Wronski hat trick advances Red Raiders

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ROCKFORD – What would be a major accomplishment for most teams was just another win for the Huntley girls soccer team Friday.

Staying patient and playing to their strengths, the top-seeded Red Raiders (19-1-1) extended their bid for a state title, defeating No. 2 DeKalb, 5-1, in the IHSA Class 3A Jefferson Regional to claim their fifth consecutive regional championship.

Senior forward Aimee Wronski had a hat trick and scored the 100th goal of her varsity career in the game.

“It was really exciting. My team rushing at me felt really good,” Wronski said. “We just came out with the mindset that we want to win this game. We’re going to take one game at a time.”

With the win Huntley advances to the Jacobs Sectional semifinals for a rematch with Barrington, the team that has ended its hopes for a state championship in sectionals the past two seasons.

“[Barrington] has been our nemesis in the sectionals the last couple years,” Huntley coach Kris Grabner said. “They’re always a great team, and we want to get a chance at them again.”

The game was scoreless for the first 30 minutes as Huntley chipped away at the Barbs’ back line, firing nine on-frame shots at DeKalb goalkeeper Maddie Frye. Senior midfielder Bre Burry finally found an opening in the 34th minute and sent a rocket from well outside the box that bounced off the crossbar straight down and then back up and in for the first tally of the game.

“We talked about being patient and moving the ball around, which I thought we did really well,” Grabner said. “But when we did get our shots they were from 30-35 yards. We were working on driving shots, but not from that distance.”

With the scoring drought ended and the DeKalb defense on its heels, Wronski found a hole in traffic just outside the top of the box four minutes later, netting her 100th career goal off a pass from Delaney Loprieno.

Wronski scored again in the 52nd minute off a corner kick from Burry, and Loprieno made it a 4-0 game after beating the goalie to an open ball near the net for the poke-in.

DeKalb got on the board in the 62nd minute after freshman Abby Hickey got in behind the Raiders defense on a cross near the net, but Wronski made sure the Raiders stayed on top, completing the hat-trick on a 64th minute breakaway. It was Wronski’s 35th goal of the season.

Senior goalkeeper Kaytlyn Owens made three saves for the Raiders.