Eagles’ clout: Lance Somerfield scores insurance policy intention as Sandburg stops Shepard. He also kicks for soccer workforce. ‘I get pleasure from it a large amount.’

Sandburg’s Lance Somerfield is very occupied this tumble.

The senior is a standout defender for the Eagles in soccer, and he’s also kicking for the soccer group. It is his initial knowledge with football.

“I take pleasure in it a lot,” Somerfield reported. “Even weeks when I’m heading three times in a row with video games, it’s a large amount of enjoyable. It’s my very last yr at Sandburg, so I want to do a minor little bit of all the things.”

On the soccer industry, Somerfield has been a large part of a rapid commence for Sandburg.

He continued his contributions Wednesday night, scoring a aim and participating in solid defense as the host Eagles topped Shepard 3-1 in Orland Park.

Sebastian Burzynski and Ben Lyons also scored for Sandburg (4-1-1), even though Luke Thiesse created a few saves.

Zach Soltysiak struck for a intention and Gannon Marin designed 14 saves for Shepard (5-3).

Sandburg bought a bit of revenge for a season-ending 1- shootout reduction to the Astros in final season’s Class 3A regional semifinal.

“I told the boys just before the match that there was no way we desired to go out the way we did final yr,” Somerfield claimed. “I told them that fifty percent the team was leaving in tears past calendar year, and which is the way it really should be for the other staff (Wednesday).”

With Shepard pushing challenging for a tying purpose late in the activity, Somerfield supplied some huge insurance when he ripped in a 25-property cost-free kick to make it 3-1 with 3:35 to go.

“Lance has actually stepped up this year,” Sandburg coach Desi Vuillaume reported. “He’s been starting up a few decades on varsity, and he just will get greater and greater. We’re wanting for leadership this yr and he’s certainly filling all those sneakers.

“It’s excellent to see him supporting the soccer team, too. We have had fairly a handful of children do the two, and it is always great.”

For Somerfield, the dual-sport encounter began with a uncomplicated observation from soccer mentor Troy McAllister.

“He just thought I really should go out there and kick the ball, and it is worked out fairly perfectly,” Somerfield claimed. “My mom was sort of like, ‘Ehhh,’ about football, but I was like, ‘Let’s get following it.’”

Lyons gave Sandburg the guide in the 33rd minute, scoring on a header soon after Somerfield’s lengthy free of charge kick deflected off a defender.

Soltysiak answered for Shepard with 25:25 remaining in the match, scoring off a go from Filip Zawodniak subsequent a free of charge kick.

The Eagles, although, promptly responded as Burzynski drew a foul in the box and converted the ensuing penalty kick with 20:08 to go.

Somerfield’s goal ultimately sank the Astros.

“We realized coming into this it was likely to be a tough activity,” Shepard mentor Zeno Toscas reported. “It meant anything. A handful of our kids participate in with their children. We understood it was going to be a person of all those fantastic, dynamic online games.

“We just arrived up brief. What are you heading to do?”

For the Eagles, it was the most current in a line of potent outcomes, which include a win above Naperville Central and a tie with Lyons.

“We want to be the very best staff in our sectional,” Burzynski mentioned. “We saw how crucial it was past year to be just one of all those prime seeds and we want to be at the major.

“We want to defeat Lockport. We want to conquer Stagg. We want to defeat everyone.”

Somerfield, in the meantime, loved the obstacle of defending Soltysiak.

“He’s my teammate in club, so I have an understanding of a good deal about him,” Somerfield stated. “He was all-condition previous 12 months and he’s really proficient. It’s definitely just man vs. person each and every time, and it was a fight all night time very long.”

Steve Millar is a freelance reporter for the Day by day Southtown.

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