Glenbrook South Stays On Roll With Win Over New Trier

Henry Stephan scored two late goals that helped Glenbrook South rally past host New Trier Tuesday night, September 22. (Photo by Rusty Silber)

Glenbrook South started its season trying to find an identity. In fact, the Titans were 1-3 through their first four matches.

Something had to change. It sure did with this group pulling together to go on an eight-game winning streak and three straight victories over Central Suburban League South opponents.

The Titans scored two late goals in the final 11 minutes and got past host New Trier 4-3 on Tuesday night (Sept. 22).

“If we lost, we tied or we won,” Glenbrook South coach Reggie Lara said, “I would be nothing but happy with how the boys played. The more we care about how we’re playing and the less of the result. When the boys play loose and they’re having fun I think good things start to happen. There’s no such thing as an easy game.”

Glenbrook South (9-3, 3-0) keeps on winning with a good run of matches.

“This might be the most game-hungry team that I’ve ever coached,” Lara said. “They love to win. They love to battle. The way they make practice so intense, painful, and grueling on each other. It’s cool to see it pay off against these really good teams.”

The Titans have already defeated Glenbrook North, Evanston and now New Trier. They have league matches left against Maine South and Niles West.

“We coach every game like we’re playing the number one team in state,” Lara said. “To go against every single team with zero fear. We have 100 percent for every team that we go against.”

Glenbrook South found itself down 3-2 after a high-scoring first half with New Trier (5-4-1). Henry Stephan scored the game-tying goal in the 69th minute after converting a penalty kick. The Trevians had been called for a foul in the penalty area.

Then, about six minutes later, Stephan scored the eventual game-winning goal after taking a cross from Janesh Selvam Babu that made the score 4-3 in the 75th minute.

But there’s more than this game and how the chemistry has come together with the forwards Stephan, Alex Onysenko and Gabe Gogolewski.

“Two years ago, we had one of our best teams,” said Stephan, who has seven goals this season. “Before the season, I was like our front three were all returning. This probably is the most faith I’ve had with the attack. I’ve said from the start of the start of the year. ‘We probably have the best front three in the state.’ Although we didn’t prove it much in the first four games. We’ve stepped it up since then to win eight in a row. Our goalie, defense and our forwards have showed what we’re capable of.”

Trying to make things work out on the frontline has taken some work. But things have gone in the right direction in scoring.

“They’ve come together with the chemistry, and I’ve worked my way into it,” Stephan said. “I’ve noticed in practice we work on what we should do in games and execute it here. Everyone makes an impact, and it really shows.”

Onysenko scored the other two goals in the first half. He scored off an assist from Stephan in the 11th minute of play. Then he added a penalty kick in the 21st minute after a New Trier handball in the box.

“We have two wings that can dribble 1 on 1 and can get a big shot,” said Onysenko, who also has seven goals this season. “We started out not so good. We knew, that we’ve got a state-worthy team. We had to pick our heads up. Our coaches helped us with that. It’s a mentality that we can win every game.”

New Trier got all of its goals from Nico Urrea with two, and Luke Hoffmeister had the other one.

“Fortunately, games against GBS are 1-0, 2-1,” New Trier coach Matt Ravenscraft said. “They are always tight. We have our set pieces, and they had their PK’s. But Glenbrook South was a good team. What’s hard was that we got away from what we were playing, and we’re successful. We went big and direct. We didn’t win our battles. The 50/50s in the middle of the field. We gave them the chances.”

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