South aims to keep its journey going

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At the start of the season, when a bump here and there threatened to dampen Crystal Lake South’s girls soccer players’ spirits, coach Brian Allen reminded them not to panic.

This year was a journey, he said, and along the way the Gators would fill in the holes left by 10 seniors last season, mesh with the younger players and gel at the right time.

That time is now.

South enters today’s IHSA Class 3A Jacobs Sectional semifinal with plenty of momentum. The Gators secured the program’s first regional title in seven years with a victory against Prairie Ridge last weekend, meeting the first goal they had set for themselves.

South faces Hononegah at 6:30 p.m. today in the sectional’s second semifinal. Huntley plays Barrington at 4:30 p.m.

“We knew we had the players within our program who could carry this team, but we knew it would take some time,” Allen said. “Once we started to get used to one another and work together, things started falling into place.”

The Gators (17-7-2) are simply focused on playing to their strengths, knowing that Hononegah (18-1-2) poses its own challenges.

It is not unlike Huntley’s approach.

The Red Raiders, ranked sixth in the nation by ESPN Rise, have not defeated Barrington in the postseason before, and the two have developed a friendly postseason rivalry.

The Fillies (15-6-1) beat Huntley in the sectional round the past two seasons, but the Raiders bring lofty goals and a slightly different mindset into this year’s match.

“They’re very focused, and they respect Barrington for the program they’ve had for years over there,” coach Kris Grabner said. “For us, it’s more a matter of going out and playing with confidence and doing the things that we can do to put ourselves in a position to win.”

Huntley (19-1-1) has positioned itself well. Senior forward Aimee Wronski scored career goal Nos. 100, 101 and 102 last week in a regional title match against DeKalb, and the Raiders’ defense allowed only its fifth goal all season.

The back line should get another shot of toughness, too, with the return of sweeper Alyse Williams, who has been injured.

In Class 2A, Marian Central will play Belvidere North (17-4-1) at 7 p.m. today in a Burlington Central Sectional semifinal, and the Hurricanes also want to put some of their past behind them.

Marian (16-9) hasn’t advanced past a sectional semifinal in several years, and they have the firepower this season to make it happen, junior forward Laura LeFevour said.

“We’re going in with an open mind, and we’re not cocky, but we know that we are ready and very focused,” said LeFevour, who had a hat trick in the Hurricanes’ regional semifinal victory against Woodstock.

“It is one game at a time, but we know that we do want to go all the way. We have some skilled players and have a lot of confidence.”