Evanston Soccer Squad Falls in Sectional Title Game

Written by Dennis Mahoney.

Evanston’s soccer team saved its best for last in the sectional championship game Saturday.

But even though the Wildkits played one of their most dominant stretches of soccer all season, it wasn’t quite good enough.

A furious Evanston comeback in the final 20 minutes of regulation fell short in a season-ending 2-1 loss to Wheeling in the Class 3A Evanston Sectional title game at Lazier Field.

After spotting a talented Wheeling team a 2-0 lead over the first 45 minutes, ETHS charged back and left everything on the Lazier turf. That’s why head coach Franz Calixte and his players could walk off with their heads held high, despite the disappointment of only their second loss this fall in a sterling 17-2-5 season.

Wheeling, behind two goals from Luis Herrera, advanced with a 21-1-2 record.

“We had a great run, and the cream always rises to the top,” Calixte said. “We lost to a good, solid team in Wheeling and we played hard right to the end of the game. I’m still so proud of these guys even though we lost. And I’m not bitter, even though I thought we could have gone farther. We played good ball and we lost to a good team.

“No one thought we’d accomplish what we did this year (Central Suburban League South division and regional championships and the program’s best won-loss record since 2002). It’s gratifying, but it was still a little hard to swallow because we had such high expectations this year. But I have no regrets.”

Evanston’s constant pressure over the last half of the second half produced one penalty kick opportunity --- and another that wasn’t whistled, according to Calixte.

The Wildkits capitalized on the PK even though Wheeling goalie Gary Mendoza saved the initial shot by senior forward Cobi Ortega. Junior Kepler Worobec pounced on the rebound, however, and booted it past the keeper with 19 minutes, 11 seconds remaining in regulation.

Worobec was also a key player in a call that didn’t go Evanston’s way.

“We really had pure momentum going for us over the last 26-32 minutes of the game,” Calixte said. “I thought they missed a call with about 12 minutes left. We had a five or six pass combination and Kepler got inside the box and was about to shoot. He was clocked (knocked  down) and there was no call. That should have been another PK.

“We still kept the pressure on against a Wheeling team that is so dangerous. We knew we could beat them in overtime if we got there --- but we didn’t.”

Calixte may one day look back at the 2013 season as one of the most satisfying of his coaching career, especially because it came on the heels of a 2012 campaign when the Wildkits didn’t live up to expectations.

“We only had a couple of starters back this year (defenders Lowry and Tim Kenney) and these guys did such a great job of playing together as a team,” Calixte praised. “You never knew who was going to win the game for us. We had guys like Bretton Lowry, Gus Fleps, Cobi Ortega and Oli Jacques who all scored big or go-ahead goals for us all during the season.

“The seniors had the opportunity to play with some quality seniors last year and they got a taste of what it took then. We’ll miss these seniors dearly. They understood our system and they played it to a T. We had a great run.”

Lowry, a junior, earned All-State recognition in voting by coaches in the Evanston Sectional complex, and Kenney was designated an all-sectional choice. Seniors Aaron Stone and Taje Davis joined Jacques, Ortega, Fleps and Kenney on the all-Central Suburban League South division squad.

Calixte said the bar would remain high for next year’s squad, especially if sophomore goalie Adam Masters is 100 percent healthy.

This season, Masters shared playing time with senior Ethan Shohet-Zabin in the net but likely would have started except for a pulled hamstring he suffered in the preseason that never really healed. Masters’ mobility was severely limited even at the end of the year, according to his coach.

“He couldn’t run and he couldn’t kick with his strong foot,” Calixte said. “If someone ever came in on a breakaway against him, he’d limp to try to cut them off. He was never able to punt at all in the first 5 or 6 games he played. “

Lowry, Jacques, Mark Roth and Ben Rogan will return as starters next season, midfielder Chris Vergara should be fully recovered from an injury, and solid defender Ben Osterlund will also give the Wildkits a boost in 2014.

“We have some sophomores coming up who are very good, and I expect 17 or 18 wins next  season, too,” Calixte said. “I think the future looks good. We’re back to reloading, not rebuilding.”