Stevenson hosts league rival Warren on Thursday night in a high stakes North Suburban Conference clash at 6:45 p.m. Thursday in Lincolnshire.

Click here to see North Suburban Conference standings

With the host Patriots sitting at the top of the table in an improbable four-way tie at 2-0-2 with Lake Forest, Lake Zurich and Libertyville, each league contest amongst the frontrunners will take place in the shadow of the championship trophy.

"It's really kind of amazing that there are four teams all with the same record at this point of the season," said Stevenson junior Navaan Kistanna, after he and his teammates played to a 1-1 draw on Tuesday with Lake Forest.

"We had a recent three-game stretch where we scored a lot of goals (13). I feel like we're quite capable of doing that a lot more often.

"We've created a lot of chances this season, but we've struggled to find the back of the net. If we can be more clinical in the final third, I know we can put more goals up."

Added Patriots manager PepeJon Chavez: "As a team, in each of our draws we've left goals on the table that we should have converted." 

The one constant for Stevenson thus far has been with the way the Patriots have defended.

The no. 13 Patriots (6-1-5) have conceded just 12 goals this season. Second-ranked Glenbrook South scored five of them at home in the final round of pool play at its Jim Wolter Titan Invitational on Sept. 6.

"Our backline has really locked-up our opponents thus far," said Kistanna.

Central defenders senior captain Mohit Damodaran and junior Brady Meng have set the standard according to Chavez. On the offensive end, senior captain and forward Jack Bachar has led the way. 

Against Lake Forest on Tuesday (Sept. 24), Bachar sent the Patriots into the break with a 1-0 advantage. However, the visiting Scouts found the equalizer in the 78th minute for the draw.

"The one constant of this team is that we are connected with each other, like family, which is something that Chavez really stresses upon us," said Kistanna.

Whether in a 3-5-2 or 4-4-2 formation, Kistanna will either be stationed at the 10 or as a double six.

"We play as a team, not individuals, which makes us difficult to defend when we have rhythm in our play," added Chavez.

After an up-and-down start to the season, Jason Ahonen’s club from Warren slowly began to find its form and move to 5-3-2 overall. The Blue Devils slipped on the proverbial banana peel in a 4-0 road loss to Mundelein on Tuesday (Sept. 24).

"We faced challenges in many areas of the game: including the weather, (Mundelein’s) set pieces, and their pace of play," said Ahonen. “We'll head make adjustments and prepare for a tough match against Stevenson.”

Prior to the Mundelein defeat, the Blue Devils recorded back-to-back 3-1 victories over Glenbard North and then Fenton at the BodyArmor event, before earning a 1-1 draw with league rival Waukegan on Sept. 17.

"We have so many new varsity players this year, all of us have needed to learn to adapt to the speed of play and physical style of soccer that's played on this level," said senior Gericho Navarro.

"Gericho has been a real pleasant surprise for us this year,” said Ahonen. “He's a player who is a terrific young man, who seems to get better and better with each game."

Navarro has played at the six, eight and 10 this season. In the trio of games against Glenbard North, Fenton and Waukegan, he bagged three goals, including a double against Glenbard North victory, and assisted on another.

Senior keeper and captain Ethan Cole stands between the sticks for Ahonen, who lists Cole and junior defender Gunnar Zajac as two of his men who have been the most consistent this fall.

"Coach (Ahonen) is a great guy to play for," began Navarro, who hopes to play collegiately next fall.

"He's a players’ coach who makes us all accountable for our actions, in and away from the game. That's one of the many things I like about playing for him.

"We lost to Stevenson (2-0) last year, but we have to put that result behind us and just come out and give 110 percent tonight."