R-B gets defensive,
stuns Timothy in shootout
After scoreless regulation, hosts give Trojans 1st league loss
By Mike Garofola
BROOKFIELD -- Riverside-Brookfield downed Timothy in a penalty shootout Saturday afternoon in Brookfield at the Kennelly Athletic Complex in an important Metro Suburban Conference Blue Division contest.
With Timothy (8-2-1, 8-1-0) looking to stay in the hunt with rivals St. Francis and Wheaton Academy, the host Bulldogs (8-2-1) converted all four of their spot-kicks to secure a 4-2 advantage and victory after 100 minutes of soccer.
It was a bitter pill for the visitors.
"This certainly was a game we wanted to win to stay at the top of the conference standings, so it's a tough loss to swallow," said Trojans manager Joel Zielke. "Soccer can be a cruel game at times when you dominate most of the game but still end up on the losing end.
"Next up for us on Tuesday is a very strong and undefeated Wheaton St. Francis team. Now that becomes a must-win game to have a chance to share the conference title."
Zielke and his club will be without the services of four-year star and co-captain Mike Vogt, who was diagnosed with a concussion that ended a marvelous career at Timothy.
"I hadn't been altogether well for a couple of weeks, but the combination of eating up those long punts by the R-B keeper with headers, and all the other times I had to use my head really caught up with me later that night," Vogt said Sunday afternoon.
"I was unable to really settle in to get some rest, and my head was kind of pulsating so my dad took me to the E.R. where they confirmed that I was concussed."
Vogt will be missed along the Trojans backline where his extraordinary leadership, experience, ability to read the game and ball-winning skill will be tough to replace. However with his backline mates Jake Alex, Joshua Kiefer, Ethan Munk and Eddie Favala, Timothy's back third will remain well defended.
"I'll plan on being at training on Monday to help the my teammates along the back with some things to get them ready for St. Francis. They will be just fine," said a confident Vogt.
Riverside-Brookfield came out with a strong defensive posture led by the talented duo of seniors Andres Beltran and Xander Sanchez, Beltran was deployed as a center back, and Sanchez was stationed just in front of the Bulldogs back four.
The pair helped their club stay organized and composed throughout the day as the Trojans did all they could to pry open a stingy unit that Vogt felt took an interesting tactical approach to this contest.
"R-B had a great defense and keeper, so I felt like they wanted to defend all throughout, counter when they could and play for overtime or even a shootout," said Vogt, who will attend Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where he will pursue a degree in either nursing or physical therapy.
Riverside-Brookfield was well prepared for their visitors.
"We knew they had a lot of weapons to attack us with, but we also felt like we had a very good team as well -- one that was really strong defensively," said Beltan, who wears the captain's armband along with Sanchez for manager Ivek Halic.
Once Timothy's quartet of Jackson Day, Cameron Baker, Ethan Lemkuil and Joshua Bode began to get more touches on the ball, the Trojans attack finally got on its collective front foot.
Half-chances by Day, Baker and Christian Cruz were easily collected by Bulldogs keeper Jaiden Costello, who shined all throughout the cloudy, dreary day with his work in and around his box, both in the air and as a shot-stopper.
Costello looked confident when he reacted to a lovely cross from Eddie Favela aimed at the near post to an awaiting Bode and sent the troublesome ball out of the area at 20 minutes.
Freshman Caleb Bode, in Zielkes' first 11 between the sticks for senior Jacob Westra, who was on a college visit at the University of Dayton, received plenty of protection from his backline and was forced into action in just a few instances.
The young keeper did well to see a snap-shot through a crowd of bodies from Martin Medina in the 12th minute and later was in proper position for Manny Tovar's effort that went just wide at the half hour.
Timothy's attack became its own worse enemy despite owning most of the play. It became a little too predictable at times and lacked pace.
"R-B had a good, organized game plan, and I thought we pushed the ball too wide and deep into the corners during the first half," Zielke said. "But we made some adjustments at the half and created more coming through the middle, which led to some solid-scoring opportunities.
