Tigers score in OT to end Cougars' SPC hopes

By Curt Herron

 

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Whenever the Plainfield schools get together, it's usually a safe bet that you can disregard the records or what's at stake.

A case in point came on Thursday when Plainfield North traveled to Plainfield South for a Southwest Prairie Conference match.

While the Cougars needed a win to stay in the SPC race, the Tigers were simply playing for pride against a District 202 rival.

On a windy and rainy afternoon, the two sides took part in what has been a common theme this year in the competitive league.

For the 14th time in 23 SPC matches, the final outcome was determined by one goal, including for the fifth time in extra play.

And just as it did last year under similar circumstances, North rained on South's party by ending a losing streak in overtime.

Jake Novacek put in a short rebound of his own try in the 90th minute to give the Tigers a 2-1 win over the Cougars in Joliet.

While North saw a three-loss streak halted Thursday, a year ago it snapped a four-match skid with a 4-3 win in two overtimes.

There was even some similarity on the final goal in both Tiger victories over the Cougars, and that involved Tyler Petprachan.

The junior set up this year's winner with a liner that deflected off of a defender before keeper Tyler Olsen made a nice stop.

Olsen came up big on the initial close-range effort by Novacek, who proceeded to get the rebound and put it in to end things.

A year ago, a Petprachan free kick found the net for the decisive score as North played the spoiler in South's league hopes.

"I thought that we played a good game against Minooka two days ago but didn't get the result," Tigers coach Jim O'Hara said. "And that carried over to today. The first 10 minutes were a little bit slow but after that we played very well.

"I was extremely impressed with our second half. I know that they scored the first goal of the half and had a good first 10 minutes but after that, I thought we had a fantastic half as far as our energy and opportunities were concerned.

"We kept the same guys out there in the overtime and went the same direction and their hard work paid off. It was going back and forth and with the conditions, anything could happen since it was hard to play any type of ball on the grass.

"Give South credit since I thought they played a great game, as well, and it could have gone either teams' way and thankfully we finished on top. Hopefully this builds some momentum going into our game with Oswego East on senior night."

The Tigers (6-9-3, 2-4) host Oswego East Tuesday for senior night and play at Metea Valley on Thursday prior to the playoffs.

While North prepares for next Saturday's regional opener at home against Bolingbrook, South can also focus on the postseason.

That's because the Cougars (11-6-1, 3-3) saw their hopes of earning a share of the conference title dashed with the defeat.

South drew the top seed in the competitive Joliet Central Regional, which also features Romeoville, Lockport and Joliet West.

Before that, it still has to play at West Aurora on Saturday and host Minooka on Tuesday, when it will recognize its seniors.

"I knew that coach O'Hara would have his team ready to go," Cougars coach Dave Brown said. "Last year the same kind of thing happened where they were out of the conference race and we were still in it and he had them ready to go then, too. His guys will fight until the end.

"We had some chances to put a few more goals on the board. In the first half I liked our ball movement and how we moved off the ball, found feet and played with pace. Then we made a mistake on a dead ball on a rainy night like this and their guy finishes and we're down 1-0.

"I thought that we responded well in the second half but then kind of went away from what was working for us and started playing a little too much long ball. In overtime, it's a coin flip. Their guy hits a good strike, it deflects off our guy and Tyler saved the ball twice.

"Every game in this conference has been almost like a playoff game and we knew that we'd have to win out to have a chance. The regional will kind of be like our conference where the hot team in it is going to be tough to beat. So we still have a lot to play for this season."

Midway through the overtime, South threatened with a wide header from Cesar Bautista off of a Miguel Espinoza corner kick.

After North's James Thompson responded with a header and a liner, keeper Aaron Dunn deflected another corner from Espinoza.

South challenged again a bit later when Bautista headed a pass to Espinoza, whose close-range attempt was thwarted by Dunn.

As the overtime wound down, Petprachan lined a try off a defender and Olsen made two saves before Novacek put in the winner.

"Ty had a great shot and Jake just happened to be following through and crashing the goal like we've been practicing a lot," Thompson said. "We were a little shaky in the first half but we had a lot of possession in the second half.

"It was freezing cold and then it started raining out there but we've been going through practice and working on teamwork and going hard throughout. And today all of that practice paid off for us on the field and we got a nice win."

The final half started out well for the Cougars, who finally connected in the 46th minute to even things up in the match.

Espinoza began things with a free kick which bounced off players before Michael Decker got to the ball and hit a short try.

North got two shots on goal from Andres Castellanos plus wide efforts from Novacek and Logan Wright in the next 10 minutes.

Just past the match's three-quarters mark, Bautista was high on a free kick and then Petprachan was denied from close-range.

Over the next few minutes, Olsen halted a corner and liner from Garrett Gathman while Dunn stopped an Anthony Skrip attempt.

"I thought that our team played absolutely incredible today," Dunn said. "This is an unbelievable feeling, after especially winning in overtime.

"I have to give props to my defense of Tom DeVaux, Sam Puglisi, Zack Foust and Garrett Gathman, who've been incredible in the back. If it weren't for them, we'd allow a lot more goals."

Early in the match, Zack Foust was denied on a long free kick by South's keeper, who then grabbed a header from Petprachan.

Shortly before the quarter mark, an Espinoza free kick led to a header by Bautista and later Olsen stopped Emmanuel Bofah.

The Tigers moved in front in the 29th minute when Foust sent a free kick that bounced around before Jordan Schure connected.

South looked for the equalizer before the break but efforts from Espinoza, Dominic Nirchi and Nhkole Thakhisi were halted.

After the Cougars evened things early in the last half, the rain and winds seemed to pick up, making extra play more likely.

In the wake of three matches where they weren't able to connect, the Tigers are hoping that this victory gives them a boost.

"This win is a good confidence boost for us going into regionals," Petprachan said. "Even after they scored, we didn't give up and kept on fighting and attacking.

"On my shot at the end, the keeper had a great save and then he made another I give him props for that, but I liked how Jake followed up on it and scored."