St. Charles E. prevails in Grant tournament

St. Charles East started its season with tough losses to Geneva and Lyons and needed a get away to things around.

Mission accomplished.

The Saints made a road trip up north into Lake County and captured the Grant Invitational on Saturday afternoon.

St. Charles East topped Grayslake North 4-1 in the championship as sophomore Christopher Tomek score twice and the Saints won all three of their tourney games.

"We didn't have the best of performances, but we did get the wins," said St. Charles East coach Paul Jennison, who's in his first year. "It's always nice to get your first tournament win. It gives you good results and set you up for the rest of the season."

Jennison is putting things together with a mixture youth and experience on the field.

"We're taking this program as a whole and we want to be successful in the future," Jennison said. "The quick fix isn't the way to do it. We want to build it. The big key for me is if you're good enough, then you're old enough. It doesn't matter if you're a senior or a freshman. The kids have responded fantastically well."

Grayslake North (3-1, 2-1) suffered its first loss of the season. The Knights got on the board first in the second minute of play as Freddy Rosas scored aftet taking a cross from Julio Zamora.

"We got the goal and it gave us some confidence," Grayslake North coach Adam DeCaluwe said. "It was a lack of self confidence, where (St. Charles East) came out stronger and changed the momentum. It put us on our heels and took the space we gave them."

St. Charles East (3-2) scored 4 unanswered goals.

Tomek tied the game in the ninth minute after taking a pass from Corey Novotny.

"I felt better getting a chance to play," said Tomek, who saw his first action returning from a back injury. "My first goal I cut inside and the shot was there."

Ben Fowler got credit for the Saints' game-winning goal in the final minute of the half. Fowler hit a shot which went off a Grayslake North defender and found the back of the net.

Tomek added his second goal in the 51st minute and Dylan Tucker had the other St. Charles East goal in the 62nd minute.

• In other games, St Charles North shut out Harvard 2-0 and Grayslake North blanked host Grant 1-0.

Harvard (2-3-1, 1-2) won the third-place game, edging Grant 3-2. The Bulldogs (0-5, 0-2) got goals from Jack Szelewicki and Tim Burns.