Ty Seager energizes Wheaton Academy for win over Downers North

Ty Seager is one of the most explosive scorers in the state. Even he is not infallible.

The Wheaton Academy junior forward created a breathtaking scoring chance in the first half against Downers North, using a quick side-stepping move that froze the Trojans’ goaliekeeper. He moved right and spied an open goal and was ready to make his move.

His shot was on target and seemed heading in before Downers North defender Jake Stevenson made a great recovery for a sliding clearance. “He made a great recovery, but I realized I didn’t put enough on my shot,” Seager said.

“I just decided to forget about the play and go on.”

Seager continued his torrid early season scoring by adding two more goals and recording an assist as the No. 9 Warriors blitzed Downers North 3-0 in a first-round PepsiCo Showdown game Saturday at Lyons in LaGrange.

Seager scored his 13th and 14th goal of the year for the deep and skilled Warriors (7-0), the tournament’s fourth seed. Wheaton Academy advances to Tuesday’s second round against St. Viator.

The rangy and quick 6-0 Seager scored 29 goals and added nine assists for a Warriors team that won 22 games and finished fourth in Class 2A last year. His play energizes Wheaton Academy, that all-purpose who has the talent to improvise or create for himself and his teammates. “To have a great player like who you can get the ball to and he can make plays is just a great weapon to have,” senior Wheaton Academy forward Reid Culberson said.

Seager broke a scoreless game at halftime with a wheelhouse scissor kick off a feed from senior defender Parker Setran in the 47th minute that swung the game decisively in the Warriors’ favor. “We have a good counterattack, and we’re a good possessing team and our midfielders and other forwards are all capable,” Seager said.

“One of the reasons we played in the PepsiCo games is making the transition to playing against bigger schools, and better competition, so we’re really looking forward to the rest of the tournament,” he said.

Wheaton Academy broke the game open late with two goals less than two minutes apart. Seager worked the ball down the left wing and unfurled a rocket ball from about 22 yards out that curled inside the near post in the 69th minute. “Ty is not only a great player, he’s a good teammate,” Wheaton Academy coach Jeff Brooke said. “Some guys they score, but it’s all about doing their own thing. With Ty everything he does comes in the context of the team.”

In the 70th minute Wheaton Academy put the game out of reach as Seager worked the edge and serviced a ball that senior midfielder Grant Rougas finished.

Downers North (4-3) could not generate enough forware action to create a potential scoring chance. The Trojans’ best scoring opportunity occurred in the 70th minute on a free kick by Brett Pyburn that was turned away. “That’s a tough draw, a tough seed for us,” first-year Downers North coach Micheal Schmitt said. “They’re very talented, very skilled.

“I thought we played very well defensively and held them to very few shots on goal. We were down a goal late, and we pushed some people up and they took advantage of it.”