On Sept. 23 the West Chicago boys soccer team faced off against Fenton High school in a highly intense conference match at Memorial Field. Tensions were high as both teams were playing to secure three points for standings.

Although several of Fenton’s forwards were fast and technical, the Wildcat defense was quick to adapt and eliminate any dangerous plays. The pace and competition were clear from the very beginning, as Fenton scored the first goal only seven minutes into the first half. Although the Wildcats played hard, players still acknowledged that there was still a lot of room for improvement and growth.

“A lesson we can take away from this game is we have to be more patient on the ball and play our game also our communication on the field can always improve,” senior Dimitry Stetsik said.

As the game progressed, the Wildcats were determined to even the score. Just three minutes after Fentons goal, junior Diego Bustos scored with a nice header off of a corner kick, making the win reachable again.

“I was really proud of the way that we were able to work together for each other as a family throughout the whole game. We got scored on and were able to bounce back right away. We were covering each other all game and in the end we came out with the win,” Bustos said.

By the end of the first half, the score was still a tie, allowing Wildcats to regain composure and come back stronger.

In the middle of the second half, Senior Aiden Durbin had a incredible breakaway, and dribbled both the centerback and goalie, before sliding the ball firmly into the back of the net, giving the Wildcats a one point lead. Unfortunately, a few minutes later, the bison were able to score off of a set-piece, making the score 2-2.

“Something that we can take from this match is to finish our opportunities and keep playing till the final whistle is blown. Overall the team played well and we kept possession most of the time. We were just unlucky in some plays,” sophomore Julian Lopez said.

The final score was 2-2, forcing both teams to go to penalties, which would determine who would get the extra point and lead in conference. Senior Abraham Salinas scored, as well as Sophomores Julian Lopez and Enrique Correa.

The true standout for penalties was actually junior and goalie Alvaro Martinez with two crucial saves, that made the penalty shoot-out score 3-1.

“We knew we were facing a tough opponent who’s aiming for the same thing we are, a Conference Championship! Tonight we demonstrated that we are hungry for more. We want to accomplish all of our goals. The players, along with our coaching staff are working extremely hard to bring that title home. Tonight we took a step closer in the right direction. Heart, Passion, and Character,” Assistant Coach Dorian Carrasco said.

While the game was successful for the Wildcats, the aftermath was not pretty. Immediately after the final whistle, a fight broke out between the teams, when some players misinterpreted a Fenton’s player remark. One player was hit, and the two teams immediately started shoving and defending themselves.

“The other team threw a punch at one of our players, Leonardo Posada, and we just started shoving back – it was self-defense; We were scared,” senior Omar Lutfiyev said.

Spectators also became involved. Supporters from both schools began shouting across the field, but only resulted in verbal confrontations.

Coaches and school staff intervened to separate players and parents. No official statement had been made by either school at press time.

Emotions often run high in sports, especially for seniors experiencing their last season with the team. Still, Carrasco emphasized that unity would be the key to moving forward.

“At the end of the day, we need to stay focused and stay as a family and stay as a whole…I think this will make us stronger in a way. Everybody coming together, united,” Carrasco said.

Revision

Sept 25. 

The article was was again updated on Sept. 25 to further include and clarify details regarding the events that occurred after the game.

Sept. 24

This article was updated on Sept. 24 to include details regarding events that occurred after the game.