Lyons impresses with 3-0 win over York
Lions respond to OPRF loss earlier in week with complete effort
By Dave Owen
WESTERN SPRINGS- Be it in a jungle or on a soccer field, never question the heart of a lion.
Two days after a well-played match still resulted in a 1-0 loss at Oak Park and River Forest, Lyons (13-5-1, 3-2-0 in conference) turned the disappointment of a likely lost shot at the West Suburban Conference Silver Division title into major motivation.
The emphatic result Thursday was a surprising 3-0 win over visiting York (15-2-0, 3-2-0 in conference), which entered the night with 10 wins in a row and had allowed just seven goals all season.
“This means a lot,” Lyons senior goalkeeper Luke Stockbridge said. “We knew this was a big one, especially after the loss to OPRF. We've really dominated on this (home) field since we lost to (Hinsdale) Central. We remember that loss before every game, and it really is motivating.”
Combine that motivation with stellar efforts by Stockbridge and the Lyons defense, add in pinpoint long throw-ins by Jackson Sullivan that led to the first two goals, and it was a night for Lions’ pride to be on full display.
“That’s what I guess we are known for around here -- that the seniors lead, and we are mentally tough,” Lyons coach Paul Labbato said.
“I was a little worried. You leave it all out on the field at Oak Park (but lose). It was a great game of soccer on Tuesday, and you worry there's going to be a lapse.”
Any doubts about Lyons’ energy level were answered early. York’s talented offense threatened on free kicks by Yael Silvestre (from the right sideline in the 8th minute) and Jose Herrera (33-yarder in the 10th minute), but Stockbridge made high leaping grabs at the back post over York players each time.
In the 17th minute, a Brendan Haran header off a Herrera corner kick again sent Stockbridge airborne over York’s Kacper Janowski to grab the sphere.
“I love being aggressive,” said Stockbridge. “That's just my play style, trying to stop opportunities before they occur.”
Lyons’ offense had been relatively quiet to that point, but that lull was literally thrown away 21:58 before halftime.
Defender Sullivan’s long -distance throw-ins are a weapon, and a toss from just 15 yards out is even tougher to deny.
York was initially able to head the toss away from a crowd in front, but junior Ben Swicionis corralled the loose ball and threaded a low 18-yard left side rocket into the lower right corner of the net to put Lyons up 1-0.
“Basically I'm not the biggest kid,” Swicionis said, “so I just sit outside the box. If it pops out I always just want to try to put it on goal.
“Honestly I didn't really think about it (the crowd in front). I just hit it as hard as I could and hoped everyone got out of the way.”
With 10:46 until halftime, Sullivan had another throw-in chance just eight yards out. The results were predictably dangerous.
The toss soared toward his younger brother Colin at the back post. The point-blank header into the net completed the sibling connection and put York shockingly down two goals.
“Jackson’s brother Colin came in, scored a goal and dominated his space,” Labbato said. “He's big and strong, and he's a sophomore. He has a bright future with us.
“He's had a few set piece goals this year. He gets his body in there and is so much bigger than kids.”
In a sport for the feet, Jackson Sullivan gives the Lions a major helping hand.
“It (the throw-in) just puts the other team in such a bad situation,” Labbato said. “With the ball out of bounds, all of a sudden you have the defend the center of the six. We have very tricky guys, and they find the spaces in there to get touches toward the goal.
“When you have games on small fields … we couldn't do this (scoring off throw-ins) on a Toyota Park/Seat Geek Stadium type of field. If it's 75 yards wide it's totally different. Here it's a total weapon and teams hate defending against it. And it’s even worse (than a corner kick), because you can throw it exactly where you want it.”
The throw-ins were just part of a rare tough night for York.
“They outhustled us,” Dukes defender Brendan Haran said. “They got to every ball or won every ball.
“The throw-ins caught us off guard, but we weren't clearing it or we weren't there. We weren't hustling as much as we should have, and that's what wins games like this where there's close (matched) teams.”
At the other end of the field, the Lyons defense was having a block party.
One sequence with the score 1-0 in the 25th minute epitomized the night.
York attacker Kevin Gliatis nicely dribbled into the box, but both his shot and Herrera’s rebound try were repelled by a combination of Lyons defenders Dom Panopoulos, Radule Bozovic and the Sullivan brothers.
“My goodness do they block a lot of shots,” York coach Jordan Stopka said. “We need to take our shots when we have them. Maybe it's not a perfect spot, but there's a small window. Let's hit it towards that window.”
York tried multiple methods but could never break through.
