BERWYN – Just ‘keep going.’

This was the constant mindset of the Lyons boys soccer team as it opened its season against defending Class 3A state runner-up Morton.

After falling behind on two separate occasions, the Lions just kept going. And just as his team did throughout Thursday night’s match, junior Zach Steck didn’t give up on a ball late in the game – and found himself tapping in the game-winning goal in a 3-2 comeback victory over Morton.

A miscommunication between a Morton defender and goalkeeper Christopher Barajas led to a collision and the ball finding the foot of Steck with an empty net in front of him. A celebration ensued with just 16 minutes remaining in a highly-contested West Suburban Conference game.

“We knew we had to stay with it and just keep going,” Steck said. “We know that’s a great team over there and we just had to stay level-headed and keep going. I think we stayed strong, never stopped going and the hard work paid off.”

Lyons (1-0, 1-0 West Suburban Conference) fell behind just nine minutes into Thursday’s game after Morton’s Cristian Perez scored his first of two goals on the night.

Perez re-gave the Mustangs (0-1, 0-1) a one-goal advantage just two minutes after Lions forward Jack Luttrell tied the game at 1-1 in the 22nd minute.

However, Lyons battled back again before the halftime break on a goal from Jonathan Hill.

“Sometimes when you play a good team and you let up the first goal, you can get run over,” Lions coach Paul Labbato said. “You can look up and all of a sudden it’s [2-0 or 3-0]. To come back both times and tie the game was fantastic. I think we just kept working really hard and battled throughout the second half after that… It’s a promising way to start the season.”

Hill’s goal, off of a long sideline throw-in, was one of many ‘set piece’ opportunities for Lyons Township in the game.

After several close calls on those long throw-ins, Hill waited by the back post and found the deflection was just enough room to have his shot find the back of the net.

Morton coach Jim Bageanis thought his team made some mistakes that Lyons took advantage of, but expected a hard-fought game to open the season.

“We knew with them coming in here that it was going to be a battle,” Bageanis said. “I think we had some miscommunications in the back and some trouble marking guys. They got too many opportunities on those throw-ins that I just think we have to be better with. In the end, no one likes to lose, but I’m just happy the kids got to get back out here and play the game they all love again.”

In a shortened season and under the circumstances these games are happening with, Luttrell wasn’t quick to forget a certain defeat last season and making a statement to begin his senior campaign.

“We knew after losing to [Morton at the PepsiCo Showdown] last season, we wanted revenge. We wanted to carry that over to this season,” Luttrell said. “We wanted to show them that [last season’s loss] was a fluke. We’re the better team. I think we had more passion and wanted this game more than them.”

Lyons goalkeeper Luke Stockbridge made three saves in the victory.