The West Chicago Varsity boys’ soccer team spent their Columbus Day evening playing against Wheaton Academy on home turf on Oct. 14, ultimately losing to the local rival, 0-2.

As they began to fight for the first score on the board, West Chicago earned a corner kick due to a Wheaton Academy defender deflecting the ball out-of-bounds. Shortly after, the Wildcats received a yellow card for a slide tackle, cleats up.

West Chicago continued to possess the ball back and forth through midfield as the game went on, and junior Aiden Durbin was the team’s first substitution before senior Cung Thawng took a free kick for heal-clipping by the opposing team.

Junior Leo Posada subbed in, ultimately giving Wheaton Acadamey a penalty kick for a foul in the 18-yard box and West Chicago another yellow card. Wheaton Acadmey’s Mason Brooke scored on the kick, winning the first goal of the game.

The Warriors gained a free kick from a yellow card due to a bump in the knee, then gave the Wildcats a goal kick as one of the WA players kicked the ball over the end line, and an additional yellow card followed. The first half ended with Wheaton Academy in the lead 0-1.

“I feel when you play against a team like this who is a little bit more in sense of playing for pride, playing for hometown bragging rights, you have to go out there and finish every opportunity you have because if they have one, they will finish it, play defensively, and then shut a hold off on the 0-1 lead,” coach Dorian Carrasco said.

The second half started with a free kick for Wheaton Academy after a trip from the Wildcats and a corner kick that succeeded after an out-of-bounds play from the home team.

West Chicago shot the ball, skimming the post and giving the Warriors a goal kick. A free kick for the opposing team directly outside the penalty box occurred in pursuit of the play.

Wheaton Academy then took fault for guiding the ball outside the end line, giving the Wildcats a corner kick, and senior Alan Alfaro subbed in seconds later.

Both teams received consecutive corner, free, and goal kicks with 25 minutes left in the game, and WEGO did not stop attempting a goal as the ball hovered over their side.

“We were creating a lot of opportunities and chances. Our biggest challenge is, I think, finishing. I’ll take some ownership too, I’ve had many opportunities to finish, and they just have not [gone] in,” junior Kuba Slupski said.

Julian Lopez subbed in after Thawng took an injury to the shin, and possession varied until Wheaton Academy scored again with 10 minutes remaining, later receiving a free kick.

Sam Clegg subbed in for the Warriors after a goal kick from West Chicago and Thawng was brought back into the game after a corner kick in the Wildcats’ favor. Substitutions were made for either team within 5 minutes of the game’s end.

“We came out, we worked, we pushed. We almost played a perfect game, we just need to finish our opportunities,” Carrasco said.

At the 3-minute mark, a red card was put on West Chicago after a disagreement between Slupski and the referee, firing up the home crowd immensely as the fans and players believed unfair calls were being made after a foul was not flagged on the Warriors. Parents cheered that the game was swung in Wheaton Academy’s favor, and claimed the refs should have respect for both teams.

“I feel like [West Chicago] could have been a lot more delicate, especially because the ref was kind of biased towards the other team,” junior Carol Herrera Martinez said.

Despite West Chicago’s efforts, the final score was 0-2, with Wheaton Academy ultimately taking the victory.

“I think we played a great game, but at the end of the day, it is what the scoreboard says. We just have to finish, win out, and we’ll be ready for playoffs,” Slupski said.