Lake Park earns key Hillner win vs. York
Defending champs remain undefeated with 2-1 victory vs. Dukes
By Gary Larsen
ROSELLE — Lake Park played without starting keeper Christian Lekki on Saturday against York, which entered the game on the heels of a 2-0 nonconference win over highly touted New Trier. So the stage was set for a potentially difficult day for the Lancers.
Ah, but this year’s team at Lake Park is much more than a one-man production.
Lake Park (3-0-0) prevailed 2-1 over York (2-1-0) thanks to goals from Franco Presta and Tom Zakic. But it was the collectively sharp and cohesive play of its midfield and backline that carried the day.
“They’re good at what they do, and they know what they’re doing,” York coach Lukasz Majewski said of the Lancers.
Tournament host Lake Park’s win came in second-round play of this year’s Hillner Classic. The win moved the Lancers’ record to 2-0-0 in Classic play after an opening 3-0 win over South Elgin. York, record fell to 1-1-0 in the tournament; it includes a 2-0 win against Hoffman Estates.
With Lekki absent for family reasons, backup Andrew Deardorff started in net for Lake Park. The sophomore benefited from a first 40 minutes that saw his side keep the Dukes from earning a single shot on frame, thanks mainly to midfield domination waged by the likes of Presta, Matteo Costa, Jesus Juarez, Gabriel Mendrano and Paul Grzybowicz.
“Our combination play was fantastic. I was so proud of the guys in the first half,” Presta said. “It was quick; we were moving the ball; everybody was making runs, and we were dangerous. We were getting shots on net.”
York keeper Kyle Johnson saved a pair of quality shots taken from 20-plus yards by Presta and Costa, and Juarez and Mendrano each sent a good chance wide through 15 minutes. York defenders Jonathan Milani and Edwardo DelCarmen also each destroyed potentially dangerous scoring chances early on.
Lake Park’s pressure paid off at 19 minutes on a Zakic throw-in deep on the right side. Presta posted up in the box 12 yards out and flicked a ball towards the far post.
“That’s just a play we do in practice all the time,” Presta said. “I took it back post, and there’s usually a runner on there. So either it gets (finished), or it goes in.”
Presta’s flick nestled inside the far post, and Lake Park was in control. Meanwhile, York struggled to spend time on the Lancers’ half of midfield.
“I think we underestimated them, and it’s unfortunate that we did, because that’s a good team,” Johnson said of Lake Park.
Three days prior, York traveled to New Trier and beat the Trevians, who ranked fourth in the Chicagoland Soccer Preseason Top 25. Jack Musial and Ethan Oder scored in the win.
“We came out and matched their intensity,” Majewski said. “We know New Trier is fast and good, and probably even better than they were last year. Lake Park is a great team … but this was definitely not how we played against New Trier. We had more focus and more intensity.”
Johnson, who spent most of the first half urging his Dukes to pick up their intensity, saw a different team come out against New Trier.
“We were confident and ready to win,” Johnson said. “New Trier is really good, but I think we had a lot of the control. And their (turf) field made a difference for us.”
The Dukes struggled to acclimate from the fast artificial surface at New Trier to the grass field at Lake Park.
“We’re a fast team that likes to move the ball quickly, and that was tough here on thick, long grass,” Majewski said. “Balls can get stuck, and (Lake Park) was able to close on us quickly.”
Johnson saved a Victor Pawlik shot at 21 minutes, and York’s Paolo Favuzzi cleared out a Lancers’ free kick to the box at 29 minutes. York’s offense managed to get deep a handful of times, send a few free kicks into the Lancers’ box, and fire a shot or two wide to halftime.
But through 40 minutes, Lake Park didn’t give up a single shot on net, as coach Sean Crosby’s midfield and frontline kept the pressure on.
“We were kind of forcing it into the midfield and just picking it up off of them, so it was hard for (York) to get a deep ball into us,” Crosby said. “That’s what we wanted, to see if we could plug numbers into the midfield and force it where we had numbers, and win it there.
“Even if we couldn’t hold onto the ball, they were so organized in the way they were moving. And if you win it for that long and have it for that long, you’re going to get chances.”
With its midfield in control, Lake Park’s backline of central defenders Zakic and Max Ellenbecker and outside defenders Pawlik and Frankie Ciara cleaned everything else up in protecting Deardorff.