Another quality chance in the first half came when Gliatis’ header off a Connor Bare cross went just wide left. Then in the 32nd minute, Herrera’s 18-yard shot was blocked by Panopoulos, and Stockbridge made the save on Joe Hernandez’s end line rebound try.
“The defense just played so well tonight,” Stockbridge said. “We had so many blocked shots. Not giving them space at the top of the box was amazing. We had some huge tackles in the box. Just a lot of goal-saving plays by the defense.”
York would have two even better scoring chances in the second half, but the Lions defense and offense both never relented.
Another Lyons throw-in with 35:50 left to play caused more havoc, as Finn Mahaney and Fisher Daniels crashed the net and sent a header off the crossbar.
Then it was the Lyons’ defense. Herrera found Gliatis in front with 34:15 to go, but Stockbridge made a leaping deflection over the net of the eight-yard drive.
The ensuing corner kick produced a Frank Rofano shot – which was blocked.
“We were just coming in hard, playing our game,” Panopoulos said of the Lyons defense. “It was just a matter of being aggressive, getting to the ball first and not allowing them any shots on goal if we could.”
Lyons offense kept attacking and soon led 3-0.
Two minutes after midfielder Patrick Kracker had his strong 20-yard shot saved, the Lions used textbook passing to score from the flow of play with 29:40 left.
Mahaney had perfect pace on a send to spring Zach Steck in on right wing 1-v-1. Steck did the rest, angling a low 18-yarder inside the right post.
“It's what we train for but hard to make it all work at the same time,” Labbato said of the third goal. “We haven't had too many that all worked out perfectly. That was wonderfully perfect.”
It was about as perfect a match as Lyons could have imagined, right down to its display of depth. All three goals were scored by non-starters.
“We made a commitment to play all the guys on the roster tonight regardless of score, and we did,” Labbato said. “And I thought they did a great job. They really came out and worked hard and were mentally tough.”
Swicionis was one of those stellar reserves, netting his second goal of 2021 to open the scoring.
“Everything was clicking tonight,” he said. “The midfield was linking passes, our defense was winning everything in the air. And offensively they were beating people left and right. It was just awesome.
“We knew York was one of the best teams in the state, so we kind of came in with the mindset that we've got to win this. After unlucky losses throughout the season we've got to win this. This would be the momentum leading up to state that's going to help us.”
On the York side, Stopka tried to make sense of the shocking result.
“Hats off to Paul and his team. They deserved every bit of that,” he said. “We didn't do a good job. We played right into their hands with the throw-ins too often.
“Even just simple things like not trying to turn a corner and clear it out but instead forgetting who we were playing and then continuing to make the same mistake over and over again.
“I feel like we made a lot of mental mistakes today. Kids not bringing the ball down when they should have, feeling like they were under pressure too much and giving the ball away.”
The loss hit home for Stopka in another way: he graduated from Lyons and was a captain for the Lions’ soccer team his senior year.
“It stinks. It’s conference; it stinks coming back to my old school,” he said. “Paul coached me and all this stuff. So coming back and getting your butt kicked is not fun.
“But to be honest, like I said against OPRF (after a 1-0) it can be a good thing to lose. We lost a game, and let's see how we respond. It's a very easy motivational tool, but it’s up to the kids to run with it.”
Haran seems ready to do just that.
“It's a bit of an ego check,’ he said. “This (Lyons) is a team you have to come ready to play, and it's a shame we weren't ready. I think it's just going to teach us that come playoffs or our next game we always have to be ready. And we weren't.
“They were by far the better team today, but I still believe every way we can beat them.”
As for Thursday’s final 25 minutes, York threatened to chop away at the 3-0 deficit. But the Lions refused to relent.
A great chance came with 21:40 to play, when Stockbridge made a great diving save on a Rofano liner.
Then four minutes later came a play that summed up the night. The ball caromed to an open Herrera near the left post, but his seemingly sure put-away was denied on a clear off the goal line by Jackson Sullivan.
No matter the play, Lyons seemed to have the answer.
“Long story short, they came prepared,” Stopka said. “Every time the ball was in the air, the second ball was always won by Lyons. There were always two or three blue-and-yellow-striped guys around the ball.
“We were looking for someone else to go get the ball instead of owning it up on ourselves. We looked like we were scared in the second half plain and simple.”
One York highlight was provided by backup goalkeeper Anthony Kroumov.
Stepping in after starter Ricardo Torres injured his foot on a scramble for a loose ball with 26 minutes left, Kroumov made nice saves on quality chances by Steck (13:20 left), Aidan Hilling (diving deflection wide with 5:35 to go) and Bozovic (high chip to the post with 5:10 to play).
