South Suburban division leaders
Lemont, Reavis ready to rumble
By Steve Millar
Lemont has righted the ship after a tough start to the season. It’s begun South Suburban Conference play with four-straight wins and had outscored its opponents 27-0.
Indians coach Rick Prangen knows things are going to get tougher Tuesday night, when Lemont hosts Reavis in a league crossover set for 6 p.m.
“I’m concerned that we had three games in a row that really didn’t push us and now we’re going to play a competitive game against Reavis,” Prangen said. “Hopefully, we can train well to get ready for that.”
The match will pit the Indians (4-2-0, 4-0-0), who sit atop the Blue Division standings, against the Rams (3-1-1, 3-0-1), who hold sway in the Red Division.
“Reavis is going to be well-organized and physical,” Prangen said. “They’re going to have athleticism. I think it’s going to be a hard-fought game. They always play with a great deal of emotion.
“They have been improving over the last couple years. I’m sure they’re going to want to beat us.”
Lemont and Reavis have played some wild games in recent years. Prangen referenced a 10-3 Indians road win in 2018.
“Last time we played them at their place, they definitely put us under pressure, and the game was tight for a good portion of it,” he said. “They scored some goals on us, which was a wake-up call.”
The Indians went on to finish third in Class AA that season.
Sophomore Suzie Knutte had a hat-trick in the 4-0 win over Shepard that started Lemont’s four-game winning streak.
Since then, Prangen said the scoring has been spread around.
Seniors Victoria Silvar and Kailey Wasyliw have been key playmakers, spending time at both forward and midfielder. Seniors Trinity Hatton and Gabby Koziel anchor a backline that’s working to extend its four-game shutout streak.
“We’re still trying to figure things out,” Prangen said. “We’re trying to find the right mix of players and the right formation. We’re moving people around still. That’s a little unsettling.
“I’m more worried about finding a formation that’s comfortable for us and puts our best 11 on the field in positions that allow us to be successful. I think if you do that, the other things take care of themselves.”
Reavis senior midfielder Isabel Guzman and sophomore forward Yammi Torres lead the Rams with three goals each. Torres has done that in just two varsity games after being called up last week.
Senior midfielder Sandy Garcia and senior defender Andy Flores are also key players for the Rams.
“We have a really young team, and I like the way we’ve been building up this team,” Reavis coach Jeff Grider said. “We’ve been working in practice on getting organized and building from the back, and we’ve been doing that. Now, we’ve got some big games coming up.”
Lemont, Reavis ready to rumble
By Steve Millar
Lemont has righted the ship after a tough start to the season. It’s begun South Suburban Conference play with four-straight wins and had outscored its opponents 27-0.
Indians coach Rick Prangen knows things are going to get tougher Tuesday night, when Lemont hosts Reavis in a league crossover set for 6 p.m.
“I’m concerned that we had three games in a row that really didn’t push us and now we’re going to play a competitive game against Reavis,” Prangen said. “Hopefully, we can train well to get ready for that.”
The match will pit the Indians (4-2-0, 4-0-0), who sit atop the Blue Division standings, against the Rams (3-1-1, 3-0-1), who hold sway in the Red Division.
“Reavis is going to be well-organized and physical,” Prangen said. “They’re going to have athleticism. I think it’s going to be a hard-fought game. They always play with a great deal of emotion.
“They have been improving over the last couple years. I’m sure they’re going to want to beat us.”
Lemont and Reavis have played some wild games in recent years. Prangen referenced a 10-3 Indians road win in 2018.
“Last time we played them at their place, they definitely put us under pressure, and the game was tight for a good portion of it,” he said. “They scored some goals on us, which was a wake-up call.”
The Indians went on to finish third in Class AA that season.
Sophomore Suzie Knutte had a hat-trick in the 4-0 win over Shepard that started Lemont’s four-game winning streak.
Since then, Prangen said the scoring has been spread around.
Seniors Victoria Silvar and Kailey Wasyliw have been key playmakers, spending time at both forward and midfielder. Seniors Trinity Hatton and Gabby Koziel anchor a backline that’s working to extend its four-game shutout streak.
“We’re still trying to figure things out,” Prangen said. “We’re trying to find the right mix of players and the right formation. We’re moving people around still. That’s a little unsettling.
“I’m more worried about finding a formation that’s comfortable for us and puts our best 11 on the field in positions that allow us to be successful. I think if you do that, the other things take care of themselves.”
Reavis senior midfielder Isabel Guzman and sophomore forward Yammi Torres lead the Rams with three goals each. Torres has done that in just two varsity games after being called up last week.
Senior midfielder Sandy Garcia and senior defender Andy Flores are also key players for the Rams.
“We have a really young team, and I like the way we’ve been building up this team,” Reavis coach Jeff Grider said. “We’ve been working in practice on getting organized and building from the back, and we’ve been doing that. Now, we’ve got some big games coming up.”