Lockport in "must-win mode"
for Sandburg match
By Steve Millar
After going a perfect 6-0 in SouthWest Suburban Conference Blue Division play each of the last two seasons, Lockport know finds itself behind the eight ball in its quest for a third-straight conference crown.
The Porters dropped their conference opener Tuesday, falling 4-2 in a shootout to Stagg after a 1-1 tie.
So when Lockport hosts rival Sandburg at 4:30 p.m. Thursday, it’ll essentially be a must-win game.
“We hadn’t lost a conference game since October of 2012, so it’s tough to lose the first one this year,” Lockport coach Chris Beal said. “It puts us in a tough spot, and we need to bounce back right away because we play a really good Sandburg team.”
One thing working in the Porters’ favor is the increase in depth in the Blue this season.
Homewood-Flossmoor, Joliet Central and Joliet West have made dramatic improvements, assuring there will be no easy wins for the conference favorites – Stagg and Bolingbrook, in addition to the Porters and Eagles.
“It’s a very wide open conference,” Beal said. “Anyone can beat anyone, so I don’t think anyone is going to go undefeated. So we still have a shot at the title, we’re just pretty much in must-win mode now where we’ve got to win out.”
The longtime rivalry between the Porters (6-5-3, 0-1-0) and Eagles (8-4-1, 1-0-0) wasn’t very competitive for decades – with Sandburg dominating the series – but that has changed dramatically in the last five years as Lockport initially became competitive, then took the Eagles’ spot at the top of the conference the last two seasons.
“Sandburg has always been looked at as our big, local rivals,” Beal said. “Historically, they beat us, but the last couple years we’ve won. We know they’re going to be fired up to play us, and we know it’s going to be a challenge.”
Sandburg got a hat trick from senior forward Ryan Kozlowski to win their conference opener 3-2 over Joliet Central.
Kozlowski, Miguel Villanueva and Marty Manzke are all dangerous offensive weapons for the Eagles while Seamus Flanagan and Zach Lenz anchor a tough defense.
“They’re a team with a lot of individual talent,” Beal said. “They have good skill. They’re organized. They’re good on set pieces.”
Beal hopes to have senior midfielder and captain Jack Dilger back for the vital game. Dilger has missed the Porters’ last two contests after suffering an ankle injury in a win over Lincoln-Way East.
Tommy Calderaro has emerged as the Porters’ top scoring threat in recent weeks while freshmen Nick Kowalczyk and Eric Keta – the latter recently called up from the JV team – are also dangerous.
Beal, though, still wants to see more from his team’s attack.
“We’ve got to be better with possession of the ball and when we get chances, we have to put them away,” he said. “We’ve got to be able to put the ball in the back of the net.”
for Sandburg match
By Steve Millar
After going a perfect 6-0 in SouthWest Suburban Conference Blue Division play each of the last two seasons, Lockport know finds itself behind the eight ball in its quest for a third-straight conference crown.
The Porters dropped their conference opener Tuesday, falling 4-2 in a shootout to Stagg after a 1-1 tie.
So when Lockport hosts rival Sandburg at 4:30 p.m. Thursday, it’ll essentially be a must-win game.
“We hadn’t lost a conference game since October of 2012, so it’s tough to lose the first one this year,” Lockport coach Chris Beal said. “It puts us in a tough spot, and we need to bounce back right away because we play a really good Sandburg team.”
One thing working in the Porters’ favor is the increase in depth in the Blue this season.
Homewood-Flossmoor, Joliet Central and Joliet West have made dramatic improvements, assuring there will be no easy wins for the conference favorites – Stagg and Bolingbrook, in addition to the Porters and Eagles.
“It’s a very wide open conference,” Beal said. “Anyone can beat anyone, so I don’t think anyone is going to go undefeated. So we still have a shot at the title, we’re just pretty much in must-win mode now where we’ve got to win out.”
The longtime rivalry between the Porters (6-5-3, 0-1-0) and Eagles (8-4-1, 1-0-0) wasn’t very competitive for decades – with Sandburg dominating the series – but that has changed dramatically in the last five years as Lockport initially became competitive, then took the Eagles’ spot at the top of the conference the last two seasons.
“Sandburg has always been looked at as our big, local rivals,” Beal said. “Historically, they beat us, but the last couple years we’ve won. We know they’re going to be fired up to play us, and we know it’s going to be a challenge.”
Sandburg got a hat trick from senior forward Ryan Kozlowski to win their conference opener 3-2 over Joliet Central.
Kozlowski, Miguel Villanueva and Marty Manzke are all dangerous offensive weapons for the Eagles while Seamus Flanagan and Zach Lenz anchor a tough defense.
“They’re a team with a lot of individual talent,” Beal said. “They have good skill. They’re organized. They’re good on set pieces.”
Beal hopes to have senior midfielder and captain Jack Dilger back for the vital game. Dilger has missed the Porters’ last two contests after suffering an ankle injury in a win over Lincoln-Way East.
Tommy Calderaro has emerged as the Porters’ top scoring threat in recent weeks while freshmen Nick Kowalczyk and Eric Keta – the latter recently called up from the JV team – are also dangerous.
Beal, though, still wants to see more from his team’s attack.
“We’ve got to be better with possession of the ball and when we get chances, we have to put them away,” he said. “We’ve got to be able to put the ball in the back of the net.”