"We probably could have played more crosses," Vogt said. "We played a little too much into pressure while holding the ball a little too long in the first half. We were much better after the break."
For their efforts, Vogt and the host's Costello shared Man of the Match honors.
The visitors nearly found the opener during a lively sequence in which they were all over Riverside-Brookfield. If not for a valiant effort from Costello, the Trojans would have had taken the advantage at the hour mark.
That's when some wonderful combination work from Favela and Joshua Bode produced a glorious chance in-close that required Costello to record a double save to hold the draw.
It became one-way traffic for Timothy, whose confidence was brimming after nearly bagging the first goal of the game.
Kiefer put Bode through at 71 minutes. The saved shot inspired quality attacking from Baker, Kiefer and Bode during the last 10 minutes of regulation.
"I thought Baker had a great game, and once Joshua got more help up-top, he was dangerous all throughout the second half and overtime," said Vogt.
When 80 minutes of play could not produce a winner, two 10-minute extra sessions were in order.
Once there, the intensity and urgency increased two-fold from both clubs. Some chippy play occurred as players went hard into each and every tackle, and first and second ball.
Caleb Bode took a boot to his torso during a 50-50 challenge just inside his box. The keeper left for the rest of the contest which pushed classmate Hendrick DeVries into action.
Moments after the Caleb Bode left, Timothy lost Day to an injury which further drained the bench of fresh legs.
DeVries' inexperience caused a nervous moment for the Trojans' faithful. A well-delivered ball over the top from Medina was allowed to hit the ground, bounced over the keeper's head and bounded towards an empty net.
DeVries sprinted in full retreat and corralled the ball before it went over the line in the 93rd minute.
With the scoreboard unblemished after after 100 minutes of intriguing, hard-fought play, it was on to the shootout.
"We put DeVries in a tough spot by not scoring in the run of play," Zielke said. "He did his best, while their guy had a very good game and made big saves in high-leverage situations, including the shootout."
After Bode and the Bulldogs' Tovar cancelled each other out with converted spot-kicks; Baker and Sanchez did the same.
Then it was time for the heroics of Costello.
The keeper turned away the next two from the Trojans while his teammates Alex Garcia and Beltran hit the back of the net to give the home side a 4-2 advantage and the victory.
"It's a tough way to lose a game, especially when we felt we had our chances but just didn't finish them," began Timothy's Jake Alex, who turned in a solid performance along the back and going forward with strong runs and quality service.
"We have three games this week (starting) with St. Francis. We have to put this loss today behind and turn our focus towards Tuesday night."
With the heart-breaking defeat, the Trojans fell just behind league-leading St. Francis, which is a perfect 9-0-0. Riverside-Brookfield and Joel Zielkes' club both stand at 8-1-0 in the league along with Wheaton Academy, a 3-0 winner over Aurora Christian on Monday.
"St. Francis now becomes a must win to give us a chance to share the conference title," Zielke said. "We have a resilient group, so we'll be prepared for the challenge."
Starting lineups
Timothy (4-4-2)
G- Caleb Bode
D- Jake Alex
D- Mike Vogt
D- Ethan Munk
D- Joshua Kiefer
M- Eddie Favala
M- Ethan Lemkuil
M- Christian Cruz
M- Cameron Baker
F- Joshua Bode
F- Jackson Day
RIverside-Brookfield (4-3-3)
G- Jaiden Costello
D- Andolini Escamilla
D- Alex Garcia
D- Andres Beltran
D- Miles Rubio
M- Xander Sanchez
M- Mason Patil
M- Martin Medina
F- Manny Tovar
F- Emanuel Reyes
F- James Dalton
Chicagoland Soccer Men of the Match: Mike Vogt, sr., D, Timothy; Jaiden Costello, sr. GK, Riverside-Brookfield
Referee: Russ Schroeder
Scoring summary
First half
No scoring
Second half
No scoring
First overtime
No scoring
Second overtime
No scoring
Shootout
Timothy : J. Bode (good), Baker (good), Lemkuil, Kiefer.
