Mustangs strike twice in second half to top Glenbard East

By Gary Larsen

Downers Grove South coach Jon Stapleton asks – heck, he demands – that his outside defenders get forward whenever possible and get into the attack, and through 9 games Mike Leahy has done just that.

On Thursday, Leahy got the payoff.

The Mustangs’ 2-0 win over visiting Glenbard East featured a fine shot from distance by Joe McLean, Leahy crashing net to bury the deflected save for his first goal of the season, and then make that long trek back to his position.

“I’ve been trying to follow up shots recently. I’m trying to score,” Leahy said. “I saw the goalie drop one earlier so I just thought ‘why not this one?’.  And the mid who plays in front of me, Cory Mosiman, is really fit and he’s always got my back.”

The Mustangs scored a second time in the 78th minute, when Kyle Wolf slid a perfect diagonal feed from left to right across the 18 to McLean, who ran on and struck it.

“I thought they played really well tonight,” Stapleton said of his boys. “We’ve been emphasizing spacing on the field, playing one-two touch, and making smart, meaningful runs.”

The Mustangs improved to 7-1-2 with the win, and posted their 5th shutout in the process.

Outside backs Leahy and Joe Sombeck, central defenders David Masolak and Tim Herlihy, and goalkeeper Sam Hadley have helped hold opponents to 9 goals in 10 games.

Kevin Wisniewski also chips in defensively for a team that isn’t going to give up much this season.

“Dave (Masolak) moved to a center back position mid-way through the season last year, and he does a really nice job, and Tim (Herlihy) is someone who has really been playing well this year,” Stapleton said. “Leahy had some experience last year and Joe (Sombeck) is a solid junior. And Sam (Hadley) has been very solid.”

“Me and the other three backs have been playing really well recently,” Leahy said. “We didn’t give up a goal in Indianapolis. And I feel comfortable with everyone back there, so I can make those runs, and we always have faith in Sam (Hadley) back there.”

Senior keeper Hadley was aggressive throughout Thursday’s contest. He split time in net last season with Andrew Reed early in the year. “It was a good learning experience and it was good to get minutes,” Hadley said. “I feel very comfortable back there and the guys support me.”

The Mustangs went 1-1 at this year’s Great Midwest Classic, with their only loss this season coming in a shootout after a scoreless tie against Lexington Catholic of Kentucky.

“I don’t want to say we’re peaking but we’re starting to come along, and feel comfortable within the system,” Stapleton said. “I think that’s what we’re seeing now. I thought defensively we played well, and I’m real pleased tonight.”

The Mustangs have scored 22 goals in 10 games and only been kept out of net once this season. “I thought we were dangerous tonight,” Stapleton said. “Very few shots were off-frame, and that gives us a chance. Our shot selection has been good, in terms of testing the keeper from (distance), as well as looking to play some combinations in the box.”

“I think the midfield core of Conor (Kelch), Nick (Suker), and Gabe (Diaz) are the engine, and they really get us going, and I have to praise our two outside mids, Joe McLean and Cory Mosiman,” Stapleton said. “Joe has been outstanding and Cory is coming along nicely as a junior.”

Downers South faces another strong test on Saturday at Naperville Central, before taking on a solid Addison Trail team next week, along with another once-beaten team in Oak Park and River Forest.

The Mustangs showed throughout Thursday’s game that they’re ready to negotiate a tough schedule down the season’s stretch, which ends against six consecutive teams with winning records.

“In the final third we’re having better combinations, we’ve been switching it much faster, and we’ve been more aggressive in the final third,” Leahy said. “We can always finish better, of course, and we can always tackle harder. Tackling hard has always been our team’s main goal.”

“We’ve progressed,” Hadley said. “Today we did a good job of reading the cues, and (Glenbard East) was a very direct team. But our defense has been building up and we keep getting better.”