Leyden nips Wheaton N. in playoff tune-up
Eagles win 2-1, match features tight marking, happy coaches
By Ken Keenan
NORTHLAKE -- Playoff-like intensity in a nonconference, regular season finale? That was the story Thursday night, when host Leyden celebrated Senior Night with a 2-1 win over Wheaton North.
The Eagles (16-3-2), ranked 20th in the latest Chicagoland Soccer Top 25, opened the scoring on a goal by senior midfielder Oscar Cifuentes in the 10th minute and increased the margin to 2-0 on a tally by fellow senior mid Marco Villalobos with 32:27 remaining in the second half. Villalobos, who assisted on Ciufentes' marker, earned Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match honors.
Wheaton North (5-13-3) cut the lead in half on a header by senior midfielder Jake Dzarnowski with 30:50 to go.
The rest of the match featured a handful of scoring chances for both sides, but most of the play consisted of tight marking and scrappy battles for 50/50 balls in the midfield. Leyden head Mark Valintis and Wheaton North skipper Rob Stassen both substituted freely, keeping fresh legs on the pitch throughout the match.
"I'm very happy," Valintis said. "Everyone got at least 10 minutes, so were able to rest some guys. But it was still a good effort -- a lot better than than just going through the motions in practice. It was a good effort, individually and collectively. And credit goes to Wheaton North -- they fought all the way to the end. It was tight, and that's what you'll see next week (in the IHSA state tournament). It helped us prepare for the playoffs."
The Falcons, who entered the match on a 2-2-1 stretch -- including a 1-0 win over Waubonsie Valley on Tuesday -- left the pitch with their heads held high.
"I'm real happy with the way the team played against a very tough Leyden team," Stassen said. "Heading into the playoffs, you don't want a fake 'gimme' or an 8-0 loss, you want great competition. So I'm glad we played Leyden. It was a great game -- very physical. It was fun to watch.
"We got what we wanted out of it. We got our bench in, rested starters and got all five of our JV guys in. And I saw no difference in play, from 1 to 11 or 12 to 24. We didn't give it easy to 'em."
Leyden's first goal came after Villalobos stole a ball and fed Cifuentes, who took off on a long run down the left side before cutting past a defender and firing high inside the near post past Falcons' senior goalkeeper Harrison Thompson.
"Once I got the ball, I was looking to finish," Cifuentes said.
Looking for the equalizer, Wheaton North turned a free kick from deep in its own zone into a chance in the 17th minute, when senior mid Jorge Patino fired a 30-yard rising shot over the crossbar. With 7:30 to go in the first half, Leyden keeper Jesus Mancha stopped a 15-yard strike by Falcons' sophomore forward Lael Mondragon.
The Eagles created a series of opportunities in the final two minutes of the opening session, beginning with a header from junior mid Marcelo Garcia that sailed high. Soon after, a spin-around header by senior forward Matt Makowiec missed wide-right, and junior forward Eduardo Hernandez followed with a close-in try that Thompson snared.
Early in the second half, Mancha snagged a 40-yard pop-up shot by Falcons' junior defender Nathan Heyen, and Wheaton North replacement keeper Ray Min returned the favor with a waist-high save on a curling corner kick by Cifuentes.
Villalobos tallied his goal with a chip shot inside the right post from in front, finishing a play that started with a long run by Hernandez, who earned the assist.
Less than two minutes later, Wheaton North sophomore forward Will Wanzenburg wiggled his way in front for left-footed try from the left side that nipped the near post and rolled out of play. After the ensuing corner kick, Dzarnowski headed the ball past Mancha during a scramble, and suddenly Leyden's lead was down to 2-1. Junior defender Jack Mancuso notched the assist.
"The goal got us going," said Wheaton North junior forward Joe Gaither. "You get one, and it sparks energy and gives you belief."
Added Dzarnowski: "When we get a goal, it gives us momentum. You feel relief about getting one, and then you feel you could win it."
