Arroyo works OT to send Lane past Taft
Senior heads home game-winner in 2-1 semifinal victory
By Patrick Z. McGavin
CHICAGO — David Arroyo felt the game shifting.
A senior forward at Lane, he has played enough high-level soccer to intuitively grasp how the game engineers a very specific flow and rhythm.
The Indians influenced much of the first half, getting to the ball quicker and shaping the point of attack and pace of play. Taft snatched that away for much of the second half.
The Eagles were now quicker to the ball, typically playing the part of the aggressor and the one dictating the underlying currents of the game.
Momentum sometimes changes imperceptibly, almost stealth-like, and it only becomes apparent in retrospect. The calculus changed late in regulation. Lane was again the team quicker to the ball, winning contested balls and putting the Eagles on their heels.
Arroyo broke free on the wing twice. On the first play, he made a quick, jitter move and had the ball stripped from behind. On the second chance, he made his move quicker and blasted a left-footed ball toward a vulnerable Taft goal that was saved by a defender’s foot.
“We were able to get the momentum back for the final 10 minutes because we brought in some fresh players, and they brought more energy at the center of the attack,” Arroyo said.
“[Michael] Junay won the balls, and once we won the ball we had the opportunity to release.”
Arroyo seized the moment by finishing a beautiful header in the 82nd minute for the Indians’ pulsating 2-1 overtime victory in the semifinals of the Chicago Public League tournament Tuesday night at Lane Stadium.
Arroyo scored the game-winning goal with just 1:02 eclipsed in the overtime.
Lane (11-2-0) returns home Thursday at 7 p.m. to play defending city champion Solorio in the championship match.
The game marked the third time in the last four years North Side powerhouse programs Taft and Lane have clashed in the city tournament.
In 2016, Lane won an extraordinary shootout in the city final. In 2017, Lane prevailed, again on penalty kicks, in the city quarterfinals.
With Tuesday's win, Lane qualified for its third city final in the last four years.
Arroyo stands with Solorio star Alex Sanchez as the two best players in the city. Lanky and angular, Arroyo has a next-level gear. His athleticism and length provided a scintillating target for Connor Schuberth.
The rangy fullback beat a Taft defender on the right wing and drove the ball down the flank and served a beautiful ball that Arroyo elevated for and smashed home in a bang-bang sequence.
“Connor is the one who probably does the best centers or crosses on our team,” Arroyo said. “The first half he did one. I stepped a little too forward, and Jose [Mendiola] shot it, and the keeper blocked it.
“Connor’s quick and he takes the defenders with him. He looks up, and he is very efficient with his crosses.”
For his accomplishments Arroyo earned the Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match honor.
Taft keeper Pablo Rueda has been sensational for the Eagles (10-7-2). Coming into the city semifinal, he had registered six shutouts in the Eagles’ previous seven games.
He permitted just one goal during that stretch.
“I focus on the ball, look at it, and do whatever I am able to keep the ball out of the net,” Rueda said. “It was a good header. I tried to deny it, but I just couldn’t reach it.
“There was too much power on the header.”
Taft had administered the Indians’ only loss when they staged a dramatic 2-1 comeback victory over Lane in Premier Division North play.
The game took two days to finish as rain and lightning forced the postponement with Lane up 1-0. Taft rallied for the 2-1 victory, an illustration of the Eagles’ moxie and drive.
Coach Jeff Lucco has an excellent ability to push his team to reach its zenith in the city playoffs. They reached the city title final as a lower-seeded program from the 1st Division two years ago.
“Our tendency has been we start well, drop off and then go on a crazy streak every year,” Lucco said. “It would be nice if we could just maintain it throughout the season.
“We love the city playoffs, and it’s just happened that we have matched up with Lane three of the last four years. Our boys are playing the best soccer they have all season, and our mentality is different right now.”
Rueda made three highlight saves in the first 30 minutes, including a leaping denial of a rocket ball by Michael Junay and a great tip-stop off a ball by Jose Mendiola.
The shot created a corner opportunity for Lane. In the 35th minute, Arroyo served the ball to a dangerous spot inside the box. Amid the crush of bodies trying to clear the ball, Mendiola got the final touch for the opening score.
“After I shot I had the rebound; the keeper made a great save,” Mendiola said. “Great play by him. Our center back headed the ball, and I was just anticipating the play. ... I waited there, and I just seized the opportunity.”
Taft responded with sharp and aggressive play throughout the second half. Energized by some gifted young players thrust into amplified roles, the Eagles demonstrated greater urgency and purpose at the start of the second half.
In the 47th minute, sophomore forward Ricardo Gonzalez got free on the right wing off a ball played by defender Tomek Mieczkowski and smashed home a sharp and clean ball for the equalizer.
Game on.
Taft took flight from that moment, putting the Indians in a reactionary mode and taking charge of the game.
Gonzalez nearly produced a follow-up goal with another cross for a dangerous header by junior forward Jairo Duarte that forced Lane keeper Jacob Bozek to make a terrific stop.
