Boys soccer: True to form, Wheeling wins Titan Invitational
It's getting to be a routine - and a good one - for Wheeling's boys soccer team.
The Wildcats have now netted the Titan Invitational title for four straight years.
Wheeling did it with a 2-1 victory over an improved Loyola Academy team at Glenbrook South's Munz campus in Glenview on Saturday afternoon. The Wildcats completed a sweep of pool play with a 1-0 victory over Mundelein earlier in the day.
"Our focus has been getting better game to game," said Wheeling coach Kevin Lennon. "In each game we're building the chemistry more and more. That's why this tournament is so nice, playing a bunch of games and trying to figure it out how to put things together."
The Wildcats (6-1-1 overall, 4-0 in the tourney) are starting to realize that they can produce goals, defend and find ways to win.
"We're starting to understand how to play with each other," Lennon said. "We've got a bunch of guys that play with different clubs and have a bunch of different styles."
Wheeling had a tough time trying to get the ball forward against Loyola (4-1-1, 2-1-1), as the Ramblers stayed compact defensively for most of the match.
The Wildcats got the first goal in the 45th minute. Vincente Castro struck a corner kick that Randy Pietrowski volleyed into the back of the net for a 1-0 lead.
Wheeling got its second goal 10 minutes later in the run of play, as Robert Cruz scored the eventual game-winner off a touch pass from Dennis Gavrilla.
"It was a fastbreak, and it was a good pass," Cruz said. "It seemed like I had to get through a wall. I just tried to get through space in the middle - then I was able to get the shot."
Loyola Academy responded less than a minute later as David Gripman scored his fifth goal of the season after getting a pass from Julian Hilpusch.
In the other matches, host Glenbrook South beat Mundelein 2-0 for third place. Stevenson upended Taft 4-1 for fifth and Niles North topped Schurz 3-1 for seventh.
Barrington takes Classic: The host Broncos topped Conant 2-1 Saturday evening to take top honors in the tournament they hosted, the Barrington Classic.
BG fifth at Showcase: Libertyville's boys soccer team picked up a 1-0 victory over Buffalo Grove in the fifth-place game of the Northside College Showcase tournament hosted by New Trier High School on Saturday.
The outcome broke a two-game losing streak for the Wildcats (2-2).
"It was a good win, and we came back nicely," said Libertyville assistant coach Al Beard, who is filling in for coach Andy Bitta as he battles illness. "By playing the good teams, you will only get better. That's what this tournament is for."
Austin Becker scored the game-winner. The opportunity came as the result of a rebound following a header from teammate Dan Marks, whose attempt caromed off both the keeper and the crossbar in the 32nd minute.
"I just followed it up on the rebound," Becker said. "I was going near-post originally, but I saw it go over my head and turned to watch Dan head it. I thought it might go in, and I was going in that general direction, just in case it came back to me. Then I tapped it in."
Buffalo Grove (2-4, 1-2) has been competitive in every game on its schedule so far.
"It's a solid tournament with good competition," Buffalo Grove coach Brad Abel said. "Every game, I thought we were in it. (Libertyville) got the goal and we didn't. This will get us ready for the Mid-Suburban. I thought the boys played hard and we just have to clean up the mistakes - especially challenging the ball, and second balls. Credit Libertyville, they're a top-notch program."
- Rusty Silber