But scoring chances slowed to a crawl from that point on, with neither team able to mount any significant attacking possessions in close-to-the vest action.
"It's not the result we wanted, but this helps us going into the playoffs," Gaither said.
Dzarnowski added: "That's the biggest thing -- we saw everyone put in a good effort. Everyone wants to head into the playoffs on a good note."
That's exactly what the Eagles had in mind as well.
"It was good to have a tough game going into the playoffs," Villalobos said.
Added Hernandez: "The playoffs aren't easy, so it's good to have a fight like this. Having a tough opponent going into the playoffs, we were able to play our game and get the result."
Wheaton North, seeded 12th, will face the fifth-seeded sectional host Conant at 7 p.m. Oct. 18 in the opening round of the Class 3A Schaumburg Regional. Regional host Leyden, seeded fourth in the New Trier Sectional, will welcome 13th-seeded Von Steuben in the teams' playoff opener at at 4:30 p.m. Oct. 17.
Starting lineups
Wheaton North
G: Harrison Thompson
D: Carlos Saavedra
D: Jack Mancuso
D: Nathan Heyen
D: Sunday Moo
M: Ethan Shikany
M: Jake Dzarnowski
M: Jorge Patino
F: Will Wanzenburg
F: Jack Morrissey
F: Joe Gaither
Leyden
G: Jesus Mancha
D: Dennis Arreaza
D: Abel Estrada
D: Andy Moreno
M: Marco Villalobos
M: Carlos Garcia
M: Oscar Cifuentes
M: Diego Peralta
F: Eduardo Hernandez
F: Matt Makowiec
F: Francisco Toral
Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match: Marco Villalobos, sr., M, Leyden
Officials: Jim Franklin, Ken Connelly, Paul Ensinger
Scoring summary
First half
1. Leyden: Oscar Cifuentes (assisted by Marco Villalobos) in 10th minute
Second half
2: Leyden: Marco Villalobos (assisted by Eduardo Hernandez) in 48th minute
3. Wheaton North: Jake Dzarnowski (assisted by Jack Mancuso) in 50th minute
Eagles win 2-1, match features tight marking, happy coaches
By Ken Keenan
NORTHLAKE -- Playoff-like intensity in a nonconference, regular season finale? That was the story Thursday night, when host Leyden celebrated Senior Night with a 2-1 win over Wheaton North.
The Eagles (16-3-2), ranked 20th in the latest Chicagoland Soccer Top 25, opened the scoring on a goal by senior midfielder Oscar Cifuentes in the 10th minute and increased the margin to 2-0 on a tally by fellow senior mid Marco Villalobos with 32:27 remaining in the second half. Villalobos, who assisted on Ciufentes' marker, earned Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match honors.
Wheaton North (5-13-3) cut the lead in half on a header by senior midfielder Jake Dzarnowski with 30:50 to go.
The rest of the match featured a handful of scoring chances for both sides, but most of the play consisted of tight marking and scrappy battles for 50/50 balls in the midfield. Leyden head Mark Valintis and Wheaton North skipper Rob Stassen both substituted freely, keeping fresh legs on the pitch throughout the match.
"I'm very happy," Valintis said. "Everyone got at least 10 minutes, so were able to rest some guys. But it was still a good effort -- a lot better than than just going through the motions in practice. It was a good effort, individually and collectively. And credit goes to Wheaton North -- they fought all the way to the end. It was tight, and that's what you'll see next week (in the IHSA state tournament). It helped us prepare for the playoffs."
The Falcons, who entered the match on a 2-2-1 stretch -- including a 1-0 win over Waubonsie Valley on Tuesday -- left the pitch with their heads held high.
"I'm real happy with the way the team played against a very tough Leyden team," Stassen said. "Heading into the playoffs, you don't want a fake 'gimme' or an 8-0 loss, you want great competition. So I'm glad we played Leyden. It was a great game -- very physical. It was fun to watch.
"We got what we wanted out of it. We got our bench in, rested starters and got all five of our JV guys in. And I saw no difference in play, from 1 to 11 or 12 to 24. We didn't give it easy to 'em."
