McHenry will take it

McHenry’s Tim Briscoe (left) reaches for the ball as Barrington’s James Rodney pursues him Wednesday during the fourth quarter of their Barrington Sectional quarterfinal game. McHenry beat Barrington, 13-5, advancing to a sectional semifinal against Schaumburg. (Lauren M. Anderson – landerson@nwherald.com)

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BARRINGTON – McHenry never was in any danger Wednesday in its sectional quarterfinal game against Barrington, but the Warriors also never were in total control.

It was a workmanlike effort that saw
second-seeded McHenry struggle on offense but play stifling defense in defeating the seventh-seeded Broncos, 13-5. McHenry (26-4) advances to the semifinals at 5:45 p.m. Friday and will play Schaumburg, which beat Fremd, 14-7.

Reilly Shanahan led the Warriors in every statistical category with seven goals, three assists and five steals.

Shanahan said that even though McHenry wasn’t behind except after the first goal of the game by Barrington, the leads didn’t feel secure. The Warriors will need to play better, Shanahan said, if they hope to advance to the sectional finals and beyond.

“At times it started slipping,” Shanahan said. “We’ve got to come a lot harder.”

The most importing thing McHenry learned from the game is how strict the referees are going to be at the sectional games.

“We learned what the refs are going to call,” Shanahan said. “It’s almost half the game.”

McHenry coach Craig Fowles wasn’t sure what to blame it on, but said his team did not play its best. Some of it could be attributed to nerves, some to the eight-plus lane pool, he said.

“The guys played slow,” Fowles said. “They were slow to react and didn’t move the ball. I’m hoping it goes away.”

The size of the pool changes the spacing on the offensive sets, which Fowles said affected his team’s ability to score.

“We’re used to practicing in a six-lane, narrow pool,“ Fowles said. “The further out you go, that goal keeps getting smaller.”

Phillip Lesniak said whatever was wrong with the Warriors, it was not overconfidence, even though the Warriors defeated Barrington, 18-2, earlier this season.

“Everyone going into this game had the jitters. It wasn’t overconfidence,” Lesniak said. “We go into every game thinking it’s the best team ever.”

Lesniak had a goal and an assist for McHenry, but is known more for his defense. He said the wide pool was also tough defensively.

“We’re very strong on defense,” Lesniak said. “It was just spaced out more. We have to stay and not get spaced out.”

The Warriors’ defense was the difference for the offensively struggling Warriors. The didn’t give up more than two goals in any quarter and shut out Barrington in the third.

Also for McHenry, Kyle Braun had two goals and Scott Dabrowski had a goal and four steals.