Season recap: Crystal Lake South
By Matt Misiek
Coming into the sprint known as the spring 2021 boys soccer season, Crystal Lake South knew that their final destination would differ from 2018 and 2019.
With no official IHSA state tournament due to the current pandemic conditions, the Gators would not have the opportunity, like all other IHSA schools to gp Downstate. Specifically, it ended their original goal to bring home a third-consecutive state trophy. Crystal Lake South won the 2018 Class AA champions and finished second to Benet in 2019.
The challenge that faced the Gators this season was how to fill the void left by forward Alex Canfield, the 2019 Chicagoland Soccer Player of the Year and current UIC Flame. The team quickly adjusted and found the mix of players to pace them through an abbreviated 10-game regular season schedule with a 6-3-1 finish.
In the season-ending Fox Valley Conference Tournament last Wednesday, Crystal Lake South was the fourth seed and hosted a quarterfinal against District 155 rival Prairie Ridge. However, the hosts were unable to hold an early 1-0 lead and fell to the visiting Wolves 3-1.
The Gators ended up in the consolation pool of the tourney with one more game against Burlington Central the day after and ended the season with a 2-2 tie and a season-ending record of 6-4-2.
For all Gators teams that have been coached under Brian Allen since 2007, the end-of-the season reflection is not always solely on results but growth and how those players measured toward their potential. That goal was identified at the beginning of the season. The team’s motto this season was “EverGlow,” which was proudly displayed on team shirts that were worn on Senior night, as well as included on every social media post made on the Gators’ Twitter page.
“Knowing that this season was unlike any other season we’ve had and probably will have, we wanted to have a slogan that represented something more than just wins and losses,” Allen said.
“EverGlow was something I came across when reading about (Oregon women’s basketball standout and current WNBA New York Liberty player) Sabrina Ionescu after Kobe Bryant’s tragic and sudden death.
“What drew us all in was that the phrase can mean several different things to everyone on the team and transpires beyond just soccer, and can be used in life. For our seniors in particular, having a season like this, for me it represented the impact they’ve had on the program the past four years in getting us on the map with our state championship and runnerup finish, but also any future successes we have next year and beyond. The legacy that will be ever glowing because of and through them.”
One of those players leaving a legacy is senior midfielder and captain Tyler Getzinger, a key figure on the 2018 and 2019 state tournament runs.
He talked about how special Senior Night (a 4-2 win over D155 rival Crystal Lake Central) was and what he will take away from his Crystal Lake South career.
“It was a cool experience on Senior Night. We usually don’t play under the lights,” said Getzinger, who was Chicagoland Soccer’s Man of the Match in the Gators’ 3-2 win over Dundee-Crown on March 30. “It was great. We had parents there; we had fans for the first time in a while, and I think the atmosphere really brought us through.”
“I am just blessed to be a part of the state tournament runs, the whole experience. I am just super excited that a lot of cool friends surrounded me.”
What stood out about Senior Night as well is that the Gators school band, usually reserved for home football games, sat in the bleachers at Ken Bruhn Field and belted out a bunch of pre-game tunes.
“Senior day was very neat this year,” said Allen, who wore a suit and tie for the special occasion. “We haven’t played on the football field under the lights since 2008 (in his 2nd year as varsity coach). Having that night and memorable win over rival Crystal Lake Central I think will definitely stand out as a specific memory staying with me and this group moving forward.”
Senior defenders Jio Lopez and Adam Rainey will always remember Senior Night 2021 as well.
“It was pretty awesome,” Lopez added. “I thought it was a pretty amazing thing he (coach Allen) did for us under the lights, and I will be forever grateful.”
“I am very thankful for the opportunity to play under the lights,” Rainey agreed. “It is really surreal as we have had more fans than we have had all year. I’m just soaking it all in.”
Senior midfielder and captain Brandon Osterberg pointed to the Dundee-Crown win as another highlight of the season.
“Being down 2-1 in that game and coming back to win, that is what good teams do, he said. “Coach Allen always reminds us of that, and it was a great feeling to come back and win.”
“It’s crazy to believe the season is over already,” Osterberg continued. “We only got to play a few games at the Soccer Complex when we usually get to play about 10 or 15 games. It is fun to play here as much as we can.”
Senior goalie and fellow captain Dominic Timberlake had highlights of his own during the Spring 2021 season. He notched a clean-sheet in a 2-0 win over McHenry on April 8 and only needed only a single-stop in a very efficient defensive victory. He also had a big eight-save performance in the second game of the season, a 3-1 victory over Prairie Ridge on March 13 .
Timberlake shared the memories he will take away from his Gators career.
“Honestly, the family atmosphere, the team mentality, the work ethic,” Timberlake said. “The way that we bonded over pasta parties and at practice, joking around at times, not taking it too seriously. We have fun but still stay locked in, and that is a great mentality for us.”
This season meant a lot as well to senior midfielder/defender William Garcia. Sometimes the simplest and most powerful memory is making the varsity squad.
