Boys soccer: Rafael Ramirez stars for Morton with buzzer-beating goal against Addison Trail

Morton junior defender Rafael Ramirez quickly is becoming a big part of his new team.

After transferring from St. Patrick to Morton, Ramirez endured an adjustment period not uncommon for players switching schools, but he found a moment to stand out Sept. 26 against Addison Trail.

Ramirez, who entered the West Suburban Conference Gold Division game with one goal this season, became the star attraction after his header goal as time expired lifted the Mustangs to a 2-1 victory over the Blazers. Ramirez said he managed to get the “side of my head” on the ball on teammate Carlos Tafoya’s corner kick, with the final buzzer sounding just after the ball nudged his head in the box about seven yards out.

“I saw there were like 10 seconds left and knew what was the worst that could happen, so I went up and saw Carlos had hit the ball quickly and saw the cross coming in and just headed it and the ball went in,” Ramirez said. “The [ball] hit around the left side of my head, the more top part of it. I just tried to go in and win the header. My last goal was a rebound and I just tapped it in, so this was special.”

Ramirez said he wasn’t apprehensive about joining a new team, mainly because of a built-in relationship with several Morton players.

“I liked my old team a lot, so it was hard leaving my teammates,” Ramirez said. “But I knew most of the team here, so we clicked right away. It was a little hard [at the start of the season]. I knew most of them from previous teams, just a matter of the ones who I hadn’t played with before. I think I fit in really good. As a team, we’re really well-built and can make it far this year. I think everything has been going good here for me so far. I like it here because it’s more of a possession-based game. I’m used to that more since I started playing, so I felt good fitting into the team.”

Morton coach Jim Bageanis said Ramirez is making his mark on the program.

“Rafael came to our program and we saw he had some speed and had a knack for always being around the ball,” Bageanis said. “He’s excellent in the air and he finds a way to get to the ball and anticipates really well. He has a very good first and second step to get back on defense. When we might be a man down or a step behind, he has that extra burst of speed. He’s been a very welcome addition to the team, taking the starting spot in the second game and not giving it up.”

Bageanis said the Mustangs (10-2-2, 4-0) have not lost in conference play since 2012 and the dramatic victory over the Blazers kept the streak alive. The Mustangs might get a big jolt near the end of the season with the expected return of senior forward Max Aquino, Bageanis said. The UIC recruit was a key player on the Mustangs’ Class 3A state team in 2021. Aquino suffered a sprained knee earlier this season.

“We’re hoping to get Max back here in the next few weeks,” Bageanis said. “He’s been out since the third game of the season in the first half against Whitney Young. We’re hoping to get him back in the next two weeks here. We’re taking it cautiously and hoping he’s ready for the playoffs.”

Lyons back on track

Lyons finally can claim its first BodyArmor Series bracket championship since 2015. The Lions, who have hosted the final weekend of the tournament for the past few years, ended their long dry spell with a 1-0 victory over Taft on Sept. 24.

The Lions celebrated by showering themselves in the traditional Coca-Cola shower in a nearby parking lot after the victory. The tournament, formerly known as the PepsiCo Showdown, was held at the Lyons Soccer Complex.

“It was an emotional game, but I thought we played under control,” Lyons coach Paul Labbato said. “We didn’t get emotional with the calls going for us or against us and just played the game. We rolled with it and made sure we were playing good sound defense and not losing our heads. I was pretty happy with the boys. I thought we put the pressure on in the second half. I know the goal wasn’t ideal for them. We coach that not to pass back to your goalkeeper inside the posts because stuff happens. We always pass outside of the post, so in case a mistake happens, it goes out of bounds rather in the goal. We put some good pressure on and we had a chance to score a lot of goals but got the one we will take.

“I’m really proud of the guys. We’re trying to find our way and grind out tough games. This was a tough one. We are pretty happy with the result. Danny Svelnis did a great job in the back, as did all of our defenders. They just did a great job. … Our defenders won a lot of one-on-one battles. … We transitioned a few guys, but they all did a great job.”

Lyons senior midfielder Declan Kracker said it was an emotional victory for the program.

“We showed a lot of grit and that really showed out to me and we came into this tournament looking for something bigger,” Kracker said. “It’s been a long time, so this feels great to get soda splashed all over us. It was great to have all our fans come out here and support us.”

The Lions (10-4-2, 2-1 West Suburban Silver) suffered a 2-1 league loss to Hinsdale Central (8-2-3, 2-1) in a game that started Sept. 26 but was postponed with 26:29 left in the second half because of weather. The game resumed Sept. 27 and was won by Hinsdale Central in penalty kicks.

Fenwick captains hoping for a run in Class 2A playoffs.

Fenwick suffered a tough 1-0 home loss to Brother Rice on Sept. 26, but the Friars are aiming to build off a tough schedule and be a team to watch in the playoffs. James Zimmer, John Ballarin and Evan Hickman have focused on keeping the team in a positive mindset.

“We can build off this going forward and try to get some momentum and wins going into the playoffs,” Hickman said.

Fenwick coach Craig Blazer said the three captains have been ideal leaders for the program.

“You always want your leaders to be your hardest workers and they’ve all been great examples for the other players,” Blazer said.