Boys soccer: Sectional crown for St. Charles North

As seniors Kyle Kolodziej and Bernard Elegbede clutched each other in celebration of St. Charles North's sectional title win Friday, a familiar battle cry around the North Stars' boys soccer team certainly had its warming effect on a crisp, cold night of soccer in Hoffman Estates.

"Fight for me, fight for you," Elegbede chanted after North captured a 4-0 win over Glenbard East to close out the Class 3A Conant sectional. "We're 24 brothers fighting for each other, trying to win the game and move on to the next round."

While Glenbard East's spirited run came to an end at 9-7-3, which included its first regional win and sectional appearance since 2006, North will move on to that next round. By the same token 2006 was the last time North advanced to a supersectional. This time the North Stars (15-2-4) will host that match on turf Tuesday at 7 p.m. against Jacobs (16-6-2), which downed Streamwood in PKs Friday and beat the Stars 3-2 at the Barrington tournament on August 29.

"It has been a long time, that's for sure," North coach Eric Willson said of the gaps between sectional wins. "It's been maybe six or seven years since we've been in this game (sectional final), so to finally get back to it ... this team has just come so far."

North, which extended its winning streak to 6, didn't have to reach far for its first goal and used good instincts and execution throughout the half. Junior forward Matt Beaulieu's free kick in the 7th minute from 35-yards out sailed just near the goalie box, which Kolodziej headed home from point-blank range for a 1-0 lead. It was something the North Stars hoped for after they failed to execute quickly against Wheaton North Tuesday.

"Right before the game (we said) 'we have to come out with a fire in us,' " Willson said. "I think it was really important for us to come out and get that early goal against a team that plays a little counterattack style. That was big for us."

"Matt played the ball in perfectly and dropped it in right where we were focusing on and practicing and I just put a head on it," Kolodziej added. "I was the person on the spot and anybody could have been there but it was a perfect ball and a great way to start off the game."

Kolodziej fought for Elegbede and then Elegbede fought for him. Nearly 8 minutes later, Elegbede, who drew a PK after being tripped up in the box, made the heads up play of the night after East goalie Gerardo Galvez (3 saves) made a great diving save to his right near the left post. Elegbede raced up to the end line untouched as the ball never went out of play and tapped home the first of his 2 goals for a 2-0 lead.

"Coach has always talked about crashing the goal," the senior said. "Unfortunately I wasn't able to put it away on the PK but I was lucky to get a nice bounce and was able to put it away on the second time."

At that point, with limited options and possession stuck on North's end, East watched Jake Persenico fire a diagonal laser after juking two defenders in the 33rd minute just inside the 18.

"I thought their pressure and their energy at the beginning of the game - we just couldn't get ourselves into a rhythm," Rams coach Josh Adler said. "By the time we got into that rhythm, we were down two goals. They just really attacked us hard and try to lock us in our defensive half of the field and we had a hard time finding our way out of the back half."

Even though Elegbede added the game's last goal with 34 minutes left on the clock and North outshot East 9-3 without giving the Rams really any decent chances, Adler couldn't have been prouder of the Rams' run this postseason.

"It's the furthest the boys program has gone in school history, it was an incredible run," he said. "The guys started playing some really nice soccer in this stretch which was good to see."