DGS rests starters in Jacobson's final regular-season game
By Matt Le Cren

 

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Downers Grove South and York took two very different approaches to Thursday night’s regular season finale in Downers Grove.

The host Mustangs, who have been plagued by injuries this spring, rested six of their starters, while York went with its usual starting lineup as it has done all season.

Not surprisingly, the Dukes came away with a 5-0 victory, with Christina Ordonez recording two goals and an assist and Courtney McHugh adding a goal and two assists as York (18-4) won for the ninth straight game, all by shutout, while snapping Downers South’s winning streak at seven.

It was an interesting contrast between two top teams who appear to be on a collision course to meet in the Class 3A Downers Grove South Sectional semifinals on May 22.

“I think this game definitely boosts our confidence,” Ordonez said. “Obviously, we know that they weren’t playing all their starters, but regardless, we’re going to come out our hardest and try and win. Going into the playoffs I think we’re definitely confident and we’re excited.”

Ordonez provided York all the offense it would need, scoring twice in the first half to raise her season total to 32 goals and her career mark to 113. The first goal came on a 15-yard shot from just inside the top of the box with 23:07 left and the second was a one-timer in close off a cross from McHugh at the 6:36 mark.

Earlier, Ordonez had hit the left post with a header and the Dukes, who outshot the Mustangs (14-5-3) by a 32-4 margin, missed several other open shots over the crossbar or into the arms of Downers South goalie Amanda Meyers, who made seven saves in her 40 minutes of action before being replaced by sophomore Katelyn Laraia, who made three saves in the second half.

The Mustangs, who had outscored their last seven opponents by a 25-0 margin, hung tough until 23:03 remained in the second half. That’s when Bryce Banuelos scored off a pass from Ordonez to give York a 3-0 lead. Just 30 seconds earlier, Laraia had made a diving save on a point-blank shot from Banuelos.

The Dukes added goals from McHugh with 13:54 left and Sasanelli at the 4:45 mark. McHugh had the assist on the final goal and now has produced 13 goals and 15 assists.

“I think we step on the field and no matter who the opponent is or what point of in the season it is, we want to go out and worry about ourselves first of all,” York coach Chris Halupka said. “We want to make sure that we’re doing the things that help us win.

“When it comes down to the playoffs, you are protecting your players a little bit [because] you don’t want them to get injured, but at the same time you have to stick with routines and what works.

“The next game is not until Tuesday, so I look at it a little differently and I say, look, it’s just another game, so do what you do every time you step on the field. I like that routine.

“But in the big picture I think that we did a very good job of moving the ball. I like the way our midfielders were connecting with our forwards especially.”

That continued a trend that has seen the Dukes tally 39 goals in their last nine games. That barrage has obscured the work of York’s defense, which has shut out its last nine opponents and 11 of its last 12. Goalie Anna Bell Lansdowne had to make only three saves in recording her 15th clean sheet.

“Our defense definitely holds us together back there so we’re really happy with the job they’ve been doing,” Ordonez noted.

Like the Mustangs, the Dukes have had to deal with some injuries in the back, but the group of co-captain Abby Wilkins, sweeper Angela Guerino, Catherine Kent and Jaime Kovatchis, with help from reserves Annalisa Lappo and Edith Flores, has been solid as a rock.

“I think the defense has done a really good job,” Halupka said. “Even the switches that we made, the girls that step into the defensive part really understand how we play defense and that’s the important part.

“Abby is having a great season, I think Angela Guerino is doing great at sweeper and then we moved Cat Kent from center midfield to stopper and that was a move that we were just experimenting and I think she’s settled in really nicely. Jaime Kovatchis has been doing really well.”

But can they get the job done if they play the Mustangs at full strength?

“We’re still confident that we can come in and play just as well and just as hard with their starters and hopefully come out with a win,” Ordonez said.

No. 2 seed York would have to beat No. 15 Kelly and either No. 7 Fenwick or No. 10 Hinsdale South at home in the regionals next week to advance to sectionals, while third-seeded Downers South has to get by No. 14 Addison Trail and either No. 6 Oak Park-River Forest or No. 11 Willowbrook to set up a highly anticipated rematch.

“We go one game at a time and I think the girls are focused, I think they are really working hard for each other and that’s the big thing that we talk about,” Halupka said. “I think [Downers South’s] field is brilliant. It would be great to play on that again.”

Downers South, which sat senior stars Sarrah Ludwig, Jessica Bronke, Jessica Pikul and Flo Beshiri as well as starting goalie Cassidy Hermann and defender Brittany Dietz, has added motivation to play again on its home turf.

Thursday’s game was the final regular season match for legendary Mustangs coach Barry Jacobson, who announced that he is retiring at the end of the season.

Jacobson, who started Downers South’s program in 1984, has more wins, 483, than any other girls’ soccer coach in Illinois history. He has held the record since 2004, when he surpassed the previous mark of 339 set by former Naperville North coach Al Harris.

“We had to do what was best for our family,” said Jacobson, a Naperville resident who has two children, the oldest a freshman in high school. “It’s been a long time and the time was right to move on and do some other things.”

Under Jacobson, whose career mark is 483-142-58 over 29 seasons, the Mustangs have had only one losing season and have won four state trophies, including a runner-up finish in 1993. They also took third in 1992 and fourth in 2002 and 2008.

A fifth trophy seems within reach for the Mustangs, who on Tuesday won their 11th straight West Suburban Conference Gold Division championship with a 7-0 rout of Proviso East, their 68th consecutive league victory.

“We had a motivation of course for ourselves, just personal pride, of going as far as we can, especially the seniors,” Pikul said. “You always want to do your greatest your senior year.

“But all the girls…once he announced his retirement, we literally all turned to each other and we were like, ‘We’re going to state.’ It’s sort of a thing that’s personal, just honoring him and all of his years with us and all of his time and effort he’s put into our team.

“The man’s done a lot. He’s a very good coach. He knows what he’s doing on the field, so part of our driving motivation for state, other than just personal pride, is honoring him and trying to make his last year the best we can make it. We all want that for him.”

But to do it, the Mustangs know they probably have to get by York.

“That’s what we’re hoping for, that we get to play them again with all the starters,” Pikul said. “[The senior starters] didn’t get to go out there and play [tonight] but we knew we had to be smart, not get injured.

“Our main goal right now is winning regionals and getting to play York in sectionals. We just want to play them again on our field, give them a piece of what we’re made of.”

Can the Mustangs do it?

“We’ll see,” Jacobson said. “We’re playing fine. We have to get ready for Addison Trail first.”

Until the playoff run is over, Jacobson won’t have much time for reflecting on his career, though he did just that for a moment when asked.

“Most of my close friends are in the coaching group,” Jacobson noted, “and a lot of the friends we’ve had, a lot of the kids we’ve had is the biggest thing [I’ll miss] when I look back.”