CL Central wins 1st regional game in 3 years

BURLINGTON – Crystal Lake Central’s girls soccer team hoped to take advantage of this year’s shift in the regional playoff matchups.

“No more Stevensons or Fremds,” coach Josef Schroeder noted.

The Tigers met a dogged opponent Tuesday against Marengo, but demonstrated their superiority with a 4-0 victory in an IHSA Class 2A Burlington Central Regional semifinal.

Top-seeded Central won a regional game for the first time in three years, according to Schroeder. This is the first year of three-class soccer, which theoretically means a more open path to sectionals for top teams.

The Tigers (11-6-1) will go for the regional crown Friday against Kaneland, which stopped Hampshire’s dream of a fourth consecutive trip to the state finals with a 1-0 victory in Tuesday’s second semifinal.

In the opener, Central dominated possession all game. The Tigers put up 28 shots to Marengo’s three.

The Indians staved off most of Central’s attempts for a while. Sophomore goalie Jenna Kunz finished with 13 saves, stopping several point-blank shots.

The Tigers took a 1-0 halftime lead on a goal by Nelle Youel, then broke open the game with 13 minutes remaining. Youel and Sam Johnson scored 17 seconds apart, and Maddie Edwards added another.

“It’s the playoffs, so no team is going to roll over,” Schroeder said. “Marengo did not make it easy for us.”

Youel had a feeling the Tigers would pull away eventually.

“I guess our condition was better than theirs,” she said. “We were able to keep plugging away longer than they were, so that helped us break through and get some goals at the end.”

No. 4 Marengo finished 9-9-1.

“I really think we were in the game for three quarters of the game,” Indians coach Brandon Holton said. “It wasn’t until the last 15 to 20 minutes that unfortunately they opened up on our goal and those shots were starting to get in.”

In the nightcap, second-seeded Hampshire (12-4-3) had more chances to score than Kaneland. But the Knights broke through off a free kick with 4:17 remaining.

The Whip-Purs’ senior class had been to the Class A finals every year, but fell short of winning a playoff game in the first year of the new format.

“I’m angry,” senior midfielder Kelly Plichta said. “I can’t even explain how I feel right now. Just real confused, at a loss for words.

“We all gave it all we’ve got. It just wasn’t there for us.”

For Plichta and her classmates, a great run abruptly ended.

“They need to keep their heads held high and realize they have a legacy that probably won’t be touched,” coach Patrick O’Brien said.