Sports
LT Boys Soccer Team Ready to Keep Tradition Going
Led by four-year varsity center midfielder Elliot Borge, the Lyons Township boys soccer team is seeking a fourth straight conference title and a deeper run in the Class 3A state tournament.
LYONS TOWNSHIP BOYS SOCCER PREVIEW
COACH: Paul Labbato (5th season, 81-15-4 record)
2010 RESULTS: 22-2-2 overall, 6-0 in West Suburban Conference Silver Division (1st place); lost to Naperville North 3-2 (2 OT) in Class 3A Hinsdale Central Super-Sectional
RETURNING STARTERS: Seniors Elliot Borge (midfielder), Max Hadley (goalie) and Matt Thomas (defender); and junior Brett Heimerdinger (forward/midfielder)
OTHER VARSITY RETURNEES: Seniors Hector Godinez (forward/midfield), Mark Pawula (forward/midfield) and Kovas Zygas (midfield/defense); and juniors Ben Larson (midfield/defense) and Jack Thomas (forward/midfield)
VARSITY NEWCOMERS: Seniors Robert Brunner (goalie), Alec Buti (midfielder), Conor Condon (midfielder), Spencer Hagan (midfield), David Reed (defense) and Kevin Shaw (defense); juniors Jon Jakob Lauser (forward/midfield) and Collin Smothers (midfield); and sophomores Piers Clarke (forward/midfield), Emilio Godinez (midfield/defense), Spiros Kass (forward/midfield) and Frankie Kocimski (forward/midfield)
OUTLOOK: Borge is the lone returning starter from the 2009 state championship team, and there are only three other returning starters from last season, but the area-rated Lions have several returning letterwinners and expect to remain powerful.
There’s also the stinging motivation from last year’s double-overtime super-sectional loss, just one victory from a return to the state semifinals, after the Lions scored with 21 seconds left in regulation to force overtime.
In a battle of area-rated powers Saturday, the Lions tied Neuqua Valley 1-1 in Naperville on a second-half goal by Kocimski. Jack Thomas scored the game-winner in the season-opening 1-0 victory at Sandburg Aug. 24.
“(I’m encouraged by) the team chemistry of the players, how well they get along at this point,” Labbato said. “I like our interchangeable parts. We have a lot of guys that can play in a lot of positions, which is a good sign for us.
“Many of (our returning guys) played a lot. We’ve got the talent and work ethic and motivation and leadership roles in front of us. Now it’s up to them to follow through and push to be great like the teams behind them.”
Borge, a center midfielder, was the Lions’ lone underclassmen among their six 2010 All-WSC Silver selections. He also was among the top offensive players (14 goals, 13 assists) along with graduated standouts Kyle Kurfirst (13 goals, 15 assists) and Horacio Sanchez (16 goals, 13 assists).
“Obviously we’re leaning on Elliot’s leadership abilities,” Labbato said.
“Along with leading the team, being one of the guys that he is, he’s one of the best guys in the state. He’s a good kid. The players like him a lot and he’s very unselfish with the ball.”
Heimerdinger (6 goals, assist) may join Borge at midfield this season after primarily contributing as a forward.
Matt Thomas returns at center defender, regardless if the Lions play with three of four players in the back line. Hadley played goalie in eight of the Lions’ first 11 games last season and 10 overall, making 25 saves and contributing to four of the team’s 11 shutouts.
Hector Godinez (goal), Pawula (goal), Zygas (2 goals, assist), Larson (goal) and Jack Thomas (goal, 2 assists) all appeared in at least 17 games last season and will contribute bigger roles.
The Lions’ returnees accounted for just 26 of their 70 goals in 2010. Hector Godinez was projected to provide scoring help at forward after being Sanchez’s backup last season and seeing some varsity action as a sophomore. However, Godinez will be out at least one more month recovering from an ankle injury.
“That’s a big blow because we were going to count on him this year and it’s his senior year. We hope to get him back,” Labbato said.
Seniors, such as Hagan, Shaw, wrestler Condon and basketball player Reed also will be important. Other strong newcomers include center midfielder Smothers and Lauser, a foreign exchange student from Germany, and four sophomores. Lauser played for the same club team as former World Cup standout and current U.S. men’s national soccer coach Jurgen Klinsmann.
Speaking of soccer tradition, the LT players have been living it as well. Labbato said he has been pleased the past few years how former standouts visit the current LT players as they prepare for their college seasons.
“They’re hanging out with the guys, saying ‘It’s a big season,’ ” Labbato said. “There’s definitely a tradition building where past players are definitely encouraging our newer players so there’s a lot to live up to and to write their own successes.”
In the Silver, the Lions are coming off their third straight title – their first conference three-peat in program history – and their second straight with a 6-0 mark. They have won or shared five of the last six Silver crowns. Last year’s junior varsity was 9-0-2 in league play.
KEY TO SUCCESS: “Goal scoring. If we can find someone who can be dangerous, we’re going to be good,” Labbato said. “We’ll try a lot of guys in those positions to see what sticks. If we’re in a bunch of 1-0, 1-1 games, our record might not look very good, but we’re willing to take the whole season to look and be ready for the playoffs.”
