Lakes tops Grayslake North

In soccer, there's something special about taking advantage of an opportunity and making a counter-attack work in your favor.

Lakes' boys soccer team did that and much more on Tuesday night.

The top-seeded Eagles got everything working together in the second half and eliminated No. 4 Grayslake North 2-0 in the Lakes regional semifinal in Lake Villa.

Lakes (8-9-5) will next meet up with No. 2 Wauconda (11-9-2) in the regional final set for 2 p.m. Saturday at Lakes.

Wauconda got past No. 3 Crystal Lake Central 4-2 in the other semifinal on Tuesday.

Jonathan Stanley and Tom Langbein both scored for the Eagles, and freshman Brian Werchek assisted on both.

“We did a great job connecting on the ball and the (first) goal was great, Lakes coach Kevin Kullby said. “It was a fast attack and a good outlet, a couple small passes and a slot pass for a shot. Stanley doesn't miss from there.

Stanley finished into the top right corner from above the top of the box after taking a direct pass from Werchek (8 assists) in the 52nd minute to complete a textbook counter-attack partly made possible by Grayslake North playing a man down.

“Coach (Kullby) always tells me to make a run through, said Stanley, who has 12 goals this season. “Brian (Werchek) saw me and hit me. The ball kind of bounced and I hit it to my right. I just found an open spot and hit it hard.

Lakes added an insurance goal in the 77th minute. Werchek again set it up with a cross, and Langbein scored just inside the post.

Grayslake North (7-15) had a chance to tie the game in the 64th minute, but Daniel Bazan's shot went of the post.

“You've got to be able to finish your chances against a good team like Lakes, Grayslake coach Adam DeCaluwe said.

The Knights had an uphill battle after losing a player near the end of the first half and had to play the rest of the match a man down.

“We unfortunately got a red card in the first half, which was hard to handle against a weak team, much less a team like Lakes, said DeCaluwe. “It came back to bite us the second half.

“We got caught on the counter-attack (on the first goal). When you're short a man, you kind of expose yourself too. (Lakes) managed to exploit it.

Lakes keeper William Hill made 5 stops and earned the shutout.