HOFFMAN ESTATES — Ahead of the Class AA state final between Althoff and DeLaSalle late Saturday afternoon at Garber Stadium, the teams’ goal-scoring totals were at an incredibly high number.

The pair combined for an extraordinary 224 goals while conceding a mere 40.

With their combined 53-6-2 record, and star-studded first 11s filled with plenty of firepower, the championship contest was filled with box-to-box action, body on-the-line defending, half-chances and quality chances.

During regulation play that ended in a 2-2 tie and through two subsequent overtimes, the action on the field kept the huge crowd’s attention glued to the turf.

Tyler Birdsong's spot-kick conversion in the 97th minute ultimately decided the destination of the big trophy, delivering it to his Althoff teammates, and dad and coach Skip Birdsong. It was the first state title in program history. Althoff collected back-to-back Class A second place trophies in 2021 and 2022 before missing the big dance a year ago after a loss to rival Triad in its first season back in Class AA.

"This final had just about everything for the fans today," Skip Birdsong said. "On the heels of coming back from a 2-0 deficit to beat one of our longtime rivals (Glenwood) 3-2 in the super to advance here told me this team was ready to go after a state title.

"DeLaSalle presented all sorts of problems. They are so technical, quick and dangerous because of their speed and ability to move the ball quickly. Plus, they have an incredible talent up-top in no. 6 (Alex Panduro) who can score from nearly everywhere."

Panduro, who bagged the game-winner Friday in the Meteors 1-0 victory over Prairie Ridge, was at it again on Saturday. He equalized the match 1-1 in the 17th minute with his 36th goal of the season.

"We knew who their best players were, so that's what we concentrated on in this game," began Panduro, who stands just 5-foot-5 but has the heart of a lion and a thunderbolt of a shot.

"That early goal kind of set us back, but we came back with two goals to take the lead. But giving away the lead just before the half took a lot out of us, and it took a while to get back playing the way we should have."

DeLaSalle (27-2-2) had trouble on several occasions with the long-range deep throw-in missiles from Althoff’s Tyler Pollock. His very first toss set up the game’s opening goal.

That's when the aforementioned Tyler Birdsong rose highest to redirect Pollock’s throw with a deft touch into the back of the net just one minute, 46 seconds into the match.

"It was the perfect start for us, but it didn't last long," said Birdsong.

Panduro rattled the post from 25 yards in the ninth minute. Back-to-back close-range attempts from Althoff’s Nate Pitre gave the DeLaSalle faithful a few nervous moments, but their heroes blocked the efforts before they reached keeper Gianni Luque.

Luque played for manager Francisco Martinez in place of starter Jahir Anaya, who was ineligible due after he received a red card after the Meteors semifinal victory over Prairie Ridge for engaging in a back and forth with the opposition’s crowd.

After the early goal, Luque (five saves according to IHSA statistics) found his groove.

"I was nervous before the game for sure, but after making my first save it gave me confidence which helped settle me down," he said.

Martinez applauded Luque’s performance in filling in for Anaya.

"Gianni was amazing out there for us in our biggest game of the year," said Martinez, who guided his club to its first appearance in the state finals.

The junior keeper’s initial save came after Panduro burst free through the center-channel to collect a superb early ball from Brandon Olvera. Panduro finished past Crusaders keeper Zach Winkler with a glorious touch 16:46 in to tie the game at 1-1.

"This team never gets down on ourselves or each other, so I knew we could get back in this game real quick," Olvera said.

Captain Mario Ramirez seemed to have added a second goal for the Meteors when he got in on Winkler, but a foul recognized by referee Chris Rudolph delayed Ramirez from reaching the 20-goal mark for the season.

Moments later, the senior found the net. He brought a terrific ball from Panduro under control, evaded Winkler, who came off his line to challenge, and then calmly rolled in a long shot to give DeLaSalle a 2-1 lead in the 25th minute.

"We have a lot of trust and faith in each other, so there wasn't any time in this game that I felt we could not win," Ramirez said.

With Austin Ortega, Christian Flores, Olvera, Pandura and Ramirez pulling the strings, DeLaSalle dominated play for the next quarter hour.

Panduro had his close-range shot blocked on the way in, and then fired over the bar when his blocked effort spilled free near the spot.

DeLaSalle dropped numbers quickly to flood the area and take away open lanes whenever Althoff was able to take control of things. But that collective effort couldn’t stop Althoff from scoring off another deep Pollock throw-in, just 60 seconds from intermission.

Birdsong smashed his header off the underside of the bar and into the back of the net to send the Crusaders into the break level at 2-2.

"It was so big for us to make it 2-2 right before the half; it gave us the momentum in the game," Althoff senior Bo Gomric said.

Althoff’s skipper wasn’t surprised his boys knotted the game.

"This group has been a resilient bunch all year long,” he said. “They showed it by weathering a lot of pressure from DeLaSalle after they went up 2-1.”

Beginning just moments into the second half, it was Althoff’s turn to put on a tremendous tactical and technical display.

