Downers Grove North gets
1st crack at new no. 1 Lyons
By Chris R. Walker
Lyons travels to Downers Grove North on Tuesday night for the West Suburban Conference Silver Division opener for both teams with a lot of confidence after winning the Northside College Showcase last weekend for the first time.
The unbeaten Lions (4-0-2) also have some bragging rights to defend after they were awarded the top ranking in the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25 after earning a 2-1 victory over then no. 4 and current no. 6 New Trier during Saturday’s title game.
“We know Downers Grove North is a very good team,” Lyons coach Paul Labbato said. “We’re not in (our) routine with the day off (Labor Day) and coming off that win. I’m hopeful that we can get right back to that mentality where we were on Saturday. We need that kind of frame of mind against a team that’s very capable like Downers Grove North.”
The host Trojans (2-3-0) dropped their final two games in the St. Charles Invitational last week, losing 4-2 to eventual champion West Chicago on Wednesday and faling 3-1 to tourney co-host St. Charles North on Saturday. Downers Grove North plays for the first time at home this season and is looking for an overdue victory against one of the conference kingpins.
“The results weren’t there, but we played well in those games,” Downers Grove North coach Mike Schmitt said. “On Saturday we left five or six goals out there, missing some breakaways, and it was one of those games where we controlled things for a good amount of the game but couldn’t find the back of the net. And against West Chicago we started out slow but fought back and got it to 2-2 before a PK went against us. I think we played well and showed we can play with anyone, but we have to find a way to play a full 80 minutes.”
Teams are having an awfully difficult time breaking down Lyons and its formidable backline of Collin Sullivan, Liam Carolan, Daniel Svelnis, Will Swicionis and Igor Chrobotowicz. The group features some last names that are easier to pronounce correctly than the team is to score upon. Goalkeeper Connor Schmitt is providing a stellar final line of defense for a team that’s allowed just two goals in its past five games and four overall.
“Traditionally we’ve had strong defense and goalkeeping, and this year is no exception,” Labbato said. “We’re very strong in the air so we’re able to negate a lot of the set pieces and limit teams.”
They’re also a mature group that’s spent not only a lot of time around the game, but countless hours around the Lyons program both currently and while growing up.
“We have a lot of younger brothers of older brothers who kind of grew up around it and have been able to pick up that kind of mentality made previously,” Labbato said. “Collin Sullivan is one of our center backs and he’s the brother of Jackson (Sullivan, a first team Chicagoland Soccer all-stater last season), who is at Bucknell. Will and Ben Swicionis are the younger brothers of Jack (Swicionis) who is playing at St. Norbert, and the list goes on and on. A lot of the kids are a part of the program for more than just this one year.”
Sullivan, along with Patrick Cracker and Brian Salvino were named to the Northside College Showcase all-tournament team.
Downers Grove North’s Jack Ryan was recognized on the all-tournament team at St. Charles. Ryan scored his first career hat-trick in a win against Leyden, scored a goal against West Chicago and had an assist on Holden Peckenpaugh’s goal against the North Stars.
“We’re playing with a good amount of confidence, and the kids are putting themselves in good positions,” Schmitt said. “It’s about scoring goals. (Lyons) is always tough. These are all big games, and we’re looking to show up and find a level of consistency where it’s not just a few minutes here or there, but playing consistently the way we can.”
Schmitt believes his team’s path this season is the most treacherous he’s seen in his nine years running the program. And now the no. 1-ranked team is coming to town.
“This is probably the toughest schedule we’ve had since I’ve taken over,” he said. “We’ve faced some teams in the Top 25, and this is a huge opportunity to make a statement and put our name on the map of who we are as a program. We know we can compete with them. It’s a massive opportunity.”
A victory in the series is long overdue for the Trojans. They’ll try to end a seve-game losing streak to Lyons. The Trojans are 1-15-0 against their conference foe since 2010.
1st crack at new no. 1 Lyons
By Chris R. Walker
Lyons travels to Downers Grove North on Tuesday night for the West Suburban Conference Silver Division opener for both teams with a lot of confidence after winning the Northside College Showcase last weekend for the first time.
The unbeaten Lions (4-0-2) also have some bragging rights to defend after they were awarded the top ranking in the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25 after earning a 2-1 victory over then no. 4 and current no. 6 New Trier during Saturday’s title game.
“We know Downers Grove North is a very good team,” Lyons coach Paul Labbato said. “We’re not in (our) routine with the day off (Labor Day) and coming off that win. I’m hopeful that we can get right back to that mentality where we were on Saturday. We need that kind of frame of mind against a team that’s very capable like Downers Grove North.”
The host Trojans (2-3-0) dropped their final two games in the St. Charles Invitational last week, losing 4-2 to eventual champion West Chicago on Wednesday and faling 3-1 to tourney co-host St. Charles North on Saturday. Downers Grove North plays for the first time at home this season and is looking for an overdue victory against one of the conference kingpins.
“The results weren’t there, but we played well in those games,” Downers Grove North coach Mike Schmitt said. “On Saturday we left five or six goals out there, missing some breakaways, and it was one of those games where we controlled things for a good amount of the game but couldn’t find the back of the net. And against West Chicago we started out slow but fought back and got it to 2-2 before a PK went against us. I think we played well and showed we can play with anyone, but we have to find a way to play a full 80 minutes.”
Teams are having an awfully difficult time breaking down Lyons and its formidable backline of Collin Sullivan, Liam Carolan, Daniel Svelnis, Will Swicionis and Igor Chrobotowicz. The group features some last names that are easier to pronounce correctly than the team is to score upon. Goalkeeper Connor Schmitt is providing a stellar final line of defense for a team that’s allowed just two goals in its past five games and four overall.
“Traditionally we’ve had strong defense and goalkeeping, and this year is no exception,” Labbato said. “We’re very strong in the air so we’re able to negate a lot of the set pieces and limit teams.”
They’re also a mature group that’s spent not only a lot of time around the game, but countless hours around the Lyons program both currently and while growing up.
“We have a lot of younger brothers of older brothers who kind of grew up around it and have been able to pick up that kind of mentality made previously,” Labbato said. “Collin Sullivan is one of our center backs and he’s the brother of Jackson (Sullivan, a first team Chicagoland Soccer all-stater last season), who is at Bucknell. Will and Ben Swicionis are the younger brothers of Jack (Swicionis) who is playing at St. Norbert, and the list goes on and on. A lot of the kids are a part of the program for more than just this one year.”
Sullivan, along with Patrick Cracker and Brian Salvino were named to the Northside College Showcase all-tournament team.
Downers Grove North’s Jack Ryan was recognized on the all-tournament team at St. Charles. Ryan scored his first career hat-trick in a win against Leyden, scored a goal against West Chicago and had an assist on Holden Peckenpaugh’s goal against the North Stars.
“We’re playing with a good amount of confidence, and the kids are putting themselves in good positions,” Schmitt said. “It’s about scoring goals. (Lyons) is always tough. These are all big games, and we’re looking to show up and find a level of consistency where it’s not just a few minutes here or there, but playing consistently the way we can.”
Schmitt believes his team’s path this season is the most treacherous he’s seen in his nine years running the program. And now the no. 1-ranked team is coming to town.
“This is probably the toughest schedule we’ve had since I’ve taken over,” he said. “We’ve faced some teams in the Top 25, and this is a huge opportunity to make a statement and put our name on the map of who we are as a program. We know we can compete with them. It’s a massive opportunity.”
A victory in the series is long overdue for the Trojans. They’ll try to end a seve-game losing streak to Lyons. The Trojans are 1-15-0 against their conference foe since 2010.