Panthers battle back twice to force tie vs. Wheaton North

By Gary Larsen

There’s a sense of madness that runs through every heated DVC game, but this year’s madness between Glenbard North and visiting Wheaton North became full-blown in the game’s final 10 minutes.

Heated, 3-3 overtime ties are fun to watch, and they can be a hoot to coach in as well.

“That definitely got my heart going,” Glenbard North coach Greg Chrisman said after his squad fought back twice to finally force the tie. “I told the guys that this is why we play sports, right here. Double overtime. This is it.”

The Panthers and Falcons played 100 minutes of soccer on the same night that another pair of DVC teams in Naperville North and West Aurora played into overtime.

“There’s always a lot of heart in them,” Glenbard North’s Danny Campagna said. “And everything under the sun happens in DVC games.”

Glenbard North (2-2-3, 0-1-1 in DVC play) grabbed a 1-0 halftime lead on a Kevin Greiner goal, before Wheaton North (1-5-1, 0-0-1) struck twice in the first 10 minutes of the second half.

It wasn’t uncharted water for the Panthers, who fought back in their home opener this year to win 3-2 over Streamwood.

“We just keep fighting, every game. It’s not in us to give up,” Campagna said. “We just go out there and work hard.”

Glenbard North had scored 6 goals in 6 games heading into Thursday’s contest, but earned numerous restart opportunities against Wheaton North.

“It’s high school soccer. It’s all about restarts, and who has that kid who can throw it to the far post,” Chrisman said. “And then it’s about who wants it. Put it in the mixer, go after it, and see what happens.”

The Panthers’ Ryan Scott wanted it in the 73rd minute, locating a ball on the ground after a throw-in and sending it to the back netting from 14 yards out.

Wheaton North kept the trend going, however, grabbing a 3-2 lead three minutes later on a Sam Klatt head shot goal, which they enjoyed for less than a minute.

A Glenbard North corner kick in the 77th minute set up another shot on net, this time from Eric Dailly, who banged it in off the post for the day’s final goal.

The Panthers played a man down in overtime after a red card was issued, but you’d never have known it. Glenbard North’s attacking play was prominent in both overtime periods.

“We keep fighting,” Chrisman said. “We were down a man but we showed a lot of heart and determination. We had plenty of opportunities to quit in this game. We missed a p-k, we went down a goal, we tied it and went down a goal again – it was heartbreak after heartbreak.

They could have quit in this game a millions times, but they just don’t. And as a coach that’s just something that you’re proud to see.”

Even though he sent a penalty kick wide of frame in the second half, the Panthers’ Jon Colucci made his presence felt throughout the game.

“He’s a handful. He’s quick, he’s direct, he’s feisty – he’s all the things in an attacking player that you hate to play against,” Wheaton North coach Bryce Cann said. “You want him on your team, and he gave us some difficulties.”

Colucci is a marking back on his club team but is now in his second year as an attacking player at Glenbard North. “He’s a tremendous defender but I just can’t take him out of the forward position,” Chrisman said. “He has a nose for the goal and he’s not going to give up.”

I thought Dailly and Colucci up top just put in a hundred percent on every play tonight. You love to see that. They made the runs every time and they fought for every ball.”

The Panthers have also shown improved defensive play in recent games, including the ability to get forward.

“We were working well out of the back. Dominick Ferreri was giving us great crosses out of the back,” Campagna said. “Even crosses coming from the outside from Eric Dailly and Kevin (Greiner). We had them beat on the crosses and we kept doing them.”

“Dom Ferreri probably served in 10 to 15 crosses, he was able to get into the attack, he played balls across the middle, and he just started a lot of plays for us,” Chrisman said. “He kept attacking up that right side and that’s something I was excited to see from him, because we’ve been challenging our backs to get into the attack and he did that today.”