Panthers ride another strong second half to victory

By Eddie Burns

It appears that Glenbard North simply prefers playing in the second half.

For the second time in three games to open the season, the Panthers were much sharper during the final 40 minutes and it directly resulted in a 2-0 win against York on Saturday morning in Addison. The match, which is part of the Addison Trail Invite was played at Addison Trail High School.

“So far this season we’ve usually been a second-half team,” Panthers’ forward Jon Colucci said. “We just play better in the second half and I don’t what it is. We just pick up the tempo and start playing quick.”

Colucci tallied the Panthers’ first goal in the 42nd minute when teammate Alex Kfoury redirected a ball to Colucci and he put it past York goalie Carmine Sementa.

“I just happened to be in the right spot near the top of the 6-yard box,” Colucci said. “It was a great ball from Kfoury.”

A short time later, Glenbard North’s Eric Dailly made it 2-0 with a shot past Sementa.

“Me and Dailly really started going to work up top and we made some thing happen there in the second half,” Colucci said.

Glenbard North coach Greg Chrisman believes he has a dangerous combination at forward in his attack.

“Dailly and Colucci are a great duo up top and Colucci has found a way to put one away in each of our first three games,” Chrisman said. “Once they get the combinations and overlapping runs going -- they look like a pretty dangerous combination.”

The fact the Panthers (2-0-1) are scoring goals is a wonderful thing in the Chrisman’s eyes.

“We have seven goals in three games and last year we had like 20 goals for the whole year and that is a positive that we can draw from,” Chrisman said. “We just need to even that out and that is what I really like about what we’re doing.”

Two goals were more than enough for the Panthers’ defense led by senior defender Tony Lumani.

With Lumani, Nick Callard, Dom Ferreri, Zach Wagner and goalie Eric Tenut in the back, goals have been hard to come by for opponents thus far.

“We mainly focus on maintaining our defensive line,” said Lumani, who is a returning starter.

“We are compact and always communicating to make sure we each have our marks, to also make sure that one person is back so that if the ball is never played over our heads, someone is always back there. One of our biggest focuses this year is that we are trying to attack out of the back as much as we can. We’re just going as strong as we can.”

It is peace of mind for Chrisman knowing the he can rely on a seasoned veteran like Lumani to control the back.

“Tony is our senior leader and he is in charge back there and there are some new faces in the back and he does a great job of getting everyone organized -- whether it is a dead ball or in the flow of play, he knows I count on him and he does a great job with that,” Chrisman said.

Lumani said he likes what he’s seen out of the Panthers thus far compared to years past.

“We’re really working well as a team right now,” Lumani said. “Once we get on the field we’re serious and there are no fun and games. When it is time for soccer it is time for soccer and everyone knows that. I think that is the main thing I like about this team because we know when to play hard.”