Burlington Central midfielder Anna McMahon could feel the momentum Tuesday as she ran down a long lead pass from teammate Sydney Pryor.
It was the kind of momentum needed to carry a team to state for the first time.
McMahon scored 5:39 into the game, Elizabeth Gousios followed quickly with another goal, and there was no catching faster Burlington Central in a 2-0 victory over Peoria Notre Dame in the Class 2A DeKalb Supersectional.
“Once we got that first goal, we were just so excited and had so much momentum, we were ready to get the second one,” McMahon said. “I think we had so much momentum just because we were really excited to be out here.
“This is the first time our school has ever done this.”
Burlington Central (24-2-2) earned a state semifinal berth by dominating the supersectional after McMahon’s goal and Gousios’ goal four minutes later. The Rockets will play Triad at 1 p.m. Friday.
“The key totally was getting those two goals early,” Burlington coach Jessica Arneson said. “It was a lot like our (2-1 sectional) win over Sycamore in that respect.”
McMahon, Kyrsten Pellikan and Gousios repeatedly beat Peoria Notre Dame up the field to the outside. But both Rockets goals came on plays in the center of the field.
Pryor’s 30-yard boot led McMahon perfectly and she had no problem beating goalkeeper Abbie Bourscheidt.
Before Peoria Notre Dame could work up a challenge, the Rockets went back on the attack and Gousios kicked one in from 20 yards after getting the deflection of a ball sent by Jessica Clouser.
“I kind of knew with all the people around me I had time for one touch and a shot,” Gousios said. “My biggest goal was to get it on frame and if it didn’t go in, someone would finish it.
“It was a huge relief for the entire team. We wanted to bury a third just to secure it all, but without that second goal we would have been neck and neck the entire game.”
For two years, Miami (Ohio) recruit Jordan King did most of the Rockets’ scoring, But this season it’s different on a balanced team.
King, a junior midfielder, focused on maintaining possession after the Rockets went ahead.
She did a masterful job and Peoria Notre Dame never really managed a threat until two headed balls went comfortably over Rockets goalkeeper Abbi Ciganek and the crossbar in the final 12 minutes.
“This is amazing,” King said. “Our goal was to get downstate and we met that. Now we’re hopefully going for first place.”
Sycamore had always been the stumbling block for the Rockets in the past. But the win over the Spartans in the sectional finals provided confidence and momentum Central needed.
“I think we just have a lot more heart and lot more desire to push through than in the past,” King said. “We play hard throughout the whole game, the entire 80 minutes.”
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