Grens start slow but finish fast in Bensenville
Three second-half goals help Elk Grove defeat Fenton

By Mike Garofola

A late PK conversion from Rafal Borys gave Elk Grove a narrow but deserved 3-2 win over a determined side from Fenton on Saturday.

The game at Redmond Park in Bensenville was part of Lake Park’s Stach Memorial tournament. The game-winning spot-kick culminated a furious comeback for the Grens (7-2-0), which on two occasions found themselves trailing by one goal against the Bison.

The host Bison (4-5-1) made plenty of noise in the early stages against a Grens' club lacking spark off the opening whistle. Elk Grove (7-2-0) showed an inability to communicate with other from front-to-back, much to the surprise of head coach Joe Bush.

"As I said before the match, one of the things this team does so well is get along with each on and off the pitch, but we saw the exact opposite for most of the first half,” Bush said. “We were yapping at each other, and not really communicating in the process."

Elk Grove gifted the Bison a scoring chance at 7 minutes when it allowed an unmarked Giovanni Bailon to head a Jimmy Hernandez corner into the open net to end the Grens 5-game shutout streak.

"We were so terrible on that goal," began Bush. "A couple of guys were actually tying their shoes, a few others were so lax in marking around the area, and we just looked so disinterested in that whole sequence."

The visitors awoke briefly from their quarter-hour malaise to see Carlos Cisneros, strong all afternoon in the middle of the park, nearly find the upper right 90 with a blast. Moments later, Cesar Rodriguez fanned on a wonderful chance in close after Irving Cruz set him free with a mini-bicycle from near the top of the box.

A turnover in the Grens’ third nearly allowed Fenton to double its lead, if not for a spectacular point-blank save from keeper Frankie Ortiz on a Bailon shot at 19 minutes.

"We probably could have put 1-2 more into the net, and maybe close them out in that first half, but that's the type of thing a young team still has to learn to do as it grows as a team," offered Fenton coach David Alvarez.

Fenton’s 4-5-1 overall record is misleading for a club which plays attacking, skillful football, led by a trio of talented sophomores, and 5 juniors in the first 11 for head coach David Alvarez.

"Those young players are the future for us, they are hungry, and looking forward to becoming some of the better players in the area," began the affable Alvarez. "And along with a group of very coachable kids, we feel that if we continue to work and stay together as a team, we can make a little noise in our area very soon."

Elk Grove struggled to find its pace, possession, and the ability to play wide to stretch a Fenton club defending the center of the park with endless energy and tenacious tackling. Still, the Grens twice had the opportunity to at least draw even, but Bison keeper Pedro Acuna stopped Mike Ginter in close, and then stopped Ernesto Rodriguez after Cesar Rodriguez and Nick Jordan helped send him through.

"After a really bad start, we finally found our rhythm, and we were knocking the ball around fairly well,” Jordan said. “But we really were not very sharp and careful with the ball in their half."

"We didn't protect the ball well at all in that first half, and gave up a lot of balls in the middle, which I have to credit Fenton for, because they marked us so tight, and made us do a lot of things we didn't want to do because of the ability to defend so well," said Bush.

Elk Grove made a far brighter start to the second-half, when Cruz sliced inside to finish on a loose ball given up by Acuna after having some trouble with a sharply hit free kick from Cardenas.

But the Grens' failed in its own end minutes later, and were forced to haul down the clever Bailon inside the box, resulting in a Kevin Garcia PK conversion at 53 minutes.

Elk Grove came close to equalizing when Acuna stopped Cruz's attempt on an open net, and the Grens came close again seconds later with Borys running onto a loose ball, only to hit the bar from close range.

"Coach told us we had to play with more urgency in the second-half, and I credit him for staying on us and keeping us focused when we were hanging our heads and not playing the way we’re capable of," said Jordan.

Those words of encouragement would pay off shortly after Fenton went ahead for the last time, when the Grens' Jordan made something happen.

The senior would drill a long range free kick into the area, and what was first thought to be an own goal, later was credited to Cruz, who somehow redirected the Jordan missile into the back of the net and past Acuna, who had no time to react.

Back even at 66 minutes, the Grens needed little time to get the lead, when a Fenton defender was called for bringing down Cesar Rodriguez in the penalty area.

How the Grens would miss out in adding to its lead in the next 5 minutes will remain a mystery, as they created a pair of glorious chances.

Jordan and Cesar Rodriguez would combine to give Cardenas a chance at an open net, but the sophomore sprayed his shot wide. Then it was Ernesto Rodriguez setting up Cardenas, who this time saw Acuna stop his shot after spinning free to gain space.

Adrian Villegas, one of the few seniors for the Bison in the first-11 nearly shocked the Grens' when his left-footed strike bounded off the woodwork at 75 minutes. Fenton pushed everyone forward in its search to draw even but the trio of Borys and the Ginter brothers (Matt and Mike) stood firm in the closing minutes to help seal the victory, and match it entire win total in 2009.

"I've told the guys they can be a part of something really wonderful this season, but they have to remember the story of an Elk Grove team a few years ago, before I took over, when they began the season at something like 6-1, but finished 12-8," said Bush.

"We have to work hard each time out in training, then in the match if we expect to continue to improve and win, and nothing is going to come easy for us, especially in the MSL."