“I thought we were the better team for the majority of the game,” Lucco said. “We started slowly, and they beat us to the majority of the balls at the beginning.
“Once we settled down, I thought we played very well. We were forcing the ball and trying to play it over the top. They are a lot bigger on the ball.
“After we started playing the ball on the ground, it was beautiful.”
Senior defender Byron Abayay played on the same field in an extraordinary city title game three years ago as a freshman. He understands the pull between the two teams.
“We are probably the top teams in our area, and we have to always fight each other,” Abayay said. “Whoever plays the best is the one who has the fewest mistakes.
“That is the part where we leave it all on the field. That’s why we have been successful in the city playoffs. The fact they scored first was the little push we needed to remind us to fight harder to get the ball in the back of the net.”
Bozek had seven saves to neutralize the Eagles’ offensive push. It was just the help Lane needed to regroup and find itself.
“What’s keeping us in the city is our defense,” Arroyo said. “We have only conceded only one goal since group play started. We had five shutouts in a row. Our keeper is probably the best in the city.
“He keeps us in the game every time.”
The rivalry with Taft is also tense and marked by personal investment and cultural connections.
Many of the players from both teams are the children of Polish emigres and first generation Americans. As a magnet school, many of Lane’s players grew up around Edison Park and the other communities within Taft’s district.
It adds flavor, intensity and context.
“We were looking forward to this game, especially after the earlier game where we lost 2-1,” Arroyo said. “Once we found out we were playing Taft, we were very excited. It was our chance at redemption. We didn’t win conference because of them.
“Taft is a great opponent. We just played better today.”
Starting lineups
Lane
GK: Jacob Bozek
D: Stephen Kaim
D: Connor Schuberth
D: Daniel Ray
MF: Michael Junay
MF: Ryan Hargrove
MF: Grant Nagle
MF: Daniel Velazquez
MF: Amir Farooq
F: Justin Owens
F: David Arroyo
Taft
GK: Pablo Rueda
D: Tomek Mieczkowski
D: Byron Abayay
D: Jakob Lapinski
D: Metea Nasser
MF: Anibal Hernandez
MF: Matt Davila
MF: Paul Murray
F: Surico Vital
F: Chris Reynoso
F: Jairo Duarte
Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match: David Arroyo, sr., F, Lane
Scoring summary
First half
Lane—Jose Mendiola (unassisted), 35th minute
Second half
Taft—Ricardo Gonzalez (Tomek Mieczkowski), 47th minute
Overtime
Lane—David Arroyo (Connor Schuberth), 82nd minute
Senior heads home game-winner in 2-1 semifinal victory
By Patrick Z. McGavin
CHICAGO — David Arroyo felt the game shifting.
A senior forward at Lane, he has played enough high-level soccer to intuitively grasp how the game engineers a very specific flow and rhythm.
The Indians influenced much of the first half, getting to the ball quicker and shaping the point of attack and pace of play. Taft snatched that away for much of the second half.
The Eagles were now quicker to the ball, typically playing the part of the aggressor and the one dictating the underlying currents of the game.
Momentum sometimes changes imperceptibly, almost stealth-like, and it only becomes apparent in retrospect. The calculus changed late in regulation. Lane was again the team quicker to the ball, winning contested balls and putting the Eagles on their heels.
Arroyo broke free on the wing twice. On the first play, he made a quick, jitter move and had the ball stripped from behind. On the second chance, he made his move quicker and blasted a left-footed ball toward a vulnerable Taft goal that was saved by a defender’s foot.
“We were able to get the momentum back for the final 10 minutes because we brought in some fresh players, and they brought more energy at the center of the attack,” Arroyo said.
“[Michael] Junay won the balls, and once we won the ball we had the opportunity to release.”
Arroyo seized the moment by finishing a beautiful header in the 82nd minute for the Indians’ pulsating 2-1 overtime victory in the semifinals of the Chicago Public League tournament Tuesday night at Lane Stadium.
Arroyo scored the game-winning goal with just 1:02 eclipsed in the overtime.
Lane (11-2-0) returns home Thursday at 7 p.m. to play defending city champion Solorio in the championship match.
The game marked the third time in the last four years North Side powerhouse programs Taft and Lane have clashed in the city tournament.
In 2016, Lane won an extraordinary shootout in the city final. In 2017, Lane prevailed, again on penalty kicks, in the city quarterfinals.
With Tuesday's win, Lane qualified for its third city final in the last four years.
Arroyo stands with Solorio star Alex Sanchez as the two best players in the city. Lanky and angular, Arroyo has a next-level gear. His athleticism and length provided a scintillating target for Connor Schuberth.
The rangy fullback beat a Taft defender on the right wing and drove the ball down the flank and served a beautiful ball that Arroyo elevated for and smashed home in a bang-bang sequence.
“Connor is the one who probably does the best centers or crosses on our team,” Arroyo said. “The first half he did one. I stepped a little too forward, and Jose [Mendiola] shot it, and the keeper blocked it.
