CLS, Huntley primed for
conference championship showdown
By Matt Misiek
When someone is in need of hardware, their options include the bigger stores that advertise on TV or a smaller store that serves them well.
However if they are in need of Fox Valley Conference hardware, Crystal Lake South’s soccer home is a great place to stop.
Tuesday’s matchup between the host Gators and Huntley will mark the third-straight fall season where the league title will be decided at the complex affectionately known to Gator nation as “The Swamp.”
In 2018, Crystal Lake South, prior to starting its run to its groundbreaking Class AA state title, defeated Hampshire in the regular-season finale to capture the Fox Valley title.
The Gators had an opportunity to repeat in 2019 against Jacobs. The hotly-contested match, scoreless through 80 minutes, went to overtime. Crystal Lake South came up short.
Now it’s on to Round 3
Both teams hope to purchase the league trophy at The Swamp.
“It's always nice to be able to play for a trophy on your home pitch on the final day of the regular-season,” said Crystal Lake South coach Brian Allen. “We have been fortunate enough to do that recently. We've been on both ends of the spectrum, the elated side in 2018 and the heartbreaking side in 2019.”
“This win would be our first conference championship in a long while, probably since the season that was shared four or five ways, and my first as a head coach,” Huntley coach Matt Lewandowski explained. “It would be something tangible to back how competitive our squad has been over the past three years.”
Crystal Lake South (15-2-2, 8-0-0 Fox Valley Conference) is ranked 21st in the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25. The Gators are riding an eight-game unbeaten streak (7-0-1) stretching back to Sept. 21. This current streak equals the run that the 2019 Class AA state runnerup accomplished. The 2018 Gators notched a very noteworthy 15-game unbeaten streak.
Allen feels that the game will hinge on the little things.
“I truly believe this game will come down to who accounts for and executes the details of their game plan the best,” he added. “For us, we have so many details that we can still be more consistent.”
“Staying focused for a full 80 minutes in terms of trying to play our brand of soccer and executing on those finite details when the opportunities arise for us to capitalize, those will be keys and good indicators of more growth this late in the season.”
Chicagoland Soccer All-State player and senior Tom Coughlin (13 goals, 10 assists this season) continues to bring the consistency on both sides of the pitch that he has shown over his four-year varsity career at Crystal Lake South.
Fellow senior and Chicagoland Soccer Watch List player Michal Dejworek (nine goals, 11 assists) is the accelerant in the Gators’ high-octane offensive engine. Dejworek’s fifth-minute goal against Prairie Ridge on Oct, 7 ignited a five-goal first half, capped by Coughlin’s penalty kick conversion.
Senior defender Tomasz Slawek (seven goals, five assists) sandwiched two goals of his own in between the efforts of Coughlin and Dejworek. Slawek has picked up the offensive slack ever since fellow senior Sam Bahnfleth has been out injured.
The forward’s hot start (seven goals, four assists) still ranks him among the team leaders despite the fact he has not played since the Rolling Meadows game Sept. 7.
Huntley, an honorable mention team in the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25, comes in with an overall record of 14-2-2. However, the Red Raiders were only able to muster a 2-2 draw with Dundee-Crown last Thursday, which set their Fox Valley Conference record to 7-0-1.
A draw was also the outcome for Huntley this past Saturday on the road against Geneva. Neither team was able to get a breakthrough in the 0-0 result.
The offense for Huntley runs mainly through senior forward Hayes Porsche, who has a luxurious finishing touch. He has 17 goals to go along with five assists. Junior midfielder Zach Heitkamper is a big part of the attack setup, pacing the Red Raiders with seven assists. Senior attacking midfielder Thomas Rodriguez has played a vital role with four goals (tied for second on the squad) and a pair of helpers.
Senior goalkeeper Ethan Kornas has been supremely steady, allowing only seven goals and boasting an impressive.585 goals-against average in 16 games. Fellow senior keeper Aidan Huber has allowed 3 goals in 11 games for a.762 GAA.
“With the quick turnaround from the COVID-adjusted spring season, we knew that we would be a capable team and to be successful we would need to finish the chances we create,” Lewandowski said. “Our team mantra this season has been ‘Team success equals individual success.’
“I think Hayes (Porsche) has certainly filled that bill for us,” Lewandowski continued. “The rest of the group has contributed as well. We have 13 players that have added goals to the stat sheet and 16 with point production. It's certainly a huge advantage to have two very competent goalkeepers behind you as well.”
Crystal Lake South knows what it’s up against.
“Huntley is always a well-organized team that likes to move the ball and play in rhythm.” Allen noted.
The match closes out the regular-season for Crystal Lake South. Huntley plays one last pre-playoff game against nonconference foe Rockford East on Thursday.
Crystal Lake South is the top seed and a regional host in the Class AA Vernon Hills Sectional. The Gators open their state championship quest Oct. 19 against the winner of Saturday’s quarterfinal between Antioch (16th seed) and Crystal Lake Central (17).
“I honestly haven't thought much about the postseason at all yet, because there is still work to be done in the regular season.” Allen said. “The exciting thing is that this game vs. Huntley should provide us with an excellent, playoff-like match in preparation for what I believe is the deepest and toughest sectional in AA.”
Huntley sits as the no. 2 seed behind Guilford in the Class 3A sectional it hosts. On Oct. 19, they meet 15th-seeded McHenry in the DeKalb Regional.
“Being the no. 2 seed is a good feeling for sure,” Lewandowski said. “At the same time, that doesn't allow us to downplay our path at all. We have McHenry first, who historically has been a very tough playoff team.”
conference championship showdown
By Matt Misiek
When someone is in need of hardware, their options include the bigger stores that advertise on TV or a smaller store that serves them well.
