Boys soccer: Stevenson, Glenbrook South battle to scoreless draw
Stevenson's boys soccer team opened the Jim Wolter Titan Invitational with a 0-0 draw against host Glenbrook South on Tuesday afternoon in Glenview.
The Patriots (2-0-2) battled for a full 70 minutes with a few chances on goal, while the Titans (0-1-2) had some limited chances of their own.
"I think (Glenbrook South) put a great team together," Stevenson coach Pepe Jon Chavez said. "They posted a hard challenge for us and in the fourth game, we haven't seen before. They were organized and attacked with intensity with a pace and desire to beat everybody at any given time. I was happy with the way my boys absorbed their pressure with the adjustments that we made."
Trying to get shots set up in the final third was something Stevenson had a tough time doing against Glenbrook South.
"It was a pretty open game with not many shots from either team." Chavez said. "We still need to recognize our moments to take our shots. (Glenbrook South's) defensive scheme, pressing high, hard tackling, slowed our attacking down. They didn't leave much space behind."
Patriots' midfielder Nazar Mormul filled a big role in the midfield and saw how intense the play was between both sides.
"It was tough competition and we played well," Mormul said. "We had to fight with the sense of urgency. It was a great team we played. We just have to pick up our tempo."
The Titans played hard in their effort on the field, but it wasn't what was expected or the result they really wanted.
"The best way to describe it was choppy," Glenbrook South coach Reggie Lara said. "Felt like it was definitely a battle. I felt like we never really got into a groove possessing the ball the way we wanted to and the way we're capable of. For our first three games, that was the poorest execution in terms of possessing and playing good soccer. Stevenson was defensively organized and well-coached. They disrupted what we wanted to do."
After the match, all eight teams in the tournament lined up in the stadium to honor the late Jim Wolter with a dedication and a moment of silence. He passed away earlier this year from a long illness. He was a longtime Glenbrook South coach from 1981-2009 and was an assistant coach at Highland Park for 7 years prior to that.
"He had preached sportsmanship and that's what this tournament is all about," Lara said. "Getting highly competitive teams together and still putting animosity aside. Just making sure that we're in support of each other, promoting soccer really well."
Mundelein beat Prospect 2-1, Glenbard West downed Speer Academy and Mount Carmel shut out St. Patrick 6-0 in the other games.