“Our defense is really solid, and we have great communication,” Zakic said. “I think me and Max (Ellenbecker) communicate very well. We were staying solid and having a great game — no shots on net.”
One minute into the second half, Ellenbecker sent a long free kick to the goalmouth that Pawlik nearly got his head on. Pawlik sent a through-ball into the York box at 44 minutes, forcing Johnson to charge out and stuff a shot off the foot of Lancers forward Gray McClellan, and Pawlik headed an ensuing corner kick serve just wide of frame.
York’s Parker Gawne flicked an Oder corner kick wide of net from 10 yards at 46 minutes, and McClellan sent a shot wide from 14 yards a minute later.
Pawlik fed a ball across the box in tight space that Costa sent wide from 10 yards at 54 minutes, before York finally found its first legitimately dangerous shot on net and made it count.
A Lake Park foul set up a free kick from 28 yards for the Dukes’ Joe Meade. A defender got a piece of Meade’s serve but the ball squirted back towards the Lake Park goalmouth, where Musial located it and sent it home past a sprawling Deardorff at 56 minutes.
The game was tied 1-1 and York’s intensity immediately rose. The Dukes also switched to a 4-3-3 formation in the second half, “to let the forwards run and create a little havoc,” Majewski said. “We had some opportunities. It was an ugly goal for us, but we’ll take it.
“We were better in the second half. We switched things around a little bit, played a little more direct. All we asked from them at halftime was to play the second half in their half instead of ours. And we were able to do that more in the second half.”
After playing lights out defensively for 56 minutes, the Lancers had to quickly recover from seeing York’s first shot of the game find the net.
“It’s frustrating, but we always have to keep our heads up and look at what’s next,” Zakic said. “We have a great offense, and we have a lot of confidence in them.”
After playing a fine game on the backline, Zakic secured Chicagoland Soccer’s Man of the Match honors with his game-winning goal at 69 minutes.
Costa sent in a free kick from 45 yards near the touchline on the right side. Costa’s high serve hung in the air towards the far post, and Zakic elevated and headed it home from eight yards.
“The big boy can get up,” Presta said of Zakic.
Zakic and Ellenbecker are both big central defenders able to dominate in the air, which occasionally comes in handy on the offensive end of the field.
“Matteo sent me a nice ball, I saw it coming, jumped up and connected,” Zakic said. “I was on the ground when I looked and saw it go in.”
York fought hard down the stretch for a second tying goal that never materialized.
“You can’t wait and start playing at halftime,” Majewski said. “So if we learned anything from today it's that you have to bring it from the start and impose your will on other teams. I’m not concerned. We’ll rebound from it.”
Johnson agreed.
“We’re getting good leadership, and we’re getting closer,” Johnson said. “Everybody is starting to work better together. I think this game was a fluke, but it’s a learning experience.”
Majewski applauded Johnson’s play Saturday. “He's a leader in the back, and he made a couple fantastic saves against New Trier,” Majewski said. “Our entire center midfield is back from last year, and they’ve played well, and our defense is pretty much back from last year.”
Crosby also got fine performances around the pitch.
“Anthony Magner stepped in off the bench, and he really plugged in for us,” Crosby said. “He stepped on and provided a little bit of energy for us. I think Gray McClellan also gave us a lot of energy up-top and caused challenges. Even when he wasn’t winning the ball he was putting a lot of pressure on their backline.
“And what a play by (Zakic) on that goal. He really got up. What a big play in a big moment, and I couldn’t be more happy that he got one, because he deserves it.”
Starting lineups
Lake Park
GK Andrew Deardorff
D Max Ellenbecker
D Tom Zakic
D Victor Pawlik
D Frankie Ciara
M Franco Presta
M Matteo Costa
M Jesus Juarez
M Gabriel Mendrano
M Paul Grzybowicz
F Gray McClellan
York
GK Kyle Johnson
D Edwardo DelCarmen
D Josh Borzello
D Jacob Kresnicka
D Jonathan Milani
M Paolo Favuzzi
M Ethan Oder
M Antonio Lepore
M Jack Musial
F Parker Gawne
F Joe Meade
Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match: Tom Zakic, sr., D, Lake Park
Scoring summary
First half
Lake Park — Presta (Zakic), 19 minutes
Second half
York — Musial (UA), 56 minutes
Lake Park — Zakic (Costa), 69 minutes
Defending champs remain undefeated with 2-1 victory vs. Dukes
By Gary Larsen
ROSELLE — Lake Park played without starting keeper Christian Lekki on Saturday against York, which entered the game on the heels of a 2-0 nonconference win over highly touted New Trier. So the stage was set for a potentially difficult day for the Lancers.
