Boys soccer: Whiteman, Prospect produce a win over Glenbrook South
Prospect's boys soccer team finally got the best of visiting Glenbrook South on Wednesday afternoon when Aaron Whiteman settled an intense, hard-fought nonconference contest in Mt. Prospect with his 68th-minute game-winner.
The Knights senior drove home the game's only goal with his header despite a valiant effort by Titans keeper Mateusz Odziomek to give Prospect its second victory of the early season.
"It's kind of the way you would figure a game like this would end," said Whiteman, who along with his teammates defeated Vernon Hills 4-1 in their season opener on Monday. "We had a really slow start in the first half, and Glenbrook South controlled most of the play. But having a lot of fans and friends cheering for us really helped motivate us in the second half."
Prospect prevailed despite a nearly disastrous start as Glenbrook South's Jeremy Weber broke free on the right side and appeared to have found an empty net at the back post. If not for a tackle by Daniel LaCost, who took the ball off the line, the Titans (1-1-0) would have taken the early lead.
"We had a great start tonight and did a lot of very good things," said Glenbrook South coach Reggie Lara. "But much like this game, our play broke down and there wasn't much flow. And that's not the way we want to play but you've got to credit Prospect for some of that as well, especially in the second half."
Prospect coach Mike Andrews is also in his first year leading the program, and his assessment of this game was in full agreement with Lara.
"They had most of it in the first half - our effort was good, but we just didn't do much of anything out there," said Andrews, a long-time assistant in the program. "It was a fairly intense game throughout, but we never panicked or lost our composure, even when things got a little more physical. And that was a big difference in the second half."
Andrews was quick to praise from backline of Tengis Tulga, Edmund Conroy, Jonny Keane and LaCost. In front of keeper Kevin Shane, the Knights bent but didn't break.
Glenbrook South went to a 4-1-4-1 formation just after the intermission, but the Knights' ability to stay organized and keep numbers behind the ball helped keep the chances to minimum.
Whiteman elevated in a group to meet a marvelous curling corner from Nico Mho and thumped the winner from in close.
"Their keeper made a great save, but in doing so, he and the ball fell backward toward the end line, and I just followed my shot into the back of the net," said Whiteman.
The Knights play Conant on Friday in the MSL College Showcase at Celtic Park, while Glenbrook South begins to prepare for its own 32nd Jim Wolter Titan Invite next week.