Roundup (Friday, October 25)

Class 3A state tournament

Barrington Regional

(3) Hersey 0, Libertyville 0 (Hersey wins PKs 4-2/title)
The Huskies (13-3-5), which is ranked eighth in the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25, earned their first regional title since 2016, and seventh in program history, when the quartet of Ray Reyes, Johnny Antoniou, Adam Bugaj and Nik VanDeMark scored spot-kicks to give the Mid-Suburban League Soccer Cup champion a 4-2 advantage in pens.

"It was a real battle out there," said Huskies manager Mike Rusniak. 

Added Huskies senior Nate Mabry, who played the match despite a bout with pneumonia: "(Since) back during summer league, this team has committed to playing Hersey soccer, which is a complete dedication to playing team defense, disrupting the other team and relying on each other with everyone making a contribution

"Libertyville was really good in its possession. I guess that they had the ball 80 percent in the midfield, but we really stepped up the pressure in our own end and counted on Adrian Smakowsi, who I believe is an all-state caliber keeper."

Smakowski saved one spot-kick from the no. 18 Wildcats (10-3-5) and watched another go over the bar.

"I thought we were the better team for 100 minutes," said Wildcats manager Kevin Thunholm "but they were better in their spot-kicks. Although we outshot them by a wide margin, they still came out in the end. That's high school soccer."                                                        
-- Mike Garofola
 

St. Charles East Regional

Bartlett 1, ST. CHARLES EAST 0
Alex Perez assisted Marco Costabile on the first half goal that turned out to be the game-winner for the Hawks. Second-seeded Bartlett (12-4-5), the 22nd-ranked team in the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25, advances to meet no. 6-seed Conant (12-8-2) in the nightcap of the St. Charles North Sectional at 7 p.m. Tuesday (Oct. 30). Ivan Compobasso made five saves in goal for St. Charles East, which concluded its season with a 6-13-4 mark.
 

Class AA state tournament

Timothy Regional

Benet 0, TIMOTHY 0 (Benet wins PKs 5-3/title)
Mateo Picha, Jack Kuelthau, Sergio Polanco, Teddy Nawrocki and Jack Wesley converted from the spot to deliver the second-seeded Redwings sixth-consecutive regional title. Patrick Stasch recorded the 100-minute shutout and made a big save in the shootout to secure the win. Next up is a sectional battle vs. the winner between top-seeded Boylan and five-seed Burlington Central. The semifinal will take place at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday (Oct. 29) in Rockford. Benet (13-4-3) is ranked sixth in the Chicagoland Soccer Class AA Super 7 poll; Timothy, which was ranked ninth in the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25, finished the season at 14-5-1.

Class A state tournament

Aurora Central 3, Winnebago 1
Matt VanDeman scored twice and Chris Incandela once to gain the win. The Chargers (17-3-2) advance to a Oct. 29 meeting with fellow no.1 seed-Richmond-Burton (20-3-1) in a Hinckey-Big Rock Sectional semifinal Tuesday (Oct. 29). Aurora Central is ranked seventh in the Chicagoland Soccer Class A Super 7; Richmond-Burton ranks third.