The knock against 20-0 Rich East this season is the lack of tough competition on its schedule.
But after Tuesday’s 2-1 victory over Bradley-Bourbonnais in a Lincoln-Way sectional quarterfinal, the Rockets will get a chance to prove their critics wrong Thursday evening. That’s when Rich East takes the host school, ranked as high as No. 2 earlier in the season.
“We played Lincoln-Way three years ago and lost, but I don’t think we were at the same high level of play as we are now,” said Rich East coach Mark Zaban, whose team has now allowed four goals this season.
“This was the sixth straight year we have advanced to the sectional, but the first thing the kids said after we won this game was we have to place all of our focus on Lincoln-Way. Back to business right away. It will be a step up for us, but the kids are focused and ready.”
Maceo Guy scored both goals for the Rockets, giving him 30 for the season, and goalie Connor McBurney made the 2-1 halftime lead stand up for the victory. It marked Rich East’s third victory over its top SICA South rival this season.
Lincoln-Way (16-6-2) advanced with a 9-0 victory over Bloom. Ned Grabovoy had two goals while Robby Marshall added one goal and two assists for the Knights.
St. Charles: Top-ranked St. Charles eliminated Larkin 5-0 to improve to 20-2-1.
Lincoln Way: No. 4 Sandburg (17-5-1) rolled to a 6-0 victory over Oak Forest as Craig Dailey and Mike Duncan each scored twice.
Barrington: Eighth-ranked Lake Zurich (18-3-2) beat Dundee-Crown 7-2 behind two goals apiece from Nuru Weimah and Shawn Struble.
Conant: Adam Salatino scored with three minutes left in the game as No. 6 Conant (19-4) edged Streamwood 1-0.
Eisenhower: Heriberto Zambrano scored two goals and added an assist as top-seeded Eisenhower (18-3-1) cruised past St. Rita 5-0.
Hersey: Six different players scored as third-ranked Fremd (17-2-3) routed Maine West 6-1.
Lyons Township: Rogelio Valles scored three goals as Morton (15-2-2) topped Gordon Tech 7-0. Morton will play Argo (16-2-3), a 2-1 winner over Leyden, Thursday. Lyons Township ousted Reavis 2-0 as the ninth-ranked Lions improved to 14-3-4.
Mundelein: Nick McDowell made Warren’s last penalty shot as the Blue Devils (13-7-2) defeated Wheeling 2-1 in a shootout.
Naperville North: Jay Ilg scored in the second overtime as Naperville North (16-5-2) edged West Aurora 3-2.
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New Trier: Phil Jones and Bretton Mularski each contributed a goal and an assist for Evanston (12-3-6) in a 3-0 shutout of Notre Dame (7-11-2). Brian Whitely had three goals as New Trier (13-6-3) routed Niles North 9-0.
Willowbrook: Second-ranked Wheaton North (19-1-1) downed Fenton 7-1 as Steve Zurad scored twice.
Class A
Batavia: David Lara scored twice as No. 5 Benet (15-2-3) shut out Marmion 8-0. . . . Chris Pipis scored six goals for No. 7 Geneva (19-1-3) in a 9-1 victory over St. Francis.
Bremen: Scott Asselborn scored three goals and Rick Ruane had four assists to lead St. Joseph (11-5-1) past Nazareth 6-1.
Fenwick: Top-seeded Holy Cross (18-3-2) defeated North Shore Country Day 2-0 on goals by Joe Dempsey and Sal Petramala.
Rich South: Justin Huynh was held to just one goal but did manage two assists as Illiana Christian (16-4-1) dropped Joliet Catholic 7-0.