HOFFMAN ESTATES — It was a victory the entire Hinsdale Central community will toast.

Michael Wiggins' men showed their staying power throughout the 2024 fall campaign. Many had written the Red Devils off after a less than sparkling 1-6-1 start this year.

But the coach, his staff and players capped a season comeback for the ages with a well-deserved 3-1 victory over Edwardsville to earn the Class 3A third place trophy Saturday.

The game between storied programs pitted first-class managers with a combined 820 career victories. 

The state hardware earned between the two gentlemen is extraordinary. Wiggins and Tigers coach Mark Heiderscheid have amassed 12 state trophies between them, topped by state titles for Edwardsville in 2000 and 2013, and Hinsdale Central’s crown in 2014.

While some feel the third place match should be erased from an already jam-packed three days of soccer across all three classes at the finals, Wiggins, Heiderscheid and their players thought otherwise.

"Obviously it's tough for any team to come back early the next morning to play after failing to advance into the state final," began Heiderscheid, whose nine trips to the tournament should qualify him for his own parking spot just outside Garber Stadium at Hoffman Estates High School.

"But this is an important game for all involved. It’s a privilege to be here on the final weekend of the season. Although we would have liked to go out with a victory, this weekend is something all the players will look back at with fond memories."

"I absolutely agree with Mark," Wiggins said.

"To have gone this far in the season and to be a part of the state tournament (coaching against) a man like Mark is something special for me. And to say that both teams came out after a disappointing result the night before and played with a lot of class, sportsmanship and tremendous energy for 80 minutes would be an understatement."
 
"We fought hard last night, but it wasn't enough," said Hinsdale Central forward Kostas Zamalaitis, who shared the Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match honor with teammate and midfielder Mathias Krishan. "It wasn't easy coming here this morning, but we were not only were playing for ourselves, but for coach Wiggy, our soccer program and community. To see us show a lot of fight shows just how important this third place game really was."

Despite the marvelous start to the game the Red Devils (16-9-1) turned in, it was clear the Tigers (15-10-1) had plenty to play for as well.

"When you make it here with your eyes on a state title, and the result is a 3-2 loss (to Lane), it's just not an easy one to take," Tigers midfielder Owen Mahler said.

"The vibe last night wasn't the greatest, but I can say it was better for all of us on the bus ride over today. It wasn't the greatest start for us. We were chasing three goals midway through the half, but we got ourselves back together and played with a lot of heart, energy and urgency in the second half to finish with a lot of pride."

Hinsdale Central stormed out of the gate. With the wind in their sails, the Red Devils found themselves on the way to a 3-0 advantage at intermission.

A sublime side-footed finish from Matthew Gantar from in-close after a lovely build-up through teammates Michael DiTomasso, Zamalaitis and Austen Szurgot opened the scoring in the sixth minute.

Szurgot, who saw two close-range efforts blocked on the way in, earned the assist.

The Red Devils terrific center midfielder had a hand in the next goal too, this one from Kristof Dani, one of three freshmen on the big club. He and Gantar started what Dani finished at 14 minutes. 

It might have been 3-0 moments later if not for a brave point-blank save from Edwardsville keeper Collin Schlechte. He turned away the senior captain Szurgot’s shot after he ran onto a ball whipped into the box by Zamalaitis.

Schlechte, who allowed just over one goal per game this fall, had no chance when Zamalaitis steered in a sitter from in-close.

With the Red Devils holding a comfortable three-goal advantage, Wiggins began to slowly bring on his reserves, making sure before the final whistle that all of his men earned well-deserved minutes on the big stage.

"We were so happy to have the chance to get all of our guys in," Wiggins said. "Every player has put so much into the success of this team. To have the opportunity to reward them makes all of what we do so worthwhile.

"We remind these guys all year long that you're not only playing for each other, but for Hinsdale Central and all of its sports programs, as well as the community and alumni.

