The CBC tournament is always a highlight early in the season, starting a bit late this year on September 11th. Featuring four of the five Metro Catholic Conference (MCC) teams – CBC, DeSmet, SLUH and Vianney – it’s an opportunity to see teams that regularly compete in the post-season. The opener Tuesday featured the DeSmet Spartans facing off against the SLUH Jr. Billikens, last year’s tournament champions. DeSmet Spartans Open CBC Soccer Tournament With a Shutout
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The match opened with the customary high pace we’ve come to expect from the MCC teams. The Spartans used their pace on the wings, in particular down the left side with Avi Wesseh and Nick Grewe, to earn a couple of corner kicks and several throw-ins deep in the corner, to pressure SLUH. The Jr. Billiken’s responded well and showed that they would not be out-worked on the day with a regular set of substitutions that began in the fifth minute. Led in the back by seniors Brian Lymberopoulos and Luke Stachowski (pictured above) they worked hard with Jr. goalkeeper Peter Hermann to keep a clean sheet in the first half.
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The second half did not start as well. As senior wing back Jacob Pineda exhorted his teammates “Come on boys. Come on boys. Where’s our energy?” as the Spartan’s prepared for a corner kick in the fourth minute, the Billiken’s spirit was dented moments later. A corner kick by senior Nick Grewe was headed at the back post by junior Henry Lawler. Hitting off the crossbar and down, senior Brendan Miller was first to the ball. DeSmet extended their lead in the 61st when Grewe picked up a loose ball in the offensive third, took a couple steps to his right towards the middle of the field and hit it just inside the far post. As Nick and I discussed post-game, it was his third attempt in the second half from similar positions. The first was wild and headed straight towards the corner flag. His second was wide right again but the third time was the charm, a bullet that zipped past the keeper just inside the upright.
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SLUH continued to work hard until the end, led in the middle by Sr. Alex Lehmann with Jr. Charles Neuwirth, who leads the team with 2 goals this year, showing well. The Jr. Billiken’s have just five players with Varsity experience and it looks like every player on the roster is going to get minutes this season. Sophomore Gabe Steinhart was a good example, getting most of his minutes in the last twenty and with his bright blue boots, good positioning and pace helped generate some late offense.
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DeSmet once again starts everything with a lock down defense, led by seniors Josh Lindell in the center with Kyle Burke on the left and Austin Huber on the right. Matt Russo, who I featured for his play with Lou Fusz Carron during the 2017 State Cup, wears a captain’s armband and is a quintessential defensive midfielder, winning balls and starting much of the play.
As scary as that defense is, with Logan Payne between the pipes, the Spartans offense is frightening. They are averaging four goals a game with only a 1-0 loss to Glendale blemishing their record. Much of it is generated via the counter attack with one sequence late in the game offering a prime example. A SLUH corner kick was knocked down, picked up by Wesseh who found Jr. Tanner King already racing up the left touchline. A couple of touches and he’s at midfield and sends a ball to the right side where sophomore Thomas Redmond (pictured above) collected the ball near the right corner. Redmond, who’s made himself valuable enough to play almost the full 80 at forward, held the ball and as his support arrived, sent a ball through the six yard box. No goal this time but that 30 second example will be repeated multiple times going forward and it will be incumbent upon future opponents to prepare properly. Thursday night it will be CBC’s turn.
In the second match, CBC and Vianney played to a scoreless draw. Games will continue on Thursday with SLUH and Vianney opening at 5pm followed by CBC v DeSmet at 7pm. SLUH has won three of the last four tournaments, with Vianney interrupting the streak in 2016. CBC last won their tournament in 2012 and it was 2011 when DeSmet last finished on top. On a final note, it was great to see both Josh Klein and Bob O’Connell, who came all the way over from the far side, visit with Terry Michler post-game. Lot’s of mutual respect on the pitch Tuesday night.
