Crystal Lake South takes momentum into district showdown with Crystal Lake Central
By Matt Misiek
If you are a follower of the Crystal Lake South Gators boys soccer team on social media, you always see one consistent message, one consistent word.
Growth.
After a victory, the message can be about good growth of in some cases, huge growth. After a defeat, the message is always that “more growth to find” at upcoming practices.
With a great start to the Fall 2021 season so far, the Gators (12-2-1, 5-0-0) have risen as high as some of the corn in the fields a few miles from campus.
An example of huge growth came last Saturday when Crystal Lake South headed north to Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin. Whitefish Bay’s soccer team was then ranked no. 19 in the nation according to the latest United Soccer Coaches High School Rankings with an 8-0-0 record.
The Gators kept the growth mentality during the contest and notched a 2-1 victory and a lot of positivity traveled back into Illinois.
“The Whitefish Bay trip was a great experience for the program and just a wonderful opportunity for us to get a measuring stick game as to what our potential this year as a team can still be.” said Crystal Lake South head coach Brian Allen.
“It's also always nice to have an opportunity for the players to showcase themselves and their ability against a national-level opponent and hopefully earn some respect as a program for all the successes they have had the last few years and are continuing to have this season once again. It also allowed quite a bit of quality time together for bonding which is always a plus as you get into the later stages of the season.”
On display was senior Tom Coughlin, a Chicagoland Soccer all-stater after the spring season. The midfielder delivered the deciding unassisted goal early in the second half against Whitefish Bay.
All-State Watch List player and senior forward Michel Dejworek made a key play to open the scoring against the Blue Dukes. He provided service off of a corner to fellow senior defender Tomasz Slawek, who headed in a score in the 15th minute.
Another key point of importance for Allen and his team is the appreciation of how their opponents play.
“Seeing differing styles of play and competing against the quality of players that Whitefish Bay has in their lineup up and down the roster will help us in our final stretch of conference games and as we move to the postseason,” Allen said.
Heading into tonight’s intra-district clash showcased under the lights at Crystal Lake Central’s football stadium, the Gators will arrive with an unblemished Fox Valley Conference record. The latest victories were a gritty 2-1 victory over Dundee Crown on Sept. 23 and a 2-0 triumph at Burlington Central on Tuesday.
“Every conference game is big at this point, so walking away with max points was huge in those games,” Allen added. “Dundee-Crown in particular was not one of our best showings in the first half, but we were able to keep a very skillful team at bay long enough to then get our attack going a bit in the 2nd half and find a way to get the two goals needed for that FVC win.”
Coughlin (11 goals, seven assists) and Dejworek (five goals, 11 assists) pace the Gator attack, which has been without senior and Watch List player Sam Bahnfleth (seven goals/four assists) since his injury in the Rolling Meadows game on Sept. 6.
“It took us a little bit to find a new rotation,” Allen continued. “We had to adjust to a few other early-season dings to other players, but we have settled in nicely and are optimistic we could get him back for playoffs.”
“Obviously, there is still plenty of room for growth. We are still nowhere near a finished product yet either, but that is also very exciting as a coach, because I know there is still so much more potential in this group for the level and consistency in how they are capable of playing.”
Crystal Lake Central (1-5-1, 1-4-0) has had its best run of form this past week. Despite dropping a 5-1 decision to Dundee-Crown on Tuesday, the Tigers defeated Hampshire 3-0 Sept. 23. Senior Evin Perez was among the goal scorers and senior forward Elijah Burleson had two assists. The Tigers followed that up with a 2-2 draw against Woodstock North last Saturday in a nonconference matchup.
Burleson and Vicente Romero provided the offense for the Tigers with a goal apiece.
As always with this matchup, records do not matter. There are always intangibles that come into play and Allen is well aware of these pitfalls.
“It's always going to be competitive due to the crosstown element and so many players knowing each other, “he said. “This year is no exception and adding in the element of it being moved to under the lights on their football stadium field will bring another dynamic as well.”
“This year, they have played so few games and have such a small sample size, there is a bit more unknowns than in previous years. We know we have to be ready to be at our best, because it will definitely be another passionate affair.”
