Boys soccer / Scouting the Class 3A tournament

Boys soccer / Scouting the Class 3A tournament

Host: Hoffman Estates High School

When: Friday semifinals at 5 and 7 p.m.; Saturday third-place game at 5 p.m. and championship at 7 p.m.

Background: That long-time Mid-Suburban West rivals Barrington and Conant are playing for the third time this year, and this late into the season, is a real tribute to both. It's isn't easy to navigate postseason foes and find a spot in this, the 56th annual state tournament and ninth in the current three-class system. Barrington and Conant will carry the MSL flag this weekend to help further establish its place as one of the top soccer leagues in the state, with one of them guaranteed to be in the final Saturday evening.

Barrington (23-3-1) vs. Conant (16-7-0), 7 p.m. FridayHistory: The Broncos went 2-0 against Conant, recording a 2-1 victory to capture the 28th Barrington Classic Tournament trophy in early September and following with a 2-0 triumph to clinch the MSL West title on homecoming Saturday at Barrington Community Stadium.

In that Oct. 1 contest, junior Klaus Pallan scored in his 16th consecutive soccer match, with teammate Connor Delahunt giving the Broncos a 2-goal advantage in the 62nd minute.

Barrington is here for the fourth time in program history and first since earning the state title over Neuqua Valley in an epic three-overtime final in 2007.

This will be the Cougars' fourth trip to the tournament as well after reaching the final weekend of the season back in 2002 under coach Tony Kees.

Who to watch: Barrington - Nash Pirie (Sr, D, 12a), Klaus Pallan (Jr, F, 28g), Zach Carbonara (Sr, MF, 7g), Gio Guarnero (Jr, MF), Alex Ruffolo (Sr, GK, 0.65, 10.25 shutouts), John Gadbois (Sr, D), Enrico Ruffolo (Jr, MF, 13a), Caleb Orr (Sr, F, 7g), Michael Blanke (So, F, 10g). Conant - Kevin Sindewald (Sr, MF, 6a), Matt Biernat (Sr, D, 6g), Michael Rizzo (Sr, D, 9g), Nico Scimeca (Sr, MF, 7g), Noah Ozbag (Sr, F, 6g), Tommy Biernat (Jr, D), Soto Ono (So, F, 11g), Piotr Pyz (Jr, GK, 1.16, 5 shutouts).

The lowdown: Barrington coach Scott Steib and the Broncos' fans are now familiar with the old sports adage: it's not how you start, but how you finish. Barrington survived a series of slow start early in the playoffs but eventually found its way past each foe.

"It was difficult watching us play the way we did against Buffalo Grove (in a regional opener," said Steib, who has won 313 games with the Broncos. "Sure, some of that was how well BG played that day, but we weren't anywhere near the level we had been at, especially our effort in the MSL Soccer Cup with Wheeling. We showed a lot of heart and fight despite playing a man down against Wheeling, and you think that will carry over. But it didn't against Buffalo Grove, then Stevenson in that first half. But since then, we're back."

"We've been pushed all throughout the playoffs, especially in our last three games with Mundelein, Libertyville and Evanston, but we've stayed together and found ways to beat some great teams to get ourselves into the state tournament," said senior Zach Carbonara following the Broncos' exciting 2-1 victory in OT last Tuesday night.

Carbonara and midfield teammates Gio Guarnero and Enrico Ruffolo are the main avenues of attack for the Broncos, who feature an outside back in Nash Pirie whose unmatched pace and attacking skills add another element in a strike force which has scored 76 times this season, second most in program history.

The combination of pace and power has seen the Pallan bag 28 goals this fall. The junior gets plenty of offensive help from Orr, Owen and sophomore Michael Blanke, who struck the game-winner against Evanston.

The Broncos boast a sturdy backline which is organized, composed and very confident on the ball, which allows them to build the attack when asked to. The hard-working unit of John Gadbois, Hudson Walsh and Josh Coulter, along with Pirie, have complemented Alex Ruffolo's standout efforts in goal.

"Liverpool's manager, Jurgen Klopp, says you play football to create moments you never forget, and regardless of what happens this weekend, our guys have done just that all season long, and that's the best thing about being around this group," said Steib.

Conant - Jason Franco and his team have been enjoying every moment on their two-week playoff thrill ride, which saw the Cougars defeat higher seeds St. Charles North, Addison Trail and then Jacobs in stunning fashion to advance.

"Some will say we're here with a lot of losses (seven), but five of those are against Barrington, Hersey and Wheeling, the three best teams in our league and the area, so we've known all along we can compete at that level," said Franco, now in his ninth year. "And when you're against that type of opponent every time you go out and play in our league, you find yourself ready for this time of the season."

What Franco and assistant Tim Harte have managed to do is to inspire their lads to flick the momentum switch in their favor, seemingly on command. And after a so-so beginning with a 2-0 regional opener over Willowbrook, the Cougars have had the win firmly behind them.

"It all came together in that regional final against Wheaton Academy," Franco said. "The level of focus and determination allowed us to carry out our game plan to near perfection, and we've rode that recipe of success ever since."

"It all clicked for us at the right time," said Conant four-year veteran Kevin Sindewald. "We were so inconsistent - we would play at a high level, then drop a game to a lesser opponent with lackluster play. We turned it around for that Wheaton Academy game, and we've built on that, and haven't stopped since then.

The Cougars' roster features co-captains Matt Biernat and Sindewald, an impressive back line and scoring heroes Noah Ozbag, Nico Scimeca, Harris Dibek and Sota Ona, who each have broken through to finish in cool and calm fashion.

"Those four have all scored big goals in the playoffs for us and have formed quite the scoring threat along the way," said Franco. "Kevin and Matt have been brilliant, Matt alongside his brother (Tommy) in the back along with (Michael) Rizzo and Filly (Jason Fillingim) have formed an air-tight unit in the back in front of our sophomore, Piotr Pyz, who made some key saves against. St. Charles North and then Addison Trail when we really needed it.

"We know Barrington will be our biggest challenge thus far, but it's one that we look forward to and are excited about. And with us knowing each other so well, I expect it to be a very competitive semifinal."

Naperville North (19-2-3) vs. Bradley Bourbonnais (24-0-0), 5 p.m. FridayMuch was made of the Huskies' upset of nationally ranked Morton last Tuesday at the Lewis University supersectional, but truth be told, the Huskies are a first-rate soccer club themselves and richly deserves its place in the final four. This is the ninth appearance for the program, the most recent coming in 2010 when Jim Konrad led that side to a fourth-place trophy.

Bradley-Bourbonnais' rise to fame has come without much fanfare and attention, but when the Boilermakers bagged three unanswered goals in overtime to defeat Peoria Notre Dame on Tuesday, this Kankakee-area soccer club stayed perfect on the year. The first thing you'll notice about the Boilermakers is their outrageous goals-for and -against record: 117-7, which will be subject to a severe test from a stingy bunch from North whose 2-0 defeat of No. 1 Morton for its 15th straight victory proves it means business.

Bowling Green-recruit Chris Sullivan (18g, 12a) will be a handful for the Boilermakers, who have are here for the first time in program history.

- Mike Garofola