Saxons suddenly lighting up the scoreboard
By Mike Garofola

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When the scoreboard shows nine goals and another five or six could have found their way into the back of the net, it's obvious the Schaumburg-Wheeling contest could not be labeled a defensive classic.

So it figures it would take the golden touch of a defender to settle this 100-minute match, which would come just moments before the center official whistled things over.

Schaumburg’s AJ Syvertson would guide his one-timer through a crowd and past a diving Javier Ocampo with just a tick under 8 seconds from time to give the Saxons (5-6-3) an exciting 5-4 win Tuesday night.

It also marked Schaumburg’s first back-to-back victories of the 2012 season, coming on the heels of a 6-1 win over Bartlett.

"Boy we really needed this one," said a relieved Hamid Mehreiouskouei, after spending several minutes revving up his lads, along with his long-time assistant Brad Stevens, after the Syvertson strike sent the visiting Saxons home on an upbeat note.

Stevens began by reminding his club how important it is to win a game like Tuesday’s, regardless of what it means in the MSL table. He pointed towards the inspiration such a match could provide with the postseason nearing.

Coaches also gave senior Christian Huerta his due for the 100-minute work rate the big striker they call 'El Caballo' gave his club. "El Caballo, (Huerta) is just a horse out there," said Mehreioskouei with a big smile.

"He had so much energy for us tonight, and since we moved him alongside Kacper (Wasilewski) up top, those two have been on fire, which is something our attack really needed, especially with the playoffs about to begin."

Wasilewski and Huerta have been perfect complements each other.

"Both run all night at people to create a lot of chances and opportunities for themselves, and with Kacper, he can hold, then turn and get a shot on frame, which we just haven't done this season,” Mehreioskouei said. “I tried playing that (college) style of soccer, but we had to put that to rest because the make-up of our team won't allow it. So moving Kacper from the middle (up top) with Christian just might be the answer for us."

No kidding. Through 12 matches, the Saxons had finished a paltry 17 times, but they scored 11 goals in the wins over Bartlett and Wheeling.

"Christian is a great partner to have up top," said Wasilewski, who was dragged off the pitch to have his hand attended to in the 73rd minute, but came back on in the waning moments of regulation after the Wildcats drew even, and threatened to win it.

"I am really enjoying having Kacper to play up top with, we both work hard, and that's the only way to play the game," added Huerta, who plays with a fiery flair.

Confidence is something the Saxons might have been lacking after posing the greater threat in the first quarter hour, only to find themselves chasing the upstart Wildcats (5-11-0). Wheeling stunned its guest when Fabian Acosta sent a redirected ball past Schaumburg keeper Marty Faleni.

Faleni appeared to be in position to stop the Acosta attempt until it took a wayward bounce through a pair of defenders.

The Saxons’ Kristian Pawlikowski, who is slowly rounding into form after an ankle injury, roared up the right side before finding Phil Minecci, and if not for a timely tackle by Wheeling’s Alfredo Rocha -- the Wildcats' best defender on the night -- Minecci could have been in on Ocampo.

"We lost our top defender (Nathan Laude) when he had surgery to remove a benign tumor, and our other quality defender (Marino Lopez) -- both for most of the year -- so it's been tough mixing and matching in the back to give us our best chance," began Wheeling manager Ed Uhrik, who does a wonderful job for the club.

"We've conceded a lot of goals like you saw for the game-winner this season, but it’s not for lack of effort or hard work on the boys’ part."

Uhrik has a terrific trio of attacking players in junior Jose Garcia (15 goals), sophomore Frankie Estrada, and Luis Herrera (9 goals), along with veteran striker Jose Aguilera. Each gave the Saxons fits throughout the night when the Wildcats found their pace and played quick, attacking soccer, which is what the club is best suited to do.

After Wasilewski tucked a Huerta corner just into the back post to level the match in the 22nd minute, the aforementioned Garcia swung his freekick attempt around the Saxons wall and into the far side of the net to put the home side back on top in the 26th minute.   

"He made it look so easy," said Uhrik of the first of two successful freekick strikes from Garcia. "I wasn't even sure that second one of his went in."

