FIELD GOALS
Six days after kicking a winning PAT in OT, senior defender helps Lockport shut out Bolingbrook
It has been quite a week on the black turf at Bolingbrook for Lockport’s Gabe Czako.
Six days after he kicked the winning extra point in overtime to lift the Porters’ football team past the Raiders, the senior defender led Lockport’s soccer team to a shutout win over Bolingbrook to seal its second straight outright SouthWest Suburban Blue title.
“I love it,” Czako said. “It feels great. “It means a lot to win this conference championship. We’re working hard. Our team is such a good team this year that we have high hopes going forward. I think this is just the first step.”
Makonnen Stampley scored the lone goal Thursday night as the Porters held off Bolingbrook 1-0 to complete an undefeated run through the SWSC Blue.
Pat Marshall made two saves to record the shutout for Lockport (14-1, 4-0), getting plenty of help from the back line of Czako, Dominic Williams, Sean Flannery and Ryan Pavelka.
The Raiders (9-5-4, 1-3) controlled possession and put some pressure on the Porters in the first half, but Czako said Lockport made adjustments at halftime.
“In the first half, we weren’t pressing them right and they were playing through us,” Czako said. “We were giving them the outsides too much in the first half, but we didn’t give them that option in the second half and we were able to win the ball in the middle.
“It’s a great feeling to get a shutout.”
Czako has enjoyed a lot of winning in the fall, with the Porters’ football team undefeated at 7-0 in addition to the soccer team’s growing success.
His extra point Friday sealed a 14-13 overtime win at Bolingbrook.
“It’s been awesome,” Czako said.
“It’s been so fun. Obviously, you love what you’re doing when you’re doing it well. It’s been great being a part of two fantastic teams.”
Lockport coach Chris Beal knows Czako’s presence on defense has been vital to his team’s success.
“You can’t put into words how important Gabe is in the back for us,” Beal said. “His leadership, his calm presence, his ability to win every header and his ability to pass the ball out of the back.
“He leads by example on the field, and it’s hard to put into words how valuable he is.”
Stampley broke the shutout with 21 minutes, 20 seconds to go when he took a 27-yard free kick from the middle of the field and ripped a shot inside the left post.
“I got the chance and I made it,” Stampley said. “It was pretty far out, but we’ve been taking free kicks in practice. I stepped up when I had to and just buried it.”
Stampley said the Raiders provided a wake-up call in the first half, when Lockport was unable to generate much offensively.
“We’re used to dominating the game, but they came out strong and they were dominating the game,” he said. “At halftime, the coaches gave us some insight about what to do. We did that, we got a chance and we finished.”
The Porters now set their sights on the postseason. They are the second seed in the Class 3A Sandburg Sectional and play host Tuesday to Homewood-Flossmoor in a regional semifinal.
“We’re really excited about going into the playoffs,” Beal said. “When we click, when we’re playing the best we can play and we’re creating chances and finishing, I think we’re going to be a very tough team to beat. But we have to have that consistency throughout.”