Fleps Goal Sends Evanston Into Soccer Title Game

Written by Dennis Mahoney.

Anyone watching Gus Fleps’ body language closely enough Tuesday night at Lazier Field could tell that things weren’t going well for Evanston’s leading scorer in a Class 3A sectional semifinal tournament matchup with Maine South.

But after 75 minutes of frustration, Fleps broke through in a big way and lifted the Wildkits’ soccer team to a 2-1 victory.

Fleps and teammate Aaron Stone worked a classic give-and-go play to perfection and Fleps booted home the game-winning goal with 5 minutes, 21 seconds remaining to send the Kits into Saturday’s ETHS Sectional title game.

Evanston, the No. 1 seed in the sectional, will take a 17-1-5 record into the contest against No. 2 seed Wheeling, which eliminated New Trier 1-0 in the other semifinal Tuesday. Time of the game Saturday has been switched to 3 p.m. to help fans avoid a conflict between the Illinois High School Association football and soccer state playoff games.

Evanston’s effort on Tuesday was closer to a championship performance than its two prior postseason victories, both of which required overtime work to advance. And Fleps, one of 11 seniors on the Kits’ roster, breathed a sigh of relief after extending everyone’s season.

“I was pretty frustrated tonight, especially in the first half,” said the senior forward. “I missed some opportunities, especially one about five or 10 minutes in that I’d make 99 times out of 100. Nothing was falling for me tonight. I couldn’t get shots or scoring opportunities.  But my teammates just told me to keep going, it will come --- and it did. I scored a goal in the sectional last year, but we lost, so this is the biggest one I’ve ever scored. It means a lot to me.

“This is probably the best we’ve played so far in the postseason, but it was not a great display of what we’re capable of as a team. We can play a lot better.”

With the score knotted at 1-1 and another overtime test looming, Stone and Fleps charged into the teeth of the Maine South defense. Each player connected on a pair of perfect passes in heavy traffic before Fleps found the back of the net.

“I saw Aaron coming at me, so I checked it back to him,” Fleps recalled of the connection that would definitely make the cut for any team highlight film. “He cut it back to me, and I got 1 on 1 with the goalie and managed to get it by him.”

“That was actually a double give and go by those guys, and you don’t see that very often,” pointed out Evanston coach Franz Calixte. “You don’t see it much, but it’s there if you use the wings like we try to do. It certainly worked out on that play. Gus just seems to find a way to get some opportunities out there. He really has a nose for the goal.”

Junior Ben Rogan stepped back into the starting lineup while another starter was held out for disciplinary reasons in the first half, and the Wildkits didn’t miss a beat.

“Ben usually subs for Kepler Worobec,” Calixte said. “Ben was starting the first three or four games because of an injury, and then when he got the flu for awhile, Kepler got the opportunity and never gave it up.

“Tonight about halfway through the first half we made an adjustment and had Ben playing more of a defensive role. He played well, and he came through for us when we needed him.”

Evanston scored the first goal of the game on a restart. Stone boomed a drive from approximately 35 yards out, and both Tim Kenney and Brett Lowry broke past the Maine South defense, with Lowry nudging the ball home in the 19th minute.

Maine South (15-7-2) pulled even  five minutes later on a brilliant individual effort by Tino Lappo, who beat ETHS sophomore goalie Adam Masters. Masters was credited with 8 saves for the winners.