GLEN ELLYN — Hinsdale Central isn’t the same team it was at the beginning of the season. 

Today’s Red Devils are far better.

They were certainly much improved in the second half of a rare Friday night West Suburban Silver Conference match at Glenbard West. Hinsdale Central rallied for three goals after the break to damper the celebration of the host’s Senior Night with a 3-1 victory.

“I think our formation has been really key, but not only that, it’s also the energy the players are bringing now,” Red Devils junior midfielder Antonio Azzo said. “At the very start of the season our energy was a bit down. But it was just the start of the season, and we were getting our chemistry up. 

“In the second half of the season, after getting our first win, we started coming out with more intensity every game. Our captains gave a really good speech (at halftime), and everyone was yelling and screaming and hyping each other up. We came out with a lot of intensity in the second half, and that’s why we won this game.”

Hinsdale Central (9-7-1, 4-1-x) applied pressure in the opening minute of the second half and continued to do so without reward until Azzo finished a header in the box after a send from senior midfielder Kostas Zamalaitis with 36:48 remaining in regulation.

Less than 10 minutes later, the Red Devils took control on a flicked header from senior midfielder Austen Szurgot. From near midfield, senior defender Denis Altman served a free kick into the box and the Red Devils began “The Long Goodbye” as they took the lead for good.

‘“It deflected off an opponent first, and luckily it came to me.” Szurgot said. “It was definitely a battle. Credit to them. They battled throughout the whole game. The first half it was definitely a real battle. They had chances, and we had chances.”

The Red Devils are rolling. After their 2-1 Senior Day win against Argo (10-3-4) on Saturday, Hinsdale Central has won eight matches in its last nine after starting 1-6-1. The second win came just 25 days ago. 

Due to its recent success, the Red Devils climbed into the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25 at no 24.

“I feel like the biggest thing for us was starting out really slow at the beginning (of the year) and going on a really good streak because of that grit that we have,” Szurgot said. “We were just not in it in the beginning of the year. Now we have grit, and all our team is engaged. We’re playing as a team now.”

The victory kept the Red Devils atop the conference. They share the top record in conference with Lyons, a team they beat 3-2 in OT on Oct. 1.

“The atmosphere of this conference is great.” Szurgot said. “It’s super competitive. Every game comes down to one or two goals, and they’re all last-minute. And that’s what makes the conference great. We have a great bench and a great team.”

Szurgot, who was named the Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match, provided the visitors with some insurance with 5:57 remaining.

His 25-yard strike from outside the top of the corner of the box found a way just inside the near corner of the net to make it 3-1.

“We had a huge momentum swing in the second half,” Szurgot said. “We had a great talk with the captains (at halftime). 

“We got all in and had a ton of energy and fun. We pressed right away and luckily (Anthony) Azzo got that first goal and a huge moment like that gave us momentum. After that we kept rolling and the goals came. Our team played very well.”

Hinsdale Central coach Michael Wiggins had high praise for his team, from the starters to the reserves. 

“I can’t say enough about our guys,” he said. “We had guys that really did a nice job tonight. Our backline was really, really strong. (Senior) Martin (Contreras) is an outstanding goalkeeper. Even though we had the PK that we had to deal with he was still really strong in goal. So, credit to our guys.”

In the series rivalry between the two teams, the Red Devils evened things up.

‘We talked about it before the game today,” Wiggins said. “Our last five games (against Glenbard West) we’ve been 4-1-0 and those four wins have all been by a score of 2-1. Tonight was big for our guys, too. Our all-time series record with them going into tonight was 20-21-4, so we knew a win would level it off at 21-21. We have a lot of respect for this program, so to level it off all-time is pretty exciting.”

Playing for a conference title is also exciting.

“Honestly, I don’t track it (the records),” Wiggins said. “All I know is if we can just get through our last conference game and get a result, I think things look pretty good.”

Hinsdale Central is scheduled to wrap up league play Tuesday when it hosts Downers Grove North.

“Credit to Glenbard West,” Azzo said. “It was a really good game. We all fought. I know some guys on their team, and it was fun. 