Ah, but this year’s team at Lake Park is much more than a one-man production.
Lake Park (3-0-0) prevailed 2-1 over York (2-1-0) thanks to goals from Franco Presta and Tom Zakic. But it was the collectively sharp and cohesive play of its midfield and backline that carried the day.
“They’re good at what they do, and they know what they’re doing,” York coach Lukasz Majewski said of the Lancers.
Tournament host Lake Park’s win came in second-round play of this year’s Hillner Classic. The win moved the Lancers’ record to 2-0-0 in Classic play after an opening 3-0 win over South Elgin. York, record fell to 1-1-0 in the tournament; it includes a 2-0 win against Hoffman Estates.
With Lekki absent for family reasons, backup Andrew Deardorff started in net for Lake Park. The sophomore benefited from a first 40 minutes that saw his side keep the Dukes from earning a single shot on frame, thanks mainly to midfield domination waged by the likes of Presta, Matteo Costa, Jesus Juarez, Gabriel Mendrano and Paul Grzybowicz.
“Our combination play was fantastic. I was so proud of the guys in the first half,” Presta said. “It was quick; we were moving the ball; everybody was making runs, and we were dangerous. We were getting shots on net.”
York keeper Kyle Johnson saved a pair of quality shots taken from 20-plus yards by Presta and Costa, and Juarez and Mendrano each sent a good chance wide through 15 minutes. York defenders Jonathan Milani and Edwardo DelCarmen also each destroyed potentially dangerous scoring chances early on.
Lake Park’s pressure paid off at 19 minutes on a Zakic throw-in deep on the right side. Presta posted up in the box 12 yards out and flicked a ball towards the far post.
“That’s just a play we do in practice all the time,” Presta said. “I took it back post, and there’s usually a runner on there. So either it gets (finished), or it goes in.”
Presta’s flick nestled inside the far post, and Lake Park was in control. Meanwhile, York struggled to spend time on the Lancers’ half of midfield.
“I think we underestimated them, and it’s unfortunate that we did, because that’s a good team,” Johnson said of Lake Park.
Three days prior, York traveled to New Trier and beat the Trevians, who ranked fourth in the Chicagoland Soccer Preseason Top 25. Jack Musial and Ethan Oder scored in the win.
“We came out and matched their intensity,” Majewski said. “We know New Trier is fast and good, and probably even better than they were last year. Lake Park is a great team … but this was definitely not how we played against New Trier. We had more focus and more intensity.”
Johnson, who spent most of the first half urging his Dukes to pick up their intensity, saw a different team come out against New Trier.
“We were confident and ready to win,” Johnson said. “New Trier is really good, but I think we had a lot of the control. And their (turf) field made a difference for us.”
The Dukes struggled to acclimate from the fast artificial surface at New Trier to the grass field at Lake Park.
“We’re a fast team that likes to move the ball quickly, and that was tough here on thick, long grass,” Majewski said. “Balls can get stuck, and (Lake Park) was able to close on us quickly.”
Johnson saved a Victor Pawlik shot at 21 minutes, and York’s Paolo Favuzzi cleared out a Lancers’ free kick to the box at 29 minutes. York’s offense managed to get deep a handful of times, send a few free kicks into the Lancers’ box, and fire a shot or two wide to halftime.
But through 40 minutes, Lake Park didn’t give up a single shot on net, as coach Sean Crosby’s midfield and frontline kept the pressure on.
“We were kind of forcing it into the midfield and just picking it up off of them, so it was hard for (York) to get a deep ball into us,” Crosby said. “That’s what we wanted, to see if we could plug numbers into the midfield and force it where we had numbers, and win it there.
“Even if we couldn’t hold onto the ball, they were so organized in the way they were moving. And if you win it for that long and have it for that long, you’re going to get chances.”
With its midfield in control, Lake Park’s backline of central defenders Zakic and Max Ellenbecker and outside defenders Pawlik and Frankie Ciara cleaned everything else up in protecting Deardorff.
