Boys soccer: Scouting Streamwood vs. Lake Park
The Streamwood and Lake Park boys soccer teams may collectively be staring into a mirror, so to speak, when they step on the field Tuesday at 4:30 p.m. in the Class 3A Barrington supersectional with a state berth at stake.
As the tale of the tape shows it's truly a toss up.
These former Upstate Eight Conference foes, who weren't expected to reach the Final Four this season, both possess strong defenses and goalkeeping. Lake Park registered 13 shutouts while Streamwood totaled 10.
The Lancers (20-1-4) feature junior keeper Michael Jasiak, who's has been stout throughout. To protect him are seniors Miguel Ramirez and Franco Mariani and juniors Josh Solarz and Brody Thompson. Senior Lorenzo Mariani serves as a mid who drops back as well.
Lake Park had shutouts against Willowbrook, Schaumburg and Glenbard West in the postseason prior to its 3-2 PK win over Rolling Meadows to win the Bartlett sectional.
The Lancers haven't lost since Wheaton North defeated them 1-0 on September 4, going 17-0-3 since.
"What are people going to be saying? Do we have great goalkeeping or do we have a great defense?" asked Lancers' coach Anthony Passi. "I think it's little bit of both. They're both working hard for that shutout, they want to work hard for that shutout. Thirteen times? That's kind of remarkable."
Likewise, Streamwood (16-5-2) features a back line with senior Mike Delaney and senior Christian Balbino. Juniors Aaron Villegas and sophomore Ivan Gonzalez round out the defense and freshman Rafael Gil and junior Erie Ortiz enforce from the midfield at times.
Streamwood allowed its first goal of the playoffs in its 2-1 DeKalb sectional title win over Rockford Boylan that needed overtime. Boylan snapped nearly 385 minutes of scoreless action for the Sabres, who stopped Elgin and Larkin 2-0 each in regionals and used a 1-0 sectional win over Huntley to advance.
"My defenders have been playing out of their minds for the last 10 games or so, especially during the playoffs," Streamwood coach Matt Polovin said. "They're just not allowing any team we play to create any chances or get any decent shots off."
Both schools use field turf which will be the playing surface in Barrington. Both have also defeated common opponents in Huntley and Wheaton Warrenville South and their scoring comes from two primary weapons: Lake Park's Oliver Horgan and Streamwood's Alan Camarena.
Horgan, a 3-year starter, scored 16 goals last season but is up to 17 this year along with 3 assists. Camarena, a Burlington Central transfer who's known for his postseason magic in Class 2A last season, has 22 goals and 12 assists. The dynamic forwards see double and triple teams and posses very good speed. According to Passi, the Lancer, "defense needs to hold that line and deny Camarena the ball," while Polovin says with Oliver up top, "we've had those situations during the year and we'll have Balbino or someone mark him."
Lake Park's offensive standouts feature midfielder/forwards Kris Lopez, Ricky Claudio and Anthony Passi whereas Streamwood boasts midfielders Jasminko Disdarevic, Edwin Rueda and forwards Gil, Donnie Sosa and Blerim Shoboni.
Comparisons don't stop there. Passi coached Disdarevic when he was eight years old while Passi's sons Anthony and Michael derive from the Burlington Central system, where Camarena transferred from. Passi's sons were involved with the Fox Valley Strikers club, where Polovin coaches. The stark contrast is that Streamwood travels into new territory after winning its first sectional while Lake Park placed fourth last season, losing to Wheeling and Naperville Central.
"They got a taste of it last year and I think they want to go a little bit further than last year, they're hungry," Passi said. "They want to take care of Streamwood and keep rollin'. It's kind of nice to be playing in the last week of the high school (soccer) season. It was a goal they had at the beginning of the year and we're here."
Postseason experience really hasn't applied to Streamwood as, "the guys each round have stepped it up each round another level," Polovin said, especially after ousting a perennial state foe in Boylan.
"The guys have so much confidence right now, it's amazing," Polovin said. "I think they have it in their heads right now they don't care who they have to play, they can beat any opponent that comes up next."