Once again, Wasilewski came to the rescue, bagging his 10th of the season in the 38th minute, after Huerta, Raul Alcala and Carlos Sarasti all had a hand in the captain’s close-range drive.

It was this quartet along with Ryan Murphy that helped put the home team on its heels for the final seven to eight minutes of the first half. Before the Wildcats could catch their breath at the start of the second period, the Saxons were back at it again, but only after the Wildcats wasted a couple of chances.

Dan O'Connell, brought on for Faleni during intermission, turned away Michael Hernandez near the spot and then elevated to gather a shot from Aguilera.

The Saxons would quickly regroup. Playing through Alan Santana and Huerta, Schaumburg’s attack would build momentum, leading up to the go-ahead goal in the 61st minute.

A pair of deep throws from Sarasti hung around the box far too long for the Wheeling faithful to watch, with one leading to a corner.

After an Alcala run created space and time for a marvelous serve at Ocampo, the 'Cats keeper punched the ball out of the area. The ball fell to Wasilewski, who kept things alive and allowed Huerta to punish the Wildcats' for the failed clear, with a low drive from 12 yards out.

"A well-deserved goal for Christian, who worked so hard for everyone all night long," Mehreiouskouei said.

The goal only made it easier for the Saxons’ backline, led by Syvertson, Logan Walther and Christian Mikalowski, to sit back and punish the Wildcats, whose play became frantic as they fell behind for the first time in the game.

Schaumburg tightened its grip on the lead when Patrick Jost, just recalled from the junior varsity, picked up a Huerta helper before using a nice little half-volley to beat Ocampo, pushing the Saxons’ advantage to two goals with five minutes left in regulation.

"Everybody was cheering (Jost) because he recently joined the varsity, and scored his first-ever goal," said Wasilewski. Jost was brought on for after Wasilewski’s right hand was stepped on during a 50-50 encounter, and needed some attending by the Wheeling medical staff.

The joy of the Jost strike was short-lived, however. Garcia pulled the home side closer with another freekick finish. If not for a bit of luck and some alert defending, Huerta would have pulled back the Garcia goal one minute later.

That's when Walther set up his teammate, and on the turn Huerta's smash was batted away and on the way to traveling over the endline, until Rocha headed the sure goal out and away from danger.

A rebound off a Garcia cracker fell to an awaiting Aguilera, and the senior made no mistake on his return shot, beating O'Connell from in close just before the 80th minute rang out.

"We gave up some bad goals tonight," admitted Wasilewski, “but we came back from that late goal and really went after (Wheeling) in overtime.”

Santana went close right off the whistle, as did Wasilewski, who in the first extra session created an excellent opportunity after physically beating up a pair of defenders to set himself free in close, only to send his shot wide of the post.

Both clubs had chances in the second overtime period.  Garcia's was the best, and would force Jennings LaBerg to head his dangerous shot on frame in the 92nd minute.

Sarasti would pick-out Syvertson in the 98th minute but the junior would miss a wide-open net. But less than two minutes later, he wouldn't miss his second chance to be a hero.

"Schaumburg probably had most of the run of play all night, but we created some very good chances that we could have finished, which would have made things a little more interesting," said Uhrik.

"If we can play with the type of energy that we did (tonight) I really feel we can surprise the competition when the playoffs begin."

For Mehreioskouei and his two stars of the night, 'surprising' others is something everyone on this club expects when the open postseason play at their own regional in two weeks.

"We have to get healthy, plain and simple," says Mehreioskouei.

"Christian (Mikalowski) is finally back for us but we're limiting his time during training and in his first few games back. Kacper is going at about eighty-five percent, we held Jessie (Lopez) out again with an ankle, and (Kristian) Pawlikowski is slowly coming back from his ankle injury.

"If we can get everyone back, plus Luccas (Greco) who's expected back soon, I feel we have a very good chance to make a run in the playoffs."

Wasilewski agreed.

"Our regular season (record) doesn't mean a thing at this point, it's all about pointing towards the state playoffs, and there's enough of us around from last year to know what it takes to be successful during late in the season," Wasilewski said.

The Saxons will finish the MSL regular season Friday at Rolling Meadows, which celebrates homecoming on that evening. After that, it is crossover night next Tuesday in the season finale.