”
Addison Trail began the match on the offensive. Off a scramble in front just over two minutes in, Emilio Macias’ header towards an open net was cleared off the goal line by Sycamore defender Max Breidenbach.
After Blazers goalkeeper Mateo Gomez nicely hustled off his line to cover a loose ball off a nice run by Sycamore’s Jules Breidenbach in the 16th minute, Addison Trail’s first corner kick of the day in the 21st minute nearly paid off.
Nick Parente’s send resulted in a Peter Savinos header off the football upright just high and wide.
Reserve forward Savinos’ second big chance of the day would later decide the match. But it was fellow reserve Christian Alcaraz whose maximum effort play would open the scoring – and start in motion the match’s more unusual events.
Battling for possession just inside the box, Alcaraz was taken down on a hard foul 15 yards out to give the Blazers a penalty kick, and more.
Alex Sandoval’s ensuing PK produced his team-high third goal of the season and a 1-0 lead with 11:36 left in the half.
“I was thinking ‘Go to the goal, score the goal. It’s the championship game,’” Alcaraz said. “Sometimes you get fouled, and I knew then and there that my teammate Alex would score it.”
The foul of Alcaraz came with a bonus: a red card on the Sycamore defender gave the Blazers an 11-on-10 advantage.
But if Addison Trail fans were excited about the man advantage from the tightly-called play, that excitement lasted a whole 45 seconds.
When the Blazers Frank Ruggieri and Sycamore’s Caden Carl butted heads vying for a high 50-50 ball 10:51 before halftime, Addison Trail was slapped with its own red card to again even up sides 10-on-10.
Sycamore coach David Bachta, who coached Boylan to top-three finishes at state in 2005 and 2007, put the changing strategies required by the sudden card show into perspective.
“You keep one guy up-front and tell him to work his butt off,” Bachta said. “That’s all you can do. And in the back and middle you adjust and keep rotating.”
The adjustments to the more open field produced decent chances for each side late in the first half.
Sycamore’s Roman Friedrichs lined a shot just wide right in the 31st minute, then Addison Trail closed the half with threats by Macias (a shot in the box blocked by Julio Milan in the 36th minute) and a trio of sends to the box by Sandoval that Sycamore goalkeeper Kevin Munoz covered just ahead of Addison Trail attackers.
Those Blazers chances obscured a period of adjustment to 10-on-10 soccer.
“It definitely took awhile (after the red card),” Dini said. “The first 15 minutes of the second half, we didn’t have much possession.”
The Blazers also lost their lead in that time span. Less than two minutes in, a goal by Sycamore’s Max Breidenbach evened the score.
“Our kids battled,” Bachta said. “They (the Blazers) were a very good technical team. They were a little bit quicker than us, and sometimes we had to be physical to counter that. But both teams were (physical) really.”
Addison Trail had a great scoring chance with 31 minutes left, as an Ethan Oliva corner kick set up Sebastian Alicia’s shot in front that was blocked by a Sycamore defender.
The next play in the box would produce a return to physical play.
Munoz won another race to a Blazers’ send to the box with 25:24 to play, but endured a collision with Addison Trail’s Jose Leyva that forced the Sycamore keeper briefly to the sidelines.
Addison Trail used its speed and Munoz’s absence to net the winning goal with 21:06 to play.
Alcaraz was again the catalyst, winning a ball along the sideline near midfield. His ensuing pass sprung Matias Aguilar on a dash to the end line, and Aguilar’s cross towards the back post found Savinos.
Savinos nicely booted the bouncing cross past usual defender Breidenbach (who shifted to goalkeeper with Munoz out) and inside the right post.
“We practice all the time taking it down the line and crossing it,” Alcaraz said, “That’s all I was trying to do.
“I saw my teammate (Aguilar) open, he’s much faster than I was so I gave it to him, he crossed it in, and we scored. That’s what we practiced and executed.”
The goal was Savinos’ first of the fall.
“I was just trying to hustle and give my team a great opportunity to score,” he said. “It hit my foot and went in. That’s all I can say about that one.
“I just thought if I don’t hit this, someone’s going to have to hit it so get it done now. I just put my leg in the air and prayed to God it went in.”
For Sycamore, the timing was far from heavenly.
“I feel bad for Max,” Bachta said. “That’s a tough spot to be in. They score in the 10 minutes our goalkeeper (Munoz) is out.
