Blackhawks top Rams in overtime
Rotolo goal get West Aurora past Glenbard East

By Casey Callanan

Close games and comebacks are two major themes of West Aurora’s 2010 season, and Tuesday night at Glenbard East was no different for the Blackhawks.  

Muddy field conditions allowed just enough scoring opportunities for West Aurora to escape the Rams with a 2-1 victory in overtime.

“This is nothing new for us,” said West Aurora coach Joe Sustersic. “This is the eleventh out of our 21 games that have been a one-goal differential. Playing until the last minute is nothing new.”

West Aurora’a game-winner came off a rebound shot by Daniel Rotolo with 73 seconds left in overtime. It was setup after Cesar Garcia’s free kick from the left side of the field.

“I saw the ball coming and I just wanted to volley it in the back of the net,” Rotolo said. “After the save I just tried to slide the shot through.”

The goal came on a very slow field that had two-foot wide puddles in certain areas, but Sustersic said he didn’t think that factored into the outcome.

“I don’t know how a field could be so damp without rain. I don’t even want to think about what it will look like when football’s played,” Sustersic said. “I don’t think it had a bearing on the game though, since both teams had to play on it.”

After a Blackhawk defender slipped on the soggy surface, East’s Senovio Sarabia pushed a pass ahead for Sam Dennis in the 17th minute of play. Dennis found himself all alone in front of the net and blasted the ball into the back netting.

“I started off the season hot on goals, but the last few games I’d been in kind of a slump getting shots on frame,” Dennis said.

The Rams took the early 1-0 lead, but West Aurora’s offense fired right back. 

Within 40 seconds of allowing the goal, Danny Talancon just missed poking a diving header through the net for the Blackhawks. They continued to attack, but East made outstanding defensive stops to help keep West Aurora off the board in the moments after Dennis’ goal.

“Steve (Plotke), Gio (Geurrero), Jose (Hernandez) and pretty much everyone in the back played solid,” said Rams junior Tyler Ford. “They won almost every fifty-fifty ball and they did a good job not letting the ball get over the top, so they didn’t have to chase it.”

The defensive momentum from the Rams nearly helped extend the lead after scoring opportunities were produced on the counterattack. But the Blackhawks would have the last laugh going into halftime.

On a slight angle, West Aurora captain Mario Alvarez drove a shot through the net from about 25 yards out. The unassisted goal for Alvarez came with just under seven minutes remaining in the first half

The game remained 1-1 at halftime and neither team found itself with a quality scoring chance until a West Aurora corner early in the second half. The serve by Alvarez almost led to a goal as six-foot-three Matt Koth barely missed the header.

The next scoring opportunity went in favor of the Rams. Junior midfielder Kyle Ricely broke away from the Blackhawk defense with 16:45 left in regulation. Aurora goalie Abel Diaz charged towards Ricely and dove in front of the shot to make the save. Diaz finished the match with seven saves.

West Aurora was back on the counterattack shortly after Ricely nearly put the Rams ahead, but Glenbard East goalie Brad Suszek stood strong.

Suszek single handedly forced overtime in the final minute of regulation after making a huge save on Alvarez. Suszek finished the game with three saves.

Although his Rams remain winless in the Dupage Valley Conference, Dennis refuses to count his team out of contention.

“Don’t underestimate us in the postseason,” Dennis said. “We’ve shown it in past seasons. No matter what has happened before, we’ll always battle in the postseason.”