Gators can feel good

Huntley's Sean Tlapek and Crystal Lake South's Alex Anderl (right) go for the ball during the second half Tuesday in Huntley. (Lauren M. Anderson – landerson@nwherald.com)

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HUNTLEY – They might not have wanted to put too much emphasis on it, but Crystal Lake South’s boys soccer players knew the four goals they scored against Huntley on Tuesday were meaningful.

Four goals against a quality side two days before the Gators’ most important match of their season gave South a much-needed dose of certainty heading into Thursday’s game against Cary-Grove.

“Right now we’re really trying to take things one game at a time,” said senior Carey Bienert, who scored twice in a 4-1 South victory in Fox Valley Conference Valley Division action. “But if we can carry this momentum into our match with Cary-Grove, that will be huge.”

The Gators scored three goals in the first half and pushed through their fourth goal in the middle of the second half.

Since FVC Valley Division leader C-G shut out South (15-3-2, 7-1) during the two teams’ first meeting, the scoring could not have come at a more appropriate time.

“We’re happy with what we did today,” said Bienert, “but we can’t get too confident.”

Should the Gators beat the Trojans on Thursday at South, they would be assured of at least a share of the FVC Valley Division title.

That thought might have helped South overcome Tuesday’s wicked wind that could have wreaked havoc on scoring opportunities.

Bienert scored his first goal within the first four minutes of play, sending a shot from the left side of the box past Huntley goalkeeper Kevin Montelongo (10 saves) for a 1-0 advantage.

“The team was pushing at them right away,” Bienert said. “I got a chance and was able to bury it.”
The Raiders (8-9-2, 3-5) held South at 1 until the 5:45 mark in the first half, when Alex Tapia’s header off a corner kick from teammate Adam Gatza made it a 2-0 match.

Andrew Guminski’s goal off a pass from Gatza gave the Gators (15-3-2, 7-1) a 3-0 cushion at the break.

“They were playing big out of the back and winning everything,” Huntley coach Kris Grabner said. “We look to make combinations in the field and ... we came out so sloppy. The wind also made it very difficult.”

Bienert completed his scoring with a goal at the 26:25 mark in the second half and the Raiders got on the board with 1:15 remaining to play. Javier Diaz’s penalty kick went just wide of South goalkeeper David Walsh’s outstretched arms.

Whether Tuesday’s performance is an indicator of what might come Thursday remains to be seen, but South coach Brian Allen knows what the Gators have to do against the Trojans in the rematch.

“There has to be controlled passion,” Allen said. “I think we came out almost too strong the last time and it led to some bad touches and we weren’t dangerous in the final third. We have to be dangerous in the final third.”