Boys soccer: Gascho's first goal helps Barrington top Prospect
First goal.
First start.
A couple of Barrington boys soccer players celebrated a milestone in a match against visiting Prospect on Wednesday afternoon. Senior midfielder Jeremiah Gascho netted his first goal of the season in the 60th minute, a 12-yard tally off a gorgeous back-post cross from senior midfielder Will Asplin, who received his first starting nod of 2021.
But a second - as in a second 1-0 victory in as many days - gave Broncos Nation a third excuse to cheer Wednesday. Coach Scott Steib's short-handed club had edged Conant 1-0 in double overtime the night before.
"Grind. Today was such a grind," a relieved Steib said minutes after his Broncos improved to 7-1 overall, 4-0 in the Mid-Suburban League.
"Our guys fought through fatigue today. They had to, and they wanted to, because they know how important every MSL game is. I'm really proud of the kids."
Six of Steib's kids, including leading scorer David Gomez, sat out Wednesday for various reasons (mostly injury-related), prompting the promotions of sophomores Philip Jackowski and Daniel Gawronski and junior Ali Saber from the JV. Each played 10-15 minutes.
Each played meaningful minutes.
The squads played scoreless soccer for the first 40 minutes. Barrington possessed for most of the first half, poking slick passes, running down well-placed services and creating chances. Asplin and tireless Broncos junior midfielder Jack Peterson - the goal scorer in the defeat of Conant on Tuesday - fed each other spot-on passes in the early going. Senior midfielder Kyle Horak embodied control and deftness in a reserve role.
The hosts took 3 corner kicks to Prospect's 0 in the first half.
Barrington senior back Ryan Chang's speed and ankle-busting cuts proved dangerous, too, a little more than five months after Barrington topped Prospect 5-1 in the season that was moved to the spring because of the pandemic.
"First half, we defended well, but we struggled to hang onto the ball and get it to our attack," Knights coach Mike Andrews said after his crew fell to 6-3, 3-1. "We talked at the half, made corrections.
"We settled down and connected passes in the second half. We didn't panic and showed considerably more urgency."
Gascho, a co-captain, didn't feel the least bit tired when he woke up Wednesday.
"Felt good," Gascho said. "I also had a good feeling about how we'd do in the game today. It felt amazing (after scoring). Great pass from Will. We're always looking back post on chances, and that's what Will did.
"Tired?" he added. "No. Not at all."
Victorious junior goalkeeper Alex Hackney made 1 save, on a curling corner off the foot of Prospect senior midfielder Steven Lopez in the 56th minute. The Knights had scored a combined 17 goals in their previous five matches, including a 5-2 defeat of Conant on Sept. 9.
"We knew Prospect would test us," said Steib, whose team has outscored its foes 18-4 this fall.