Boys soccer: Downers Grove North, Downers Grove South each win a half

Few people know how to pronounce Trygve Hansen's first name, but everyone who saw him play Thursday night knows who he is.

The Downers Grove North junior scored a spectacular goal just 21 seconds into his team's annual cross-town clash with Downers Grove South and later added an assist that gave the visiting Trojans a 3-goal lead.

Hansen's 35-yard rocket over the head of Downers South goalkeeper Kenny Rosales was merely the start of the fireworks in an entertaining match that ended in a 3-3 tie.

"The ball just bounced to me and I saw the goalie was off his line, so I just shot it where he wasn't," Hansen said. "I really like shooting from distance."

It was the seventh goal of the season for Hansen, whose first name is pronounced "Trig-vee."

"You couldn't ask for a better start," Downers North coach Mike Schmitt said. "He got the ball and we were all yelling at him to shoot.

"He took it and from our angle it looked like it was veering pretty far wide, but it was a perfectly placed shot, right into the top corner. It was a fantastic way to start, especially in an atmosphere at a game like this."

The Trojans (6-6-2) dominated the first half. Junior Sam Bull bent in a corner kick at the 26:47 mark and then Jose Perez knocked in a cross from Hansen with 14:01 left to increase the lead to 3-0.

But Downers South (5-7-1) turned the tables after halftime. Blazo Jovicevic, who five minutes earlier had rolled a shot off the inside of the right post, put the Mustangs on the scoreboard with a long-distance strike over the head of Downers North goalie Gavin Crowson with 30:16 remaining.

Josh Venouziou then headed in a corner kick from Erick Gonzalez with 14:30 to play and Kyle Fenner got the equalizer when he nodded home a long throw-in from Ethan Kelly with 4:55 left.

The rally allowed the Mustangs to extend their unbeaten streak to four games. Fenner, who like Venouziou has 5 goals this season, and the Mustangs felt better than the Trojans after the game.

"It feels good," Fenner said. "Everyone is excited. It feels like a win right now."

Despite the large halftime deficit Venouziou never doubted Downers South's ability to come back.

"Some people might have (doubted us), but in the (halftime) locker room we were just telling each other to keep our heads up, we got this, nothing is impossible," Venouziou said. "We can win or tie this game and that's what happened."

Bull and the Trojans were more subdued.

"That was probably the best first half we've played this season and probably one of the worst second halves we've played," Bull said. "We've been caught in that situation before and we've been on the good side of that before. It's just really frustrating to be on that bad side."