LINCOLNSHIRE – Third-seeded Hersey produced a superb first half performance that inspired a 3-1 victory over no. 4-seed Glenbrook North that took the Stevenson Sectional title on a sun-kissed Saturday afternoon. 

Nate Mabry knocked in the opener from close range on Nik VanDeMark's corner cross that put the Mid-Suburban League champions ahead in the ninth minute. A marvelous finish from Ray Reyes 10 minutes later gave the Huskies (16-3-5) a 2-0 lead and the eventual game-winner.

Next up is top-seeded Elgin (15-3-2), which dominated Huntley 4-0 in the Streamwood Sectional final to ensure a return visit to the Barrington Supersectional, where the Maroons lost to Glenbrook North 3-1 a year ago. Elgin smashed through the competition in  sectional to the tune of 23 goals for and three against.

Hersey, which is ranked eight in the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25, continued an unusual streak in the sectional title win.

"It's kind of funny that we've had really good success playing on Saturday's this year, so I was feeling really good coming into this game," began Huskies manager Mike Rusniak. “The guys are so comfortable with how they have prepared for these Saturday afternoon games.

“After starting with two wins in pens at the St. Charles Invitational at the start of the season, we're 7-0-1 on Saturdays. So, I really believe we had this quiet confidence ahead of playing such a great team like GBN, who won a sectional last year and obviously knows how to be ready to play in such a big game."

Said Spartans manager Paul Vignocchi: "Yeah, I thought we were ready to play today, and to be honest, I thought we came out pretty well. But that early goal took the life out of us, and we never really recovered.

"I thought Jackson Lee’s PK would be just what we needed to get back on our front foot, but it wasn't. When they added one more before the half, we found ourselves chasing the game against a very athletic and well-organized defensive-minded opponent."

This final featured arguably the two best long-throw artists in this half of the state in seniors Nate Mabry, of Hersey, and his counterpart Chase Petersen, who had 16 assists entering the sectional round, most from his deadly throws.

Early on, it was clear that the wind at his back and near-perfect accuracy would allow Mabry to give Glenbrook North a whole lot of trouble.

"I'm glad I don't have to be in goal when Nate is doing those wicked long flip-throws of his," began Huskies keeper Adrian Smakowski.

"He gets that running start, then has so much power behind those flip-throws that all of a sudden they are on top of you in the box. They are so hard to defend as a player and just as bad for a keeper."

Mabry enjoyed a 13-4 advantage on long throws over Petersen in the first half.  

Those numbers leveled out for the game after Petersen enjoyed the wind in the second half, and the Huskies showed a willingness to concede throws as they looked to slow the attack of Glenbrook North, which is ranked sixth in the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25.

For the game, Mabry finished with a 17-14 edge.

"Long throws are a great weapon for a team, and Nate is always dangerous when given the chance," said Rusniak. “In the first half he seemed to put nearly all of his throws into the box.”

Mabry used his head to give Hersey the lead. He was all alone at the back post to easily thump the ball into the back of the Spartans net to get the Huskies off to running start.

Reyes followed in the goal column after he expertly controlled a pass from his sophomore brother Teddy and raced in from the right side at full speed.

Glenbrook North keeper Gil Meyers came far off his line to challenge and left his net wide open. Ray Reyes used a sublime touch to chip the Spartans keeper and give the Huskies a 2-0 advantage in the 19th minute.

"I thought their keeper was a little slow coming off his line, so I just wanted to stay composed before sending my shot over him," recounted Reyes, an IHSSCA all-stater who has been in Rusniak's first 11 for three seasons.

"It was a great start for us, and it stayed that way for the rest of the half before turning it over to our backline and Adrian (Smakowski), who did a fantastic job throughout the game."

Moments later, Meyers somehow was able to see a Reyes blast through a maze of shirts to turn around not one, but two attempts on frame to help keep his club within striking distance.

A terrific solo effort from Jackson Lee led to Glenbrook North halving its deficit in the 28th minute.

The junior burst free up the right side and forced his defender to take him down just inside the box on the near side.

Lee, who bagged the game-winner against Fremd in regionals and against Glenbrook South in the sectional semifinals, easily converted his spot-kick in the 28th minute.

"We were rolling along," said Rusniak. “To concede that PK made me a little nervous knowing it might be the type of thing that would give them some much needed momentum going forward.”

However, leading Huskies goal-scorer Kacper Lechowicz quickly cancelled out the Lee PK when he found himself alone at the back post to meet another Mabry throw.

The senior made it 3-1 in the 34th minute when he easily directed his header high into the upper level of the net. Then he watched Meyers save what looked like a sure VanDeMark goal after his corner bent close to the net.

Hersey assistant Brad Abel instructed the team to divide the second half into four 10-minute installments to win, and they did just that.

Mabry and his backline mates Joe Farrell, Urik Contla and sophomore Lian Berk defended seven long throws from Petersen and a pair of corners. Smakowski deployed two ferocious punches to send Petersen throws out of the area.

Glenbrook North’s Michael Miller went wide in the 59th minute. After its best best-executed build-up, Manny Salto, who led his club with 13 goals, saw a quality look on frame saved by IHSSCA All-Stater Smakowski.

"We just did not play well enough to win this game today," began Vignocchi.

"We didn't get a lot going in our attack. Some of that was a credit to Hersey and with the way they defend as a team.

"We were outworked for most of the day, and sometimes that's just the way it goes in this sport.

"I told the guys we had a wonderful season, and that we should be happy that we were able to get this far."

Vignocchi will lose seven from his first 11, including Meyers, Miller, Petersen, Alex Ferencz and Brady Spiggos, who were key figures in the Spartans run to the Class 3A fourth place finish a year ago.

The last time Hersey advanced to a supersectional was in 2006 when it lost to Warren 3-0. The Blue Devils went on to fall 1-0 in the state final to New Trier. The team was managed by Jim McNamara, who had current Blue Devils manager Jason Ahonen on his staff.

Hersey is left to pursue its state final dream.

"I thought we did a great job of disrupting the attack of GBN," said Rusniak.

"This was another terrific victory from a team that works so hard and has complete trust in one another.”

Scoring summary

First half
Hersey: Mabry (VanDeMark), 9'
Hersey: R. Reyes (T. Reyes), 19'
Glenbrook North: Lee (PK), 28'
Hersey: Lechowicz (Mabry), 34'

Second half
No scoring

Referee: Ninos Alexander