LINCOLNSHIRE -- Urik Contla's overtime header gave third-seeded Hersey a priceless victory and sent the Huskies into the weekend with a chance to capture the program’s second sectional crown in school history.

The visitors looked to be on course to go to penalties with host and seventh-seeded Stevenson when Contla elevated high above a crowd to redirect his header into the far corner of the Patriots net in the 84th minute. The goal gave Mike Rusniak’s club a 3-2 advantage they held until the final whistle Tuesday.

"What a battle it was out there tonight," said Rusniak.

"I have so much respect for PepeJon (Chavez) who runs a great program and is a great manager. His guys put us under a lot of pressure early with that goal just two minutes into the game.

"But the real strength of our team is its heart and resiliency. That allowed us to 
handle adversity and weather any storm thrown our way. Tonight, that's what helped us get a big win against a quality opponent."

Victor Landa gave Stevenson (12-5-5) plenty to celebrate when the senior hit an unstoppable, angled effort from the right side that somehow found the smallest of openings to pierce Hersey keeper Adrian Smakowski's goal line in the second minute.

"An unbelievable shot, I really do not know how he was able to put that put that ball where he did. It was truly amazing," said Smakowski, who entered the semifinal with 10 clean-sheets on the season.

"It would have been easy for us to hang our heads after that stunning goal, but this team never does that. So, despite the fact that we suddenly were chasing a goal, we were able to get back into the game almost right away."

The equalizer came just five minutes later from Huskies leading goal-scorer Kacper Lechowicz, who bagged his 13th when he easily ran on to a lovely early ball from Nik VanDeMark before finishing past Patriots tri-captain Matthew Rutcosky.

The keeper turned in a strong effort on the gusty night in Lincolnshire.

The junior dealt with more than 15 deep and long flip-throws from Hersey specialist Nate Mabry. With the strong wind at his back in the first half, the Huskies defender launched 45-50-yard throws like guided missiles into the Patriots box.

"Matthew did a great job back there for us tonight," said PepeJon Chavez. "Plus he provided a lot of quality free kicks for us, especially in the second half when we had the wind."

The Patriots manager changed his formation a few minutes before his men retook the lead. The switch saw Konstantinos Papamichos move up-top and leading goal-scorer and tri-captain Jack Bacher (12 goals) switch to more of a withdrawn forward.

The move paid immediate dividends. Papamichos was able to get enough on his boot, after a long throw from Cole Dirks started the sequence, to go past Smakowski in a sea of colored shirts in the 24th minute.

The first half ended with a flurry of attacking activity. Navaan Kistanna, who assisted the opener, forced Joe Farrell to step into a tackle to avoid a 1-v-1 for the Patriots junior.

Moments later Lechowicz saw his close-range effort bravely saved by Rutcosky.

"I still felt real good about our chances even though we went into the break down a goal," said Smakowski.

Stevenson was left to wonder ‘What if?’

"We had our chances in the first half and again in the second half, but that's been the story of this team all season long," bemoaned Chavez. “We just have not been able to finish our chances.”

The home side paid the price for allowing a lovely bit of combination play -- the best of the night from the Huskies – in the 47th minute.

That's when the Reyes brothers, sophomore Teddy and senior Ray, stretched and pried open Stevenson in its own end. That allowed sophomore Johnny Antoniou to finish with a small degree of difficulty to bring the Huskies back level at 2-2.

Stevenson had a couple chances to retake the lead later in regulation. Senior wing-forward Zachary Aaron went wide at 71 minutes. Classmate Bacher headed a shot off the football uprights in the final minutes.

Contla’s star-turn in overtime turned the game in Hersey’s favor for good.

Stevenson tried to jumpstart its drive to draw even with a switch to a 4-2-4 formation to start the second overtime. It helped to yield a deep throw at the back post by Dirks, before Patriots tri-captain Mohit Damodaran went over from 24 yards.

The senior was magnificent in his final game of his career. He won countless balls, many in the air, all while directing traffic when installed in the middle or to keep the backline organized when at the centerback spot for Chavez.

The Patriots had a final chance to send this contest to pens when a long, wind-aided free kick from Rutcosky flew over the Huskies backline and onto the foot of Matthew Roehl.

But Roehl was betrayed by his final touch in a 1-v-1 with Smakowski, who calmly collected the ball three minutes from time.

"I never lost faith in my teammates, even when we went down a goal," said Smakowski. “It's exciting to know we'll be playing for a sectional championship this weekend.”

The Huskies (15-3-5) will face no. 4-seed Glenbrook North (15-3-5) at 11 a.m. Saturday.

"Hersey has 4-5 guys who are very good, and they were the difference in this game tonight," said Chavez.

"Our young men never gave up, and played with a lot of heart for 100 minutes. Hersey was organized in the back and did the little things needed to survive."

Scoring summary

First half
Stevenson: Landa (Kistanna), 2'
Hersey: Lechowicz (VanDeMark), 7'
Stevenson: Papamichos (unassisted), 24'

Second half 
Hersey: Antoniou (T. Reyes, R. Reyes) 47'

First overtime
Hersey: Contla (VanDeMark), 84'

Second overtime
No scoring