Addison Trail, Morton play for Gold
By Gary Larsen
The West Suburban Conference Gold Division title for 2018 boils down to a single game at Addison Trail on Tuesday, and the host coach knows what his boys are up against.
“Morton has been the team to beat over the past 5-10 years in the conference,” Blazers coach Ryan Dini said. “In order to win conference, you have to beat them. We understand what’s at stake and are excited about the opportunity.”
Both Morton (15-2-1) and Addison Trail (14-4-0) carry perfect 5-0-0 conference records into Tuesday’s game, which starts at 6:30. Morton is chasing its seventh-consecutive division title.
“I think it'll be a very competitive game,” Morton coach Jim Bageanis said. “They are an excellent team, and we know we need to give them our best game to be successful.”
Morton’s two losses came in a 2-1 game at top-ranked Naperville North on Aug 25, and to Wisconsin's top-ranked team, Marquette, in a shootout on Sept. 28 at the Go 4 The Goal Fall Classic in Iowa.
Naperville North remains the no. 1 team Chicagoland Soccer Top 25, and Morton sits third. The Mustangs also won the PepsiCo US Army Bracket with a 5-2 win over then no. 3 and current no. 4 Wheaton Academy on on Sept. 23.
Seventeenth-ranked Addison Trail lost four of its first seven games this season but has not lost since in an 11-game win streak that has spanned almost four weeks. The Blazers run includes wins over no. 11 York, Leyden, Crystal Lake South, Downers Grove South, Glenbard West, and Neuqua Valley.
Eight of Addison Trail’s wins during the streak have come by shutout, but Morton has only been shut out once all season, a 0-0 tie against Mt. Carmel in the season-opener back in August.
“We’re going to have to rely on our defense and on (goalie) Sam Sandoval,” Dini said. “He has 11 shutouts this season. He gives us leadership in the back and allows for us to organize our defense.”
Addison Trail has scored 49 goals in 18 games, an average of 2.7 goals per game, while Morton has scored 72 goals in 18 games, an average of four goals per game.
Defensively, Morton sports a .94 goals-against average, with only 16 goals allowed in 17 games, and eight shutouts. Addison Trail has allowed 19 goals in 18 games for a 1.05 goals-against average. But during the win streak, the Blazers have only been scored on in three games. Of the five goals given up, three came in a wld 4-3 win conference win over Leyden on Sept. 25.
Ultimately, neither team gives up many goals and both teams can score. So somewhere, something will have to give.
“Whoever can finish their opportunities will be conference champions,” Dini said. "Our team is very excited about the opportunity to play one of the top teams in the state for a conference championship. I expect this game to have high intensity and great play by both sides.”
Bageanis expects the same.
“This game will have a playoff atmosphere,” he said. “Both teams (know) it is a winner-take-all game.”
By Gary Larsen
The West Suburban Conference Gold Division title for 2018 boils down to a single game at Addison Trail on Tuesday, and the host coach knows what his boys are up against.
“Morton has been the team to beat over the past 5-10 years in the conference,” Blazers coach Ryan Dini said. “In order to win conference, you have to beat them. We understand what’s at stake and are excited about the opportunity.”
Both Morton (15-2-1) and Addison Trail (14-4-0) carry perfect 5-0-0 conference records into Tuesday’s game, which starts at 6:30. Morton is chasing its seventh-consecutive division title.
“I think it'll be a very competitive game,” Morton coach Jim Bageanis said. “They are an excellent team, and we know we need to give them our best game to be successful.”
Morton’s two losses came in a 2-1 game at top-ranked Naperville North on Aug 25, and to Wisconsin's top-ranked team, Marquette, in a shootout on Sept. 28 at the Go 4 The Goal Fall Classic in Iowa.
Naperville North remains the no. 1 team Chicagoland Soccer Top 25, and Morton sits third. The Mustangs also won the PepsiCo US Army Bracket with a 5-2 win over then no. 3 and current no. 4 Wheaton Academy on on Sept. 23.
Seventeenth-ranked Addison Trail lost four of its first seven games this season but has not lost since in an 11-game win streak that has spanned almost four weeks. The Blazers run includes wins over no. 11 York, Leyden, Crystal Lake South, Downers Grove South, Glenbard West, and Neuqua Valley.
Eight of Addison Trail’s wins during the streak have come by shutout, but Morton has only been shut out once all season, a 0-0 tie against Mt. Carmel in the season-opener back in August.
“We’re going to have to rely on our defense and on (goalie) Sam Sandoval,” Dini said. “He has 11 shutouts this season. He gives us leadership in the back and allows for us to organize our defense.”
Addison Trail has scored 49 goals in 18 games, an average of 2.7 goals per game, while Morton has scored 72 goals in 18 games, an average of four goals per game.
Defensively, Morton sports a .94 goals-against average, with only 16 goals allowed in 17 games, and eight shutouts. Addison Trail has allowed 19 goals in 18 games for a 1.05 goals-against average. But during the win streak, the Blazers have only been scored on in three games. Of the five goals given up, three came in a wld 4-3 win conference win over Leyden on Sept. 25.
Ultimately, neither team gives up many goals and both teams can score. So somewhere, something will have to give.
“Whoever can finish their opportunities will be conference champions,” Dini said. "Our team is very excited about the opportunity to play one of the top teams in the state for a conference championship. I expect this game to have high intensity and great play by both sides.”
Bageanis expects the same.
“This game will have a playoff atmosphere,” he said. “Both teams (know) it is a winner-take-all game.”