“Our defense is really solid, and we have great communication,” Zakic said. “I think me and Max (Ellenbecker) communicate very well. We were staying solid and having a great game — no shots on net.”
One minute into the second half, Ellenbecker sent a long free kick to the goalmouth that Pawlik nearly got his head on. Pawlik sent a through-ball into the York box at 44 minutes, forcing Johnson to charge out and stuff a shot off the foot of Lancers forward Gray McClellan, and Pawlik headed an ensuing corner kick serve just wide of frame.
York’s Parker Gawne flicked an Oder corner kick wide of net from 10 yards at 46 minutes, and McClellan sent a shot wide from 14 yards a minute later.
Pawlik fed a ball across the box in tight space that Costa sent wide from 10 yards at 54 minutes, before York finally found its first legitimately dangerous shot on net and made it count.
A Lake Park foul set up a free kick from 28 yards for the Dukes’ Joe Meade. A defender got a piece of Meade’s serve but the ball squirted back towards the Lake Park goalmouth, where Musial located it and sent it home past a sprawling Deardorff at 56 minutes.
The game was tied 1-1 and York’s intensity immediately rose. The Dukes also switched to a 4-3-3 formation in the second half, “to let the forwards run and create a little havoc,” Majewski said. “We had some opportunities. It was an ugly goal for us, but we’ll take it.
“We were better in the second half. We switched things around a little bit, played a little more direct. All we asked from them at halftime was to play the second half in their half instead of ours. And we were able to do that more in the second half.”
After playing lights out defensively for 56 minutes, the Lancers had to quickly recover from seeing York’s first shot of the game find the net.
“It’s frustrating, but we always have to keep our heads up and look at what’s next,” Zakic said. “We have a great offense, and we have a lot of confidence in them.”
After playing a fine game on the backline, Zakic secured Chicagoland Soccer’s Man of the Match honors with his game-winning goal at 69 minutes.
Costa sent in a free kick from 45 yards near the touchline on the right side. Costa’s high serve hung in the air towards the far post, and Zakic elevated and headed it home from eight yards.
“The big boy can get up,” Presta said of Zakic.
Zakic and Ellenbecker are both big central defenders able to dominate in the air, which occasionally comes in handy on the offensive end of the field.
“Matteo sent me a nice ball, I saw it coming, jumped up and connected,” Zakic said. “I was on the ground when I looked and saw it go in.”
York fought hard down the stretch for a second tying goal that never materialized.
“You can’t wait and start playing at halftime,” Majewski said. “So if we learned anything from today it's that you have to bring it from the start and impose your will on other teams. I’m not concerned. We’ll rebound from it.”
Johnson agreed.
“We’re getting good leadership, and we’re getting closer,” Johnson said. “Everybody is starting to work better together. I think this game was a fluke, but it’s a learning experience.”
Majewski applauded Johnson’s play Saturday. “He's a leader in the back, and he made a couple fantastic saves against New Trier,” Majewski said. “Our entire center midfield is back from last year, and they’ve played well, and our defense is pretty much back from last year.”
Crosby also got fine performances around the pitch.
“Anthony Magner stepped in off the bench, and he really plugged in for us,” Crosby said. “He stepped on and provided a little bit of energy for us. I think Gray McClellan also gave us a lot of energy up-top and caused challenges. Even when he wasn’t winning the ball he was putting a lot of pressure on their backline.
“And what a play by (Zakic) on that goal. He really got up. What a big play in a big moment, and I couldn’t be more happy that he got one, because he deserves it.”
Starting lineups
Lake Park
GK Andrew Deardorff
D Max Ellenbecker
D Tom Zakic
D Victor Pawlik
D Frankie Ciara
M Franco Presta
M Matteo Costa
M Jesus Juarez
M Gabriel Mendrano
M Paul Grzybowicz
F Gray McClellan
York
GK Kyle Johnson
D Edwardo DelCarmen
D Josh Borzello
D Jacob Kresnicka
D Jonathan Milani
M Paolo Favuzzi
M Ethan Oder
M Antonio Lepore
M Jack Musial
F Parker Gawne
F Joe Meade
Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match: Tom Zakic, sr., D, Lake Park
Scoring summary
First half
Lake Park — Presta (Zakic), 19 minutes
Second half
York — Musial (UA), 56 minutes
Lake Park — Zakic (Costa), 69 minutes