Boys soccer: Lakes gets past Vernon Hills
Max Keenan has been a big leader for Lakes' boys soccer team as the Eagles have been coming together over the last few weeks.
The senior scored on a pair of headers which was enough for the Eagles to get past Vernon Hills 2-1 in a nonconference match in Vernon Hills on Saturday afternoon.
Dejan Djenadic set up both of goals in the 15th and 23rd minute and gave Lakes (5-3-3) a 2-0 advantage.
"A lot of them is me running up from 30 yards behind the ball and it's being wide open," said Keenan, who is 6-foot-3ΒΌ and has 7 of his 8 goals on headers this season.
"No one sees the long run. When you connect - it felt amazing on both of those goals. It really is a mix of both. The cross, I just have to keep sprinting and I eventually run into it. It really was a great ball for both of them."
Vernon Hills (5-3) managed to get back into the match with a goal of its own, also on a header, in the second half. Dimitri Lebedev scored after taking a cross from Tyler Gonzalez in the 49th minute which made the score 2-1.
The Cougars gave it their best shot in trying to come back after they had beaten Central Division North rival Glenbrook North on Thursday night.
"I thought we were so much better in the second half," Vernon Hills coach Mike McCaulou said. "Take away the two big services and it was tough to mark that guy. He did a good job and he was left unmarked. We just didn't play strong in the first half and maybe ball watched a little bit.
"I don't know, but we've struggled a little bit on Saturday and that's no excuse. We started slow here today and I'm not sure what it is, to be honest. I was very pleased with our second half performance. I thought we were the better team. But it's tough to climb back from two nill. We did have some chances. It was a good fight and two of the better teams in 2A. We might see them again in a regional final or in the sectional."
The Eagles, after losing a number of talented players to graduation, are starting to show their ability with a number off younger players and have a couple of players back with experience.
"We had a great team effort today," Lakes coach Kevin Kullby said. "Give Vernon Hills credit; they didn't lay down after being down 2-0. They really charged at us in the second half.
"As individuals, some of these guys got limited playing time last year. Max and Andrew Gaetano both have two years starting experience and it shows. We have some depth in the back that we haven't had in the past. So, it's a good sign but it's the finishing. We're there, but we have to break it open."