South on upswing, North looks to regain form in Downers Grove crosstown game
By Matt Le Cren
Sometimes all it takes to turn things around is an impromptu team meeting and a tweak in strategy.
Downers Grove South was struggling offensively last week, failing to score in two-consecutive games. The players decided something had to be done.
“We just came together and kind of talked about what we wanted to do with the rest of the season and what our goals were and individually what we need to work on,” Downers South senior midfielder Luis Marquez said. “During practice we worked a lot harder than we had before. You could notice that the intensity was up.”
That intensity was still there during Saturday’s 6-1 victory over Fenton, in which the Mustangs (7-4-2, 2-1-0) scored more goals than they had in the previous five matches combined.
Marquez, who began the year as a starter but now comes off the bench, had a breakthrough game, tallying the first two goals of his varsity career.
The Mustangs, who topped visiting Leyden 1-0 in overtime in a West Suburban Conference Gold Division game Tuesday night, hope that the scoring uptick is a sign of things to come, especially with the annual clash with crosstown rival Downers Grove North coming up on Thursday.
Unlike in recent years, the host Mustangs will be the underdogs against the Trojans, one of the area’s surprise teams. But that’s okay with the Downers Grove South players.
“I love being the underdog,” Downers Grove South senior midfielder Peter Becht said. “If we win it’s a bigger upset and looks better, so we’re looking forward to the game.
“We’re going to have a lot of intensity going into that game, more than any other game. I think it’s going to be a really good game, and I think we’re going to get the win this time.”
Becht, who had an assist against Fenton (8-4-0) and has scored six goals, is basing that off the Mustangss' recent play, especially defensively. Regardless of how the offense is performing, the Downers Grove South has been able to rely on its defense. The starting unit gave up just one goal in the run of play in the last three games, which include a scoreless tie with Stagg and a 2-0 loss to perennial WSC Gold power Morton.
If the offense can start to produce more consistently, Downers Grove South may be poised to go on a winning streak. Anthony Masello, Andrew Pierropoulos and Nick Rohl all found the back of the net against Fenton.
“I think we were playing well but there was a consensus among the group that we could be playing better, so we came together and it was a good opportunity for us,” Mustangs coach Jon Stapleton said. “It wasn’t anything that was planned; it just kind of happened.
“The kids were very insightful in terms of their perceptions of what things were happening on the field. We took some of their advice and some things the coaches said, and we had real good practices this week.”
Stapleton had been utilizing several different formations depending on the opponent and game situation, but against Fenton he used a 4-1-3-2 alignment, featuring three attacking midfielders and one holding midfielder in an effort to put more pressure on the Bison.
“We have a little different attack method,” Marquez said. “We set on a certain formation that we want to stick with, talked about what we’re trying to do and our movement off the ball.”
“We’ve played that this year,” Stapleton noted. “It’s something that we were comfortable playing out of and obviously very pleased with the results.”
Stapleton was also pleased to see Marquez break out against Fenton. Rohl and Pierropoulos have been the most dangerous threats for the Mustangs, but they can always use another.
“He’s been working hard, and this will help boost his confidence,” Stapleton said. “He’s an important part of this team, whether he’s coming off the bench or a starter.
“I think he knows that and is hungry to earn more time. He made a good case for it today.”
One could make a good case for either team to win Thursday’s match.
Of course, it could also end in a tie, as it did last year when Downers Grove North rallied from a 2-0 deficit to earn a 2-2 draw.
“I think it’s one of those matches historically where it doesn’t matter what people’s records are,” Stapleton said. "I think you can flip the records, and it will still be a pretty even and hard-fought match.”
Downers Grove North (10-6-0, 0-3-0) stunned everyone by surpassing last year’s win total in the first three weeks of the season. Boosted by the addition of several club players, the Trojans won their first nine games before struggling against stiffer competition over the past two weeks.
The Trojans have lost five-straight games, though two were in penalty kicks, including a 2-1 decision to reigning state champion Hinsdale Central, and another in overtime. Saturday’s 2-0 loss to Bartlett, which just knocked off DuPage Valley Conference front-runner Glenbard North, was the only one of the losses decided by more than one goal.
“We have kind of a new team this year,” Downers Grove North coach Mike Schmitt said. “We have a lot of new players that didn’t play high school last year along. They bring a lot in terms of a quality aspect, and it really shows in our results and in our play.”
Senior Daniel Schuller and juniors Alex Pacheco, Ronaldo Perez, Ethan Akkawi and Jokubas Baranauskas are the imports from the club ranks who have bolstered play on all three lines.
Returning senior midfielder Liam Budnik has been a stalwart two-way player, while Perez, Akkawi, sophomore Jack Richards and senior Carter Tome have sparked a diversified offense.
So the Trojans may have a slight edge in talent on paper, but not enough to make them overwhelming favorites.
“They might be a little technically better,” Marquez said. “But I think if we can outwork them. I think we can do it.”
The X factor, of course, is the mental aspect.
“It’s tough to gauge the North-South crosstown game,” said Schmitt, who like Stapleton played in several such matches for his alma mater. “There’s so much emotion and pride that goes into it, playing with and against your friends.
“It’s important to set that aside and concentrate on what we’re trying to do and that is play a really good game of soccer.”
The better team on paper has lost this game several times in recent years, so Schmitt knows better than to predict victory.
“Both side are quality,” Schmitt said. “They’re a strong team, and they’re well-coached.”
