Naperville North’s Jacob Ryu tried his best to choke back the tears.
It proved to be a valiant but futile effort, much like his stirring play during the second half of Tuesday’s Class 3A Lewis University Supersectional.
“We had the confidence the whole time,” Ryu said. “We thought we’d come back.
The senior midfielder and his teammates had several near-misses during a spirited rally from a two-goal deficit, but it wasn’t quite enough as Morton held on for a 2-1 victory.
Morton (21-1-3) will face Fremd at 7 p.m. Friday in the state semifinals at Hoffman Estates.
“We made all the changes we could,” Ryu said. “We scored the first goal of the second half right off the bat.”
Morton, which also eliminated the Huskies in the 2019 supersectional on the same field, led 2-0 at halftime on the strength of goals from Jonathan Murillo and Luis Gonzalez.
Murillo’s goal was a brilliant 18-yard free kick inside the right post with 19:19 left in the first half. Gonzalez scored when his 25-yard shot was fumbled into the net by the Naperville North goalkeeper at the 7:28 mark.
But the Huskies (21-6-2) turned up the heat after intermission. Wright State-bound senior forward Cam Radeke scored on a short shot off a lead pass from Keegan Flaherty with 36:19 remaining.
After that, Morton tried to go into a defensive shell.
Morton goalkeeper Daniel Martinez made four of his five saves in the second half, three of which came on long free kicks from Ryu, whose set pieces were the most dangerous part of Naperville North’s attack.
“They were really strong that second half,” Martinez said. “They pressured a lot. They were aggressive.
“We tried to stay back and defend. They were a great team and it was a very intense game.”
Ryu’s best chance — and closest miss — came when the Huskies were awarded an indirect kick just inside the top of Morton’s box.
Indiana recruit Alex Barger tapped the ball to Ryu, who blasted a shot that hit the right post and crossbar before coming down near the goal line.
Freshman Noah Radeke got to the rebound, but his effort was cleared by a defender. Several Huskies raised their arms thinking Ryu’s shot had gone in, but Naperville North coach Jim Konrad did not dispute the call.
“The ref said it didn’t go in,” Konrad said. “The ref was in the right spot. We were all over the goalmouth. We just couldn’t score.”
It wasn’t for lack of trying.
The Huskies battled to the end as Cam Radeke, who earlier had a shot hit the crossbar, sent a cross from the left side of the box that barely missed the head of a diving Tyson Amoo-Mensah with 10 seconds remaining.
“We had a couple mistakes that really bit us and then I couldn’t be prouder of the way the boys battled back for the next 70 minutes,” Konrad said. “Tyson stretched out diving into the box trying to get his head on it.
“That’s our program. That’s Tyson, and that’s what we ask of the boys. They did not go away down 2-0, and that would be easy to do.”
What wasn’t easy for Ryu and his fellow seniors, many of whom he has known since elementary school? Having to leave the field for the final time.
“This is the final goodbye of playing together,” Ryu said. “It’s hard and I’m going to miss this team.
“This North legacy means so much to me and so much to this team. Everything about this program is special, and I hope they can continue like that throughout the years coming up.”
Matt Le Cren is a freelance reporter for the Naperville Sun.