Boys soccer: Cary-Grove holds off Rockford Guilford

Even when Esteban Angeles scored his second goal, Cary-Grove's fifth goal in a 6-4 sectional semifinal win over Rockford Guilford Tuesday in Huntley, not for a moment did the senior forward believe the Trojans' lead was secure with 36 minutes remaining.

All night Cary-Grove (10-8-1) did its best to run away with Huntley's Class 3A sectional showdown, but the Vikings (15-6-1) never let the Trojans get away easy.

Twice C-G watched first half leads disappear - a 2-0 lead diminished in 26 seconds and a 3-2 lead dissipated with 4 minutes left - but Angeles' heroics that bridged the first and second halves and John O'Brien's tap-in 4 minutes into the second half paved an eventual way for C-G into Friday's all-Fox Valley Conference sectional final against today's winner, either Jacobs or McHenry.

"You talk about meteors coming off foot," Cary-Grove coach Mark Olson said. "(The Vikings) were just unloading. They're not afraid to take shots from distance. They're rockets and they're very dangerous. And from 30 to 40 yards out that's a huge weapon to have and to have to defend against that and still play and defend with their other players ... no lead was a safe lead, that's for sure."

Cary-Grove held 3 different leads at one point as Guilford peppered the Trojans with an 18-11 shot advantage. Even when Guilford made it 6-4 in the 62nd minute on a goal from Edgar Villa, Cary-Grove still couldn't get comfortable.

"Honestly, they were a really, really good team and had really good shots in the first half," Angeles said. "I didn't think (the sixth goal) would really do it so we just kept playing hard."

Riley Conroy's goal with 19:17 left in the first half is a prime example of that. The sophomore reserve was johnny-on-the spot right near the right post after Angeles drilled a corner kick that went off Vikings keeper Omar Diaz right to Conroy, who buried it home inside the post.

"It was a huge goal because our confidence was really down," Conroy said. "I think we were getting some of the momentum back."

That made it a 3-2 Trojans, and that confidence spurred 3 of the next 4 goals. Angeles won a battle in the midfield and riffled a strike from 20 yards out for a 4-3 lead with 2:17 left. Then he broke out of the half with a goal that needed skill for a 5-3 lead. To the right of the box, Angeles managed to avoid Guilford's keeper by kicking the ball wide, recovering and firing on a tough angle with a defender on him that went far post to make it 5-3.

"I think I had a really bad angle on the side," said Angeles, who added 2 assists as well. "It was a really sharp turn and honestly, I thought it was a lucky goal."

"It's just his will to compete," Olson said. "We told him we needed a little extra out of everybody, we had to grind it out. We had a 2-0 lead. Boom, 2-2. 3-2. And we had to play smart to grind it out."

Michael Arenberg and Brad Schuerg added goals while Chris Klawitter and John O'Brien had 1 assist each. Daniel Parrilla and Ricardo Sarmiento tied it up for Guilford in the 18th minute on back-to-back goals 26 seconds apart while Raul Pulido tied things up with 4:44 left.