Pirates' roll continues against Wheeling
Reynolds' goal sends Palatine to a regional semifinal

CLICK HERE FOR GAME PHOTOS

By Gary Larsen

When Palatine lost to Elk Grove on Oct. 5, it marked the fourth loss in five games for the Pirates. Since then, they’ve reeled off five consecutive wins over the likes of Lake Zurich, Conant, and Rolling Meadows.

After Palatine won 1-0 over Wheeling in a Class 3A regional opener on Saturday, it was jokingly suggested to Illinois hall-of-fame coach Willie Filian that erratic coaching might have played a role in his team’s contrasting streaks over its last 10 games.

Surprisingly, it wasn’t that much of a joke.

“We were micro-managing and it got to the point where we just decided to let the kids play,” Filian said. “I told them in the playoffs that they just need to perform. It’s not about having them work through stuff and learn any more. So if anything, I think we’ve done less coaching lately.”

Physical soccer, dangerous set pieces, and solid defense can take you a long way, and Palatine has used all three in posting a trio of 1-0 wins over Lake Zurich, Rolling Meadows, and Wheeling, and improving to 13-8-1 on the year.

“I think our team just decided to finally focus,” Palatine junior Jack Reynolds said. “In the games we were losing, we were getting unfocused. We were a little beat up but that happens. It’s nice to see that after a losing streak like that, we can come back and maybe make a run in the playoffs.”

Reynolds was around the ball all day, and it was his second-half goal that got it done against Wheeling. The win sent the Pirates to a rematch with Lake Zurich, in a regional semifinal match.

Saturday’s lone goal came after a scoreless first half, and began with a Palatine corner kick. The ball came out to Reynolds, who served it towards the far post from right to left, and happily watched it drift under the crossbar at 42 minutes.

“I was just in the right spot off of our corner kick,” Reynolds said. “I was just crossing it back in, and it went my way and went in. I’ll take it. I was actually laughing a little bit when it went in but whatever, it’s a goal.”

Wheeling and Palatine met in MSL play on Sept. 7, with the Pirates winning 3-1 and converting on a few of the set piece plays that Filian’s program is known for.

“We worked a lot on set pieces and not giving up easy throw-ins,” Wheeling coach Ed Uhrik said. “On through-balls and long-balls we played it back to our goalie. And we had a few chances on our throw-ins as well and just didn’t crash as hard as I would have liked to see.”

Palatine figured that Wheeling would make a concerted effort to avoid giving up set pieces, and the Pirates also had to account for a good handful of crafty players over the ball in dealing with Wheeling’s attack.

“You heard them the whole day shouting ‘no throw-ins’, and they did a good job of defending them. It was a tight game, with not a lot of chances,” Reynolds said. “They’re quick in transition and the key is getting your midfield and forwards to drop back and defend, and to just hold them off, and don’t dive in.”

Palatine defenders Jonathan Aburto, Martin Rodriguez, and Kyle Clancy were steady in back throughout, in front of freshman goalkeeper Kyle Leber.

Junior goalkeeper Evan Held suffered a concussion during a fine performance against Elk Grove and hasn’t played in net since, but Leber has stepped up and stood tall. “He’s a good shot-blocker, he reads the game, and he’s off his line real quick,” Filian said of Leber.

Central defender Clancy is also a freshman playing a key varsity role this year.

“We’re not experimenting at all. Those are the best kids to play those positions,” Filian said. “We don’t have the machine that Fremd and Barrington have. We kind of take the best kids we have and try to get them going.”

“The ball seemed to follow Jack around today and I thought Jonathan Aburto played well. He was getting stuck in on tackles early and he was reading the game well. He had a good game and he did a good job of locking down the kid he was marking.”

Throughout Saturday’s contest, Wheeling showed flashes of the skilled and cohesive soccer that Uhrik wants his side to play.

“Most of the guys out there today were juniors and sophomores,” Uhrik said. “They played hard and for them, it’s a matter of getting on the same page. The story all year long for us has been not playing well as a team together yet.

“I knew that if we decided to all play together this year we’d be okay, but we were never able to all get on the same page, so that’s what we’ll be working on for next year.”

Uhrik will bid farewell to 10 rostered seniors from this year’s team, but key pieces return for next year’s squad.

“Our senior sweeper, Dan Speidel, has been solid. He’s a three-year starter and he was all-conference this year, which was nice,” Uhrik said. “Our goalie, (senior) Arturo Escobedo, has also been pretty good for us.”

“But our two outside backs, Alan Flores and Alfonso Noveron, are juniors and they were starters last year for us as well. We knew we’d take our lumps this year but next year I expect bigger things. Irving Eloiza will be a junior next year, Sergio Nunez will be a senior.”

Palatine will travel to the Highland Park regional site for its rematch against Lake Zurich, 10 days after the Pirates’ won 1-0 over the Bears.

“It was a very defensive-minded game,” Reynolds said. “They’re a very offensive team but you can get your chances if you can transition quickly, get the ball and get it out. They put like eight guys up top so if you can get a three-on-three you can put one in.”

The Pirates topped the Bears the first time around on a great strike from junior Jon Clark.

“It was a bomb,” Filian said. “He hit one on a line from about 22 yards out, a volley inside the far post. It was a good, fast-paced game. But we’re telling the guys there are no style points. Just get the result and move on at this point.

“We like to play a physical game and (Lake Zurich) impressed me because for the last two or three years, they’ve beaten us at our game. I’m impressed with their physical ability and athleticism, their play in the air, their speed, the way they tackle – you’re in for a battle when you play them.”