Premier Lane-Young rivalry heats up again
By Patrick Z. McGavin
A Chicago soccer tradition took a slight detour last year after Young was relegated to the First Division. It deprived a chance for the Dolphins to lock in a conference showdown with hyper-rival Lane.
The two are never able to fully slip through each other's grasp. They eventually squared off in the quarterfinals of the city tournament. Young went up first, but Lane recovered for the 3-1 comeback victory en route to its eventual city championship.
Now the two open Premier Division play with a timely and important early showdown as the no. 7 Indians face off with the upstart Dolphins at 4 p.m. Wednesday at McKinley Park on the city’s Southwest Side.
With both teams participating in the PepsiCo Showdown, each needed a flexible schedule. The city tournament requires all conference games to be completed by the final weekend of September. It all conspires for the slightly unorthodox but no doubt intensified early season showdown.
“Both teams are going to be much better later in the season,” Lane coach Andrew Ricks said.
Lane returns eight starters from last year’s 17-2-2 team that lost only to St. Charles North on penalty kicks and state power Glenbrook North in a sectional semifinal.
Lane opened the season by thrashing Kennedy 7-0 at home Monday night.
Alex Mezyk, the city’s best player, scored two goals for the Indians (1-0-0). At 6-foot-2, he has great size, speed and physical power. He was a Chicagoland Soccer and IHSSCA all-stater last year. He is the headliner of a deep and skilled team.
“Kennedy is not as strong as they have been, but we took it to them,” Ricks said. “We decided to take the wind in the first half. With the wind behind our backs, we scored all of our goals in the first half, and the second half was just 20 minutes. We drove the tempo, and it worked.”
Senior midfielder Brandon Rivera contributed a goal and an assist. Arnel Sinanagic also scored for the Indians. Midfielder Marcin Kieta, a three-year, starter is another quality player for Lane.
“We have a strong nucleus,” Ricks said. “We have 18 seniors out of 24 players. Not all of them were with us last but the new players are being welcomed and made to feel comfortable. Three of our four defenders are seniors. Both goalies are seniors. We have good kids, competitive kids, good students and high character.”
Young is eager to make amends after suffering a season-opening 5-0 loss against no. 14 Lyons on Monday in LaGrange.
“They were faster and more physical than we were,” Young coach Ian McCarthy said. “We had good possession, but every time we were able to create something, they were able to beat us to the ball or kock us off the ball.”
Young performed well in the First Division and now returns to its rightful place in the Premier. The Dolphins lack a headline name like Mezyk. The power and strength of the team is the collective talent and skill level, according to McCarthy.
“We have a lot more depth that we didn’t have the last couple of years,” McCarthy said. “We have guys coming off the bench that in normal years would potentially be starters. It’s fun to have backups, and know that if you have an injury, you have a kid that is very capable of taking that starting spot.”
McCarthy believes the Dolphins have the talent and ability to be a top-four team in the city. He has two electric talents in midfielders Evan Wimberly and Josue Espinoza. Francisco Rojas was injured at the beginning of last year but returned strong and was named all-conference.
“This is the best team we have had in awhile,” McCarthy said. “The thing about [the Lyons game] I realized as I was coming home, although we have quite a few returning starters, we had some starters that was their first varsity game yesterday. Even though they are talented enough to be on the field, there was some nervousness that happens.
“There probably will be some nerves because they know Lane is the defending city champion, but also be very excited, because they are our rival and we always have a good game with them.”
By Patrick Z. McGavin
A Chicago soccer tradition took a slight detour last year after Young was relegated to the First Division. It deprived a chance for the Dolphins to lock in a conference showdown with hyper-rival Lane.
The two are never able to fully slip through each other's grasp. They eventually squared off in the quarterfinals of the city tournament. Young went up first, but Lane recovered for the 3-1 comeback victory en route to its eventual city championship.
Now the two open Premier Division play with a timely and important early showdown as the no. 7 Indians face off with the upstart Dolphins at 4 p.m. Wednesday at McKinley Park on the city’s Southwest Side.
With both teams participating in the PepsiCo Showdown, each needed a flexible schedule. The city tournament requires all conference games to be completed by the final weekend of September. It all conspires for the slightly unorthodox but no doubt intensified early season showdown.
“Both teams are going to be much better later in the season,” Lane coach Andrew Ricks said.
Lane returns eight starters from last year’s 17-2-2 team that lost only to St. Charles North on penalty kicks and state power Glenbrook North in a sectional semifinal.
Lane opened the season by thrashing Kennedy 7-0 at home Monday night.
Alex Mezyk, the city’s best player, scored two goals for the Indians (1-0-0). At 6-foot-2, he has great size, speed and physical power. He was a Chicagoland Soccer and IHSSCA all-stater last year. He is the headliner of a deep and skilled team.
“Kennedy is not as strong as they have been, but we took it to them,” Ricks said. “We decided to take the wind in the first half. With the wind behind our backs, we scored all of our goals in the first half, and the second half was just 20 minutes. We drove the tempo, and it worked.”
Senior midfielder Brandon Rivera contributed a goal and an assist. Arnel Sinanagic also scored for the Indians. Midfielder Marcin Kieta, a three-year, starter is another quality player for Lane.
“We have a strong nucleus,” Ricks said. “We have 18 seniors out of 24 players. Not all of them were with us last but the new players are being welcomed and made to feel comfortable. Three of our four defenders are seniors. Both goalies are seniors. We have good kids, competitive kids, good students and high character.”
Young is eager to make amends after suffering a season-opening 5-0 loss against no. 14 Lyons on Monday in LaGrange.
“They were faster and more physical than we were,” Young coach Ian McCarthy said. “We had good possession, but every time we were able to create something, they were able to beat us to the ball or kock us off the ball.”
Young performed well in the First Division and now returns to its rightful place in the Premier. The Dolphins lack a headline name like Mezyk. The power and strength of the team is the collective talent and skill level, according to McCarthy.
“We have a lot more depth that we didn’t have the last couple of years,” McCarthy said. “We have guys coming off the bench that in normal years would potentially be starters. It’s fun to have backups, and know that if you have an injury, you have a kid that is very capable of taking that starting spot.”
McCarthy believes the Dolphins have the talent and ability to be a top-four team in the city. He has two electric talents in midfielders Evan Wimberly and Josue Espinoza. Francisco Rojas was injured at the beginning of last year but returned strong and was named all-conference.
“This is the best team we have had in awhile,” McCarthy said. “The thing about [the Lyons game] I realized as I was coming home, although we have quite a few returning starters, we had some starters that was their first varsity game yesterday. Even though they are talented enough to be on the field, there was some nervousness that happens.
“There probably will be some nerves because they know Lane is the defending city champion, but also be very excited, because they are our rival and we always have a good game with them.”