“We respect each other and wanted to act the same way toward them.  It was a very good game -- a tough battle.”

“It feels amazing, man,” Azzo said. “A night like this -- it’s beautiful. It’s not too hot. It’s not too cold. The audience is great. Our parents and our friends are cheering us on for this amazing moment, amazing game. 

“After the first goal happened everyone got so hyped up, and they (the goals) just kept coming and coming.”

On Oct. 8, the Red Devils were on the other side of a 3-1 result in Elmhurst. York celebrated its senior Dukes that same night.

The fence that surrounds the soccer field at Glenbard West was adorned with 13 posters of the program’s seniors along with balloons. There were posters for Aidan Adachi, Davis Barta, Aldo Curiel, Christian Gonzalez-Rio, Spencer Melms, Patrick Michal, Toby Montilla, Ismael Mota, Johan Palacios, Abelardo Rufino, Tony Pineda, Chris Weber and Colin Weil .

The home crowd had reason to get fired up when sophomore forward Alex Ginder got fouled in the box with 6:04 left before halftime in a scoreless match peppered with missed opportunities.

Ginder converted the PK. He then sprinted toward the corner to his left near the end line and slid down to his knees before being mobbed by his enthusiastic teammates.

Unfortunately for the hosts, it was their only moment to really celebrate.

“It was a great game,” Hilltoppers coach Phil Wicyk said. “What I love about this field is the fans are pretty much right up around the sidelines. Everything was packed. Fans along the grass. You couldn’t have asked for anything more. Friday Night Lights for soccer? Nothing else like it.”

In local Friday night football, there were scores like 68-0, 64-0, 57-0, 56-8, 56-7.

Those games ended about an hour after the soccer game. They certainly didn’t go down to the wire. 

Before Szurgot made it 3-1 in the final six minutes, this was a tight battle that was just one play away from being tied up.

“It was a fun game.” Wicyk said. “I told the refs that at least we’re giving you a good match and not a blowout. It was a tough one to ref. Any little foul can change the course of the game.

“It was a great battle. They capitalized on their three opportunities in the second half. Kudos to them for being more physical in the air. We’ve got to learn from it. I told the guys, there were a couple things that when a good team gets opportunities, they’re going to capitalize on them. 

“We had about 20-25 balls in the box. We couldn’t capitalize, and that’s the difference in the game. When we get opportunities, we’ve got to find a way to put the ball in the back of the net. We’ve got to learn from it because the schedule isn’t getting any easier.”

Wicyk liked the way the Hilltoppers finished the match despite surrendering the trio of goals without scoring any of their own in the second half.

“Kudos to Hinsdale (Central) for bringing it in that second half for the first five, 10 minutes,” he said. “And then we finally woke up, and I feel like we had the better of play in the last 30 minutes.”

The Hilltoppers ran into another hot team on Saturday as Romeoville (15-4-4) remained unbeaten in its past nine games with a 2-0 home victory.

After nine-straight shutouts (8-0-1) to set a school record and a 22-0 goal advantage, the Hilltoppers are 1-2-1 in their last four games and been outscored 9-6 the stretch.

Starting lineups

Hinsdale Central
GK: Martin Contreras
D: Braden Tingler
D: Alex Barbu
D: Milan Puri
D: Kostas Zamalaitis
D: Enzo Cinque
D: Denis Altman
MF: Antonio Azzo
MF: Austen Szurgot
MF: Arhaan Saini
F: Matt Gantar

Glenbard West
GK: Nolan Borgman
D: Colin Weil
D: Tobi Montilla
D: Chris Weber
D: Aidan Adachi
D: Spencer Melms
MF: Jackson Chibucos
MF: Johan Palacios
MF: Angel Garnica
MF: Davis Barta
F: Alex Ginder

Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match: Austen Szurgot sr., MF, Hinsdale Central

Scoring summary

First half
GW: Alex Ginder (penalty kick), 34’

Second half
HC: Anthony Azzo (Enzo Cinque) 44’
HC: Austen Szurgot (Denis Altman), 51’
HC: Austen Szurgot (unassisted), 75’