Boys soccer: First sectional crown for St. Edward
St. Edward scored early, late and often enough in between thanks to a variety of players to give everyone a reason to celebrate Saturday's Class 1A Genoa-Kingston boys soccer sectional championship.
Immediately after the 5-1 win over Rockford Christian, a wide-angle lens was needed to take the group photo of the Green Wave backed up and surrounding by schoolmates, family and friends.
Once the players and coaches inside-the-goal pose with sectional plaque was completed, that trophy was the prop for additional photos by those who factored into the scoring, by individual classes, plus select teammates with relatives or friends.
Of course that historical first for St. Edward boys soccer history could become outdated if the Green Wave can produce an encore at Tuesday's (6 p.m.) Hinckley-Big Rock supersectional against Normal University High, which was a 2-1 victor over Peoria Christian in the Chillicothe IVC sectional.
A mere 47 seconds into the match, Zach Olenek's mastery of the flip throw-in lead to a goal by Will Gaston.
"Zach's really good at connecting his throws to the middle, so I just look for the ball and try to get in position or in the open since defenses usually crowd A.J. (Franklin)," Gaston explained in regard to his 21st goal of the year.
Off the top of his head, coach Tim Brieger believed it was perhaps the sixth time St. Edward (19-4) scored in the first minute, remembering one 15 seconds in and another close to that.
However, much to the Green Wave's discomfort, it was the second straight match in which the opponent negated a fast start. At 6:07, Rockford Christian's Andrew Villacorta assisted on an easy 5-yard finish by Josh Dowling.
St. Edward regained the lead at 14:39 when an Olenek through ball - his second assist of the match and team-high 18th of the season - gave Franklin a breakaway opportunity. The all-time career boys scoring leader netted his 69th using the kind of perfect touch necessary to chip the ball over an outrushing Chaffin.
With the Green Wave chalking up near misses wide or high plus a Franklin direct kick bent around a defensive wall striking the left post, pessimists would quickly site the 2-1 is the most dangerous lead theory heading into the second half.
At 58:26, the Royal Lions (11-13-1) were whistled for a trip inside the penalty box. Christian goalie Matt Chaffin body blocked Franklin's penalty kick and then scrambled to cover the rebound before Franklin could make it a putback.
"When they saved that PK, I thought we could be in trouble with the momentum definitely being in their favor," Brieger admitted. "The whole first half was kind of disjointed and neither team could their feet under them. Evan (Sajtar) definitely helped reverse things in our favor."
The freshman keeper made the game's second biggest save on an 11-yarder by Andy Volk. Having dodged that bullet with 26 minutes remaining, St. Edward had an even more fortuitous break. A Franklin direct kick from the right wing had the kind of pace and curve to it that made a Christian defender reach out a foot in desperation leading to a Royal Lion own goal.
With 13:12 remaining, Franklin earned his ninth assist springing reserve Carlos Javier Ibarra for a fastbreak. The sophomore used a flick from the side of his right foot to slip it past an outracing Chaffin.
"It felt like the natural right move to make," Ibarra said. "A.J. gave me such a great pass, it really could not have been better. (Going up 4-1) gave us the confidence to keep momentum on our side. It's my second goal, but the best one so far."
The capper came with 2:18 left as the ricochete from a Green Wave service bounced to the far left of the goal and that's where sub Cameron Kruk also picked up a second goal for the year. The freshman's reverse kick over his shoulder ultimately landed just inside the far right post.