Francis Parker’s Harrison Freund had a bit of an issue with the 11 a.m. starting time of the Colonels’ Class A state quarterfinal against Bloomington Central Catholic on Friday at North Central College in Naperville.
About 1 p.m., the point became moot when Matt McMurray volleyed home Freund’s free kick for a 1-0 double-overtime victory.
“I’m not a morning person,” Freund said with a laugh. “It was a bit nerve-wracking. I did nothing. I let the big guys do the work.”
Both teams played ultraconservatively before Francis Parker took advantage of the restart in the 91st minute. Freund’s 20-yard free kick from the far sideline floated over a Bloomington defender and froze the keeper. McMurray met the ball at the far post and hit it into the opposite corner.
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“We don’t have a set play,” said McMurray, who moved up from his spot on defense. “We send some people near post, some people far post. I ended up being in the right place at the right time.”
Keeper Charlie Demar made seven saves for his eighth shutout for Parker (17-6-2).
Freund has overnight to change his biorhythm. Francis Parker meets Winnebago at 9 a.m. Saturday.
*Winnebago’s Logan Fye fought through leg cramps to score the game-winner in the fourth OT as the Indians (22-2-3) advanced with a 2-1 victory over Earlville-Leland (23-1).
“I just wanted to come in. My team needed me,” said the junior, who sat the last half of the third OT and first half of the fourth.