Warriors allow late goal to settle for draw with North Stars

By Eddie Burns

Waubonsie Valley was seconds away from securing a significant early-season road victory and then it was ripped away.

St. Charles North's Jared Casey flicked a header past Waubonsie goalie Sean Elvert with 53.9 seconds remaining to tie Thursday's Upstate Eight Conference crossover match in St. Charles.

As a result of Casey's goal, the match ended in a 2-2 draw.

"We almost could go home with a victory at a tough place to play, but we didn't," Waubonsie coach Angelo DiBernardo said.

"It is just a heart-breaking goal to allow with one minute left, but if you look at the game and analyze it – it was a good first half by us and good second half by them."

DiBernardo could not have been more accurate.

The Warriors (1-0-1) looked sharp and in complete in control for most of the opening half as they were crisp and aggressive on offense.

Waubonsie used some creative passing from Tyler Yanisch and Sam Bell to set up a Luis Kauffman scoring chance in the 21st minute.

Yanisch began things as he played a deep cross to a streaking Bell, who found Kauffman.

St. Charles North goalie Jake Pezzutto managed to stop Kauffman's initial blast, but Waubonsie's Yvan Foonde was there to finish the rebound into an open net to give the Warriors a 1-0 lead.

"We've been emphasizing playing the ball quick, keeping possession of the ball and I thought we did a decent job," DiBernardo said.

Waubonsie made it 2-0 when Foonde and Frankie Saiz worked a give-and-go with Saiz netting his second goal of the season in the 28th minute.

The Warriors' quick start caught the North Stars (2-0-1) off guard.

"I wasn't surprised by Waubonsie, but we weren't ready for it," Casey said. "When you play teams like Waubonsie and Neuqua that have talent -- you have to be ready to play when you step on the field with them. We weren't tonight."

The Warriors maintained a two-goal advantage at halftime.

"The first half we really carried the momentum created from Tuesday's win against Streamwood," Elvert said. "We finished scoring chances and started off great, but in the second our youth and inexperience showed."

Waubonsie had difficulty possessing the ball during the closing half, which the Warriors did with ease in the opening half.

"In the first half we played well," DiBernardo said. "The second half we let them have the ball, so we lost possession of the ball.

"It looked like we were playing kickball and quiet honestly – they took it to us in the second half. They didn't have many chances, but they scored when they had to."

Elvert didn't have much of a chance to stop either St. Charles North goal.

"Regardless, with 2 minutes left in the game we have to be able to mark up – we can't be allowing scoring chances like the one they had late," Elvert said.

"The first half was very encouraging. We have plenty of games to go hopefully we can learn how to finish off an opponent."

St. Charles North coach Eric Willson was impressed with what he saw from the Warriors.

"They gave us a tough time up front," Willson said. "(Yvan Foonde) is a really tough player. We were not tight enough on him like we needed to be and guys like that show you if you are not tight on them you will be in trouble.

"Foonde combined with Jason O'Brien in the back were tough. Sam Bell was a solid player. If you give Waubonsie space, they will hurt you. Once we tightened things up defensively I thought things went much better for us."