Quiet confidence

Marian Central, with Kyle Gust (left), will face DeKalb in the IHSA Class 2A Freeport Sectional semifinals Tuesday. (Northwest Herald file photo) ( (Travis Haughton))

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When common opponents are evaluated and styles are dissected, Marian Central boys soccer coach Mike Golda has confidence in the Hurricanes’ chances against DeKalb.

Then again, confidence is as dangerous to have during the playoffs as it is to lack, so Golda, whose team will take on the Barbs at 6 p.m. today in an IHSA Class 2A Freeport Sectional semifinal, is taking the same approach he has to every match this season – in stride.

“It doesn’t look like they’ve had the same kind of success against common opponents as we have, so I think we should at least be able to play with them,” said Golda, “We’re planning to just feel it out as we go, and if we have to make some adjustments, we’ll do that at halftime.

“But we’re going to come in and play our regular style of play, play each possession and start the regular lineup. We’ll see how it goes from there.”

The common opponent appears to be Sycamore, which will face Freeport in the other semifinal.

That match has been moved to Belvidere because Freeport’s field is unplayable, Golda said. The ‘Canes rolled to a 5-0 non-conference victory against Sycamore early in the season, and the Barbs defeated the Spartans, 4-0 and 1-0, during the teams’ Western Sun Conference meetings.

Focus also should help Marian (19-5-1). The ‘Canes are intent on finishing what they feel they did not last year and earn an appearance in the state semifinals. Marian lost in a Class 2A supersectional to Chicago Lake View last year.

Fresh off a dominant performance in the Marengo Regional, where Marian beat Woodstock, 4-2, to arrange tonight’s match against DeKalb, the ‘Canes are more relaxed heading through the postseason this year, knowing what they have to do in order to accomplish their lofty goals.

“For what this is and for the stakes that are at hand, I think the boys have played very well and handled it very well,” Golda said.

Crystal Lake South, meanwhile, is trying to maneuver through the Class 3A postseason and capitalize on the momentum the Gators gained from winning the program’s first regional crown in five seasons.

South entered the year with question marks at key positions but quickly erased a lot of doubt by starting the season 7-0. The Gators will take a 19-3-2 record into today’s Barrington Sectional semifinal at 5 p.m. against Larkin.

South coach Brian Allen is comfortable with the matchup, having gathered scouting material from various coaches who have played Larkin, but more than that, the third-year coach is intent on helping his team continue accomplishing great things this season.

South won the program’s first Fox Valley Conference Valley Division title in 12 years before snapping its five-year regional-title drought.

“I think they know that what they’ve accomplished so far is phenomenal,” Allen said, “but there is so much more that they want. I’m putting a lot of ownership on my seniors to come together and set an example so that we can play our best soccer.”