Glenbrook South stops Warren in Cup finale

Warren's girls soccer team was going toe-to-toe with highly competitive Glenbrook South through regulation as both teams pursued a victory in the championship game of the Glenbrook Cup.

The Blue Devils, playing their third game of the day and their fourth in two days, nearly saw the match through to penalty kicks.

But one play in the later stages changed all that. The Titans' Lily Sands broke free near the top of the box, got a good look and finished the game-winning golden goal with 24 seconds left in the second overtime. Glenbrook South got past Warren for the second straight year, this time with a 2-1 victory at the Techny fields.

"It was a great game," Warren coach Ryan McCabe said. "It was a good test and we found ourselves in a similar situation in regionals last year. (Glenbrook South) is well-coached, and they're always a good team. It's nice to play against them."

Warren (8-7-2, 3-1 in the tournament) found itself trailing by a goal early in the second minute after the Titans' Kaily Bruch sent what looked like an intended cross off the back post and into the net for a 1-0 lead.

But the Blue Devils have made a habit of coming back against quality teams, and they did so again Sunday.

"I think we're a quality team here," McCabe said. "The girls fight, and I've got a bunch of hard-working girls that put in a lot of time in the off-season. That's why we can come back."

Warren tied it in the second half when Alliyah Parker sent a cross from the right side to Haley Brock for a volley-kick into the back of the net in the 50th minute.

Each team had chances to win before the end of regulation, but eventually it went to two 10-minutes golden-goal periods.

Blue Devils keeper Liz Carrano had made a spectacular stop with her right hand after a corner by the Titans' Olivia Peters in the 89th minute.

But in the final seconds before it would have gone to kicks, Sands worked her way in the final third for her winning shot.

Glenbrook South (12-3-1) has won the Glenbrook Cup in five of the last six years. But the Titans knew that they were going to have a tough matchup with Warren.

"This year it was a great game," Glenbrook South coach Seong Ha said. "They have a fabulous side and their record is very deceiving. If you look at their strength of schedule, they're a wonderful team from top to bottom. They're a handful, and they keep coming at you. I thought their midfielders were so punishing throughout the game. The work rate by both teams made it a good high school game."

• Warren won its two other matches during the day to reach the finals.

The Blue Devils shutout Glenbrook North 3-0 Saturday morning in the quarterfinals.

They went on to top Normal West 6-1, scoring 6 ananswered goals. Ellen Szostak scored her first hat trick and assisted on another goal. Teagon Albert had a goal and an assist, while Abby Vrabel and Grace Wiltgen and the goals. Wayne State-bound Alexis Strothers and Wiltgen had 2 assists, and Kaitlyn Chomko and Lindsey Ditmars also assisted on goals.