No one connected with the Evanston soccer program can ever really accept defeat in one of the nation’s longest-lasting rivalries.

But there was still a “feel-good” vibe around Lazier Field Thursday night even though the Wildkits bowed 2-0 to New Trier in the Central Suburban League South division opener.

No, it wasn’t that Evanston overachieved against a more powerful Trevian squad — though that’s happened in the past. For the first time in decades, both teams entered the head-to-head matchup with losing records and neither school could be considered the favorite to win the division title this year, at least on paper.

The defeat still stung, enough so the Kits (1-3-2 overall) didn’t want to stick around and hurried to the locker room while New Trier (3-3-0) collected the fire hydrant trophy that goes to the regular season winner between the two rivals.

New Trier’s triumph also allowed the Trevs to regain the lead in the all-time series, with 46 wins to 45 for ETHS. The two teams have tied 22 times.

The energy and effort displayed by the host team — coming off a dismal showing the previous week when ETHS failed to win a game in its own invitational tournament for the first time in program history — despite the fact that half a dozen of the squad’s top starters and reserves were missing from the lineup showed that the Wildkits can still be a force this fall.

The losers had two goals disallowed in the first half and have now netted just six goals in six games this season. New Trier counted a goal by Tim Vaughan in the 28th minute and a penalty kick by Calyx Hoover in the 57th minute to turn the tables on Evanston after losing to the Kits 1-0 a year ago.

Maybe the Wildkits were motivated after several newcomers moved up to the varsity from the JV squad to replace players on the injured list. Or maybe it was just the matchup with New Trier, which almost always brings out the best in the Orange and Blue.

But it was clear that after beating Vernon Hills in a CSL crossover earlier in the week, this is a different Evanston team now.

Senior co-captain John Isaac, who led a staunch defensive effort Thursday night, thinks the best is yet to come.

First half mentality

“For sure, that first half was the best we’ve played this year,” Isaac said. “We really had the mindset and energy to come out and win this game. We wanted it. That mentality slipped a little bit in the second half, after we had those two goals taken away. We need anyone to score — not just the forwards — and we need to find a way to finish no matter who gets the opportunities.

“We had to have a reset after that tournament. We know now that we have to fight for each other and we know our game plans can work if we just follow them. I think now we’re on a good track for the rest of the season.”

ETHS head coach Franz Calixte liked just about everything he saw on the Lazier turf — except for the final score.

“I’m not making excuses, but we had six guys out tonight who play regular minutes for us,” Calixte explained. “I don’t like losing to our neighbors to the north, but I love the effort. That effort showed me that we can really play with anyone. That first half showed me we can be alright going forward.

“With the way we played, and the way we passed, we had opportunities to score. We just don’t have the people to put the ball away yet. That’s what we’re going to keep working on. Everything was good, the effort and the energy, and this is the first time I’ve seen that kind of energy throughout the entire game.

“We had that first goal taken away on an obstruction call. On the second goal, they didn’t give us a reason.”

Evanston’s first apparent score came on a free kick from the extreme left side of the goal.

James Nicolaou’s boot didn’t touch a friend or foe and wound up in the right corner of the net, but ETHS teammate Bruk Woldu was ruled to have obstructed New Trier goalie Will Richardson to keep the game scoreless.

2 chances

In the last three minutes of the first half, the Kits had two great chances but couldn’t capitalize.

Louis Dush-Hart headed a ball just left of the post off a corner kick from Isaac, and a subsequent corner attempt by Jackson Smith resulted in a wild scramble in front of the net with another apparent tally, this time by junior Alex Byhre.

But the officials ruled that one didn’t count, either.

Byhre and Aiden Wang, who started the season with the JV squad, made such good impressions this week that they’ll be considered for permanent varsity roster spots even if the Wildkits are 100 percent healthy again.

“I thought Alex gave us a lot of energy tonight, and he was the one who had that goal taken away,” Calixte praised. “And Aiden gave us a lot of good minutes at outside back, too.”

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