“And it’s little things. When we give up goals, it’s mistakes we make. And I think it was the same thing here. We didn’t follow our runner, the ball came out (to Savinos), and there has to be somebody there to help clear that.
“Credit to them (Addison Trail),” Bachta added. “That was a great second goal they had. But we have to be better following guys on a cross like that.”
Munoz returned to the match with 19:40 to play, and Sycamore would respond two minutes later with a threat when Chase Thompson’s well-sent corner kick was punched out of the crease by Blazers second half goalkeeper Joey Dionne.
Addison Trail would produce two quality chances in the next 10 minutes: an Alicia header just wide off a Uriel Bibiano send with 14:35 left, then a Sandoval 20-yard liner just over the net off Alicia and Aguilar passes with 9:35 to go.
The Blazers’ push continued with 6:30 to play. After Jonathan Nasti was fouled on a run just outside the box, Sandoval’s ensuing free kick near the end line was headed away by Sycamore’s Austin Gerdes.
Then with 5:35 to go, a final blow was delivered to Sycamore’s comeback hopes. On another collision vying for a 50-50 ball, another red card left the Spartans with eight field players the rest of the match.
“We had five yellow cards altogether last spring (in the delayed 2020 season), and they’re going to give us eight in this one game,” Bachta said. “That’s a problem. That’s not the kids’ fault. We had linesmen making calls from 60 yards away. But it is what it is.”
The tightly-called contest didn’t excite either side.
“The cards, some were questionable,” Savinos said, “but it’s part of the game. We had to fight through the adversity. We played together, and we just pushed through.”
Being down a man didn’t prevent a final Sycamore push. With 1:20 left, Alec Garcia’s low liner off a throw-in required a juggling save by Dionne. Then in the final seconds, another attack near the box was denied by Addison Trail’s Nico Parente and Luca Fischer (long clear as time expired).
“Our team hasn’t won this tournament since 2016,” said Alcaraz, whose efforts to set up both Blazers goals earned him Man of the Match honors. “We came out with everything we had and we just wanted it. We put it on the field.”
Addison Trail’s depth and team chemistry helped win the day.
“The biggest thing about this team is how together they are,” Dini said. “They’re not the most skilled team I’ve had, but they’re so close. And it shows up in big games. The last three games we’ve won have been one-goal games.
“And the effort of Christian and Peter – those guys are subs and are only playing 15-20 minutes a half. Everybody knows it’s next guy up. Our goalies were very vocal, which was huge. Our defense, with three seniors and a junior has just two goals (allowed) in four games, we’re tough to score against.”
Sandoval joined defender David Peters and goalkeepers Gomez and Dionne as all-tournament selections for the Blazers.
“I play them both a half (Gomez and Dionne),” Dini said. “We’ve been doing that all year. They’re both seniors; they’ve both earned it. They’re best friends.”
Friendship is fueling the Blazers all over the field.
“We have such a close relationship with all our teammates,” Alcaraz said. “We love each other like brothers, and when it comes to the task we all know we’re going to all put out 100 and even 120 percent. We put our trust into each other fully.”
Said Savinos: “It’s teamwork. We’re like a family and it shows on the field.
“We have amazing starters,” Savinos added. “Everyone on the team is amazing. Coming off the bench, we know we have to put that extra effort and make that spark to push our team into a winning position. We just hustle, try to do our job and it pays off.”
From first indications, the payoffs could continue deep into the fall.
“We have Willowbrook Tuesday and then we’re in the PepsiCo in one of the hardest brackets, so we’ll be tested all season,” Dini said. “But good things are ahead. We’re a confident group, which I like.”
Starting lineups
Sycamore
GK Kevin Munoz
D Julio Milan
D Alec Garcia
D Max Breidenbach
D Kyle Huber
M Roman Friedrichs
M Chase Thompson
M Evan Radisic
M Caden Carl
F Austin Gerdes
F Jules Breidenbach
Addison Trail
GK Mateo Gomez
D Uriel Bibiano
D David Peters
D Brian Teran
D Luca Fischer
M Matias Aguilar
M Sebastian Alicia
M Jose Leyva
M Nick Parente
F Emilio Macias
F Alex Sandoval
Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match: Christian Alcaraz, jr. F, Addison Trail
Scoring summary
First half
AT- Alex Sandoval (PK), 29’
Second half
Syc- Max Breidenbach, 42’
AT- Peter Savinos (Matias Aguilar), 59’