If its opening game of the PepsiCo Showdown in Aurora was any indication, the Timothy Christian boys soccer team won’t have many problems scoring this season.
The Trojans, missing three players due to injury and other commitments, defeated Plainfield South 4-3 on Saturday, Sept. 10. Leading their offensive drives were junior midfielder Michael Martens, who had a goal and an assist, and junior forward Jimmy Allen, who scored a hat trick.
Coach Stephen Fernandes was pleased the two juniors have collaborated well together for the Trojans (4-1-1 entering the week).
“They’re able to beat guys with their moves and they love to score,” Fernandes said. “But they work so well off each other, and they have a hunger to keep playing.”
In the first half, Martens found an open Allen, who was able to storm past the Cougars’ defense and score the opening goal.
“(Allen) is definitely our best guy, and I try to feed the ball to him first,” Martens said. “Getting it to him lets good things happen.”
In the playmaking role, Martens looked for Allen throughout the match, knowing that if his teammate could get open space against the Cougars’ defenders, he would turn it into a scoring chance.
Allen’s speed in the open field makes him a threat on passes behind the back line and on breakaways, and Martens has looked to exploit that advantage all season.
More Top Picks Best Tvs Under 2000 Dollars 2
“We’ve got a good chemistry going,” Allen said.
If Allen is the Trojans’ hammer on offense, Martens functions more as the conduit. He is active on both sides of the ball, assists his teammates on defense and moves the ball down the field.
“(Martens) has really stepped into form for us the last couple of years,” Fernandes said. “He’s been so useful to us in every aspect and has really grown both as a player an a leader.”
Martens’ skill as a ballhandler is his specialty. In the first half, he was able to beat three Plainfield South defenders with deft moves before launching a 20-yard shot that found the net.
“He is very shifty,” Allen said of Martens, “and it’s amazing how he can do some of those moves.”
Playing in the elite PepsiCo tournament likely will help Timothy Christian, which won the Class 1A title in 2015, adjust to moving up to Class 2A this postseason. Their offensive punch proved crucial Saturday, as the Trojans had a large enough cushion to withstand a second-half comeback from the Cougars.
“We had some real positives in the first half and some things in the second half we need to work on, but they played great for us,” Fernandes said.
Chris Vavra is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
Twitter @ChrisVavra1