"The emails and text messages from alumni, and those who support our program are overwhelming. I told the guys they have made everyone so proud of their achievements this weekend and for the season."

Krishan celebrated the Red Devils incredible finish.

"It's been an amazing season for me for sure, and obviously all of my teammates," Krishan said. "We came back from a really poor start of the season, beat two great teams back-to-back (Naperville Central, Lyons) to really turn our season around and help us get here this weekend."

Wiggins made sure to get backup keepers Theo Han and Jupiter Pohlenz into the match before bringing on most of his first 11 back on around the hour for one last run.

Edwardsville’s Ben Leardi, whose spot-kick conversion Friday against Lane drew the Tigers close late in the match, ended his career Saturday with another neatly finished spot-kick in the 57th minute, to make sure Mahler and his teammates got onto the scoreboard one last time. 

"I am very proud of the way we played," Mahler said. "We played hard right up until the very end, which said so much about this team."

Heiderscheid enjoyed the run this year’s team has taken him on in his 25th season at Edwardsville.

"Each team always presents new challenges, and you never know if you'll get this far at the start of the season,” he said. “You just do not know what you really have.”

Heiderscheid will welcome back 10 players from this squad next fall.

"We've had some great teams come through this tournament, but as different as they all have been in my 25 years, in some ways they are all the same,” Heiderscheid said. “We never wavered from reaching our goal, despite a couple of losses along the way, but we came back to beat O'Fallon and Belleville West in the playoffs, which said so much about this terrific group of young men."

Zamalaitis departs the Hinsdale Central program with gratitude.

"I'm not really ready to call it quits, because it will mean not being around my friends every day at training,” he said. “But it has been a terrific season, and I know that regardless of what I do after leaving Hinsdale Central that I'll take some great memories with me.”

Krishan agreed.

“I'm really happy for our seniors to go out this way,” he said. “I hope the guys coming back are able to have the success we had this year."

Wiggins had eight underclassmen on his roster and will lean next season on juniors Braden Tingler, Antonio Azzo and Gantar, who were all in his first 11 on Saturday.

"We gave everything we had for 80 minutes against a terrific team from Hersey last night, but it wasn't enough," said Wiggins. "We showed a lot of heart in that loss and came back today to perform at a high level against a quality opponent.

"We accomplished a lot this season, including winning a West Suburban Conference Silver Division title -- no small feat. In my opinion, with Lyons, OPRF, York and Glenbard West, for us to go 5-1-x to win what I feel is the toughest conference in the state says volumes about these guys.

"All season long they played so well and made all of us so proud of them. This was a perfect way to bring our season to an end."
 

Starting lineups

Edwardsville (4-4-2)
GK- Collin Schlechte
D- Lincoln Alwart
D- Gavin Lieberman
D- Ben Leardi
D- Kaveen Shrestha
M- Owen Lunsford
M- Declan Hoeferlin
M- Owen Mahler
M- Majd Hamad
F- Henry Vivian
F- Parker McMillian

Hinsdale Central (4-4-2)
GK- Martin Contreras
D- Braden Tingler
D- Enzo Cinque
D- Mathias Krishan
D- Milan Puri
M- Alex Burbu
M- Antonio Azzo
M- Austen Szurgot
M- Michael DiTomasso
F- Matthew Gantar
F- Kostas Zamalaitis
 
Chicagoland Soccer Men of the Match: Mathias Krishan, jr., MF, Hinsdale Central; Kostas Zamalaitis, sr., F, Hinsdale Central

Officials: Pete Cavanagh (referee); John Bouc (AR1); Tommy Franken (AR2); George Schaub (fourth)

 
Scoring summary

First half
Hinsdale Central: Gantar (Szurgot), 8'
Hinsdale Central: Dani (Gantar, Szurgot), 14'
Hinsdale Central: Zamalaitis (Dani), 23'
 
Second half
Edwardsville: Leardi (PK), 57'