Calixte ready to start postseason

Evanston's Jacob Zbesko (right) and Glenbrook North's Sam Barden try to settle down a pass. - Illinois News Images/Jerry Daliege for Pioneer Press

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The calendar says the Illinois High School Association regional tournament doesn't start for a couple of weeks.

But Evanston soccer coach Franz Calixte is ready for his to start pushing like it's the postseason already.

The Wildkits dropped their only contest last week -- a 1-0 decision to Glenbrook North -- and slipped to 4-6 on the season.

That's similar to the record Evanston had at this stage of the season last year. But any resemblance between the 2006 campaign and this year is purely coincidental, if you ask Calixte.

"Even with the record we have, we're playing good soccer," says the Evanston coach. "We're much more tenacious on dead balls, on corner kicks and throw-ins than we were last year.

"I don't remember scoring on a restart last year, even with David Singham taking the kicks. Now it's not the guy taking the kick but the ones doing the receiving who are making us so dangerous.

"Other teams are at the point where they're so worried about getting to those balls first that they've given up a couple of own goals. It's nice to be that intimidating. That's something we lacked last year."

The Kits came close to scoring in just such a dangerous situation against Glenbrook North, but the Spartan goalie (Graham Heydt) flicked the ball away at the last second and foiled Evanston's Sean Lewis.

"Sean went after a second ball, and the ball was going in when that goalie made an amazing fingertip save," said Calixte. "We put a lot of pressure on them. It was a good, evenly played game.

"Right now no one's playing great soccer for us -- but no one's playing poorly, either. When we start playing beyond our potential we're definitely going to make a run."

Part of Evanston's progress came starting two weeks ago when junior Preston Bateman was promoted from the junior varsity squad. Bateman has given the Kits a boost in the midfield, where he shares time with Lewis and Steven Devine.

Evanston earned the No. 4 seed for the Glenbrook North Sectional complex, behind only defending state champion New Trier, Loyola Academy and Glenbrook North.

The Wildkits open at the Niles North Regional Oct. 17 at 4:30 p.m. against Von Steuben, the No. 13 seed.