Riverside-Brookfield: Tovar (good), Sanchez (good), Garcia (good), Beltran (good)
stuns Timothy in shootout
After scoreless regulation, hosts give Trojans 1st league loss
By Mike Garofola
BROOKFIELD -- Riverside-Brookfield downed Timothy in a penalty shootout Saturday afternoon in Brookfield at the Kennelly Athletic Complex in an important Metro Suburban Conference Blue Division contest.
With Timothy (8-2-1, 8-1-0) looking to stay in the hunt with rivals St. Francis and Wheaton Academy, the host Bulldogs (8-2-1) converted all four of their spot-kicks to secure a 4-2 advantage and victory after 100 minutes of soccer.
It was a bitter pill for the visitors.
"This certainly was a game we wanted to win to stay at the top of the conference standings, so it's a tough loss to swallow," said Trojans manager Joel Zielke. "Soccer can be a cruel game at times when you dominate most of the game but still end up on the losing end.
"Next up for us on Tuesday is a very strong and undefeated Wheaton St. Francis team. Now that becomes a must-win game to have a chance to share the conference title."
Zielke and his club will be without the services of four-year star and co-captain Mike Vogt, who was diagnosed with a concussion that ended a marvelous career at Timothy.
"I hadn't been altogether well for a couple of weeks, but the combination of eating up those long punts by the R-B keeper with headers, and all the other times I had to use my head really caught up with me later that night," Vogt said Sunday afternoon.
"I was unable to really settle in to get some rest, and my head was kind of pulsating so my dad took me to the E.R. where they confirmed that I was concussed."
Vogt will be missed along the Trojans backline where his extraordinary leadership, experience, ability to read the game and ball-winning skill will be tough to replace. However with his backline mates Jake Alex, Joshua Kiefer, Ethan Munk and Eddie Favala, Timothy's back third will remain well defended.
"I'll plan on being at training on Monday to help the my teammates along the back with some things to get them ready for St. Francis. They will be just fine," said a confident Vogt.
Riverside-Brookfield came out with a strong defensive posture led by the talented duo of seniors Andres Beltran and Xander Sanchez, Beltran was deployed as a center back, and Sanchez was stationed just in front of the Bulldogs back four.
The pair helped their club stay organized and composed throughout the day as the Trojans did all they could to pry open a stingy unit that Vogt felt took an interesting tactical approach to this contest.
"R-B had a great defense and keeper, so I felt like they wanted to defend all throughout, counter when they could and play for overtime or even a shootout," said Vogt, who will attend Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where he will pursue a degree in either nursing or physical therapy.
Riverside-Brookfield was well prepared for their visitors.
"We knew they had a lot of weapons to attack us with, but we also felt like we had a very good team as well -- one that was really strong defensively," said Beltan, who wears the captain's armband along with Sanchez for manager Ivek Halic.
Once Timothy's quartet of Jackson Day, Cameron Baker, Ethan Lemkuil and Joshua Bode began to get more touches on the ball, the Trojans attack finally got on its collective front foot.
Half-chances by Day, Baker and Christian Cruz were easily collected by Bulldogs keeper Jaiden Costello, who shined all throughout the cloudy, dreary day with his work in and around his box, both in the air and as a shot-stopper.
Costello looked confident when he reacted to a lovely cross from Eddie Favela aimed at the near post to an awaiting Bode and sent the troublesome ball out of the area at 20 minutes.
Freshman Caleb Bode, in Zielkes' first 11 between the sticks for senior Jacob Westra, who was on a college visit at the University of Dayton, received plenty of protection from his backline and was forced into action in just a few instances.
The young keeper did well to see a snap-shot through a crowd of bodies from Martin Medina in the 12th minute and later was in proper position for Manny Tovar's effort that went just wide at the half hour.
Timothy's attack became its own worse enemy despite owning most of the play. It became a little too predictable at times and lacked pace.
"R-B had a good, organized game plan, and I thought we pushed the ball too wide and deep into the corners during the first half," Zielke said. "But we made some adjustments at the half and created more coming through the middle, which led to some solid-scoring opportunities.
