MM_042017

52 | April 20, 2017 | The Mokena Messenger SPORTS
mokenamessenger.com
Boys Water Polo
Knights give valiant effort in one-goal loss to Porters
Frank Gogola
Freelance Reporter
Lockport junior Jake
Sweis wasn’t fazed when
he found himself as the
only Porter on the offensive
end during a fast break. Instead
of stalling and waiting
for teammates to swim
in, he worked his way past
two Lincoln-Way Central
defenders, attacked the net
from the right side and fired
a shot for a goal.
“I’ve been trying to work
on scoring on multiple defenders,”
Sweis said. “It’s
one of the best feelings when
you actually pull that off.”
Sweis’ goal gave the Porters
a 9-8 lead and put them
up for good, as they used a
big third quarter to beat Lincoln-Way
Central 12-11 on
Thursday, April 13, in Lockport.
The Knights staged a
fourth-quarter comeback but
came up one goal short for
the second time this season
against the Porters.
“Another close game, but
I’m not going to complain,
because we needed a game
like this,” Central coach Jacob
Bernard said. “A win
would have been perfect, but
the fact that we kept it close
and we kept it intense, that’s
what we really needed, since
we’ve been in a slump.”
The Porters (9-6-1, 6-3)
outscored Central 7-2 in the
third quarter while shooting
in the deep end. They turned
a 6-4 halftime deficit into
an 11-8 advantage heading
into the fourth. Sweis scored
three of his game-high six
goals in the third.
Better releases by players,
more accurate passes
and steals in the third quarter
led to fast-break goals
– two by Sweis and one by
junior Matt Zalesko. Junior
Giovanni Onesto and Zalesko
scored one goal each
off a rebound. Sweis added
one while Lockport played
a man up. Onesto scored
on an empty net, as Central
senior goalie Jacob Culver
was beat to the ball after
coming out of the net for a
steal attempt.
“The third quarter was
huge,” Lockport coach Joe
Lewandowski said. “That
changed the outcome of the
game. The biggest thing was
we couldn’t find our tempo
early. In the third, we caught
five or six counterattacks
where either we got the set
in or got some fast breakaways.”
“It was a chaotic mess,”
Bernard said. “With everyone
moving around nonstop,
it’s easy to buckle and lose
a guy.”
Coming off a 13-1 loss
to Lincoln-Way East, the
Knights (7-6, 3-6) were determined
to have a better
showing. They built a 6-4
halftime lead and outscored
Lockport 3-1 in the fourth
quarter, but they suffered a
defeat similar to the teams’
March 20 meeting, which
Lockport won 13-12.
“It hurts, but we played
really well,” Central senior
Mason Maze said. “This was
the best we’ve played in a
loss. We really clicked as a
team. The mistakes are decreasing
every game.”
Juniors Adam Ceh and
Ryan Burke kept the Knights
in the game with a goal
each in a 1:46 span midway
through the fourth quarter.
Burke’s goal pulled Central
within 12-11 with 3:09 to
play.
Ceh had a chance to tie
the game moments later but
floated a shot off the crossbar.
Maze missed a shot
wide right one possession
after a jump ball went Lockport’s
way. Central committed
two turnovers, and Lockport
passed the ball around
on its final two possessions
to run the clock.
“This is a tough team,”
Sweis said. “I’m really happy
with the way we played
today.”
Maze and senior Dylan
Sterling paced the Knights
with three goals apiece. Ceh
and Burke had two goals
each. Junior Ben Bethke
added one.
Zalesko scored three
goals for Lockport. Onesto
added two. Sophomore Tyler
Thompson had one. The
Porters scored on their lone
penalty shot and on just two
of seven man-up opportunities.
“If we score on our manups,
the game is not even
close,” Lewandowski said.
“We didn’t, and that’s something
we have to work on.”
Lincoln-Way Central’s Dylan Sterling starts the transition offense Thursday, April 13,
during an away game against Lockport. Photos by James Sanchez/22nd Century Media
The MINI’s are coming.
The MINI’s are coming.
Saturday, May13 th
MINI of Orland Park
Mason Maze gears up for a shot.