Boys soccer: Conant clips LZ, earns spot in Classic finale
Second-half goals from Nico Scimeca and Brandon Chlopek did much more than merely win the game for visiting Conant in boys soccer on Friday at Lake Zurich.
The outcome also helped the Cougars (3-2-0 overall) secure a spot in the final of the 28th annual Barrington Classic at 6 p.m. Saturday against the host Broncos.
The 2-1 victory gave the Cougars the top spot in pool play with 6 points, 3 more than the Bears (1-4-1). Lake Zurich will meet Marmion in the tourney's third-place match.
"It wasn't always pretty out there - in fact, we were saying this game reminded all of us of the MSL and an opponent like Palatine," said Cougars captain Kevin Sindewald. "But we're all thrilled to be in the final, and in the first time playing in the Classic."
Conant survived a late scare after taking a 2-goal advantage in the 63rd minute, when Chlopek ran onto a ball before unloading a 35-yard blast.
After that, a relentless Bears club drew close moments later but ultimately they were unable to find the tying goal.
"It was a tough one to lose for sure, but to be honest, after a rough start to the season, we've come light years forward during the past week to 10 days," said Lake Zurich coach Mike Schmitz.
A match that featured hard tackling, little room to operate and some chippy play along the way led to a handful of yellow-card bookings for a variety of offenses.
"It was a very physical game right from the start, so it was important for us to keep our composure and play under control," said Bears senior Trevor Niedzwicki, whose 67th-minute strike brought the Bears fans alive. "And I think for the most part, that's exactly what we did today."
This tightly played affair had few quality chances in the offensive third of the field. The best for the Cougars came in the 20th minute after Sindewald initiated things, playing through Noah Ozbag, who found Eduardo Dorado - but his header went wide.
Defense was Lake Zurich's strong suit, as Niedzwicki and Andrew Pytlak (LZ's center back) kept the Cougars at bay, while Zane Chung-Mehdi and Terran Loughman provided enough pace and energy to complement their teammates.
After a goal-less first period, the Cougars broke through on a penalty kick that the Bears' bench and fans vocally protested.
The center official ruled that Conant's Harris Dibek had been hauled down in the box, and Scimeca stepped up and drove in his 52nd-minute spot kick with confidence and pace.
Chlopek later stunned the Bears with his sensational strike before Niedzwicki's sublime finish in close made it 2-1 with 13 minutes left in regulation.
"It was a very physical game, but from our angle, it looked to be the correct call on that PK, but it was a tough call to make nonetheless," said Franco.
Tommy Biernat blocked a close-range blast from Niedzwicki, while back-to-back long throws from Chung-Mehdi forced the Cougars to defend the well-paced tosses into the box in the closing moments.
"We knew a win or draw would get us into the final, but it didn't happen for us," said Niedzwicki. " I've seen us get so much better since the very start of the season, and that's much more important than anything else."
Conant is eager for a trip to the tourney's title game.
"We're happy to playing for the tournament trophy," said Franco. "We know we'll have our hands full with a very good team from Barrington, but it will be a good test for this team."