Varsity Boys’ Soccer left everything out on the field during their Central Suburban League (CSL) Crossover game against Niles North High School. The team’s tenacity paid off this season, landing them a place in the South history books as the first team to win their conference title since 1984, and the first time South has ever won the All-Sectionals title.
The team’s first challenge was claiming the conference title against Evanston Township High School on Oct. 6, senior Evan Skoulikaris, captain and All-Sectional Honorable Mention, said. In the week leading up to the game, the boys dedicated hours to watching film on Evanston and gathering statistics on each player, Skoulikaris said. Encouraging talks from the captains and coaches kept the team engaged and ready to claim their victory, Skoulikaris added.
“The coaches tell us that ‘How you do anything is how you do everything,’” Skoulikaris said. “We made sure that [during the game] we did not slack off from the [smallest] moment to the biggest moment.”
The team started off strong with two goals in the first half of the game, Skoulikaris said. Evanston’s first goal increased pressure during the second half, but team morale did not falter; spirits remained high and South was able to defend themselves for the remainder of the game for a 2-1 victory, Skoulikaris said.
“The challenge of [Evanston’s] goal [was a blessing] because we were going to do everything we could to make sure we did not lose,” Skoulikaris said.
Named the CSL South conference champions after their victory against Evanston, the team now had to face the CSL North conference champions, Niles North, to gain the All-Sectional title on Oct. 9, senior TJ Phillips, captain and CSL Player of the Year, said. Since it was their senior night, the team had to acclimatize to playing without their underclassmen, Phillips said. Packed stands created an intense atmosphere that kept the team motivated, Phillips said.
“We all tried to get ourselves hyped up because it was also our senior night,” Phillips said. “We knew we had to give it our all because this was [the seniors’] last opportunity to win [sectionals].”
The boys knew their title was at stake, so their performance on the field had to reflect their passion for the game, senior Victor Jodlowski, captain and All-Sectional Champion, said. Two goals for South came swiftly after the game started. Niles North kept the score close with two goals in the second half, but Jodlowski fought back harder, scoring the game-winning goal that ended the game 3-2, making South the CSL Crossover Champions, Jodlowski said.
“Running towards the stands to see everybody standing, cheering, and hearing [the team’s] chants from the bench [after scoring the goal] was something I’ll never forget,” Jodlowski said.
The crowd was the biggest group of fans Jodlowski had seen since he joined the soccer program his freshman year. Head Coach Reggie Lara admires the vast support he’s seen from the community in recent years. Crowd numbers at games have multiplied in the last three years which makes Lara hopeful for the future of the program, he said.
“We take a lot of pride in [ourselves] when fans go out [to our games] and have our backs and support us,” Lara said. “We reciprocate it by giving the crowd a performance that makes them proud.”