“It felt really good to be with the people I played frosh/soph and JV with,” Garcia happily explained. “This is like my little family, and it felt at times like we got separated. It feels good getting the opportunity to help the team out. It cannot be explained.”
Garcia also pointed to another coach on the Crystal Lake South staff that really helped his development over the years.
“My last years with (JV) coach (Adam) Gotze. He taught me so much. I will forever love that man. He taught me how to read balls and how to boost my confidence and so many other things.”
Rounding out the senior group, defender Pawel Dejowek, capped his Gators career by playing on the varsity with his younger brother, junior forward Michel.
“Whenever he’s (Michel) is on the field, and I’m on defense, I always look for him as I know he is
technically gifted,” Dejworek elaborated. “If he is not available then I always tried to hit it out wide.”
“The first game (of the season against Mundelein, a 6-2 comeback win) was the best game I had in a couple of years,” he continued. “It was a really good game for me, and it was a lot of fun to play against Mundelein. My favorite career moment was meeting all of my teammates as a freshman. It was a really great experience connecting with everyone.”
Coach Allen will have a nice group of players returning for an anticipated “regular” season next fall including Dejworek, Tom Coughlin, Nolan Getzinger, Deven Tinajero, Sam Bahnfleth, Josh Washington, Tomas Slawek.
He has this message for them.
“We started with the same thing as the seniors found out, never to take anything for granted because you just never know as we have found out this season and throughout the past year, “Allen noted.
“In looking ahead to next year, learn and grow from this experience this season, knowing that next fall will provide new opportunities to grow and show excellence.
“There’s a level of responsibility to the juniors of this season -- to make sure they give their very best next fall to show everyone just how much of an impact the seniors had on them as people and as soccer players in helping them to achieve any successes. We are optimistic and excited for the fall.”
Finally, Allen had a message for the group that is moving on to their next adventures in life.
“These seven seniors are a very special group to the CLS soccer program, because they all forged very different paths to be where they were this season. We had players who spent their first year on JV2, then 2 years on JV1, before finally making the varsity squad this year.
“Others were reserve players on our state runnerup squad in fall of 2019 and stepped into starting and leadership roles this season. Then a player like Ty (Getzinger) whose experience on both the state championship team (goal in final and PK conversion) and the state runnerup team (game-winning free kick in the supersectional) could have caused a letdown for this year without a state series. Instead he seemed to just try and enjoy every moment he had on the pitch with his teammates and his brother Nolan during this final year.
“Their commitment when we weren’t sure if we would even have a season was terrific, and they never wavered in their wonderful work ethic at trainings and in each and every game until the very last whistle of the season.”
By Matt Misiek
Coming into the sprint known as the spring 2021 boys soccer season, Crystal Lake South knew that their final destination would differ from 2018 and 2019.
With no official IHSA state tournament due to the current pandemic conditions, the Gators would not have the opportunity, like all other IHSA schools to gp Downstate. Specifically, it ended their original goal to bring home a third-consecutive state trophy. Crystal Lake South won the 2018 Class AA champions and finished second to Benet in 2019.
The challenge that faced the Gators this season was how to fill the void left by forward Alex Canfield, the 2019 Chicagoland Soccer Player of the Year and current UIC Flame. The team quickly adjusted and found the mix of players to pace them through an abbreviated 10-game regular season schedule with a 6-3-1 finish.
In the season-ending Fox Valley Conference Tournament last Wednesday, Crystal Lake South was the fourth seed and hosted a quarterfinal against District 155 rival Prairie Ridge. However, the hosts were unable to hold an early 1-0 lead and fell to the visiting Wolves 3-1.
The Gators ended up in the consolation pool of the tourney with one more game against Burlington Central the day after and ended the season with a 2-2 tie and a season-ending record of 6-4-2.
For all Gators teams that have been coached under Brian Allen since 2007, the end-of-the season reflection is not always solely on results but growth and how those players measured toward their potential. That goal was identified at the beginning of the season. The team’s motto this season was “EverGlow,” which was proudly displayed on team shirts that were worn on Senior night, as well as included on every social media post made on the Gators’ Twitter page.
“Knowing that this season was unlike any other season we’ve had and probably will have, we wanted to have a slogan that represented something more than just wins and losses,” Allen said.
“EverGlow was something I came across when reading about (Oregon women’s basketball standout and current WNBA New York Liberty player) Sabrina Ionescu after Kobe Bryant’s tragic and sudden death.
“What drew us all in was that the phrase can mean several different things to everyone on the team and transpires beyond just soccer, and can be used in life. For our seniors in particular, having a season like this, for me it represented the impact they’ve had on the program the past four years in getting us on the map with our state championship and runnerup finish, but also any future successes we have next year and beyond. The legacy that will be ever glowing because of and through them.”
One of those players leaving a legacy is senior midfielder and captain Tyler Getzinger, a key figure on the 2018 and 2019 state tournament runs.
He talked about how special Senior Night (a 4-2 win over D155 rival Crystal Lake Central) was and what he will take away from his Crystal Lake South career.