Leyden's first goal came after Villalobos stole a ball and fed Cifuentes, who took off on a long run down the left side before cutting past a defender and firing high inside the near post past Falcons' senior goalkeeper Harrison Thompson.
"Once I got the ball, I was looking to finish," Cifuentes said.
Looking for the equalizer, Wheaton North turned a free kick from deep in its own zone into a chance in the 17th minute, when senior mid Jorge Patino fired a 30-yard rising shot over the crossbar. With 7:30 to go in the first half, Leyden keeper Jesus Mancha stopped a 15-yard strike by Falcons' sophomore forward Lael Mondragon.
The Eagles created a series of opportunities in the final two minutes of the opening session, beginning with a header from junior mid Marcelo Garcia that sailed high. Soon after, a spin-around header by senior forward Matt Makowiec missed wide-right, and junior forward Eduardo Hernandez followed with a close-in try that Thompson snared.
Early in the second half, Mancha snagged a 40-yard pop-up shot by Falcons' junior defender Nathan Heyen, and Wheaton North replacement keeper Ray Min returned the favor with a waist-high save on a curling corner kick by Cifuentes.
Villalobos tallied his goal with a chip shot inside the right post from in front, finishing a play that started with a long run by Hernandez, who earned the assist.
Less than two minutes later, Wheaton North sophomore forward Will Wanzenburg wiggled his way in front for left-footed try from the left side that nipped the near post and rolled out of play. After the ensuing corner kick, Dzarnowski headed the ball past Mancha during a scramble, and suddenly Leyden's lead was down to 2-1. Junior defender Jack Mancuso notched the assist.
"The goal got us going," said Wheaton North junior forward Joe Gaither. "You get one, and it sparks energy and gives you belief."
Added Dzarnowski: "When we get a goal, it gives us momentum. You feel relief about getting one, and then you feel you could win it."
But scoring chances slowed to a crawl from that point on, with neither team able to mount any significant attacking possessions in close-to-the vest action.
"It's not the result we wanted, but this helps us going into the playoffs," Gaither said.
Dzarnowski added: "That's the biggest thing -- we saw everyone put in a good effort. Everyone wants to head into the playoffs on a good note."
That's exactly what the Eagles had in mind as well.
"It was good to have a tough game going into the playoffs," Villalobos said.
Added Hernandez: "The playoffs aren't easy, so it's good to have a fight like this. Having a tough opponent going into the playoffs, we were able to play our game and get the result."
Wheaton North, seeded 12th, will face the fifth-seeded sectional host Conant at 7 p.m. Oct. 18 in the opening round of the Class 3A Schaumburg Regional. Regional host Leyden, seeded fourth in the New Trier Sectional, will welcome 13th-seeded Von Steuben in the teams' playoff opener at at 4:30 p.m. Oct. 17.
Starting lineups
Wheaton North
G: Harrison Thompson
D: Carlos Saavedra
D: Jack Mancuso
D: Nathan Heyen
D: Sunday Moo
M: Ethan Shikany
M: Jake Dzarnowski
M: Jorge Patino
F: Will Wanzenburg
F: Jack Morrissey
F: Joe Gaither
Leyden
G: Jesus Mancha
D: Dennis Arreaza
D: Abel Estrada
D: Andy Moreno
M: Marco Villalobos
M: Carlos Garcia
M: Oscar Cifuentes
M: Diego Peralta
F: Eduardo Hernandez
F: Matt Makowiec
F: Francisco Toral
Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match: Marco Villalobos, sr., M, Leyden
Officials: Jim Franklin, Ken Connelly, Paul Ensinger
Scoring summary
First half
1. Leyden: Oscar Cifuentes (assisted by Marco Villalobos) in 10th minute
Second half
2: Leyden: Marco Villalobos (assisted by Eduardo Hernandez) in 48th minute
3. Wheaton North: Jake Dzarnowski (assisted by Jack Mancuso) in 50th minute