Red Devils make amends against Oswego East

Click here for photo gallery courtesy of Harry Bull

By Gary Larsen

To say that Hinsdale Central’s players were frustrated by the way they played in Tuesday’s loss to Hinsdale South would be an understatement.

“The mood after that game was dead silent, which isn’t like this team at all,” Central’s Mitch Reavis said. “Everyone was alone, head down. Everyone took responsibility, not because we got beat but just because we played so awful.”

Of course, the best remedy for a loss is to get right back out on the pitch for a chance to make amends, and that’s what the Red Devils did in Thursday’s 3-1 win over visiting Oswego East.

“They responded well from an admitted overlooking of an opponent,” Red Devils coach Mike Wiggins said. “I was very pleased with the way they responded. For most of the game today we saw a different attitude and a different approach.

"We spent two hours looking at film yesterday. We decided we didn’t want to let them waste their energies (in practice). We wanted to have them saved up for today. I’ll be interested to see the film but I don’t think there was a ball in the air that we didn’t win, and that’s a big change.”

Central (3-1) got a first-half goal from Aaron Cheever and second-half goals from Gareth Parsons and Connor Oleferchik in grabbing a 3-0 lead.

“What was lacking was the intensity,” Central defender Andrew Worthington said of Tuesday’s loss. “In the second half today we came out flying and got two (goals) that we deserved. The goal we gave up deflated us a bit but we didn’t let up and give them anything else.”

The Wolves (2-4) avoided the shutout with an Edgar Martinez goal in the 59th minute.

“It was Edgar’s first game back all year, so it was nice to see him get a goal and do some positive things for us out there,” Wolves coach Steve Szymanski said. “And the Alvarez twins (Jorge and Marco) have been playing well for us all year. We need some other guys to start stepping up.

"I think the first 60 minutes, we didn’t play with much intensity. That’s two games in a row where it’s taken us to be down three goals before we start playing hard. We’re too young and inexperienced to play from behind. We have to stay even and hope for our best opportunities. We just made too many mistakes today.”

Hinsdale Central improved to 3-1 with Thursday’s win. The Red Devils opened with a 2-0 win over Metea Valley before knocking off Wisconsin state power Tremper, of Kenosha, in a 2-1 win.

“Everybody was up for the game and it was the best game we played yet this year,” Worthington said. “Tremper’s a very good team but we wanted it a bit more. We were intense in that game.”

Central has scored 8 goals and given up 4 through 4 games. The Red Devils played their third consecutive game without one of their most important players, injured senior midfielder Taylor Cole.

“Leadership, definitely,” Reavis said of what his side misses without Cole on the field. “He was here when (Central) went to the state finals (in 2007). He’s our guy, and he’s obviously very skilled in directing things in the middle of the field.”

Getting goals from two juniors and a sophomore on Thursday bodes well for the Red Devils’ attack.

“We’ve been building on it in practice,” Reavis said. “We’re young in the attack, and all three players in the forward position are new guys, so we’re all trying to get a feel for each other. It’s going to get there.

It’s the hardest-working team since I’ve been here. Easily. We love coming out to practice and working hard. That’s what drives us.”

Szymanski and Oswego East assistant Bruce Conrad both played for Wiggins when he coached at Downers Grove South, and they knew what to expect driving into Hinsdale.

“I was actually surprised they weren’t even better on their set pieces because that’s something they’re usually very good at,” Szymanski said. “Their back four is very solid. (Worthington) is very tough in back and we knew that (Reavis) is their best offensive player. And anybody who watched saw that they were the best two players on the field today.”