Magical finish as St. Charles North stops Conant
Postseason magic. It's what St. Charles North has this time of the soccer season.
Fortune smiled on the North Stars (11-10-3) Saturday night as James Reed completed a comeback in spectacular style with the game-winner at 74 minutes to help defeat No. 1 seed Conant 2-1. It's a sixth straight regional crown for St. Charles North, and it earned them a place in the sectional semifinals against Wheaton North at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday at Hoffman Estates.
"(Coach Eric Wilson) tells us when the postseason comes around, nobody wants to play us because of the way we play in the tournament," said Reed.
"I was so worried coming in about players like No. 11 (Reed) and the pace they showed against York the other night, and again, tonight, when it looked a little bleak for us in the first 10 minutes," said Conant coach Jason Franco. "But after we settled down, then got the lead, I really thought we could have put 1 or 2 in, and we didn't. After that it was a match that went back and forth, until the end when they got us."
The visitors clearly were crisper off the opening whistle as Reed, Kendrick Khamvongsa, Andrew Catalano and Noah Anthony had far too much pace for the Cougars (13-3-5).
But the Conant back line, which has become water-tight in the final weeks of the season, absorbed much of the pressure as the work of Dan Kitzinger, Michael Zentner, Billy Belmonte and Alex McKenna helped keep Conant on course.
Kevin Reddington gave the Cougars a 1-0 lead at 23 minutes when his 14th goal of the season was struck with enough force to redirect off a North Stars defender, and up and over keeper Zach Hosler.
Franco thought the referee was just in calling a PK for the Stars when Catalano was brought down as the senior was attempting to collect a ball from teammate Tyler Davis.
Catalano easily converted his spot kick to draw the Stars even at 49 minutes.
A non-call on what appeared to be a clear hand-ball inside the North Stars' box set off Franco and the Cougars faithful at 62 minutes.
"He said he didn't see it," said Franco. "What can you say after that?"
The Cougars stayed composed and came forward with all their might in search of the go-ahead goal.
Reddington, Shivam Patel, Matt Manka, Thomas Kozlowski and others helped the pendulum swing back in the Cougars' favor until the fateful goal from Reed.
"I guess it all began off a free kick from the other side, and I was able to back off of the ball when it came my way before setting myself up for a shot," said Reed.
The senior unloaded a blast along the floor and through a crowd, and somehow it went just inside the near post from 22 yards.
"Maybe we do have a little bit of magic at this time of the season," said Wilson. "Last year at this time we beat the No. 1 seed (Larkin), then we come back and do it once more against a very good Conant team as the No. 10 seed. But we thought we had the right formula last season after beating three top seeds, but fell short. So we'll get ourselves back to work and ready for Tuesday night."