St. Charles coach Paul Keenan told his team before Tuesday night’s soccer supersectional meeting with Conant that “the first goal is going to be very, very important.”
Unfortunately for Keenan and the Saints, he was very, very right.
Conant’s Dan Harte scored with 10 minutes left in the first half and the goal stood up for a 1-0 victory and trip to the Class AA state quarterfinals in Loves Park near Rockford.
There the Cougars (15-9-3), who haven’t been to the state quarterfinals since 1991, will face Public League champion Amundsen. Conant also knocked St. Charles (17-3-6) out of last year’s state playoffs.
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“It’s a playoff game, anybody’s game,” said Harte, who converted Mark Determann’s pass into his sixth goal of the season–a 16-yard shot past St. Charles goalkeeper Wes Akers. “You just have to match their intensity.”
Conant goalkeeper Dan Forde made seven saves for the shutout.
Alan Sutton.
Bloom: Lincoln-Way jumped out to a three-goal lead and cruised to a 3-1 victory over Marist and a date with Naperville North in Friday’s quarterfinal.
Steve Doster, Brian Dukes and Ned Grabavoy had the goals for Lincoln-Way (24-2-1), which will make its third trip the state quarterfinals.
Lyons: Ben Goluska had all the goals as Lyons (18-5) defeated Downers South 3-1 to earn its second straight trip to the state quarterfinals. Goluska, who has 12 goals this season, had one goal in the first half and the other two in the second.
“Last year we felt good just getting there, this year we’re going down with the intent to win it,” Goluska said. “We want to be the team that everyone fears.”
Lyons will face East Moline in the quarterfinals.
New Trier: New Trier posted its fourth straight shutout in the playoffs, advancing to Friday’s quarterfinals with a 2-0 victory over Buffalo Grove.
David Eder put the Trevians (24-1) on the board in the 15th minute after being sent in by Greg Badger. Jeff Hytes put the game away with a free kick goal from 30 yards out in the 64th minute.
New Trier will face Rockford Boylan in the quarterfinals.
Willowbrook: Brian White’s goal in the 69th minute proved to be the game-winner as Naperville North edged Downers North 2-1.
Naperville North took the lead in the 19th minute on a goal from Jon Davit. Downers tied it in the 45th on a goal by Patrick Mazza.
Naperville will face Lincoln-Way in Friday’s quarterfinals.
Rockton Hononegah: Steve Nijoka, Kellen Lawler, Anthony LaRosa and Mike Rizzo had the goals as Rockford Boylan eliminated Libertyville 4-2. Boylan (20-5-2) will face New Trier in the quarterfinals.
Class A
Providence: Providence scored twice in the first half and hung on for a 2-1 victory over Streator. The victory was the second supersectional title in the last three years for the Celtics (16-5-3) and the 10th in a row this season. Mike Herbert started the scoring in the ninth minute and Scott Whisson added the second in the 32nd.
“I think this establishes us as a legitimate top-notch Class A team,” Providence coach David Daley said. “We were happy to be there the first time we went Downstate, this time we’re coming back with a trophy.”
Elmwood Park: Lenny Rizzo scored two goals as St. Joseph advanced with a 4-0 victory over Fenwick. Tim Wagner and Eric Orozco also scored for the Chargers (17-3-1), who will be making their fifth trip to the quarterfinals.
St. Joseph will face Wheaton Academy Friday in the quarterfinals.
Geneva: Nursing a one-goal lead, Wheaton Academy goalkeeper Pat King stopped a DeKalb penalty kick to preserve the lead, Wheaton went on to post a 3-1 victory behind goals from Adam Wilson and two from Adam Balush.
“If Pat King hasn’t proved that he is the best keeper in the state, I don’t know who is,” Wheaton Academy coach Bob Thomas said. “The save on the penalty kick to keep the lead was huge.”
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