“I think Anthony played phenomenally,” Stopka said. “There's a couple saves he made, and also his decision making. At the end he realized we wanted to get the ball up the pitch, and he rolled it up fast or played it long. It made an impression on me for sure.”
Jackson Sullivan and the Lions defense made a huge impression as well.
“Luke was phenomenal,” Labbato said. “And Dom is solid. I don't think he's come out if the game all year.
“And Ryan Herchenroether is just all heart. He plays right back and left back depending where we need him and just works really hard.”
The Lions’ three-goal win wasn’t the only surprise in the tough West Suburban Silver on Thursday. Glenbard West beat Oak Park and River Forest to keep the door to a conference title barely ajar.
It’s unlikely Hinsdale Central (4-1-x) will fall to last place Proviso West on Oct. 12. So wins by the Lions (at Glenbard West) and Dukes (Downers Grove North) that day would give them a tie for second with Oak Park and River Forest.
Regardless of what Tuesday holds, the Lions made quite a statement vs. York as the postseason nears.
“We're going to have a lot of momentum,” Stockbridge said. “We scored three goals, which I don't think we've done against a big competitor like York before. Scoring goals has been one problem we've had all year, so I think this puts us in good shape for the playoffs.”
Added Panopoulos: “It's good that we can beat some high-caliber teams. It's a good win.”
Starting lineups
York
GK Ricardo Torres
D Ryder Kohl
D Yael Silvestre
D Brendan Haran
D Connor Bare
M Joe Hernandez
M Gustavo Herrera
M Frank Rofano
M Kacper Janowski
F Jose Herrera
F Kevin Gliatis
Lyons
GK Luke Stockbridge
D Ryan Herchenroether
D Jackson Sullivan
D Dom Panopoulos
D Fisher Daniels
M Aidan Hilling
M Will Swicionis
M Patrick Kracker
M Allen Follenweider
F Finn Mahaney
F Liam Carolan
Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match: Luke Stockbridge, sr. GK, Lyons
Scoring summary
First half
L- Ben Swicionis (unassisted), 19’
L- Colin Sullivan (Jackson Sullivan assist), 30’
Second half
L- Zach Steck (Finn Mahaney), 51’
Lions respond to OPRF loss earlier in week with complete effort
By Dave Owen
WESTERN SPRINGS- Be it in a jungle or on a soccer field, never question the heart of a lion.
Two days after a well-played match still resulted in a 1-0 loss at Oak Park and River Forest, Lyons (13-5-1, 3-2-0 in conference) turned the disappointment of a likely lost shot at the West Suburban Conference Silver Division title into major motivation.
The emphatic result Thursday was a surprising 3-0 win over visiting York (15-2-0, 3-2-0 in conference), which entered the night with 10 wins in a row and had allowed just seven goals all season.
“This means a lot,” Lyons senior goalkeeper Luke Stockbridge said. “We knew this was a big one, especially after the loss to OPRF. We've really dominated on this (home) field since we lost to (Hinsdale) Central. We remember that loss before every game, and it really is motivating.”
Combine that motivation with stellar efforts by Stockbridge and the Lyons defense, add in pinpoint long throw-ins by Jackson Sullivan that led to the first two goals, and it was a night for Lions’ pride to be on full display.
“That’s what I guess we are known for around here -- that the seniors lead, and we are mentally tough,” Lyons coach Paul Labbato said.
“I was a little worried. You leave it all out on the field at Oak Park (but lose). It was a great game of soccer on Tuesday, and you worry there's going to be a lapse.”
Any doubts about Lyons’ energy level were answered early. York’s talented offense threatened on free kicks by Yael Silvestre (from the right sideline in the 8th minute) and Jose Herrera (33-yarder in the 10th minute), but Stockbridge made high leaping grabs at the back post over York players each time.
In the 17th minute, a Brendan Haran header off a Herrera corner kick again sent Stockbridge airborne over York’s Kacper Janowski to grab the sphere.
“I love being aggressive,” said Stockbridge. “That's just my play style, trying to stop opportunities before they occur.”
Lyons’ offense had been relatively quiet to that point, but that lull was literally thrown away 21:58 before halftime.
Defender Sullivan’s long -distance throw-ins are a weapon, and a toss from just 15 yards out is even tougher to deny.
York was initially able to head the toss away from a crowd in front, but junior Ben Swicionis corralled the loose ball and threaded a low 18-yard left side rocket into the lower right corner of the net to put Lyons up 1-0.
