St. Charles North holds off E. Aurora
Two of the finest boys soccer programs in the far western suburbs met on Thursday night in Aurora, and St. Charles North authored a signature win to start its season.
In the process, the North Stars welcomed back Tyler Davis with open arms.
The junior midfielder, who skipped the high school season last year to play club soccer, scored twice in a 90-second span to conclude a 3-goal outburst by St. Charles North to end a scoreless draw early in the second half.
Davis’ twin scores capped the North Stars’ four-minute and 20-second frenzy that Matt Picinich began, and St. Charles North withstood two late East Aurora goals to win the thrilling Upstate Eight Conference crossover 3-2.
“It was certainly an entertaining second half,” St. Charles North coach Eric Willson said. “(East Aurora) is certainly one of the tougher places to play.”
The Tomcats (1-1), coming off a program-best 17-win campaign in which the squad captured the River Division, had eight starters returning.
The North Stars (1-0) had a noticeable height advantage, but the Tomcats’ frightening speed and collective skill set established the early tone in which both teams had quality chances slide by the goal.
St. Charles North keeper Garrett Creasor stoned East Aurora sophomore forward Salvador Ibarra from point-blank range in the final minute of the scoreless first half.
The North Stars, expunging their first-game jitters, then seized control in the second 40 minutes.
Davis’ blistering low runner was brilliantly saved by East Aurora keeper Osvaldo Mata early in the second half, but the North Stars’ first set play off a free kick minutes later broke the scoreless but frenetic play.
Picinich and Alex Behm collaborated to perfection with the former heading in the long pass to the upper-left edge of the Tomcats’ goal.
“I saw myself with the ball at the far post,” Picinich said. “I flicked it in with my head.”
But Davis’ play would ultimately prove to be the difference in the pulsating contest.
Picinich broke the ice seven-plus minutes into the second half, and Davis’ blast off a rebound exactly two minutes later doubled the North Stars’ cushion to 2-0 with 30:32 remaining to play.
“Someone hit a nice shot, and it bounced right to me,” Davis said. “I just hit it; I wasn’t even aiming.”
East Aurora coach Jason Rollins said the first goal had a lasting impact on his squad.
“The first goal kind of rattled us,” Rollins said. “We struggled and couldn’t clear the ball (on Davis’ first goal).”
Ninety second later, Davis’ second goal was a highlight reel as his initial header bounced off the crossbar.
The junior had the presence of mind to rebound his own miss with another header that found the mark.
“It all started with Mike’s cross,” Davis said of the first feed from Mike Winhoffer. “I should have scored off of it.”
The Tomcats’ David Reynoso and Angel Barajas scored for the hosts; the last came with 24 seconds to play.