Lions go down swinging against Libertyville
Saint Viator falls 1-0 on Wildcats' home turf

 

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By Gary Larsen

Saint Viator’s season may have ended on Wednesday in a 1-0 sectional loss to Libertyville, but the Lions got a glimpse of good things to come in the process.

Subtract senior Jack Horvath from an attack already missing junior Adam Fetter, and you would have thought Saint Viator might have played on its heels against the Wildcats.

But the Lions chased a tying goal to the final buzzer with grit and guile, and did their coach proud.

“The boys sucked it up and played well,” Lions coach Mike Taylor said. “Even at the end, playing against the wind, we played well and our top two players weren’t playing. I was proud of my kids.”

Ashwin Cornelius and Spencer Moore are two young Lions that gave Viator reason for optimism heading into next season. Both played beyond their years against Libertyville, particularly after Horvath sat down in the second half due to a pair of yellow cards.

“It took the best player out of the game,” Taylor said. “It made a difference and without a doubt he’s the best player in the game today. They couldn’t stop him, so if you take him out of the game, it hurts us.”

The Lions put their fifth-seeded team up against top-seeded Libertyville (18-3-2) on the Wildcats’ home turf – a team that spent time this season as the No.1-ranked team in Illinois.

As last year’s Class 2A state champs, the Lions proved all season that the move up to 3A – while difficult – wasn’t about to intimidate anyone from their side. Viator’s schedule is annually loaded with 3A competition, so the big, athletic, and hard-working Wildcats were no surprise to the Lions.

“They’re a good team and (coach Andy Bitta) does a good job with them,” Taylor said. “But I thought we played a good game, had our chances, and I just told the kids ‘you just played one of the best teams in the state and (Libertyville) thought they were going to roll over you, but it took a 35-yard bomb to beat you’.”

Early in Wednesday’s contest, the Lions spent some time pressing into Libertyville’s end and flirting with dangerous space, and the Wildcats returned the favor through a scoreless first half.

Everything changed when Libertyville’s Miles McNeir left the turf at 53 minutes and volleyed a shot to the back netting from near the top of the penalty area. It was the game’s lone goal, and it was a beauty.

The Lions fought hard from that point forward but couldn’t locate a tying goal.

The Lions went unbeaten in winning the East Suburban Catholic Conference title this season, went 4-2 in Pepsi Showdown competition, and finished with an 18-6-2 record this year.

Next year’s Lions will go without the services of 10 seniors from this year’s squad, headlined by a coaches’ all-state player in Horvath.

“He was the best player on the field today,” Taylor said. “I think Jack showed why he’s one of the better players around. The better players always rise to the top at the end.”

The Lions’ departing seniors will look back on their days of high school soccer and remember a state title win – last year’s 1-0 defeat of Peoria Notre Dame.

That senior group includes Horvath, Scott Faul, Matt Morsches, Bill Krawzak, Dan Loizzi, Jack Simpson, Joe Surdam, Ryan Barth, Mike Alegnani, and Tim Hogaboom.

“They played their hearts out and gave us eighteen wins,” Taylor said. “They had six losses and they lost to quality teams. We won a regional championship this year. It may not be as talented man-for-man as a typical Viator team, but they worked their rear ends off and I’m proud of them.”

Fetter headlines a core of juniors that includes Nick Abel, Kevin Patzke, and Joe Ferrante. Sophomores Cornelius, Troy Wheeler, and Michael Decker will be back, along with the freshman Moore.

“We also have a good group of freshmen coming up, so we’ll plug them in and come back and be ready again next year,” Taylor said.