“Basically I'm not the biggest kid,” Swicionis said, “so I just sit outside the box. If it pops out I always just want to try to put it on goal.
“Honestly I didn't really think about it (the crowd in front). I just hit it as hard as I could and hoped everyone got out of the way.”
With 10:46 until halftime, Sullivan had another throw-in chance just eight yards out. The results were predictably dangerous.
The toss soared toward his younger brother Colin at the back post. The point-blank header into the net completed the sibling connection and put York shockingly down two goals.
“Jackson’s brother Colin came in, scored a goal and dominated his space,” Labbato said. “He's big and strong, and he's a sophomore. He has a bright future with us.
“He's had a few set piece goals this year. He gets his body in there and is so much bigger than kids.”
In a sport for the feet, Jackson Sullivan gives the Lions a major helping hand.
“It (the throw-in) just puts the other team in such a bad situation,” Labbato said. “With the ball out of bounds, all of a sudden you have the defend the center of the six. We have very tricky guys, and they find the spaces in there to get touches toward the goal.
“When you have games on small fields … we couldn't do this (scoring off throw-ins) on a Toyota Park/Seat Geek Stadium type of field. If it's 75 yards wide it's totally different. Here it's a total weapon and teams hate defending against it. And it’s even worse (than a corner kick), because you can throw it exactly where you want it.”
The throw-ins were just part of a rare tough night for York.
“They outhustled us,” Dukes defender Brendan Haran said. “They got to every ball or won every ball.
“The throw-ins caught us off guard, but we weren't clearing it or we weren't there. We weren't hustling as much as we should have, and that's what wins games like this where there's close (matched) teams.”
At the other end of the field, the Lyons defense was having a block party.
One sequence with the score 1-0 in the 25th minute epitomized the night.
York attacker Kevin Gliatis nicely dribbled into the box, but both his shot and Herrera’s rebound try were repelled by a combination of Lyons defenders Dom Panopoulos, Radule Bozovic and the Sullivan brothers.
“My goodness do they block a lot of shots,” York coach Jordan Stopka said. “We need to take our shots when we have them. Maybe it's not a perfect spot, but there's a small window. Let's hit it towards that window.”
York tried multiple methods but could never break through.
Another quality chance in the first half came when Gliatis’ header off a Connor Bare cross went just wide left. Then in the 32nd minute, Herrera’s 18-yard shot was blocked by Panopoulos, and Stockbridge made the save on Joe Hernandez’s end line rebound try.
“The defense just played so well tonight,” Stockbridge said. “We had so many blocked shots. Not giving them space at the top of the box was amazing. We had some huge tackles in the box. Just a lot of goal-saving plays by the defense.”
York would have two even better scoring chances in the second half, but the Lions defense and offense both never relented.
Another Lyons throw-in with 35:50 left to play caused more havoc, as Finn Mahaney and Fisher Daniels crashed the net and sent a header off the crossbar.
Then it was the Lyons’ defense. Herrera found Gliatis in front with 34:15 to go, but Stockbridge made a leaping deflection over the net of the eight-yard drive.
The ensuing corner kick produced a Frank Rofano shot – which was blocked.
“We were just coming in hard, playing our game,” Panopoulos said of the Lyons defense. “It was just a matter of being aggressive, getting to the ball first and not allowing them any shots on goal if we could.”
Lyons offense kept attacking and soon led 3-0.
Two minutes after midfielder Patrick Kracker had his strong 20-yard shot saved, the Lions used textbook passing to score from the flow of play with 29:40 left.
Mahaney had perfect pace on a send to spring Zach Steck in on right wing 1-v-1. Steck did the rest, angling a low 18-yarder inside the right post.
“It's what we train for but hard to make it all work at the same time,” Labbato said of the third goal. “We haven't had too many that all worked out perfectly. That was wonderfully perfect.”
It was about as perfect a match as Lyons could have imagined, right down to its display of depth. All three goals were scored by non-starters.
“We made a commitment to play all the guys on the roster tonight regardless of score, and we did,” Labbato said. “And I thought they did a great job. They really came out and worked hard and were mentally tough.”
Swicionis was one of those stellar reserves, netting his second goal of 2021 to open the scoring.
“Everything was clicking tonight,” he said. “The midfield was linking passes, our defense was winning everything in the air. And offensively they were beating people left and right. It was just awesome.
“We knew York was one of the best teams in the state, so we kind of came in with the mindset that we've got to win this. After unlucky losses throughout the season we've got to win this. This would be the momentum leading up to state that's going to help us.”
