Marian asserts control

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By ANDREW HANSEN

ahansen@nwherald.com

MARENGO – Marian Central boys soccer coach Mike Golda thought that Saturday’s IHSA Class 2A Marengo Regional final match against Woodstock could have been a more lopsided win.

But Golda will take the top-seeded Hurricanes’ 4-2 victory against the second-seeded Blue Streaks (9-14), Marian’s third regional title in four years.

“We had two lapses on [defense],” Golda said. “Without those, we’re cruising to an easy victory, but this is the playoffs and Woodstock came out with intensity.”

Marian (19-5-1) advances to the Freeport Sectional, where it will face DeKalb at 6 p.m. in a semifinal match.

The Hurricanes’ game plan was to play to possession and limit Woodstock’s offense, Golda said. Marian’s possession play turned into two early goals for the Hurricanes. Tyler Lundquist found Kyle Gust for the game’s first goal, and Alec Grazier assisted Austin Sierakowski for the second; both goals coming within the first 15 minutes of play.

While the offense flourished in the first half, Marian’s defense, led by Grazier and Trevor Diedrich, held the Blue Streaks to four shots on goal and took a 3-0 lead into the half.

In the second half, though, the Hurricanes’ possession play got them into trouble. Marian’s defense failed to clear the ball on a Woodstock attack, and the ball ended up in front of the Hurricanes’ goal, where Christian Harvey chipped it in 10 minutes into the half.

The goal energized the Woodstock offense, and the Streaks stayed on the attack, posting seven shots on goal in the second half to Marian’s three. Harvey added another goal on a similar defensive misplay by the Hurricanes to find Woodstock down 3-2 with 15 minutes left to play.

“I told them [at half], ‘This is it. Marian’s a good team, but that doesn’t mean you can’t play with them. Come out and show them you want it more than they do,’ “ Woodstock coach Angel Garcia said. “We wanted it, but that wasn’t enough.”

The Streaks had chances to tie the game, but the Marian defense stayed strong. Grazier eventually found Ben Platta, who scored on a header with 11 minutes left for the final goal.