Eagles snap skid with win over Prairie Ridge

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By Jonathan Jones

After Thursday evening’s affair, Jacobs hopes its recent troubles are a thing of the past.

Following a four-game skid, the Golden Eagles (8-7, 1-1) defeated Prairie Ridge 2-0 in Algonquin.

The junior duet of forwards Kenny Finn and Nate Smith led the way for Jacobs as they both registered goals. With multiple injuries on the roster, Finn and Smith were moved from defenders to forwards Thursday.

“It’s all about intensity from the right person on the right night,” Finn said about the win. “We have a lot of people hurt. Now we need to get on a roll. We have to think it’s as easy getting on a winning streak as it is to getting on a losing streak.”

Jacobs jumped to a quick start after 13 minutes ticked away. On a send from junior midfielder Mike Mammola’s corner kick, Finn connected on the pass, getting a foot on the ball that passed by Prairie Ridge’s keeper.

After the goal, both teams beefed up security. Both Prairie Ridge and Jacobs only allowed three shots on goal in the first half. Jacobs prevented Prairie Ridge from attempting a shot on goal until the 12:35 mark in the first half.

Jacobs’ first-half goal was the Eagles’ first in three games.

“We have all the ability in the world,” said Jacobs coach A.J. Cappello. “This week we’ve talked about the mental side of games. Even though we fell on the losing streak, I feel like over the weekend we lost the right way. We played with intensity through the whole game.”

In three-out-of-four of the Jacobs drops, the losses were against non-conference foes Hersey, Springfield and Boylan respectively at the Hononegah Tournament. The Eagles also lost a Fox Valley game to McHenry.

Prairie Ridge (3-8-2, 0-2) came with stronger intensity in the first 10 minutes of the second half. Although Prairie Ridge attained stellar play inside the box, they were shutout in their second half surge.

“We weren’t playing two-touch ball,” said Prairie Ridge coach Josh Iverson. “We had two opportunities right in front of the goal, but we just couldn’t get it done. The guys didn’t quit, but the penalty kick did flatten them.”

Following a save late in the second half, Smith chased the ball down only to be tackled by the Prairie Ridge keeper inside the goalie box.
 
Smith, who in the off season plays alongside the Prairie Ridge keeper, thus squared off with a teammate who has witnessed Smith’s strategy and approach on penalty kicks. Smith prevailed in the one-on-one bout tallying the second goal for the Golden Eagles at the six minute mark.

“We talk about all the time to go with your first instinct,” Smith said of his penalty kick that essentially put Prairie Ridge out of contention for a comeback. “Don’t think through it. It means a lot to get this win, and to beat (the Prairie Ridge keeper) for once.”

One remedy that Jacobs strives for is health of their players. Five Jacobs starters have succumbed to injury this year in senior defender Matt Tafflinger, senior midfielders Erik Nava and Garrett Fales, and junior midfielders Erik Soto and forward Anthony Moscatello.

Senior captain Tafflinger, who recently fell to injury with a broken joint in his middle toe, is at least gone for a week. Jacobs’s junior defender Blake Micel was promoted to team captain for Thursday’s game.

“Blake (Micel) did a nice job leading the team,” Cappello said. “We need to keep building on intensity, as well as on leadership in practice.”

Jacobs prepares for a loaded week of Fox Valley Conference opponents, but Cappello likes their chances. After losing 14 seniors, Cappello feels that their maturation is making lucrative progress.

“We have great juniors and seniors that started practicing two days after the season ended last year,” Cappello said. “The underclassmen saw how close we could get last season and started weight lifting and practice four-to-five days a week in the summer. We have to work a bit, but we just have to turn it up in practice.

“Soccer is an unforgiving sport. We can’t leave the game out there and let our work ethic speak for itself.”