By Matt Misiek
If you are a follower of the Crystal Lake South Gators boys soccer team on social media, you always see one consistent message, one consistent word.
Growth.
After a victory, the message can be about good growth of in some cases, huge growth. After a defeat, the message is always that “more growth to find” at upcoming practices.
With a great start to the Fall 2021 season so far, the Gators (12-2-1, 5-0-0) have risen as high as some of the corn in the fields a few miles from campus.
An example of huge growth came last Saturday when Crystal Lake South headed north to Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin. Whitefish Bay’s soccer team was then ranked no. 19 in the nation according to the latest United Soccer Coaches High School Rankings with an 8-0-0 record.
The Gators kept the growth mentality during the contest and notched a 2-1 victory and a lot of positivity traveled back into Illinois.
“The Whitefish Bay trip was a great experience for the program and just a wonderful opportunity for us to get a measuring stick game as to what our potential this year as a team can still be.” said Crystal Lake South head coach Brian Allen.
“It's also always nice to have an opportunity for the players to showcase themselves and their ability against a national-level opponent and hopefully earn some respect as a program for all the successes they have had the last few years and are continuing to have this season once again. It also allowed quite a bit of quality time together for bonding which is always a plus as you get into the later stages of the season.”
On display was senior Tom Coughlin, a Chicagoland Soccer all-stater after the spring season. The midfielder delivered the deciding unassisted goal early in the second half against Whitefish Bay.
All-State Watch List player and senior forward Michel Dejworek made a key play to open the scoring against the Blue Dukes. He provided service off of a corner to fellow senior defender Tomasz Slawek, who headed in a score in the 15th minute.
Another key point of importance for Allen and his team is the appreciation of how their opponents play.
“Seeing differing styles of play and competing against the quality of players that Whitefish Bay has in their lineup up and down the roster will help us in our final stretch of conference games and as we move to the postseason,” Allen said.
Heading into tonight’s intra-district clash showcased under the lights at Crystal Lake Central’s football stadium, the Gators will arrive with an unblemished Fox Valley Conference record. The latest victories were a gritty 2-1 victory over Dundee Crown on Sept. 23 and a 2-0 triumph at Burlington Central on Tuesday.
“Every conference game is big at this point, so walking away with max points was huge in those games,” Allen added. “Dundee-Crown in particular was not one of our best showings in the first half, but we were able to keep a very skillful team at bay long enough to then get our attack going a bit in the 2nd half and find a way to get the two goals needed for that FVC win.”
Coughlin (11 goals, seven assists) and Dejworek (five goals, 11 assists) pace the Gator attack, which has been without senior and Watch List player Sam Bahnfleth (seven goals/four assists) since his injury in the Rolling Meadows game on Sept. 6.
“It took us a little bit to find a new rotation,” Allen continued. “We had to adjust to a few other early-season dings to other players, but we have settled in nicely and are optimistic we could get him back for playoffs.”
“Obviously, there is still plenty of room for growth. We are still nowhere near a finished product yet either, but that is also very exciting as a coach, because I know there is still so much more potential in this group for the level and consistency in how they are capable of playing.”
Crystal Lake Central (1-5-1, 1-4-0) has had its best run of form this past week. Despite dropping a 5-1 decision to Dundee-Crown on Tuesday, the Tigers defeated Hampshire 3-0 Sept. 23. Senior Evin Perez was among the goal scorers and senior forward Elijah Burleson had two assists. The Tigers followed that up with a 2-2 draw against Woodstock North last Saturday in a nonconference matchup.
Burleson and Vicente Romero provided the offense for the Tigers with a goal apiece.
As always with this matchup, records do not matter. There are always intangibles that come into play and Allen is well aware of these pitfalls.
“It's always going to be competitive due to the crosstown element and so many players knowing each other, “he said. “This year is no exception and adding in the element of it being moved to under the lights on their football stadium field will bring another dynamic as well.”
“This year, they have played so few games and have such a small sample size, there is a bit more unknowns than in previous years. We know we have to be ready to be at our best, because it will definitely be another passionate affair.”