Schaumburg slides past Leyden
John Franco struck the game-winner in the waning seconds of a chaotic final moments of regulation Friday to help Schaumburg defeat host Leyden 3-2 to earn a spot in the Class 3A Hoffman Estates sectional next Tuesday night against the St. Charles East regional champ, either Geneva or St. Charles East.
"All I thought when I saw (ball) go under the keeper was 'Wow, we are going to win this match and a regional title,' " said Franco, covered in mud from head to toe as was every player who stepped onto the Eagles' pitch in Franklin Park.
In a match which featured quicksand for turf, constant rain blowing side-to-side and time being kept on the field by the center official, it was a deft flick from Declan Geraghty and touch from Franco that produced the game-winner.
"That's kind of what I do," smiled Geraghty, who had a hand in all 3 goals for his club to further validate his status as one of the best at his trade in the area. "It was a crazy, wild game, and one that looked as if it was going to go into overtime."
Both clubs appeared prepared for extra time after Geraghty delivered the equalizer at 61 minutes when he soared high above the Eagles to head a well-hit serve from Kacper Wasilewski.
"I think Mark (Valintis, Leyden's head coach) and I thought we had played 42 plus minutes in the second half because of what the center official told us were left in the match after the clock trouble," said Saxons coach Hamid Mehreioskouei, "but fortunately for us there was enough time left for Franco to score the game-winner."
The No. 12 seeded Saxons (11-5-1) looked to be in trouble in the early stages when Eagles striker David Wisniewski worked a perfect 1-2 with Eric Ruiz - helped along when both Saxons defenders slipped and lost their footing - to allow the speedy Wisniewski to finish past keeper Jason Wojcik.
Struggling to keep up with the home-side, the Saxons still managed to draw even at 18 minutes when Mark Bielanski's low drive from the right side slipped through the box and past keeper Jose Lopez, who may not have seen the ball all the way in.
Wisniewski's 26th goal of the season was sensational, with the junior somehow going just inside the post to give the Eagles (13-9-1) a 2-1 lead at the half hour, which they carried into intermission.
Peyton Irmen, brought on for Wojcik after the break, made an immedite impression on the match, turning a Luis Adame blast up and over the bar, then moments later punching the ensuing corner from Adame out of danger.
The senior also saved two other quality chances from the Eagles, on both Wisniewski and Arnoldo Reyes, to help keep the Saxons' hopes alive and to set up Franco's heroics when only the center official knew how many ticks were left on the clock.
"We had some chances, even in (these) conditions that might have put us up 3-1, but credit Schaumburg for hanging in there, scoring off set pieces plays and surviving a crazy finish - the type of endings that always seemed reserved for the postseason," said a gracious Valintis, who helped guide his club to a division championship this season.
Schedule changes: The Mundelein regional final between Palatine and Warren at 1 p.m. today has been moved to Stevenson High School.
The Hersey regional final between the Huskies and Lake Forest at 3 p.m. has been moved to Palatine High School.