Boys soccer: Antioch gets past Belvidere

Being young doesn't take away what Antioch's boys soccer team has accomplished so far this season.

The Sequoits have put together a .500-plus season and they keep learning how to find ways to get victories.

Antioch's Trevor Niznik scored the game-winning goal that put the Sequoits past visiting Belvidere 2-1 on Thursday evening in a nonconference match.

"I'll take the win with the playoffs already set," Antioch coach Mike McDermott said. "It still good to have wins and we're playing through some things with players out with injuries. We're putting guys in that haven't seen that much time and getting some minutes."

The Sequoits (9-7) are playing with four seniors, four juniors and the rest are sophomores.

"It's a very young group," McDermott said. "They really haven't grown in their bodies yet, there still weightlifting and conditioning in the offseason. There's still promise. Do we have struggles? Yes, we do with 14 or 15 year-old kids. It's better than last year and it's progress that we're looking for."

Niznik, normally a defender for Antioch, moved up to forward on a corner kick. He made his best opportunity happen with a kick from 30-yards out that found its way into the back of the net in the 66th minute, breaking a 1-1 tie. It was also his first goal of the season.

"The ball came off a header off the other team," said Niznik. "I just wanted to take a shot on goal and hoped it goes in. I really wasn't going for placement, it happened to go off a defender and over the goalie. The deflection took some power off the shot and it popped over the goalie. Anytime you can score a goal, it's great to help the team."

Senior Adam Lynn scored the opening goal for Antioch in the 18th minute, which was his fifth this season and it was on a rebound. Remi Ivanovas had a cross that was mishandled by the Belvidere keeper.

"I came across the box on a through ball and I was able to finish it," Lynn said. "It was knocked off the goalie and I was able to finish it in. I've always been told by my coaches is to crash the goal, because you never know what will happen or what the goalie will do."

Belvidere found a way to tie up the match at 1-1 in the 63rd minute after a Sequoits foul in the penalty area, Adrian Murillo stepped up and converted a penalty kick for the Bucs.