“Connor’s quick and he takes the defenders with him. He looks up, and he is very efficient with his crosses.”
For his accomplishments Arroyo earned the Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match honor.
Taft keeper Pablo Rueda has been sensational for the Eagles (10-7-2). Coming into the city semifinal, he had registered six shutouts in the Eagles’ previous seven games.
He permitted just one goal during that stretch.
“I focus on the ball, look at it, and do whatever I am able to keep the ball out of the net,” Rueda said. “It was a good header. I tried to deny it, but I just couldn’t reach it.
“There was too much power on the header.”
Taft had administered the Indians’ only loss when they staged a dramatic 2-1 comeback victory over Lane in Premier Division North play.
The game took two days to finish as rain and lightning forced the postponement with Lane up 1-0. Taft rallied for the 2-1 victory, an illustration of the Eagles’ moxie and drive.
Coach Jeff Lucco has an excellent ability to push his team to reach its zenith in the city playoffs. They reached the city title final as a lower-seeded program from the 1st Division two years ago.
“Our tendency has been we start well, drop off and then go on a crazy streak every year,” Lucco said. “It would be nice if we could just maintain it throughout the season.
“We love the city playoffs, and it’s just happened that we have matched up with Lane three of the last four years. Our boys are playing the best soccer they have all season, and our mentality is different right now.”
Rueda made three highlight saves in the first 30 minutes, including a leaping denial of a rocket ball by Michael Junay and a great tip-stop off a ball by Jose Mendiola.
The shot created a corner opportunity for Lane. In the 35th minute, Arroyo served the ball to a dangerous spot inside the box. Amid the crush of bodies trying to clear the ball, Mendiola got the final touch for the opening score.
“After I shot I had the rebound; the keeper made a great save,” Mendiola said. “Great play by him. Our center back headed the ball, and I was just anticipating the play. ... I waited there, and I just seized the opportunity.”
Taft responded with sharp and aggressive play throughout the second half. Energized by some gifted young players thrust into amplified roles, the Eagles demonstrated greater urgency and purpose at the start of the second half.
In the 47th minute, sophomore forward Ricardo Gonzalez got free on the right wing off a ball played by defender Tomek Mieczkowski and smashed home a sharp and clean ball for the equalizer.
Game on.
Taft took flight from that moment, putting the Indians in a reactionary mode and taking charge of the game.
Gonzalez nearly produced a follow-up goal with another cross for a dangerous header by junior forward Jairo Duarte that forced Lane keeper Jacob Bozek to make a terrific stop.
“I thought we were the better team for the majority of the game,” Lucco said. “We started slowly, and they beat us to the majority of the balls at the beginning.
“Once we settled down, I thought we played very well. We were forcing the ball and trying to play it over the top. They are a lot bigger on the ball.
“After we started playing the ball on the ground, it was beautiful.”
Senior defender Byron Abayay played on the same field in an extraordinary city title game three years ago as a freshman. He understands the pull between the two teams.
“We are probably the top teams in our area, and we have to always fight each other,” Abayay said. “Whoever plays the best is the one who has the fewest mistakes.
“That is the part where we leave it all on the field. That’s why we have been successful in the city playoffs. The fact they scored first was the little push we needed to remind us to fight harder to get the ball in the back of the net.”
Bozek had seven saves to neutralize the Eagles’ offensive push. It was just the help Lane needed to regroup and find itself.
“What’s keeping us in the city is our defense,” Arroyo said. “We have only conceded only one goal since group play started. We had five shutouts in a row. Our keeper is probably the best in the city.
“He keeps us in the game every time.”
The rivalry with Taft is also tense and marked by personal investment and cultural connections.
Many of the players from both teams are the children of Polish emigres and first generation Americans. As a magnet school, many of Lane’s players grew up around Edison Park and the other communities within Taft’s district.
It adds flavor, intensity and context.
“We were looking forward to this game, especially after the earlier game where we lost 2-1,” Arroyo said. “Once we found out we were playing Taft, we were very excited. It was our chance at redemption. We didn’t win conference because of them.
“Taft is a great opponent. We just played better today.”
Starting lineups
Lane
GK: Jacob Bozek
D: Stephen Kaim
D: Connor Schuberth
D: Daniel Ray
MF: Michael Junay
MF: Ryan Hargrove
MF: Grant Nagle
MF: Daniel Velazquez
MF: Amir Farooq
F: Justin Owens
F: David Arroyo
Taft
GK: Pablo Rueda
D: Tomek Mieczkowski
D: Byron Abayay
D: Jakob Lapinski
D: Metea Nasser
MF: Anibal Hernandez
MF: Matt Davila
MF: Paul Murray
F: Surico Vital
F: Chris Reynoso
F: Jairo Duarte
Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match: David Arroyo, sr., F, Lane
Scoring summary
First half
Lane—Jose Mendiola (unassisted), 35th minute
Second half
Taft—Ricardo Gonzalez (Tomek Mieczkowski), 47th minute
Overtime
Lane—David Arroyo (Connor Schuberth), 82nd minute