Paradise's two goals lift Wolves

Font Size

Email

Bookmark

Black Text

White Text

OSWEGO -- The Plainfield North soccer team withstood the wind-aided, first-half barrage from Oswego East by stubbornly sticking legs in the way of multiple shots within the box.

It took a 45-yard cross from Dan Pasillas to Jake Paradise, one-timed at the top of the box -- a light flick over onrushing goalie Scott Workman -- to get the Wolves on the scoreboard and acquire a lead in their first-round playoff game.

The pair hooked up again six minutes into the second half en route to a 4-0 victory over the Tigers, which puts East (12-6-3) in a road matchup Tuesday night against Naperville Central.

"It was a really nice volley," Oswego East coach Steve Szymanski said of the first goal. "We actually work on that stuff a lot where Dan plays a long ball across and Jake or Jorge (Ontiveros) run on and try to put it away. Of all the shots Jake took in the first half, that was probably the toughest one to finish but he found a way to put it in."

Playing with a strong wind in the first-half, the Wolves missed capitalizing on eight solid scoring chances through the first 17 minutes before Paradise connected in the 33rd minute.

"In the first half, we had the better opportunities," Szymanski said. "It doesn't matter who has more opportunities. You have to put the ball in the back of the net. In the second half, we did a better job."

To open the second half, Pasillas tapped a ball up the middle in the box to Paradise who had snuck behind the defenders. A diving attempt by Workman popped the ball a few feet off the ground where multiple Tigers' defenders and Paradise missed striking the ball before Paradise finally made contact, tipping the ball into the wide-open goal.

"No," said Paradise when asked if he thought he would get another shot after missing. "All three of the defenders and me whiffed once. Fortunately, I was able to just dribble it in."

Pasillas was able to get into the scoring column not long after, knocking home a header off a corner kick from Erik Madrigal in the 56th minute.

Later, Paradise crossed a ball on the ground from left to right and found Ontiveros at the top of the box, who calmly turned and struck a left-footed shot into the right corner of the box for the final goal.

"We organized our team better, our offense, our defense," Pasillas said about the second-half outburst. "I called for the ball (on the corner). Erik got it to me, and I scored."

Workman finished with six saves for Plainfield North, while fellow keeper Kyle Hancock recorded nine saves for East, which must maintain "confidence" and "momentum", according to Paradise and Pasillas, in order to be successful against Naperville Central.

"We won't get as many chances against them," Szymanski said. "We'll have to take advantage when we can."

Boys Soccer: Class 3A Regionals