Hersey rides into its first-ever state finals appearance on a 10-game unbeaten streak, with a 17-3-5 record in tow and a ton of motivation.

“That (win streak) is a testament to how focused they’ve been and what they want as a group,” coach Michael Rusniak said of his boys. “They are firing on all cylinders at a really good time. It’s fun to see.”

Hersey takes on Hinsdale Central (15-8-1) in a Class 3A state semifinal at 6 p.m. Friday, with the winner playing for a state title Saturday against the Lane (16-2-4)/Edwardsville (15-8-1) winner.

The regular-season saw Hersey win the Mid-Suburban League East Division and the conference’s Soccer Cup. Regional wins over Buffalo Grove and Libertyville followed, then sectional wins against Stevenson and Glenbrook North.

Tuesday’s 3-0 win over Elgin at the Class 3A Barrington Supersectional brought Hersey’s season to the fruition of a state finals berth.

“We knew they’d be skilled, and that the pieces were coming together, but if you had asked me before the season if we’d be (in the Final Four) at this point, I couldn’t have told you that for sure,” Rusniak said. “We’ve managed to stay healthy, and things have gone our way. The kids have worked so hard to get to this point, and one of their goals was to make a run at state. So here we are.”

Rusniak tinkered with lineups and formations to start the season and through a 2-2-2 mark through six games. The Huskies then went on an 8-game unbeaten streak facing largely Mid-Suburban League competition.

Since a 1-0 loss to Wheeling on Oct. 1, Hersey hasn't been beaten.

“A lot of it has been adjusting, and we have a lot of players who can play multiple positions, which has helped us,” Rusniak said. “Our depth has also really, really helped.”

Leadership has come in large doses from Joe Farrell, Nate Mabry, Adrian Smakowski and Ray Reyes, who have helped to guide a large group of sophomores playing a lot of varsity minutes for Rusniak.

“We kind of play our own style, in that we’re tough defensively, we look for counter opportunities, and obviously we’ve got a great weapon with a flip throw-in,” the coach said.

Mabry was a state champion gymnast (the IHSA has since discontinued the sport) and his flip-throw ought to entertain the crowd and provide Hersey with prime scoring-chances. But Rusniak doesn’t want his boys to rely too heavily on the circus throws.

“It’s a great tool, but we like to play vertical,” he said. “We like to possess, but we like to possess forward rather than side-to-side. We want to play hard, physical and wear teams out.”

Hersey features three players who have scored double-digit goals in Kacper Lechowicz (13), Mabry (11), and Reyes (10). Mabry leads the way with 15 assists, most on his throws.

“Kacper is so fun to watch,” Rusniak said. “He’s so fast, and he always seems to find himself in the right situations. And he’ll run himself ragged. Ray Reyes has been asked to play multiple places, and he’s done a good job.”

Ever has it been said that the team winning the midfield battles is attacking and the team losing the midfield is defending, and this year Rusniak has a group in the center of the park that he calls “probably the best midfield I’ve ever coached.”

Midfielder Johnny Antoniou work-rate has helped earn him seven goals as a sophomore, and fellow mid Teddy Reyes (Ray’s brother) has been rock-solid all season. “He’s a leader beyond his years as a sophomore,” Rusniak said.

Add sophomore Adam Myslinski and juniors Nik VanDeMark and his 13 assists, and Diego Ortiz and Darii Kishchak “and you couldn’t ask for a better group of players,” Rusniak said.

Smakowski has only given up 18 goals in 24 games behind a backline featuring a smooth, clean defender on one side in Urik Contla and a speedy, smart defender on the other in Lian Berk. 

Centerbacks Farrell and Mabry are the heart of the defense. 

“They have such a great rhythm between them,” Rusniak said. “They just play so well together.”