Perhaps Oswego senior Mikey Kroll has discovered another line of work.
In addition to being one of the team’s best midfielders all season, Kroll looks to have discovered a new talent for the Panthers heading into the playoffs — as a prognosticator.
Speaking with coach Gaspar Arias before Tuesday’s game, Kroll made his prediction.
“We were joking, but he said, ‘I’m going to score a goal,'” Arias said of Kroll. “I’m like, ‘If you do, man, that would be great.’ He’s like, ‘Yes, I will.'”
Kroll, who hadn’t scored yet this season, proved to be prescient. His header with 14:57 left in the second half was decisive during a 1-0 victory over crosstown rival Oswego East in a Class 3A West Aurora Regional semifinal.
The winning goal by Kroll came off a corner kick from Killyan Avila for seventh-seeded Oswego (16-6-3), which will face the host second-seeded Blackhawks (19-3) at noon Saturday for the regional title.
West Aurora survived a scare from 15th-seeded East Aurora, winning 1-0. Adrian Hernandez scored the winning goal off an assist from Pacifique Ndayishimiye.
On the other hand, Kroll said Oswego needed a spark against ninth-seeded Oswego East (10-7-4), and he was more than happy to provide it.
“Someone needed to step up,” Kroll said. “I’m glad it was me. I feel like any of us could have stepped up and done it, especially crosstown and playoffs. It means a lot.
“My celebration, everybody coming over and saying congratulations, getting the whole team hyped, it was unreal.”
Midfielders don’t always rack up the stats that forwards do, but Arias knows how important Kroll is to the Panthers’ success.
“That was really nice to see,” Arias said of Kroll scoring his first goal. “I think he’s an awesome player. Mikey is a very smart player.”
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After watching him dominate the midfield, Oswego East coach Steve Szymanski wasn’t surprised Kroll was the player who provided the winning goal.
“The kid had a good game,” Szymanski said. “He won every single head ball in the second half, and that really helped them control the second half. It’s a credit to him.
“I guess it’s telling that he won the head ball to win the game because he won every head ball in the back.”
After the two teams struggled to create offensive chances in the first half, Oswego came out with renewed aggressiveness in the second half.
It led to chances but no goals until the crucial corner kick. The left-footed Avila, battling an injury, has been working on crosses off corners in practice as recently as Monday.
“We’ve been working hard with him,” Arias said. “He’s been injured, unfortunately, but he’s one of our key players. I think he did great. It was nice to see him on the field again.”
And Kroll was ready for the opportunity.
“He had been putting in good balls the whole game,” Kroll said of Avila. “In the first half, I got my head on one, but the keeper was there. I just had to make sure I got to it faster, and he kept putting it on me.”
After avenging Tuesday’s 2-0 loss to Oswego East, the focus changes to West Aurora. The Blackhawks beat Oswego 3-0 on Sept. 28.
“Our coach said it’s a redemption game for us,” Kroll said. “Last year, we were a 13 seed and we beat Plainfield North, a three seed.
“Anything can happen. Whoever plays better that day, whoever wants it more, will come out on top.”
Afterward, Kroll was still surprised about being able to bask in the winning moment.
“You can’t make that up,” Kroll said. “You can’t play it through your head like that.”
Paul Johnson is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.