Boys soccer: Glenbrook South outlasts Wheeling
Tournament host Glenbrook South struck twice in the second half to beat Wheeling's boys soccer team 2-0 Wednesday afternoon in the second round of group play at the 34th Jim Wolter Titan Invite in Glenview.
The Titans (2-0-2) now control their own destiny at the invite.
The victory puts the Titans atop the Navy Division Group with 13 points, 3 clear of Mundelein and Speer Academy, while coach Kevin Lennon's young club from Wheeling sits currently in fourth place.
"A much better all-around effort from the guys today," said Lennon, who on Tuesday watched his team fall to Class 1A Speer 4-2 in the tourney opener for both sides.
"That first half was easily the best soccer we've played thus far with our seniors, such as Jason Rivas and Pablo Herrera, giving us the type of leadership and play we'll need them to do while we go through growing pains this fall."
Rivas ran the Wildcats' (1-2-1) attack with pace, creativity and purpose for most of the afternoon while Herrera provided organization along a Wildcats' back line which is being totally rebuilt from a year ago.
"(Yes) we were so much better than (Tuesday) but there's still so much more all of us can give," said Rivas.
The Wildcats were the better side after the intermission, attacking a big, strong Titans club with speed and quick touches which led to a couple of quality chances they were unable to finish.
Ricardo Rosales played a nice ball into the six-yard box to Simon Stoyanov that was cleared with confidence by Zach Ochab.
Rivas then hit his free kick wide from 22 yards followed by another, this time from Angel Escobedo in which GBS keeper Christian Noordover punched out of the area.
His clearing effort fell to Gabriel Schiavoni, who drove his left-footer wide of the post.
"We created some chances in the second half, but we gave up that first goal in close and likely got a little gassed after that and it showed leading up to their second goal," said Lennon.
Justin Leszynski elevated inside the box and thumped in his header midway through the second half into the back of the net before Ochab doubled the Titan advantage minutes later with a sublime finish of a Leszynski helper.
"It was kind of back-and-forth today until we made an adjustment in our formation, then we finally broke them down with those two goals after the break," said GBS coach Reggie Lara.