Big win in new digs for South Elgin
South Elgin boys soccer coach John Uveges had been hearing the buzz all week.
From the band to the cheerleaders to the commemorative tickets handed out to everyone entering the Storm’s soccer match, there was no doubt the inaugural event on the SEHS Booster Stadium was going to be something special.
Uveges just hoped it would not be a distraction as well.
“We kept hearing all of the new things,” Uveges said. “The kids were really excited, but at the same time it could cost you.”
Any distractions were quickly put to rest as Mike Kozielek scored 2 goals in the first 15 minutes of the Storm’s nonconference match against Hoffman Estates. South Elgin (5-3-2) held its lead winning 2-0 in its first home match in the school’s 6-year history.
The Storm had previously shared neighboring U-46 school Streamwood’s Millennium Field, which is turf.
The Storm’s freshly painted grass pitch already paid dividends.
“Some things we are able to do when we play on a turf field, we think we are able to do on a grass field,” Hoffman Estates coach Matt Sriver said. “We were coming in off 2 huge wins off Palatine and York and we had 0 effort.”
The Hawks (2-6) quickly had the wind taken out of them when Kozielek scored just 4 minutes, 11 seconds into play. The senior maneuvered between a pair of Hawks’ defenders 10 yards outside of the goal. He sailed a line drive shot past Hawks’ goalkeeper Michael Gordon to put the Storm up 1-0 early in the historic match.
“We had good ball movement going up to (the goal),” Kozielek said. “It was a bump and run method. I just kept with it and didn’t give up on the play.”
Kozielek got right after the Hawks again, scoring his second goal with 25:03 left in the first half. After grabbing the ball, the senior forward started to separate from the Hoffman Estates defense about 25 yards outside of the goal. After putting a move on a sliding Hawks’ defender, Kozielek had Gordon 1-on-1 and put the ball on the ground in the left corner of the net to extend the South Elgin lead to 2-0.
Kozielek was able to bust loose from 50 yards out in the second half, but could not convert the goal as he sent the ball just left of the goal.
“Mike has been tough on everyone,” Uveges said. “He’s been triple-teamed all year. We did a great job zone passing.”
South Elgin used its speed matchups throughout the game on both ends of the field. Hoffman Estates was not able to get a shot on goal in the first half. The Hawks finished the game with a pair of shots in the second half, but South Elgin goalkeeper Tyler Shipon was able to come up with the save both times.
The 2 saves gave the enthused crowd extended reason to cheer late into the game, which is something else new to South Elgin.
“It felt really good finally having a home field,” Kozielek said.