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Girls soccer: Burlington Central content with 3rd in Class 2A

Jess Arneson always knew the Burlington Central girls soccer team had the physical ability to be one of the top teams in Class 2A.

But as a coach going into her third season with 36 wins in her back pocket but no regional plaque to show, the mental aspect that could propel the Rockets to the next level needed some adjustment.

"I've been kind of been cramming it down their throats - we are going to be mentally tough," Arneson urged. "Because in games at the end of the season, sometimes mental toughness is all that takes you through."

And after what went down Saturday it's supremely the reason why the Rockets are bringing home a third place trophy.

In a wild game where Central found itself down a goal at the half on Michaela Egan's boot despite having the run of play and a 10-3 shot advantage after the first 40 minutes, the Rockets rallied for 3 goals in the final 21 minutes thanks to three Lemont red cards in the second half to down the Indians 3-1 at Benedetti-Wehrli Stadium to conclude the Class 2A state finals at North Central College in Naperville.

The Rockets' girls soccer team joins the 2008 girls volleyball team (second place), the 2009 softball team (third), the 2013-14 girls basketball team and the 1997 girls track team, (third) as teams to earn state hardware.

And how the Rockets (25-3-2) did it in the scorching heat, down a goal in the final 21 minutes will surely be one for the ages while Lemont (20-3-4) conversely might have had one of the biggest meltdowns to boot.

No less than 60 seconds after freshman forward Danielle Irwin earned her second yellow for an immediate red card and ejection, midfielder Jordan King capitalized on a ball near midfield in the 60th minute nearly 40 yards out down the left sideline with Lemont down a player.

King found Elizabeth Gousios on a little tapper, who chipped it passed a charging keeper in Michelle Jerantowski at the 15-yard-line to tie the game at 1 which lit off the first set of fireworks.

"You have to finesse the ball so I just jumped up and lightly finessed the ball over the defender," King said. "You can't hit it too hard so the keeper gets it so I was like, c'mon Goose you got it' and she just touched and it was an amazing goal."

Burlington's winning goal in the 64th minute not only set off more fireworks but the whole barge exploded. On a long BC shot that Jerantowski rushed after, senior mid Anna McMahon, who never quit on her follow through run, collided with Jerantowski after the goalie clutched the ball and motioned upward. McMahon went down hard on her back and Jerantowski's action resulted in a red card and subsequent ejection. Since the foul occurred in the box, Central was given a penalty shot which Lemont coach Rick Prangen questioned.

"It was after the play and that was our question as well, why are you giving a PK on that?" said Prangen, whose team was outshot 17-5. "I think it is a really, really harsh call. And then he rewards a PK as well so in a matter of 2 seconds the game goes and that's it. And now you're playing down two players and it started to go from there. And the kids got frustrated."

"I was going for the ball - I was zoned in on the ball," said McMahon. "I thought maybe she was going to hit me but I was just going to go for the ball and I think taking one for the team was over a hundred percent."

Even crazier, before King could take the boot, Lemont's Carli Bermel was waived a yellow. King then sank the PK with 17:34 on the clock to put the Rockets ahead 2-1.

"She took one for the team and that was the game-changer," Arneson said. "Everything changed on that one and for Anna to take that and be able to walk off the field - impressive you know? She's tough, tough as nails."

Zoey Kollhoff added a third goal from 30 yards over backup keeper McKenzie Schuit with 10:18 on the clock for insurance. And if the previous 10 minutes weren't wild enough, Jacqueline Aleman was tossed after her second yellow during a stoppage in the 73rd minute, resulting in the third and final red of the match. Lemont, which totaled 8 cards overall, finished with 7 players on the field and Schuit in goal.

"This is the weirdest match I've ever played in, the weirdest last 40 minutes," King said of the 3-player advantage. "I've never played in a match like this but you do have to take advantage and keep your composure throughout the game and not sass-off to the ref."

And that BC didn't was a testament to Arneson's season-long preaching. It was evident when it rallied from 1-0 in the final 3 minutes to beat Sycamore for the sectional title and it had a bigger payoff in the end.

"We did that with Sycamore and we did it today," said Arneson. "Mental toughness is the only thing that's going to separate you from teams and you need to have it. That's just a mindset and a life lesson for them, when they go to college and fail a class or break up with someone, it's not necessarily the failure it's how you respond from that and today they just did a fantastic job and I couldn't have asked for better with that."

And that's the difference Mike Gecan saw in Arneson's coaching style. Gecan stepped down as head coach in 2012 after 7 seasons to serve as an assistant and noticed the shift right away.

"When Jess came in you felt a different change in the atmosphere, you knew something special was going to happen," Gecan said of Arneson, the daughter of longtime Naperville Central girls basketball and softball coach Andy Nussbaum.

"We knew it could happen for a couple years but this year it's nice to do it and couldn't be any more prouder of the girls."

"We already made school history, so this coming (to state) was a natural thing, it was just for the team," added King, a junior with 21 goals and 15 assists, who will be back with a talented group that loses just McMahon and keeper Abbi Ciganek to graduation.

"It puts our standards a little higher, puts our goals and expectations a little higher but it shouldn't freak us out."

And now that Central's mentally tougher, a third placer and one of the top teams in the state with essentially everyone coming back, that should freak out all other 2A teams next year.

  Burlington Central's Zoey Kollhoff celebrates with teammates after defeating Lemont in the Class 2A State third-place game at North Central College in Naperville. John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com
  Burlington Central's Megan Majewski advances the ball upfield against Lemont in the Class 2A State third-place game at North Central College in Naperville. John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com
  Burlington Central's Jordan King charges into the box with the ball against Lemont in the Class 2A State third-place game at North Central College in Naperville. John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com
  Lemont's Katrina Retzke defends against Burlington Central's Megan Majewski as she brings the ball into the box in the Class 2A State third-place game at North Central College in Naperville. John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com
  Burlington Central's Elizabeth Gousios laughs with teammate Kyrsten Callie Pellikan after scoring against Lemont goalkeeper Michelle Jerantowski in the Class 2A State third-place game at North Central College in Naperville. John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com
  Burlington Central's Anna McMahon is knocked to the turf by Lemont goalkeeper Michelle Jerantowski, who was then issued a red card and ejected from the game in the Class 2A State third-place game at North Central College in Naperville. John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com
  Burlington Central's Anna McMahon falls over Lemont goalkeeper Mackenzie Schuit as she makes a save in the Class 2A State third-place game at North Central College in Naperville. John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com
  Burlington Central's Zoey Kollhoff jumps with teammates after scored the third goal of the second half against Lemont in the Class 2A State third-place game at North Central College in Naperville. John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com
  Burlington Central celebrates their win against Lemont in the Class 2A State third-place game at North Central College in Naperville. John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com
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