Hinsdale Central knocks off Fremd
It might not have been the most convincing result, but only the final score line mattered for Hinsdale Central.
Riding goals from Jake Semba and Mikey Usher, Hinsdale Central earned a priceless 2-1 victory to end the Vikings' hopes of a state championship.
The Red Devils (18-4-4) earned a spot in the Class 3A state championship match against Normal Community (23-0-2), which breezed past Streamwood 4-0 in the other semifinal at Hoffman Estates High School.
"Hinsdale was the same team we played back in September when we beat them 1-0 in Peoria," said Fremd coach Steve Keller. "They are strong, defend really well and are dangerous in their set pieces. Tonight, we just ended up on the wrong side of the result."
The Vikings (19-6-1) will come back today at 5 p.m. to face Streamwood in the third-place match.
"During our last three games we found a way to get past Libertyville, Highland Park and New Trier," Keller said. "Maybe our good fortune ran out."
While this match was by no means an aesthetic masterpiece, it was the Vikings who enjoyed most of the run of play.
They attacked creatively during the first half, thanks in part to a strong wind at their back. That kept the Red Devils and their stout back three defenders under pressure for most of the first period.
"We knew that wind was going to cause some trouble, so it was imperative for us to keep them from getting into the back of the net," said the Red Devils fine keeper Wes Bergevin. "So when it was just 1-0 heading into the break, we knew we did a pretty good job of defending."
A penalty kick was awarded to the Vikings on a hard foul in the box by Will McGowen. Without hesitation, Fremd's Zach Schoffstall drove in his spot kick to give Fremd a 1-goal advantage in the 26th minute.
With their confidence brimming, the Vikings continued to pour forward in search of a second goal. It nearly came at the half-hour.
First, when Danny Burton saw his way free into the area before hitting the post. And again when Kurt Rettke fired through a sea of shirts from both sides, only to graze the back post.
"Putting one of those in would have been big for us," said senior Ben Poder, who entered the tournament as the Vikings' leading scorer with 12.
Just after those missed opportunities, Jake Semba drew the Red Devils even when his left-footed drive nestled into the upper left corner from 25 yards.
Minutes into the second period, Central took the lead for good when all-state defender Evan Floersch delivered a wind-aided free kick from the midline into the box, where an opportunistic Usher whipped it into the back of the net.
"I knew Evan would give us a great ball out of the back," Usher said. "And on the way in, it went off one of their defenders, and I just flicked it in from there."
For the Red Devils fans, it was an extra-long final 30 minutes.
Their heroes defended for excruciatingly long stretches as the Vikings went in search of the equalizer.
Keller pushed Borst into the midfield from the back to add more attacking quality. At the same time, Zach Schoffstall moved up top alongside Poder.
It seemed the match might be headed to OT when a Schoffstall corner caused plenty of chaos in front of Bergevin just two minutes from time.
"The ball came in, went off the post - then my foot - then just sat there until Jack Baderman took it off the line," Bergevin said. "It was pretty nerve-wracking."
"This is the way soccer goes sometimes, and it can be a funny sport," Keller said. " But there's no reason for us to hang our heads. We played hard and I am very proud of the effort from everyone."