Celarek strikes as Conant rebounds
During her superb four-year career at Conant, Courtney Raetzman has struck for plenty of goals that have been nothing short of spectacular.
The two-time all-state senior did so once again Monday night — but it was a freshman, Leah Celarek, who supplied the most dramatic strike to help send the Cougars past rival Schaumburg 2-1 before a big crowd in Hoffman Estates.
With this thrill-a-minute Mid-Suburban West contest nearing OT, Celarek freed herself from a pair of defenders long enough to fire up and over Saxons keeper Brooke Schocker to wrap up an exciting comeback victory. The outcome helps keep coach Jason Franco’s team in the race for a divisional title just three days after the Cougars (9-1-0, 6-1-0-18 points) suffered a 3-0 loss to division leader Barrington; Schaumburg drops to 8-1-2 overall and 3-1-1 (10 points).
“What a night,” was the first thing Franco said after the Cougars’ faithful spilled onto their home pitch to celebrate. “Courtney’s goal was just vintage stuff from her, and helped get us back in it. But Leah went one better than ‘Court.’
“She had Sammi (van de Linde) flying down the left side, and I think we figured she might play it out to her, but instead she just took a couple of defenders on and finished just a great goal for us.”
The win extended a two-year string of victories in which the Cougars have narrowly gotten past the Saxons, including a 1-0 loss last season in the sectional finals. That one was decided by a PK in the first OT session.
“Conant just seems to have our number,” said Schaumburg coach Greg Charvat, who has assembled a fine team of his own, led by seniors such as Ali Schmalz, Kelsey Steenstrup and Teagan Eberle. “It was a great soccer match, and would have been better, obviously for us, if we had come out on top.
“We had a couple of chances to add another goal or two in that first half, but both of their goals were sensational, and that’s the way it goes. All we can hope for now is to get another chance at them later on in the postseason.”
The Cougars looked as if they’d put the Barrington defeat behind them as they were initially the more threatening team going forward in a quickly played opening quarter hour. Then Schaumburg’s Steenstrup whipped into the area with a burst of speed before using the slightest of touch to keep the ball out of reach of the extended gloves of keeper Hailey Anderson at 19 minutes.
“Steenstrup was so quick and fast on the ball, and on a couple of other occasions, she just roared up the center and looked as if she would score another goal or two against us,” said Franco.
Conant had a bit of good fortune on its side just after a half hour was played when Becky Sneddon’s crossfield pass to the back post spilled away from Anderson and to an awaiting Alexa Ben. The Saxons’ leading scorer, with a pair of defenders draped along both sides, tricked her way free of her markers and Anderson, before going low to the open net on the opposite side — only to miss doubling Schaumburg’s lead by inches.
Schmalz, Amanda Kelly, Nicole Banach and Jasmin Lisowski were air-tight during the first 40 minutes, never allowing the Cougars to square up and test their teammate Schocker. But the quartet had no chance of stopping Raetzman, who collected an excellent ball from Sam Armando, then in full speed, turned, and flashed the equalizer into the back of the net from 22 yards.
“I don’t remember much except that my back was to the net,” said Raetzman.
The last 29 minutes of regulation was played at break-neck speed at times, with a handful of crisp tackles, quick touches on the ball and some tireless work from both clubs.
“We couldn’t come back and lose a second straight game at home, so there was a lot of incentive to win this match,” said Raetzman.
Bianca Madonia, who engineered her fair share going forward for the Cougars, and helped carry the play when the Saxons’ kept Raetzman, Celarek and others at bay, was injured in a 50-50 sequence with Schocker in the 72nd minute, and didn’t return after being helped off.
Three minutes later, the sophomore was able to watch and cheer Celarek’s heroics.
“It all happened kind of fast, and I knew that I had just a quick second to get my shot off because there were two of their players right there with me,” said Celarek. “But it really felt good to see the ball end up into the back of the net.”