Nate Pitre and Luke Smith, playing almost as double sixes, began to win every ball, capturing first- and second-ball chances to stymie DeLaSalle’s attack in the middle of the park.

Playing with an air of expression, invention and purpose, Gomric, Pitre, Smith, Nash Johanigmeyer and Jack Sorgea began to dominate the match.

"The effort was certainly there after the break, but we just did not play as we did in the first half,” Martinez said. “We were defending our end for the first 20 minutes of the second half.”

The box-to-box pace and incredible work-rate of both Pitre and teammate Smith keyed Althoff’s ability to disrupt and deny the high-powered Meteors’ attack.

Martinez leaned on Antonio Als, Christopher Dingle, Christian Edwards,  Christian Flores and Ramirez during a time when it appeared a goal was coming for Althoff.

The final few minutes of regulation was played at a frenzied pace. DeLaSalle’s Joshua Lawson went close at the back post with his effort, just before Pitre was allowed to tee-up a shot from 25 yards for Althoff. Luque saved the 80th minute to preserve the regulation tie.

After a first 10-minute overtime went scoreless, there wasn't much to account for until Gomric’s enterprising and powerful lateral run in the box between two defenders. DeLaSalle was whistled for a foul, which set up a Birdsong penalty kick with 3 minutes, 37 seconds remaining in the second overtime.

At the spot, Birdsong converted with ease to give him the hat-trick and 10th goal of the season. The three goals was one under the state record for a Class AA title game since the IHSA moved to three classes in 2008. Qudos Lawal, Mather, set the record in 2011.

"I saw their keeper lean to his right, and I hit my shot the other way," Birdsong said of his most important goal of 2024 and probably his young life.

Where Althoff program history is concerned, earning what stood up as a state-title-winning PK will always be a feather in Gomric’s cap.

"There was an opportunity to take two guys on and get closer in the box, so I just burst free, kept under control, and took the foul for the PK," Gomric said.

Althoff’s head coach acknowledged the late PK call by referee Chris Rudolph.

"That was a gutsy, tough call for the referee to make at such an important time of the game, but he didn't hesitate,” Birdsong said.

"Whatever call he makes at the juncture is such an emotional one for both sides. I know for DeLaSalle, it was not the call they were hoping for."

Ramirez concurred.

"We obviously did not agree with the call, but we had to go on from there. We still had three minutes to do something" Ramirez said.

DeLaSalle was unable to find another equalizer. 

The Meteors second place finish gave the program its first state trophy.

The intense match resulted in eight yellow card bookings – four to each club. DeLaSalle received four red cards, one during the match and three afterward. 

The Class AA portion of the season was completed when Althoff lifted the title trophy to the delight of its fans, who made the 300-mile trek from Belleville to Hoffman Estates.

"While this is a tremendous night for the Althoff soccer program, it's also a bittersweet ending to an amazing season, because it means this will be the last time we're together as a team," Skip Birdsong said.

"These guys are all like family, and what they accomplished this season is something they should all be proud of. So should our fans, school, community, and the alumni who have been in great support of our program and its players.”

Francisco Martinez echoed the words of his counterpart.

"Our young men are hurting right now after this result. But when they have the time to reflect in the not-too-distant future, they will realize they were part of an incredible journey, and one that will provide the type of memories that will stay with them for a lifetime," he said.

"This was a historic season, not only for our soccer program, but also for every sport at DeLaSalle, because it is the best-ever finish for any sport at our high school.

"It's something we should all be very proud of."

Starting lineups

DeLaSalle (4-4-2)
GK- Gianni Luque
D- Christopher Dingle
D- Fidel Orozco
D- Christian Edwards
D- Cesar Solano
M- Joshua Lawson
M- Christian Flores
M- Alex Panduro
M- Brandon Olvera
F- Mario Ramirez
F- Agustin Ortega

Althoff (4-5-1)
GK- Zach Winkler
D- Sam Medlin
D- Tyler Birdsong
D- Ben Ysursa
D- Hayden Tell
M- Nash Johanigmeyer
M- Tyler Pollock
M- Nate Pitre
M- Luke Smith
M- Jack Sorgea
F- Bo Gomric

Chicagoland Soccer Men of the Match: Bo Gomric, sr., F, Althoff; Nate Pitre, so., MF, Althoff; Alex Panduro jr., F, DeLaSalle; Mario Ramirez, sr., MF/F, DeLaSalle

Officials: Chris Rudolph (middle); Sam Nachampassack (AR1); Tommy Franken (AR2 ); Tom Schaefer (fourth)

Scoring summary

First half
Althoff: Birdsong (Pollack, Johanigmeyer), 2'
DeLaSalle: Panduro (Olvera, Ramirez), 17'
DeLaSalle: Ramirez (unassisted), 25'
Althoff: Birdsong (Pollack), 39'

Second half
No scoring

First overtime
No scoring

Second overtime
Althoff: Birdsong (PK), 97'