Boys Soccer: Hilltoppers Gain Momentum Going into Postseason

A light rain turned into a heavy downpour during a late-afternoon Hilltopper boys soccer practice session last week. But at this point in the season, not even Mother Nature can rain on victory parade.

No matter what the sport, a team wants to be playing its best as the playoffs approach. Having won 10 of their last 11 contests—including six straight— heading into their regional opener on Wednesday, the Hilltoppers soccer boys find themselves in just that position.

Glenbard West’s six-game win streak includes victories over perennially tough WSS opponents such as Oak Park-River Forest (1-0 on penalty kicks) and Hinsdale Central, a season finale victory (2-1).

“They’re always a good team [Hinsdale Central] and we always knew that was going to be a tough game,” said Glenbard West coach Maciej Kusmierz. “There was a lot of extra pressure on us going into this game. We knew if we got the chance, we might tie Lyons Township for first place. We knew what we had to do, and we executed the first half. In the second half, Hinsdale picked up their level and pushed us back a little defensively. We had to defend, but we did it well and we came out with a win.”

The Hilltoppers also have defeated Addison Trail and 2009 Class 3A state champion Lyons Township—each ranked among the area’s top teams in media polls this season. Glenbard West handed LT its only conference loss of the year, and tied the Lions for first place in the WSS, as both clubs finished with 5-1 records.

Glenbard West, however, didn’t look anything like a formidable team at the start of the season. The team dropped four of its first six matchups, which Kusmierz attributes to a combination of physical and mental mistakes, along with getting younger players acclimated to varsity competition. Yet he was convinced his club had the potential to break out of its doldrums.

“We knew that we were capable of playing, improving our level of play,” Kusmierz said. “We had quite a few changes from last year, younger players coming in. It took us a little bit of time to get everything together.

“We were making silly mistakes. We emphasized before the season that those little mistakes add up, especially against tough competition. And in the end it hurts you. That’s what was happening in the beginning.”

But the Hilltoppers got on a roll after getting blown out by Batavia 5-0 in early September. Their current 10-1 streak started with consecutive shutouts over Hinsdale South and LT. Beating LT, Kusmierz said, gave Glenbard West a huge boost of confidence.

“We always knew that if we play our best we have the talent necessary to compete against tough teams, tough competition,” he said. “And I think the win against Lyons Township gave us the belief that perhaps we’re not going to be dominating those teams, but if we at least stay on top of our game, we will be competitive in those games. I think from that point on that gave our players confidence to compete, and that carried over in the games to follow.”

Senior Zach Watson has been brilliant in goal for Glenbard West throughout the season. Zach Venzon, a junior midfielder, netted five goals during the Hilltoppers’ six-game winning streak, while junior forward Nathan Hall, and senior midfielder Brendan Loftus each scored twice.

Loftus, Venzon, defender Andrew O’Connell and midfielder Ruslan Seyfulov also scored on penalty kicks in the 1-0 triumph over OPRF.

Glenbard West goes up against Addison Trail for the third time this season in their regional opener at 6 p.m. Wednesday at the Schaumburg regional, which is part of the Bartlett sectional.

“There’s a little extra pressure that comes along with it,” Kusmierz said. “We have to keep our feet firm on the ground and we need to keep doing what we’re doing. We have to be disciplined and organized, we have to work hard. If we do all that, then hopefully things will go our way.”

Seeded ninth, Glenbard West very well could be a sleeper team in the sectional. If the Hilltoppers get past Addison Trail, they’ll presumably face top-seeded Schaumburg in Saturday afternoon’s regional final.

“I would hate to make any predictions,” Kusmierz replied when asked how far he thinks this team can go in the postseason. “We just have to concentrate on what we’ve done for the past few weeks and approach the games with that mentality, and hopefully we’ll be successful. How successful? It’s tough to make any predictions.”