Lyons, Hinsdale C. fire up
for early renewal of rivalry
By Dave Owen
The season has hardly begun, yet Lyons and Hinsdale Central are already racing headlong into what is traditionally the most emotional match of the spring.
The Lions (1-0-1) and the host Red Devils (1-2-1) kick off West Suburban Conference Silver Division play at 6 p.m. Tuesday in spirited fashion, squaring off in the latest renewal of a fierce neighborhood rivalry.
“Arguably the biggest game of the year,” Hinsdale Central coach Tony Madonia said. “(Lyons coach) Bill Lanspeary has a great team this year, but we’re looking to go out there and give them a game.”
The Lions come off a 2-0 win Saturday over Lincoln-Way East, but had just one previous match – a 0-0 tie nine days earlier with Waubonsie Valley.
“Two games in,” Lanspeary said. “We’ve had some moments where things have looked pretty good and other moments that have shown we’ve got work to do.
“But we’re starting to get more comfortable playing with one another. Understanding how to play together and how to play off of each other’s strengths is getting better but is still a work in progress.”
Hinsdale Central enters Tuesday in a similar spot. The Red Devils returned from their own 11-day break on Saturday with a 4-0 loss to Batavia, but played with a largely shuffled lineup in the first half of the game due to spring break absences.
And for two longtime elite programs with a history of facing off in high-pressure postseason showdowns, an April 2 meeting is a rarity.
“It is a little different playing them this early,” Lanspeary said. “I think both teams would tell you that we’re probably not playing our best soccer just yet. On the other hand, having a rivalry game like this early in the season helps the focus in training, and will give us an idea of areas we need to improve on for the rest of the season.”
Regardless of win-loss records or number of games under their belts, the Lions and Red Devils always reach a new level when they square off.
“I’m excited,” Hinsdale Central goalkeeper Taylor Ward said. “Let’s get a win. That’s what we need.”
Said Lanspeary: “For us, I think they keys are going to be possessing the ball and finishing our chances.”
A 1-0 victory over Nazareth in mid-March has been the Red Devils’ lone victory. But down 3-0 at halftime Saturday, Hinsdale Central put together a strong second half performance that should bode well for Tuesday’s rivalry match and beyond.
“I think we’re getting there,” Ward said. “We’ve definitely getting better at connecting passes and stuff offensively.
“In the beginning of the season it was a little bit of a struggle, but now we’re getting shots on goal. It’s great to see that. It’s a matter of finishing, but we’re getting there.”
The Lions won last year’s meeting 4-0 en route to an undefeated run to the WSC Silver title. A strong nucleus returns from that group.
“Eileen Murphy, Meara Hilling, and Grace Truax are three of our seniors that have been with the varsity team for a number of years now,” Lanspeary said. “They’ve really established themselves as leaders and have helped to create a positive, supportive and hard-working atmopshere for our entire team.”
The Lions' 4-0 margin of victory last year was a rarity in the series. The previous five matches between the two sides were all decided by one goal, with Hinsdale Central winning three of those (including an overtime win in the 2015 sectionals).
While the match with Lyons is always a unique date on the schedule, Madonia (the Red Devils’ first-year head coach after several years as an assistant) notes the calendar holds plenty of other key games to come.
“We tell the girls every conference game is a championship game,” Madonia said.
for early renewal of rivalry
By Dave Owen
The season has hardly begun, yet Lyons and Hinsdale Central are already racing headlong into what is traditionally the most emotional match of the spring.
The Lions (1-0-1) and the host Red Devils (1-2-1) kick off West Suburban Conference Silver Division play at 6 p.m. Tuesday in spirited fashion, squaring off in the latest renewal of a fierce neighborhood rivalry.
“Arguably the biggest game of the year,” Hinsdale Central coach Tony Madonia said. “(Lyons coach) Bill Lanspeary has a great team this year, but we’re looking to go out there and give them a game.”
The Lions come off a 2-0 win Saturday over Lincoln-Way East, but had just one previous match – a 0-0 tie nine days earlier with Waubonsie Valley.
“Two games in,” Lanspeary said. “We’ve had some moments where things have looked pretty good and other moments that have shown we’ve got work to do.
“But we’re starting to get more comfortable playing with one another. Understanding how to play together and how to play off of each other’s strengths is getting better but is still a work in progress.”
Hinsdale Central enters Tuesday in a similar spot. The Red Devils returned from their own 11-day break on Saturday with a 4-0 loss to Batavia, but played with a largely shuffled lineup in the first half of the game due to spring break absences.
And for two longtime elite programs with a history of facing off in high-pressure postseason showdowns, an April 2 meeting is a rarity.
“It is a little different playing them this early,” Lanspeary said. “I think both teams would tell you that we’re probably not playing our best soccer just yet. On the other hand, having a rivalry game like this early in the season helps the focus in training, and will give us an idea of areas we need to improve on for the rest of the season.”
Regardless of win-loss records or number of games under their belts, the Lions and Red Devils always reach a new level when they square off.
“I’m excited,” Hinsdale Central goalkeeper Taylor Ward said. “Let’s get a win. That’s what we need.”
Said Lanspeary: “For us, I think they keys are going to be possessing the ball and finishing our chances.”
A 1-0 victory over Nazareth in mid-March has been the Red Devils’ lone victory. But down 3-0 at halftime Saturday, Hinsdale Central put together a strong second half performance that should bode well for Tuesday’s rivalry match and beyond.
“I think we’re getting there,” Ward said. “We’ve definitely getting better at connecting passes and stuff offensively.
“In the beginning of the season it was a little bit of a struggle, but now we’re getting shots on goal. It’s great to see that. It’s a matter of finishing, but we’re getting there.”
The Lions won last year’s meeting 4-0 en route to an undefeated run to the WSC Silver title. A strong nucleus returns from that group.
“Eileen Murphy, Meara Hilling, and Grace Truax are three of our seniors that have been with the varsity team for a number of years now,” Lanspeary said. “They’ve really established themselves as leaders and have helped to create a positive, supportive and hard-working atmopshere for our entire team.”
The Lions' 4-0 margin of victory last year was a rarity in the series. The previous five matches between the two sides were all decided by one goal, with Hinsdale Central winning three of those (including an overtime win in the 2015 sectionals).
While the match with Lyons is always a unique date on the schedule, Madonia (the Red Devils’ first-year head coach after several years as an assistant) notes the calendar holds plenty of other key games to come.
“We tell the girls every conference game is a championship game,” Madonia said.