Senior Cohen Cox spent the entire regular season playing defender for Lincoln-Way West.
But when the playoffs rolled around, the Warriors’ coaching staff wanted Cox to move to forward, hoping he would provide an offensive spark.
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Cox was all in.
“I couldn’t wait,” Cox said. “I’m not someone who’s going to ask to play a certain position, but once I got the call to go to forward, it was amazing.”
The change paid off in a huge way Tuesday night. Cox scored his first goal of the season to help 12th-seeded Lincoln-Way West continue its Cinderella run by stunning top-seeded Stagg for a 1-0 victory in a Class 3A Joliet West Sectional semifinal.
Michael Sallese had the assist for the Warriors (9-9-1). Zack Szubryt made six saves for the shutout, getting plenty of help from a defense led by Sallese, Nicholas Vicario and Adrian Ontiveros.
Lincoln-Way West advanced to play at 11 a.m. Saturday in the sectional final against the winner of Wednesday’s semifinal between Lincoln-Way Central and Lincoln-Way East.
Christian Komosinski finished with three saves and George Panou put two shots on goal for Stagg (16-5-2), while Jacob Skupien ripped a shot off the crossbar for the Chargers’ closest miss.
Cox’s heroics, however, came in the 35th minute.
Sallese played a long ball out of the back that Cox was able to beat a pair of defenders to. With Komosinski charging out of the net, Cox managed to get around him and chip in a shot.
“I always take pride in being a hard worker,” Cox said. “I’m not the most technical player but I’m fast and I work harder than anyone else. That was just a hustle goal. I outworked the center backs, got around and chipped it over the goalie and into the back of the net.
“I told my coaches and my teammates that I was going to connect to the net and get a goal. Being able to do it now, it feels incredible.”
According to Lincoln-Way West coach Matt Laude, Cox told the team about his plans to score way more than once.
“He said all through the last game and all through this one, probably 25 times, ‘Keep giving me the ball, I will finish,’” Laude said. “It’s only proof of how positive reinforcement pays off.
“He was confident and he stayed positive and that was contagious for the rest of the team.”
Szubryt took care of the rest, standing tall in the net even after he took a blow to the face early in the game.
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“I got kneed right above the eye,” Szubryt said. “I just wanted to make sure I wasn’t bleeding and that I was OK. I knew I needed to stay in to help us win.”
Szubryt, a sophomore, said he’s been able to lean on Cox for guidance.
That leadership is something Cox learned from his older brother, Carson, who was a key part of the team the last time the program won a sectional title in 2019.
“I’ve always looked up to him academically, socially and athletically,” Cohen Cox said of Carson. “In every part of life, he’s been very successful.
“I was at their sectional final in 2019 in the stands, so to get to where they were and get to play in that game myself, the job’s not finished but it feels amazing.”
Making the move to forward, Cox was confident he could make a difference.
“I’ve been a forward my entire life until sophomore year when I played center back,” he said. “Last year, I played forward again and then this year it was back to center back.
“The coaches like me up top for my speed and my work ethic. They know I can create.”
And Cox provided exactly what Laude was looking for.
“Cohen is an unbelievable force that just doesn’t turn off and doesn’t stop,” Laude said.