Even though the final score was 3-0 and Hinsdale South was on the wrong end of the scoreboard, Hornets boys soccer coach Danny Makaric said they played their best game of the season on Thursday, Sept. 22, in their West Suburban Gold match against Downers Grove South.
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“We had a fantastic first half,” Makaric said, “and we had some real chances today, but we couldn’t convert. But the team played very well.”
Assistant coach Amarildo Myslimi added, “We had a couple bad moments on defense that hurt us, but otherwise we were very strong.”
The Hornets (3-8-1, 0-3-0) fought back after falling behind 1-0 early to the Mustangs (7-2-3, 1-1-0). They were able to control possession and had two good looks at goal that were stopped by a tough Mustangs defense.
“We cannot find the back of the net,” Makaric said. “That’s been a challenge for us all season.”
The Hornets surrendered another early goal in the second half, after which the Mustangs wore them down.
This is Makaric’s first season as the Hornets coach after spending 15 years at Riverside-Brookfield. When he first took over, he admitted that he was concerned that it was going to be tough to compete. The Hornets are starting to show signs of progress, Makaric said.
“In every game we’ve played so far this year, we’ve been right there. What we’re doing are simple mistakes, and that happens with a young team,” he said. “We’re working on that, and we will get better.”
Junior midfielder Karel Ondra and freshman defender Benny Metzger have been among the standouts for the Hornets this season. Ondra had three shots against Downers Grove South, including a header that bounced off the crossbar. He also helped set up scoring chances for senior forwards Ryan Wooten and Bartosz Majerczyk.
Metzger, the only freshman on the varsity team, played with poise and guile on the back line. He headed off several Mustangs threats and did a solid job keeping his side of the field clear.
“We’re rising up,” Makaric sad. “We’re better and better each game, and we’re closer to what we need to do. Just need to make some small fixes.”
The Hornets and the Mustangs played for the Southern Bell, which started in 1976. The Mustangs retained the bell and improved their overall record to 22-14-5 in the competition. The Hornets have not won since 2007 and have only two wins since 2000.
Chris Vavra is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
Twitter @Pioneer_Press