Other Crown Point players were cramping.
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But not Boze Spaseski.
In a 2014 regional semifinal against Chesterton, the Bulldogs battled through the final 65 minutes with 10 players after a red card. They were stretched to the limit in their efforts to compensate for playing shorthanded.
But coach Mike Bazin recalled the performance from Spaseski, then a sophomore.
“He was still going 100 miles an hour up and down the field,” Bazin said.
That’s been Spaseski’s modus operandi throughout his career. A three-year starter at right defender and a team captain, the senior doesn’t know any other way.
“I’ve always been like that since I was little,” Spaseski said. “I just try to lead by example.”
That role has been particularly important for the Bulldogs this season. Their roster was transformed by the graduation of 13 seniors, the departure of three key players to the Indiana Fire Academy and injuries.
“We lost a lot of leadership, so I just try to give the younger guys guidance, try to make sure everyone’s doing what they’re supposed to do,” Spaseski said. “I learned a lot from the older guys before me, just stepping up and making sure no one hangs their head if we get down.”
Even as he deals with recurring hamstring problems and a knee issue, Spaseski “always gives 100 percent,” Bazin said. At a burly 5-foot-6, he has that tenacity.
“He’s a kid whose stature, you look at him, he plays so much bigger than what he is,” Bazin said. “His attitude and drive, he just embodies what we all try to encourage out of our athletes. He’s just a bulldog — that’s just the best way to describe him.
“He never gives up on any ball. He’s always trying to push forward to get into the attack. He’s a fun player to watch.”
Lake Central coach Jereme Rainwater saw enough during the last two seasons to know Spaseski’s ability.
“You don’t run by this kid even though you think you should be able to,” Rainwater said before this season. “His anticipation and recovery runs are amazing.”
Spaseski went to school in Merrillville until eighth grade before his family moved to Crown Point.
As a freshman, he was called up from the JV for the postseason, watching as the Bulldogs won the 2013 Class 2A state title. That team included his cousin Spase Dorsuleski, a central defender and captain who’s now flourishing as a junior at Wabash.
“I always looked up to him growing up,” Spaseski said. “To play with him on that team was pretty nice.”
At stake: Chesterton has won 21 straight Duneland Athletic Conference games, including consecutive undefeated titles.
The Trojans’ last loss came Sept. 11, 2013, with a 1-0 decision to Crown Point at home. The Bulldogs went on to win the Class 2A state title that season.
On Wednesday, 2A No. 13 Chesterton (6-1-2, 4-0) will put that streak on the line at home against a team with similar aspirations, No. 4 Lake Central (9-1-1, 4-0). Those teams are the only two that remain undefeated in DAC play.
“It’s a tough place to play,” Chesterton coach James Sensibaugh said of the Trojans’ field. “We want to keep it that way.”
Two step: Halfway through the Northwest Crossroads Conference schedule, Munster and Andrean are 3-0.
Those teams finish conference play Sept. 28 against each other at Munster.
In between, the Mustangs play Hobart (1-2) on Wednesday and Highland (2-2) on Sept. 21. The 59ers play Lowell (0-4) and Kankakee Valley (2-1).
Twitter @MichaelOsipoff
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Top 10
With last week’s rankings in parentheses
1. Lake Central (1)
2. Chesterton (2)
3. Munster (3)
4. Valparaiso (4)
5. Andrean (8)
6. Crown Point (5)
7. Portage (7)
8. LaPorte (6)
9. Bishop Noll (10)
10. Kankakee Valley (NR)
Player of the Week: Hebron’s Dawson Walsh, a senior, had both goals Wednesday in the Hawks’ 2-0 win against Marquette.