Todd Peczkowski’s goal gave Geneva a 1-0 victory in the championship game of the Glenbard West boys soccer tournament Saturday.
And if that last name sounds familiar . . . well, it should. In the same tournament just two years ago, it was older brother Thad’s goal that gave the Vikings a trophy.
“It felt real good,” Todd Peczkowski said after sixth-ranked Geneva (14-1-1) held on for the victory over St. Viator. “The first thing the guys said to me when I was running back was, `Kept the tradition going.'”
Geneva also kept it going in this tournament with its third consecutive title. The Vikings weren’t even sure they’d be in the championship game.
Sandburg had the edge in points going into Saturday morning’s pool play, but the 10th-ranked Eagles were upset 3-0 by Naperville North and Ingo Albrecht’s two goals to open the door for Geneva. The Vikings advanced by beating Glenbard South 2-0.
Geneva and St. Viator (9-3-3) were scoreless for the first 50 minutes of the title game, but a corner kick would give Peczkowski his chance. Eric O’Reilly lifted the ball to the far post, where Peczkowski waited.
“I tried to jab it through and punched it right in,” the senior said.
St. Viator’s best chance came five minutes before Peczkowski’s goal. Leading scorer Steve Chromik [15 goals and 11 assists] appeared to have a breakaway but was tackled while heading for the goal.
“I was pretty deep in the box,” said Chromik, referring to where he landed after the foul. If that were the case, St. Viator would have been awarded a penalty shot and likely goal.
Instead the officials ruled he had been stopped just outside the penalty box. St. Viator was left with a direct kick and a wall of Geneva defenders stopped that attempt.
Those defenders and goalkeeper Mark Nemcek came up with the Vikings’ ninth shutout of the season.
“I’m disappointed, but we already beat [No. 7] Wheaton Academy this morning–and that’s the game we wanted to win,” St. Viator’s Chromik said. “If we win this it would’ve been a bonus.”
The day instead once again belonged to the Peczkowski family. Oddly enough, Thad’s goal in the 1998 title game came on a corner kick–but with him kicking it. Thad’s ball curved into the net behind Sandburg’s goalkeeper.
Asked if he would give his brother, now at Dominican University, a phone call, Todd didn’t hesitate.
“Oh yeah, definitely, right when I get home.”
