EDWARDSVILLE – The Edwardsville High School boys soccer program hasn’t lost to the Alton Redbirds since 2015.
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The Tigers grew that unbeaten streak to 21 games Tuesday night at the Edwardsville District 7 Sports Complex as the two met for the first of their two Southwestern Conference meetings of the season. The Tigers won 4-0.
But even given that impressive streak, this season, Edwardsville did not take this game for granted.
“No, because Greg’s always going to have his team work,” Tigers’ head coach Mark Heiderscheid said on Alton. “I mean, he had 31 kids come out, and yet, when you look out there, it never matters. He’s always going to get a high work rate. So, no, you can’t.”
And for over half an hour, the teams were inseparable.
Edwardsville had a couple of valiant attempts within the game’s first five minutes, but Alton keeper Patrick Henesy was up for the task, making the game’s best save just 100 seconds in.
The Tigers maintained most of the control in the first half but only took a one-goal lead into the break.
That goal came in the 33rd minute from Zane Maxwell. He was on the receiving end of a Jackson Lifritz corner kick and rose up to put a well-placed header into the back of the net.
After the halftime break, another 15 minutes of evenly played soccer went by before Edwardsville doubled its lead. In the 56th minute, Riley Johnson picked up the ball after an Alton giveaway in defense. He made no mistake, making it 2-0.
The Tigers could have made it three in the 68th minute when they were awarded a penalty kick. Instead, Henesy, who’s known for his penalty shot stopping, came up large and made the save.
But from that moment on, Alton ran out of gas.
“I don’t think it was like that until the very end,” Alton head coach Greg Nasello said. “Once we gave up the PK, even though Patrick saved it, our legs were pretty much done. We could see it.”
“That’s the downside of having very little numbers to bring in,” Nasello went on. “That’s where, when we play against teams like Collinsville and Edwardsville, they can bring in more numbers. We don’t quite have that.”
And that lack of depth was costly.
The Tigers scored back-to-back goals with just over five minutes to go. Maxwell got his second, and Antonio DeAvilla scored the final goal, assisted by Jack Kirgan.
It was just the Tigers’ second shutout of the season as they improved to 5-5-1 overall and 2-2 in the conference.
A season ago, Edwardsville went 15-10-1, taking fourth at the state tournament. According to Heiderscheid, that team graduated 10 starters, including its entire backline and keeper, who provided 10 shutouts.
Regardless of last season, Tuesday was a great way to start off a four-game SWC slate. The Tigers host Belleville East on Thursday, September 18, before traveling to Belleville West on Tuesday, and hosting Collinsville next Thursday.
The Redbirds, who fell to 4-5, 1-3 in the conference, travel to O’Fallon this Thursday before next week’s road trips to take on both the Bellevilles.
In between those games, Alton will host its Senior Night on Monday, September 22, at 6 p.m., when it hosts University City.