"We probably could have played more crosses," Vogt said. "We played a little too much into pressure while holding the ball a little too long in the first half. We were much better after the break."
For their efforts, Vogt and the host's Costello shared Man of the Match honors.
The visitors nearly found the opener during a lively sequence in which they were all over Riverside-Brookfield. If not for a valiant effort from Costello, the Trojans would have had taken the advantage at the hour mark.
That's when some wonderful combination work from Favela and Joshua Bode produced a glorious chance in-close that required Costello to record a double save to hold the draw.
It became one-way traffic for Timothy, whose confidence was brimming after nearly bagging the first goal of the game.
Kiefer put Bode through at 71 minutes. The saved shot inspired quality attacking from Baker, Kiefer and Bode during the last 10 minutes of regulation.
"I thought Baker had a great game, and once Joshua got more help up-top, he was dangerous all throughout the second half and overtime," said Vogt.
When 80 minutes of play could not produce a winner, two 10-minute extra sessions were in order.
Once there, the intensity and urgency increased two-fold from both clubs. Some chippy play occurred as players went hard into each and every tackle, and first and second ball.
Caleb Bode took a boot to his torso during a 50-50 challenge just inside his box. The keeper left for the rest of the contest which pushed classmate Hendrick DeVries into action.
Moments after the Caleb Bode left, Timothy lost Day to an injury which further drained the bench of fresh legs.
DeVries' inexperience caused a nervous moment for the Trojans' faithful. A well-delivered ball over the top from Medina was allowed to hit the ground, bounced over the keeper's head and bounded towards an empty net.
DeVries sprinted in full retreat and corralled the ball before it went over the line in the 93rd minute.
With the scoreboard unblemished after after 100 minutes of intriguing, hard-fought play, it was on to the shootout.
"We put DeVries in a tough spot by not scoring in the run of play," Zielke said. "He did his best, while their guy had a very good game and made big saves in high-leverage situations, including the shootout."
After Bode and the Bulldogs' Tovar cancelled each other out with converted spot-kicks; Baker and Sanchez did the same.
Then it was time for the heroics of Costello.
The keeper turned away the next two from the Trojans while his teammates Alex Garcia and Beltran hit the back of the net to give the home side a 4-2 advantage and the victory.
"It's a tough way to lose a game, especially when we felt we had our chances but just didn't finish them," began Timothy's Jake Alex, who turned in a solid performance along the back and going forward with strong runs and quality service.
"We have three games this week (starting) with St. Francis. We have to put this loss today behind and turn our focus towards Tuesday night."
With the heart-breaking defeat, the Trojans fell just behind league-leading St. Francis, which is a perfect 9-0-0. Riverside-Brookfield and Joel Zielkes' club both stand at 8-1-0 in the league along with Wheaton Academy, a 3-0 winner over Aurora Christian on Monday.
"St. Francis now becomes a must win to give us a chance to share the conference title," Zielke said. "We have a resilient group, so we'll be prepared for the challenge."
Starting lineups
Timothy (4-4-2)
G- Caleb Bode
D- Jake Alex
D- Mike Vogt
D- Ethan Munk
D- Joshua Kiefer
M- Eddie Favala
M- Ethan Lemkuil
M- Christian Cruz
M- Cameron Baker
F- Joshua Bode
F- Jackson Day
RIverside-Brookfield (4-3-3)
G- Jaiden Costello
D- Andolini Escamilla
D- Alex Garcia
D- Andres Beltran
D- Miles Rubio
M- Xander Sanchez
M- Mason Patil
M- Martin Medina
F- Manny Tovar
F- Emanuel Reyes
F- James Dalton
Chicagoland Soccer Men of the Match: Mike Vogt, sr., D, Timothy; Jaiden Costello, sr. GK, Riverside-Brookfield
Referee: Russ Schroeder
Scoring summary
First half
No scoring
Second half
No scoring
First overtime
No scoring
Second overtime
No scoring
Shootout
Timothy : J. Bode (good), Baker (good), Lemkuil, Kiefer.
Riverside-Brookfield: Tovar (good), Sanchez (good), Garcia (good), Beltran (good)