Lyons, OPRF ready for another battle
By Gary Larsen
Contests in any sport are heated whenever Lyons and Oak Park and River Forest square off.
Tuesday’s soccer game at 6:15 p.m. between the Lions and Huskies isn’t likely to break that trend.
With a share of the West Suburban Conference Silver Division lead on the line, host OPRF (9-1-2, 3-0-0) and Lyons (7-3-2, 2-0-0) figure to both bring a little extra grit to the pitch.
“It’s difficult to play at Oak Park, and we haven’t done well over there,” Lyons coach Paul Labbato said. “I expect them to come after us and make it very difficult. We’ll have to play our game and play with emotion.”
Lyons last won on Oak Park’s home field in 2013. Oak Park is 5-0-1 at home this year and has only given up a single goal on its pitch.
Oak Park and River Forest is ranked no. 9 in the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25 and Lyons is ranked no. 14. Two of Lyons’ three losses came to no. 1 Morton and no. 3 Libertyville. The Huskies have yet to lose to an Illinois team -- their only defeat came against North Central in the Indiana school's Midwest Classic.
By Gary Larsen
Contests in any sport are heated whenever Lyons and Oak Park and River Forest square off.
Tuesday’s soccer game at 6:15 p.m. between the Lions and Huskies isn’t likely to break that trend.
With a share of the West Suburban Conference Silver Division lead on the line, host OPRF (9-1-2, 3-0-0) and Lyons (7-3-2, 2-0-0) figure to both bring a little extra grit to the pitch.
“It’s difficult to play at Oak Park, and we haven’t done well over there,” Lyons coach Paul Labbato said. “I expect them to come after us and make it very difficult. We’ll have to play our game and play with emotion.”
Lyons last won on Oak Park’s home field in 2013. Oak Park is 5-0-1 at home this year and has only given up a single goal on its pitch.
Oak Park and River Forest is ranked no. 9 in the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25 and Lyons is ranked no. 14. Two of Lyons’ three losses came to no. 1 Morton and no. 3 Libertyville. The Huskies have yet to lose to an Illinois team -- their only defeat came against North Central in the Indiana school's Midwest Classic.