Waukegan’s Carlos Delgado lined up for the biggest shot of his career on Tuesday night.
It could have been the final shot of the senior defender’s career too.
During the shootout phase in a Class 3A Buffalo Grove Sectional semifinal, Delgado had the chance to secure a victory for the Bulldogs by putting his penalty kick in the net.
“I was nervous at the center-of-the-field mark, but once I got to the penalty kick (area), I had to lock in and make sure I made it for Waukegan,” he said.
Delgado did just that, scoring the decisive penalty kick to give the 14th-seeded Bulldogs a 3-2 victory against seventh-seeded Lake Zurich.
Waukegan (8-10-3), which won the shootout 3-2 after two scoreless 10-minute overtime periods, will play another North Suburban Conference rival, top-seeded Stevenson (19-0-3), in the sectional championship game at 5 p.m. Friday. The Patriots edged Fremd 2-1 in OT.
Delgado, a second-year varsity player, said the Bulldogs have endured a “tough season” but persevered through some ups and downs, including six losses in a seven-game stretch. Delgado said he had a lot of thoughts in his mind when he lined up for the potential winner.
“That felt good because I made my dad, Luis, proud for making that,” Delgado said. “He’s helped me a lot. He always takes me to practices and believes in me and trusts in me. I knew I had to take it home for Waukegan too.”
Lake Zurich’s playoff run, which included a 1-0 win against Warren in a regional final, ended in shocking fashion. Senior forward Ian Ferguson, who was named the NSC offensive player of the year, scored two goals in a 45-second span to give the Bears (12-5-3) a 2-1 lead with 12:48 left in regulation.
“Penalty kicks are a terrible way to end a soccer game,” Lake Zurich coach Mike Schmitz said. “Even on the winning side, it doesn’t quite feel right.
More Top Picks Best Air Purifiers For Mold
“It was a hard-fought game. … We got that lead, and unfortunately we couldn’t hold it. When Ian scored, we had some energy and some jump after that. Credit to Waukegan. They kept working.”
Waukegan senior defender Jon Hernandez Morandel scored the first goal in the 54th minute. Waukegan junior midfielder Creasy Rivera tied the game at 2-2 in the 76th minute, beating two defenders and slotting in the shot from 18 yards.
Waukegan sophomore goalkeeper Julian Mendoza played like a veteran. Even with a strong wind and driving rain for most of the game, Mendoza kept the Bears scoreless until Ferguson struck.
Mendoza, a first-year varsity player, gained some revenge by stopping Ferguson’s penalty kick during the shootout with a dive to his left. Mendoza also stopped senior forward Matt Margiel’s penalty kick.
“I always tell my coaches that I’m very good at penalty kicks,” Mendoza said. “I try to stay very calm, even after winning. I’m playing for my community back home. We’re all playing strong as a team.”
The Bulldogs get another shot at Stevenson, which won 4-1 win on Sept. 30 in the only meeting between the teams.
Waukegan coach Julio Farfan, a 1994 graduate, said the program is seeking its first sectional title since 2008.
“The difference for us, we made some modifications in our training and formations and adjusted things, so we got mentally tougher,” Farfan said. “We’re approaching things differently. Julian is also playing well, listening to his coaches and showing up to training looking to get better every day.”
Bobby Narang is a freelance reporter for the News-Sun.