Roundup (Friday, October 21)
IHSA state tournaments
Class 3A
Hersey Regional
Hersey 1, Waukegan 0 (2 OT)
Top-seeded Hersey (14-1-3) leaned on its all-state keeper Adam Szymaszek, the free-kick prowess of Giuseppe Scaletta, plus a good old-fashioned defensive stand to win its regional title against eighth-seeded Waukegan on Friday night in Arlington Heights.
"If you put Waukegan (12-9-0) in a handful of other regionals around this area, they could be a regional champion. They are such a talented and highly skilled team. For us, we implemented a game plan, stayed on course with it for most of the night, and got out of here with the result we wanted," said the Huskies manager Darren Llewellyn.
Hersey, ranked 11th in the Chicagoland Prep Top 25, was wary of the Bulldogs first-class technical and possession abilities, so its plan was to allow the visitors to keep the ball as much as they wanted, but at the same time, forcing them into the teeth of a stingy defense, which dropped numbers when Waukegan neared the final third.
"We didn't really 'sit-in,'" Llewellyn said with a smile. "But we kind of reverted back to the way we've played here in years past when we didn't have the type of attacking players we have now, and were forced to defend, play for the counter, and get a lot of 1-0 victories."
There were plenty of occasions when the home side was unable to stay within its tactical plan, particularly in the first half, when the Bulldogs had most of the play - and during the early exchanges of the second period. It was then that Szymaszek came to the rescue with two sensational saves on Waukegan's all-state striker Juan Ramirez in the 50th minute.
"(Not) too sure if there's any (other) keeper who steps up to make those goal-saving stops," said Llewellyn.
Thomas Skiba provided the eventual game-winner just two minutes into the first of two mandatory 10-minute extra sessions. The sophomore found a way to redirect a Scaletta 45-yard free-kick into the back of the net.
The Huskies defended the extra numbers the Bulldogs threw forward in the final 18 minutes of play to secure its claim as regional champions.
Next up for Hersey is the winner of the Warren Regional -- fourth-seeded Libertyville or Mid-Suburban League rival Palatine next Tuesday in the Buffalo Grove Sectional.
-- Mike Garofola
New Trier Regional
New Trier 2, Maine South 0
The sixth-seeded Trevians eliminated no. 2 seed Maine South, ranked 13th in the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25, on Al-ameen Salako's brace. The senior forward scored on a bicycle kick after a corner-kick and a header after a Louis Shaw assist, and gave New Trier its second regional win in three years. The Trevians (11-6-4) has lost only once in their last 11 matches. Goalkeeper Sam Rutherford earned the team's ninth shutout of the season after making a save on a penalty-kick.
Class 2A
Fenton Regional
Fenton 0, Marmion 0 (Fenton wins PKs 4-1)
The Cadets, a sixth-seed, made no. 2 seed Fenton dig deep for the win. Goalkeeper David Chiesa made five saves for a 100-minute clean sheet for Marmion 6-14-1.
Kaneland Regional
Benet 2, Kaneland 1
The Redwings recovered from a first half deficit to take the regional title. Benet (17-1-2) took the game on a brace from senior Ben Kelly. Connor Mote added an assist for the Redwings, who are ranked 18th in the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25. Benet meets Sterling in a St. Francis Sectional semifinal at 4 p.m. Tuesday.
IHSA state tournaments
Class 3A
Hersey Regional
Hersey 1, Waukegan 0 (2 OT)
Top-seeded Hersey (14-1-3) leaned on its all-state keeper Adam Szymaszek, the free-kick prowess of Giuseppe Scaletta, plus a good old-fashioned defensive stand to win its regional title against eighth-seeded Waukegan on Friday night in Arlington Heights.
"If you put Waukegan (12-9-0) in a handful of other regionals around this area, they could be a regional champion. They are such a talented and highly skilled team. For us, we implemented a game plan, stayed on course with it for most of the night, and got out of here with the result we wanted," said the Huskies manager Darren Llewellyn.
Hersey, ranked 11th in the Chicagoland Prep Top 25, was wary of the Bulldogs first-class technical and possession abilities, so its plan was to allow the visitors to keep the ball as much as they wanted, but at the same time, forcing them into the teeth of a stingy defense, which dropped numbers when Waukegan neared the final third.
"We didn't really 'sit-in,'" Llewellyn said with a smile. "But we kind of reverted back to the way we've played here in years past when we didn't have the type of attacking players we have now, and were forced to defend, play for the counter, and get a lot of 1-0 victories."
There were plenty of occasions when the home side was unable to stay within its tactical plan, particularly in the first half, when the Bulldogs had most of the play - and during the early exchanges of the second period. It was then that Szymaszek came to the rescue with two sensational saves on Waukegan's all-state striker Juan Ramirez in the 50th minute.
"(Not) too sure if there's any (other) keeper who steps up to make those goal-saving stops," said Llewellyn.
Thomas Skiba provided the eventual game-winner just two minutes into the first of two mandatory 10-minute extra sessions. The sophomore found a way to redirect a Scaletta 45-yard free-kick into the back of the net.
The Huskies defended the extra numbers the Bulldogs threw forward in the final 18 minutes of play to secure its claim as regional champions.
Next up for Hersey is the winner of the Warren Regional -- fourth-seeded Libertyville or Mid-Suburban League rival Palatine next Tuesday in the Buffalo Grove Sectional.
-- Mike Garofola
New Trier Regional
New Trier 2, Maine South 0
The sixth-seeded Trevians eliminated no. 2 seed Maine South, ranked 13th in the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25, on Al-ameen Salako's brace. The senior forward scored on a bicycle kick after a corner-kick and a header after a Louis Shaw assist, and gave New Trier its second regional win in three years. The Trevians (11-6-4) has lost only once in their last 11 matches. Goalkeeper Sam Rutherford earned the team's ninth shutout of the season after making a save on a penalty-kick.
Class 2A
Fenton Regional
Fenton 0, Marmion 0 (Fenton wins PKs 4-1)
The Cadets, a sixth-seed, made no. 2 seed Fenton dig deep for the win. Goalkeeper David Chiesa made five saves for a 100-minute clean sheet for Marmion 6-14-1.
Kaneland Regional
Benet 2, Kaneland 1
The Redwings recovered from a first half deficit to take the regional title. Benet (17-1-2) took the game on a brace from senior Ben Kelly. Connor Mote added an assist for the Redwings, who are ranked 18th in the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25. Benet meets Sterling in a St. Francis Sectional semifinal at 4 p.m. Tuesday.
