Stay Connected with YourSeason
Larkin turns back Dundee-Crown in physical match
Updated: September 22, 2011 8:42PM
Normally goalie Santiago Guerrero is Larkin’s last line of defense, but for one play in Thursday night’s 2-1 nonconference win by the Royals at Dundee-Crown that honor went to defender Tito Velazquez.
A deflected shot that got over Guerrero’s head in the goal box seemed bound for the back of the net. However, Velazquez alertly got back a few feet in front of the goal and made a lunging kick, driving it backward up over his head and shoulders so that it just missed the goal post and sailed clear of trouble with 9 1/2 minutes remaining to preserve a 2-0 Larkin lead.
When the Chargers (6-4) scored on Benjiman Stone’s header with 2:50 remaining, the goal-saving, near-bicycle kick made by Velazquez to clear the ball loomed large.
“I thought it was going in and kind of just dove and hit it out,” he said. “I was trying not to hit the (goal) post.”
The play didn’t surprise Larkin coach Ken Hall.
“Tito is a sophomore and we expect big things from him,” Hall said. “He’s been solid in the back all year (at sweeper).
“I expect by the time he’s a senior he’s going to be a major force on the field.”
The Royals (9-3-2) seemed in control with a 2-0 lead when Erik Rodriguez took a perfect feed from Roberto Torres just past mid-field and dribbled in on a breakaway to score his 16th goal of the season from a few feet out with 30:08 to go.
It was a stunning turnaround for the Chargers because 16 seconds before Rodriguez started his drive, D-C goal keeper Javier Fernandez had produced a spectacular save on a low penalty kick to the right corner by Tony Escamilla.
“Their keeper is small and very quick and Tony put it in the right spot, but the keeper just made a great play,” Hall said.
The Royals’ Manny Aguilar had slipped a penalty kick past the Chargers’ goalie early in the match for a 1-0 lead.
The match was marred by numerous yellow cards, some late physical play, and an ejection of D-C coach Rey Vargas. A physical match is not the type the small, quick Royals want to play.
“Sometimes when we get in matches like this we tend to stop the speed and try to get physical with them, and that’s not our game,” Hall said. “When we do that, we fall into a trap and have to stop doing that.
“When we use our speed and play fast, we play really, really well. We have to continue to do that.”
Vargas pointed to the close call in the goal mouth that Velazquez cleared as the type of thing his team has to start to overcome.
“We had our chances,” he said. “We’ve just got to finish those and that’s what keeps us out of having several more wins so far.”
For Larkin, the win was a warm-up for a big Upstate Eight River contest next week.
“We will have to be mentally sharper when we face Batavia than we were today,” Hall said. “I think we were looking ahead to next Tuesday more than anything.”
© 2012 Sun-Times Media, LLC. All rights reserved. This material may not be copied or distributed without permission. For more information about reprints and permissions, visit www.suntimesreprints.com. To order a reprint of this article, click here.
Cell Phone Alerts
Comments Click here to view or make a comment