By Matt Le Cren
Sometimes all it takes to turn things around is an impromptu team meeting and a tweak in strategy.
Downers Grove South was struggling offensively last week, failing to score in two-consecutive games. The players decided something had to be done.
“We just came together and kind of talked about what we wanted to do with the rest of the season and what our goals were and individually what we need to work on,” Downers South senior midfielder Luis Marquez said. “During practice we worked a lot harder than we had before. You could notice that the intensity was up.”
That intensity was still there during Saturday’s 6-1 victory over Fenton, in which the Mustangs (7-4-2, 2-1-0) scored more goals than they had in the previous five matches combined.
Marquez, who began the year as a starter but now comes off the bench, had a breakthrough game, tallying the first two goals of his varsity career.
The Mustangs, who topped visiting Leyden 1-0 in overtime in a West Suburban Conference Gold Division game Tuesday night, hope that the scoring uptick is a sign of things to come, especially with the annual clash with crosstown rival Downers Grove North coming up on Thursday.
Unlike in recent years, the host Mustangs will be the underdogs against the Trojans, one of the area’s surprise teams. But that’s okay with the Downers Grove South players.
“I love being the underdog,” Downers Grove South senior midfielder Peter Becht said. “If we win it’s a bigger upset and looks better, so we’re looking forward to the game.
“We’re going to have a lot of intensity going into that game, more than any other game. I think it’s going to be a really good game, and I think we’re going to get the win this time.”
Becht, who had an assist against Fenton (8-4-0) and has scored six goals, is basing that off the Mustangss' recent play, especially defensively. Regardless of how the offense is performing, the Downers Grove South has been able to rely on its defense. The starting unit gave up just one goal in the run of play in the last three games, which include a scoreless tie with Stagg and a 2-0 loss to perennial WSC Gold power Morton.
If the offense can start to produce more consistently, Downers Grove South may be poised to go on a winning streak. Anthony Masello, Andrew Pierropoulos and Nick Rohl all found the back of the net against Fenton.
“I think we were playing well but there was a consensus among the group that we could be playing better, so we came together and it was a good opportunity for us,” Mustangs coach Jon Stapleton said. “It wasn’t anything that was planned; it just kind of happened.
“The kids were very insightful in terms of their perceptions of what things were happening on the field. We took some of their advice and some things the coaches said, and we had real good practices this week.”
Stapleton had been utilizing several different formations depending on the opponent and game situation, but against Fenton he used a 4-1-3-2 alignment, featuring three attacking midfielders and one holding midfielder in an effort to put more pressure on the Bison.
“We have a little different attack method,” Marquez said. “We set on a certain formation that we want to stick with, talked about what we’re trying to do and our movement off the ball.”
“We’ve played that this year,” Stapleton noted. “It’s something that we were comfortable playing out of and obviously very pleased with the results.”
Stapleton was also pleased to see Marquez break out against Fenton. Rohl and Pierropoulos have been the most dangerous threats for the Mustangs, but they can always use another.
“He’s been working hard, and this will help boost his confidence,” Stapleton said. “He’s an important part of this team, whether he’s coming off the bench or a starter.
“I think he knows that and is hungry to earn more time. He made a good case for it today.”
One could make a good case for either team to win Thursday’s match.
Of course, it could also end in a tie, as it did last year when Downers Grove North rallied from a 2-0 deficit to earn a 2-2 draw.
“I think it’s one of those matches historically where it doesn’t matter what people’s records are,” Stapleton said. "I think you can flip the records, and it will still be a pretty even and hard-fought match.”
Downers Grove North (10-6-0, 0-3-0) stunned everyone by surpassing last year’s win total in the first three weeks of the season. Boosted by the addition of several club players, the Trojans won their first nine games before struggling against stiffer competition over the past two weeks.
The Trojans have lost five-straight games, though two were in penalty kicks, including a 2-1 decision to reigning state champion Hinsdale Central, and another in overtime. Saturday’s 2-0 loss to Bartlett, which just knocked off DuPage Valley Conference front-runner Glenbard North, was the only one of the losses decided by more than one goal.
“We have kind of a new team this year,” Downers Grove North coach Mike Schmitt said. “We have a lot of new players that didn’t play high school last year along. They bring a lot in terms of a quality aspect, and it really shows in our results and in our play.”
Senior Daniel Schuller and juniors Alex Pacheco, Ronaldo Perez, Ethan Akkawi and Jokubas Baranauskas are the imports from the club ranks who have bolstered play on all three lines.
Returning senior midfielder Liam Budnik has been a stalwart two-way player, while Perez, Akkawi, sophomore Jack Richards and senior Carter Tome have sparked a diversified offense.
So the Trojans may have a slight edge in talent on paper, but not enough to make them overwhelming favorites.
“They might be a little technically better,” Marquez said. “But I think if we can outwork them. I think we can do it.”
The X factor, of course, is the mental aspect.
“It’s tough to gauge the North-South crosstown game,” said Schmitt, who like Stapleton played in several such matches for his alma mater. “There’s so much emotion and pride that goes into it, playing with and against your friends.
“It’s important to set that aside and concentrate on what we’re trying to do and that is play a really good game of soccer.”
The better team on paper has lost this game several times in recent years, so Schmitt knows better than to predict victory.
“Both side are quality,” Schmitt said. “They’re a strong team, and they’re well-coached.”