Christopher Huizar scored a big goal for Lockport and then ran straight to his dad, Jose, to celebrate with an equally big hug.
For Huizar, it was a moment that had been a long time coming. And the senior midfielder wanted to savor it.
“My dad’s really hard on me,” Huizar said. “I’ve been in a drought these last few games. When I have bad games, he’s always on me. But I wouldn’t be the type of player I am without him.
“I kind of dedicated that goal to him.”
Huizar’s breakthrough tally Tuesday night lifted the host Porters to a 2-1 SouthWest Suburban Conference win over Stagg.
Josue Arroyo also scored for Lockport (9-3-1, 3-1), while Zack Pavelka dished out an assist and Benjamin Szudy made 10 saves.
Keagan Greer picked up the goal for Stagg (9-3-1, 2-1). Christian Komosinski made nine saves.
The teams were locked in a scoreless tie for just over 60 minutes before Huizar took a pass from Pavelka and ripped a laser-like shot from 20 yards into the right side of the net to give the Porters the lead.
It was Huizar’s second goal of the season and first in over a month.
“I’ve had many shots like that where I missed,” Huizar said. “That one, I just knew I had to take my chance. It was 0-0. The team needed it. Putting that goal in really made me feel like I stepped up in a hard spot.”
It was something Huizar and the Porters have been searching for lately. Junior midfielder Aleko Kolliniatis leads the team with nine goals, but no one else has more than two.
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“There needs to be another goal scorer,” Huizar said. “Goals aren’t everything, but just in general, I need to step up my game. That goal meant a lot.”
Lockport coach Chris Beal also recognized the importance of Huizar’s goal.
“I think you could tell by his reaction that it meant a lot to him to get on the scoring sheet,” Beal said. “If we’re going to go far and deep in the playoffs, we need goals from everyone.
“But Chris has been phenomenal the last two or three games.”
Goals aside, Beal credited Huizar with helping spark a turnaround for the Porters, who went 0-3-1 over four games in the first half of September but are now on a five-game winning streak.
“We went through a stretch where we were struggling to find our identity and Chris was one of the guys who took it upon himself when we played Bradley-Bourbonnais to step up and be like, ‘Enough’s enough,’” Beal said of a 3-1 win on Sept. 22. “He really took control of that game and he led by example with his energy, intensity and drive.
“I think that got everyone going. They look to him to be that leader in the midfield.”
Arroyo, a sophomore midfielder, certainly appreciates Huizar’s leadership as well.
“He’s a very talented player and a captain of our team,” Arroyo said. “He’s a very big piece of the way we play, and without him, there are a lot of things that couldn’t happen for our team.”
Arroyo scored his second goal of the season with 5:15 to go as the Porters may have wrapped up the top seed in a Class 3A sectional that has a to-be-announced host.
For the first time, the Illinois High School Association is using a MaxPreps formula to seed teams. Entering Tuesday, Stagg was ranked No. 1 and Lockport was No. 2 in the sectional.
Seeding is set to be finalized later this week.
“We know we’re in a good spot and this could be our year,” Huizar said. “That’s what’s motivating us.”
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