However if they are in need of Fox Valley Conference hardware, Crystal Lake South’s soccer home is a great place to stop.
Tuesday’s matchup between the host Gators and Huntley will mark the third-straight fall season where the league title will be decided at the complex affectionately known to Gator nation as “The Swamp.”
In 2018, Crystal Lake South, prior to starting its run to its groundbreaking Class AA state title, defeated Hampshire in the regular-season finale to capture the Fox Valley title.
The Gators had an opportunity to repeat in 2019 against Jacobs. The hotly-contested match, scoreless through 80 minutes, went to overtime. Crystal Lake South came up short.
Now it’s on to Round 3
Both teams hope to purchase the league trophy at The Swamp.
“It's always nice to be able to play for a trophy on your home pitch on the final day of the regular-season,” said Crystal Lake South coach Brian Allen. “We have been fortunate enough to do that recently. We've been on both ends of the spectrum, the elated side in 2018 and the heartbreaking side in 2019.”
“This win would be our first conference championship in a long while, probably since the season that was shared four or five ways, and my first as a head coach,” Huntley coach Matt Lewandowski explained. “It would be something tangible to back how competitive our squad has been over the past three years.”
Crystal Lake South (15-2-2, 8-0-0 Fox Valley Conference) is ranked 21st in the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25. The Gators are riding an eight-game unbeaten streak (7-0-1) stretching back to Sept. 21. This current streak equals the run that the 2019 Class AA state runnerup accomplished. The 2018 Gators notched a very noteworthy 15-game unbeaten streak.
Allen feels that the game will hinge on the little things.
“I truly believe this game will come down to who accounts for and executes the details of their game plan the best,” he added. “For us, we have so many details that we can still be more consistent.”
“Staying focused for a full 80 minutes in terms of trying to play our brand of soccer and executing on those finite details when the opportunities arise for us to capitalize, those will be keys and good indicators of more growth this late in the season.”
Chicagoland Soccer All-State player and senior Tom Coughlin (13 goals, 10 assists this season) continues to bring the consistency on both sides of the pitch that he has shown over his four-year varsity career at Crystal Lake South.
Fellow senior and Chicagoland Soccer Watch List player Michal Dejworek (nine goals, 11 assists) is the accelerant in the Gators’ high-octane offensive engine. Dejworek’s fifth-minute goal against Prairie Ridge on Oct, 7 ignited a five-goal first half, capped by Coughlin’s penalty kick conversion.
Senior defender Tomasz Slawek (seven goals, five assists) sandwiched two goals of his own in between the efforts of Coughlin and Dejworek. Slawek has picked up the offensive slack ever since fellow senior Sam Bahnfleth has been out injured.
The forward’s hot start (seven goals, four assists) still ranks him among the team leaders despite the fact he has not played since the Rolling Meadows game Sept. 7.
Huntley, an honorable mention team in the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25, comes in with an overall record of 14-2-2. However, the Red Raiders were only able to muster a 2-2 draw with Dundee-Crown last Thursday, which set their Fox Valley Conference record to 7-0-1.
A draw was also the outcome for Huntley this past Saturday on the road against Geneva. Neither team was able to get a breakthrough in the 0-0 result.
The offense for Huntley runs mainly through senior forward Hayes Porsche, who has a luxurious finishing touch. He has 17 goals to go along with five assists. Junior midfielder Zach Heitkamper is a big part of the attack setup, pacing the Red Raiders with seven assists. Senior attacking midfielder Thomas Rodriguez has played a vital role with four goals (tied for second on the squad) and a pair of helpers.
Senior goalkeeper Ethan Kornas has been supremely steady, allowing only seven goals and boasting an impressive.585 goals-against average in 16 games. Fellow senior keeper Aidan Huber has allowed 3 goals in 11 games for a.762 GAA.
“With the quick turnaround from the COVID-adjusted spring season, we knew that we would be a capable team and to be successful we would need to finish the chances we create,” Lewandowski said. “Our team mantra this season has been ‘Team success equals individual success.’
“I think Hayes (Porsche) has certainly filled that bill for us,” Lewandowski continued. “The rest of the group has contributed as well. We have 13 players that have added goals to the stat sheet and 16 with point production. It's certainly a huge advantage to have two very competent goalkeepers behind you as well.”
Crystal Lake South knows what it’s up against.
“Huntley is always a well-organized team that likes to move the ball and play in rhythm.” Allen noted.
The match closes out the regular-season for Crystal Lake South. Huntley plays one last pre-playoff game against nonconference foe Rockford East on Thursday.
Crystal Lake South is the top seed and a regional host in the Class AA Vernon Hills Sectional. The Gators open their state championship quest Oct. 19 against the winner of Saturday’s quarterfinal between Antioch (16th seed) and Crystal Lake Central (17).
“I honestly haven't thought much about the postseason at all yet, because there is still work to be done in the regular season.” Allen said. “The exciting thing is that this game vs. Huntley should provide us with an excellent, playoff-like match in preparation for what I believe is the deepest and toughest sectional in AA.”
Huntley sits as the no. 2 seed behind Guilford in the Class 3A sectional it hosts. On Oct. 19, they meet 15th-seeded McHenry in the DeKalb Regional.
“Being the no. 2 seed is a good feeling for sure,” Lewandowski said. “At the same time, that doesn't allow us to downplay our path at all. We have McHenry first, who historically has been a very tough playoff team.”