“It was a cool experience on Senior Night. We usually don’t play under the lights,” said Getzinger, who was Chicagoland Soccer’s Man of the Match in the Gators’ 3-2 win over Dundee-Crown on March 30. “It was great. We had parents there; we had fans for the first time in a while, and I think the atmosphere really brought us through.”
“I am just blessed to be a part of the state tournament runs, the whole experience. I am just super excited that a lot of cool friends surrounded me.”
What stood out about Senior Night as well is that the Gators school band, usually reserved for home football games, sat in the bleachers at Ken Bruhn Field and belted out a bunch of pre-game tunes.
“Senior day was very neat this year,” said Allen, who wore a suit and tie for the special occasion. “We haven’t played on the football field under the lights since 2008 (in his 2nd year as varsity coach). Having that night and memorable win over rival Crystal Lake Central I think will definitely stand out as a specific memory staying with me and this group moving forward.”
Senior defenders Jio Lopez and Adam Rainey will always remember Senior Night 2021 as well.
“It was pretty awesome,” Lopez added. “I thought it was a pretty amazing thing he (coach Allen) did for us under the lights, and I will be forever grateful.”
“I am very thankful for the opportunity to play under the lights,” Rainey agreed. “It is really surreal as we have had more fans than we have had all year. I’m just soaking it all in.”
Senior midfielder and captain Brandon Osterberg pointed to the Dundee-Crown win as another highlight of the season.
“Being down 2-1 in that game and coming back to win, that is what good teams do, he said. “Coach Allen always reminds us of that, and it was a great feeling to come back and win.”
“It’s crazy to believe the season is over already,” Osterberg continued. “We only got to play a few games at the Soccer Complex when we usually get to play about 10 or 15 games. It is fun to play here as much as we can.”
Senior goalie and fellow captain Dominic Timberlake had highlights of his own during the Spring 2021 season. He notched a clean-sheet in a 2-0 win over McHenry on April 8 and only needed only a single-stop in a very efficient defensive victory. He also had a big eight-save performance in the second game of the season, a 3-1 victory over Prairie Ridge on March 13 .
Timberlake shared the memories he will take away from his Gators career.
“Honestly, the family atmosphere, the team mentality, the work ethic,” Timberlake said. “The way that we bonded over pasta parties and at practice, joking around at times, not taking it too seriously. We have fun but still stay locked in, and that is a great mentality for us.”
This season meant a lot as well to senior midfielder/defender William Garcia. Sometimes the simplest and most powerful memory is making the varsity squad.
“It felt really good to be with the people I played frosh/soph and JV with,” Garcia happily explained. “This is like my little family, and it felt at times like we got separated. It feels good getting the opportunity to help the team out. It cannot be explained.”
Garcia also pointed to another coach on the Crystal Lake South staff that really helped his development over the years.
“My last years with (JV) coach (Adam) Gotze. He taught me so much. I will forever love that man. He taught me how to read balls and how to boost my confidence and so many other things.”
Rounding out the senior group, defender Pawel Dejowek, capped his Gators career by playing on the varsity with his younger brother, junior forward Michel.
“Whenever he’s (Michel) is on the field, and I’m on defense, I always look for him as I know he is
technically gifted,” Dejworek elaborated. “If he is not available then I always tried to hit it out wide.”
“The first game (of the season against Mundelein, a 6-2 comeback win) was the best game I had in a couple of years,” he continued. “It was a really good game for me, and it was a lot of fun to play against Mundelein. My favorite career moment was meeting all of my teammates as a freshman. It was a really great experience connecting with everyone.”
Coach Allen will have a nice group of players returning for an anticipated “regular” season next fall including Dejworek, Tom Coughlin, Nolan Getzinger, Deven Tinajero, Sam Bahnfleth, Josh Washington, Tomas Slawek.
He has this message for them.
“We started with the same thing as the seniors found out, never to take anything for granted because you just never know as we have found out this season and throughout the past year, “Allen noted.
“In looking ahead to next year, learn and grow from this experience this season, knowing that next fall will provide new opportunities to grow and show excellence.
“There’s a level of responsibility to the juniors of this season -- to make sure they give their very best next fall to show everyone just how much of an impact the seniors had on them as people and as soccer players in helping them to achieve any successes. We are optimistic and excited for the fall.”
Finally, Allen had a message for the group that is moving on to their next adventures in life.
“These seven seniors are a very special group to the CLS soccer program, because they all forged very different paths to be where they were this season. We had players who spent their first year on JV2, then 2 years on JV1, before finally making the varsity squad this year.
“Others were reserve players on our state runnerup squad in fall of 2019 and stepped into starting and leadership roles this season. Then a player like Ty (Getzinger) whose experience on both the state championship team (goal in final and PK conversion) and the state runnerup team (game-winning free kick in the supersectional) could have caused a letdown for this year without a state series. Instead he seemed to just try and enjoy every moment he had on the pitch with his teammates and his brother Nolan during this final year.
“Their commitment when we weren’t sure if we would even have a season was terrific, and they never wavered in their wonderful work ethic at trainings and in each and every game until the very last whistle of the season.”