Another lesson in winning for Stevenson
Being young is an identifying trait for Stevenson’s boys soccer team.
But this collection of inexperienced talent sure has a nice learning curve, especially when it comes to being resilient.
The Patriots are making a habit of coming back to win games, and they did it for a sixth time this season on Monday afternoon.
Stevenson rallied with a pair of second-half goals for a 2-1 come-from-behind victory over Lake Zurich in a North Suburban Lake Division match at the Vernon Hills Athletic Center.
Ethan Marx and Kizuki Niimi scored for the Patriots (4-2-4, 1-1-1) in their long-awaited home opener.
“It was a hard-fought, exciting game,” Stevenson coach Mark Schartner said. “Both teams played well. We’re a team that are fighters.”
Stevenson trailed 1-0 at the break and needed to make some changes. They made them, which led to both goals in the second half.
“We made some adjustments at halftime that paid off,” Schartner said. “Not just with the goals. It paid off with possession and keeping the ball in their half.”
Niimi knocked in the game-winning goal in the 77th-minute right into the side netting after taking a pass from Kamal Starks.
“(Starks) fed the ball to me,” Niimi said. “I had only one guy in front of me. I knew that I wouldn’t go to my left, since I have a better right foot. I just wanted to cut it to my right.”
Marx had the other Patriots goal, as Dennis Katsman assisted in the 52nd-minute to tie things up at 1-1.
Practice seems to make perfect for Stevenson as it quickly adapts to winning at the varsity level.
“We’re so young; this team loves to practice,” Schartner said. “The kids want to learn, and they are always asking questions. They are learning every day, playing hard for each other.”
Lake Zurich (5-6-2, 2-1) suffered its first Lake loss, which means each team has lost at least once in the division.
The Bears also suffered a few injuries in the battle.
“As long as we’ve got 11 guys, we should be able to figure it out,” Lake Zurich coach Michael Schmitz said. “It gives us a chance for others to step up. We’re just trying to figure out how to play a full 80 minutes. Just take two minutes here and there — it cost us the game.
“We just got away from the possession game and playing with our feet. I thought we played with our forwards better in the first half and not as much in the second half. It cost us, and we weren’t able to put enough pressure on.”
Miguel Hernandez returned to the Bears’ lineup and scored his fifth goal of the season. He had missed the last seven games with a foot injury.
Hernandez gave the Bears a 1-0 advantage in the 30th-minute off a rebound set up by a corner kick.