Libertyville edges Wheaton Academy in Showdown semifinal

Over the last couple of years, Libertyville's boys soccer team has had a tough time getting past Wheaton Academy in the PepsiCo Showdown tournament.

The Wildcats had fallen to the Warriors in the semifinals and quarterfinals over the last two years in the tournament.

But this time around, sixth-seeded Libertyville got past second-seeded Wheaton Academy 1-0 in the semifinals at the Lyons Soccer Complex in LaGrange on Saturday afternoon.

Libertyville (6-1) will make a trip to the Showdown's championship game on Sunday, Sept. 27th at DePaul's Wish Field. The Wildcats will meet No. 4 seed Lyons (7-2-1) at 2:45 p.m.

Lyons defefated No. 9 seed Deerfield 2-1 in the other semifinal game, which was decided on penalty kicks 4-3.

The Wildcats put forth an all-out effort on Saturday against the Warriors to reach their longtime goal of playing in the Showdown's championship matchup.

"It was a big game, because the kids really wanted it," Libertyville coach Andy Bitta said. "We've been close, being a game or two games away. It's been a big thing, since some of these kids have been on the varsity for three to four years. They know what it takes and they really want to get there. We really deserve to be in the finals."

Jacob Rasmussen scored his first goal of the season, and it proved to be the game-winner for the Wildcats. Brian Kym and Thomas Pearson split time in goal and teamed up with their defenders to earn the shutout.

Libertyville was in a hard-nosed test with Wheaton Academy (9-1-1), the defending Class 2A state champion, for a full 80 minutes.

"It was a battle all the way through," Bitta said. "Every play (Wheaton Academy) crossed, I was getting tensed up because they're that good of a team. It only takes one mistake, one break, a ball that skips through, to score."

That didn't happen, though, and Libertyville has now allowed just 4 goals in 7 games.

The goal came in a sequence after a free kick from Liam O'Connell in the 11th minute. O'Connell sent the ball into the penalty area, nad i It was headed forward by a Warriors defender - and right back into the net, with Rasmussen getting a header of his own.

"The goal was so important," Rasmussen said. "Everybody on our team wanted to beat that team so bad, because we lost to them last year. It was a big game for us. We just wanted to our revenge for it."

Wheaton Academy suffered its first loss of the season but did manage to generate some quality scoring chances. Northwestern-bound Ty Seeger (15 goals, 5 assists) had a few of them, including one that came on a free kick in the 54th minute. But freshman keeper Pearson (4 stops) made a diving save to his right.

Seeger had another chance in the 74th minute, but his header went over the corner of the goal.

"We came out here last year playing in a double-overtime game, and we had a lot of heart in this one," Seeger said. "Unfortunately, it wasn't enough. We couldn't find anything on top.

"(Libertyville) was a physical team, They were keying on us and our forwards. They were trying to play physical and dump us off the ball. It was tough to get something moving. It was definitely the biggest team we faced, and one with a lot of pace."

Just to reach the semifinal, Wheaton Academy had to play New Trier on Thursday and again on Friday in the quarterfinal round, all of which may have contributed to Saturday's result.

might of had some effect for the semi.

"(Libertyville) was a big and physical team," Wheaton Academy coach Jeff Brooke said. "They tried to get under our skin. Maybe some of the fatigue factored in. It's nobody's fault. I thought we played a great game against New Trier. This was just a different style, a physical team. It was a tough challenge and we'll get better because of it."