Storm rolls over host Hampshire in title game

By Gary Larsen

South Elgin wasted no time getting back in the win column after suffering only its second defeat of the season earlier this week.

After losing to top-ranked Neuqua Valley in an Upstate Eight Conference game on Tuesday, the Storm (11-2-1) reeled off four wins capped by a win in the title game of the Hampshire tournament on Saturday.

“We were having our way in some of our matches before that loss, so that was a good pill to swallow,” South Elgin coach Mark Neville said. “Because the rest of the conference games will be difficult as well.”

The Storm will play Larkin, East Aurora, Lake Park, Waubonsie Valley, and St. Charles North in its final five regular-season games.

Storm goalkeeper Ryan Hicks posted three shutouts during that span, and he was happy to see his side bounce back after the loss.

“It’s a confidence-builder, going back into our conference games coming up in the next couple of weeks,” Hicks said. “We’re ready to roll.”

The Storm topped Auburn, Plainfield East, and the host Whip-purs during tournament play, with a UEC win over rival Elgin sprinkled into the mix.

Saturday’s title game was all South Elgin, in a 7-0 win over Hampshire. Bart Mazurek netted a hat-trick, and the Storm got two goals from Nick Pawlowski, and one apiece from Dan Bohlin and varsity newcomer Alberto Bustamonte.

Onyx Gonzalez posted three assists, while Mazurek, Bryan Irwin, and Matt Shipon had an assist apiece in the rain-soaked title game.

“When you don’t give up any goals, you don’t really mind the weather too much,” Hicks said. “You’re ready to play, having a fun time.”

Gonzalez and Irwin were singled out for their quality performances on Saturday.

“There were a few breakaways, and (Irwin) came back from his center mid spot to clean them away,” Neville said. “He just has a great work rate, and whenever something broke down he got back.”

“Onyx made some great runs. He was making overlapping runs, one-two touching, and he was into the flow of this game.”

With five games left before regional play begins, the Storm will aim to maintain the momentum they’ve built in a short span of time.

“We’ll try to stay fresh and not fall off of this run,” Hicks said. “We’re doing a great job so far. We played as a team in this tournament and put a lot of balls in the net, so that was fun to watch, and the defense played solid as well.”

Each new win the Storm posts stands as a new program mark during the best season of the young program's history.

“It’s so much fun to play with these guys,” Hicks said. “Even our new guy (Bustamonte) scored today. We have to keep him."

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