GENOA – Dominating the run-of-play, Aurora Central unleashed a pounding attack in the first half of Wednesday’s Class A Genoa-Kingston Regional Final.
The host Cogs successfully repelled the assaults. Shots not cleared by the backline or stopped by goalkeeper Adrian Leon, bounced off strategically placed defenders.
Aurora Central’s hopes for the school’s first regional title in seven years dimmed in the 51st minute when the hosts took a 1-0 lead on Adrian Delgado’s successful penalty kick.
Aurora Central’s continued offensive pressure finally paid off five minutes later. Matt VanDeman scored the equalizer and then followed with the final goal in the 63rd minute.
Not only did the junior midfielder’s brace, his 28th and 29th goals of the season, secure a 2-1 win and the covered regional plaque, it also set a new Chargers’ single-season scoring mark.
Aurora Central, which ranks seventh in the final Chicagoland Soccer Class A Super 7 poll, advanced to the Class A Hinkley-Big Rock Sectional where it will face Winnebago in the first semifinal match Friday.
The Chargers, who are the top-seed in Sub-sectional A, have not lost a game to a Class A team this season.
Winnebago (10-8-2, 6-2-0), the third-seed in Sub-sectional B, finished second in the Big Northern Conference.
Genoa-Kingston, the third-seed in Sub-sectional A ended the season with an 8-10-4 mark.
Aurora Central (16-3-2) took 41 shots in the match and put 20 shots on goal according to statitistics posted on MaxPreps.
“We’re always looking for a goal. We’re always looking to shoot. I think Genoa played well, especially making sure they blocked shots. They made it difficult for us to score,” Aurora Central coach Nazareth Jean-Marie said. “Especially in the first half. It was difficult. We made adjustments and adapted to the environment.”
VanDeman knew the first goal would spark the offense.
“We were struggling to hit the ball into the back of the net at first. We were getting the chances, but we really needed that first goal to get us going,” he said.
Aurora Central last won a regional in 2017.
“It’s unchartered territory for us, and there’s going to be teams with lots of experience from the past years going into it,” VanDeman said about the sectional round of the playoffs. “We just have to stay locked in to come away with the win against these better teams.”
Genoa-Kingston coach Thomas Moore was pleased with his team’s effort.
“I think we were evenly matched overall, and I’m happy with the way that our guys played.,” said the Cogs coach. “We stuck with our formation, kept the guys spaced out the way that I wanted, and I think that’s what kept us in the game.”
Genoa-Kingston freshman keeper Adrian Leon recently returned from a hand injury and filled in for starting keeper Jaime Serna, who is sidelined with a concussion.
The effort boosted his confidence.
“I gave it my all and tried my hardest. It’s been a while since I’ve played,” the freshman said. “Turns out, I still have it.”
For their team-leading play, Leon and VanDeman shared the Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match honor.
Aurora Central’s Connor Dineen was called for a foul after a collision with Genoa-Kingston’s Ayden Hernandez in the right corner of the box at the 29:51 mark of the second half. Delgado put the ensuing spot-kick too high for Chargers keeper Elias Perez to block yet low enough to fly under the crossbar.
Spotting the Cogs a 1-0 lead did not deter the visitors.
In the 56th minute, Aurora Central’s Christopher Incandela dribbled into the box from the left side and drew Leon out of the net. Instead of taking the shot, Incandela tapped the ball to his right. VanDeman raced into the box from the right, corralled the loose ball and knocked it home.
“I was just at the top of the box, hoping the ball would come out to me,” VanDeman said. “But then I saw the ball just resting right in the six-yard box, so I just went in and was able to tap it in.”
Seven minutes later, the junior scored the eventual game-winner and record-setting goal on a rebound. Adrian Leon rejected Diego Leon’s shot from the left corner, but the ball ricocheted back to VanDeman, who deposited it into the net from just outside the right post.
“I just went for it. I knew the ball was going to go in before I even hit it, because I saw the net was wide open.” the junior said.
VanDeman said he felt “joy and happiness” on putting his team on top and breaking the single-season scoring record.
Dineen also had positive vibes after the go-ahead goal was scored.
“The PK had a lot of impact on me, because I was one who caused it. A lot of my teammates helped me keep my head up,” the junior said. ‘It felt amazing (after the second goal). I knew we were up, and all we had to do was hold Genoa for the win.”
Aurora Central’s defense yielded Genoa-Kingston only two quality scoring attempts in the first half. A 20-yard free kick from the near side touchline by Cog Josue Leon was cleared by Chargers defender Nate Diedrich. Then Dineen blocked Delgado’s shot on goal for the right corner of the box.
The Chargers fined tuned their defense.
“We know that they played counterattack. They were feeding up-top off the midfield and then
tried to explore the space in the wide area,” Jean-Marie said. “Our team ended up adjusting to that and making sure that we were dropping down for each other.”
Genoa-Kingston could not capitalize on two Angel Villagran corner kicks in the closing minutes
of the match. Diedrich headed away an attempt with 6:41 left in the match. Dineeen cleared the second boot four minutes later.
The Aurora Central manager praised Diedrich’s efforts.
“Nate, as the only senior on the team, showed his leadership today by winning balls, driving the ball forward and getting those headers,” he said.
Midfield play was a challenge for the Chargers.
“It was pretty crazy; they were attacking every five minutes. We had to defend and then we had to go on the attack,” said Diego Leon “We played defensive. We knew when to pass the ball, and we knew when to shoot. We just played great overall.”.
Starting lineups
Genoa-Kingston
GK: Adrian Leon
D: Josue Leon
D: Park Netzer
D: Joseph Garcia
MF: Fernando Flores
MF: Chris Rangel
MF: Adrian Delgado
MF: Brandon Wolcott
MF: Adrian Jimenez
F: Angel Villagran
F: Ayden Hernandez
Aurora Central
GK: Elias Perez
D: Nathan Diedrich
D: Omar Flores
D: Leroy Arias
D: Connor Dineen
MF: Matt VanDeman
MF: Neil Mayer
MF: Giovannie Gutierrez
F: Christopher Incandela
F: Diego Leon
F: Owen Nordenberg
Chicagoland Soccer Men of the Match: Matt VanDeman, jr., MF, Aurora Central;
Adrian Leon, fr., GK, Genoa-Kingston
Scoring Summary
First half
No scoring
Second half
GK: Delgado (penalty kick), 51’
AC: VanDeman (Incandela), 56’
AC: VanDeman (unassisted), 63’