Lions Fall to Morton in Pepsi Showdown Semifinals, 2-1 OT

The Lyons Township High School soccer team had been looking to return to the Pepsi Showdown championship, held at Toyota Park, after a heartbreaking championship loss in 2009 at the hands of powerhouse Neuqua Valley High School by a score of 2-1.

2-1 was the score Saturday as the Lions fell short of tournament glory again, this time in the semifinal round, to Morton High School. Morton will face Libertyville in annual the tournament's finale on Sept. 25.

"Today I felt as though Morton wanted it more than us," senior forward Horacio Sanchez said. "We're a good team and they're a good team. When two good teams meet, it's just about who wants it more, and today Morton wanted it more than us."

Elliot Borge put LT ahead mid-way through the second half in front of another packed LT fan section. Lyons looked poised for yet another victory until a goalkeeping mistake by junior Max Hadley led to a Morton equalizer, three minutes from time.

Though the leveling goal came late in the match, senior defender Peter Kralovec-Kirchherr admits that Morton had been the harder working team for the game's duration.

"They were winning the 50-50 balls against us, and I think they created more pressure," Kralovec- Kirchherr said. "We can take this loss into the rest of the season so that when we play them in the playoffs, we'll know what to do better."

According to the tournament's format, in the event of a tie, two ten minute overtime periods are played, followed by a penalty shootout if a winner hasn't been decided after the extra time.

Morton, captained by agile striker Joel Salmeron, needed less than five minutes to seal the match as a goal early in overtime sent blue and gold supporters straight into shock.

Senior leader Kyle Kurfirst believes the team shouldn't take such a difficult loss to mean too much, however.

"We need to keep our heads up after a game like this," Kurfirst said. "We have had an incredibly difficult schedule so far, and for this to be just our first loss is a positive thing.

And in spite of such an emotionally trying loss for the home side, Sanchez also maintains an optimistic outlook on the situation.

 "Now we can come back to reality, which can be a good thing," Sanchez said. "But now we will focus on conference, which is the next important thing for us. I believe in this team and know we can get back to where we were."

The defeat is Lyons' first of the season, and while the aftermath may sting for LT players and fans, junior midfielder Elliot Borge considers the defeat a lesson in the team's tactical development.

"We can improve on clearances and defensive shape as a team," Borge said. "Yes, [the Pepsi Showdown] would've been nice to win, but state is our real goal, and I think we have good enough character to turn right around from this to use it as motivation."

LTHS won all three of its group matches in the Pepsi Challenge before overcoming Downers Grove North in its quarterfinal matchup. The Lions are to face Glenbard West High School at home next Thursday in a conference game.