On the York side, Stopka tried to make sense of the shocking result.
“Hats off to Paul and his team. They deserved every bit of that,” he said. “We didn't do a good job. We played right into their hands with the throw-ins too often.
“Even just simple things like not trying to turn a corner and clear it out but instead forgetting who we were playing and then continuing to make the same mistake over and over again.
“I feel like we made a lot of mental mistakes today. Kids not bringing the ball down when they should have, feeling like they were under pressure too much and giving the ball away.”
The loss hit home for Stopka in another way: he graduated from Lyons and was a captain for the Lions’ soccer team his senior year.
“It stinks. It’s conference; it stinks coming back to my old school,” he said. “Paul coached me and all this stuff. So coming back and getting your butt kicked is not fun.
“But to be honest, like I said against OPRF (after a 1-0) it can be a good thing to lose. We lost a game, and let's see how we respond. It's a very easy motivational tool, but it’s up to the kids to run with it.”
Haran seems ready to do just that.
“It's a bit of an ego check,’ he said. “This (Lyons) is a team you have to come ready to play, and it's a shame we weren't ready. I think it's just going to teach us that come playoffs or our next game we always have to be ready. And we weren't.
“They were by far the better team today, but I still believe every way we can beat them.”
As for Thursday’s final 25 minutes, York threatened to chop away at the 3-0 deficit. But the Lions refused to relent.
A great chance came with 21:40 to play, when Stockbridge made a great diving save on a Rofano liner.
Then four minutes later came a play that summed up the night. The ball caromed to an open Herrera near the left post, but his seemingly sure put-away was denied on a clear off the goal line by Jackson Sullivan.
No matter the play, Lyons seemed to have the answer.
“Long story short, they came prepared,” Stopka said. “Every time the ball was in the air, the second ball was always won by Lyons. There were always two or three blue-and-yellow-striped guys around the ball.
“We were looking for someone else to go get the ball instead of owning it up on ourselves. We looked like we were scared in the second half plain and simple.”
One York highlight was provided by backup goalkeeper Anthony Kroumov.
Stepping in after starter Ricardo Torres injured his foot on a scramble for a loose ball with 26 minutes left, Kroumov made nice saves on quality chances by Steck (13:20 left), Aidan Hilling (diving deflection wide with 5:35 to go) and Bozovic (high chip to the post with 5:10 to play).
“I think Anthony played phenomenally,” Stopka said. “There's a couple saves he made, and also his decision making. At the end he realized we wanted to get the ball up the pitch, and he rolled it up fast or played it long. It made an impression on me for sure.”
Jackson Sullivan and the Lions defense made a huge impression as well.
“Luke was phenomenal,” Labbato said. “And Dom is solid. I don't think he's come out if the game all year.
“And Ryan Herchenroether is just all heart. He plays right back and left back depending where we need him and just works really hard.”
The Lions’ three-goal win wasn’t the only surprise in the tough West Suburban Silver on Thursday. Glenbard West beat Oak Park and River Forest to keep the door to a conference title barely ajar.
It’s unlikely Hinsdale Central (4-1-x) will fall to last place Proviso West on Oct. 12. So wins by the Lions (at Glenbard West) and Dukes (Downers Grove North) that day would give them a tie for second with Oak Park and River Forest.
Regardless of what Tuesday holds, the Lions made quite a statement vs. York as the postseason nears.
“We're going to have a lot of momentum,” Stockbridge said. “We scored three goals, which I don't think we've done against a big competitor like York before. Scoring goals has been one problem we've had all year, so I think this puts us in good shape for the playoffs.”
Added Panopoulos: “It's good that we can beat some high-caliber teams. It's a good win.”
Starting lineups
York
GK Ricardo Torres
D Ryder Kohl
D Yael Silvestre
D Brendan Haran
D Connor Bare
M Joe Hernandez
M Gustavo Herrera
M Frank Rofano
M Kacper Janowski
F Jose Herrera
F Kevin Gliatis
Lyons
GK Luke Stockbridge
D Ryan Herchenroether
D Jackson Sullivan
D Dom Panopoulos
D Fisher Daniels
M Aidan Hilling
M Will Swicionis
M Patrick Kracker
M Allen Follenweider
F Finn Mahaney
F Liam Carolan
Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match: Luke Stockbridge, sr. GK, Lyons
Scoring summary
First half
L- Ben Swicionis (unassisted), 19’
L- Colin Sullivan (Jackson Sullivan assist), 30’
Second half
L- Zach Steck (Finn Mahaney), 51’