Boys soccer: Buch's 2 goals lift Waubonsie Valley over South Elgin
Waubonsie Valley senior Anuj Buch made a big splash on the pitch late in Thursday night's game against South Elgin.
Soon after the Warriors' 3-1 comeback win over the Storm, Buch was the recipient of another big splash. After Buch scored 2 goals in less than a 3-minute span late in regulation, he immediately ran over to the main grandstand in an attempt to hear some noise from the smattering of fans.
Buch raised both of his arms in the air in celebration to punctuate his late flurry of goals. A few minutes after the game ended, several teammates grabbed Buch's arms to not let him run away, allowing two teammates to give him a postgame Gatorade shower.
Buch, a captain, made his final home game a memorable experience, sparking the Warriors to a win in their final regular season game.
"I didn't expect that at all from my teammates," Buch said of the Gatorade. "That just goes to show you this team is built on unity, family and being whole as a team. That's great, especially going into the playoffs next week. We have to continue that momentum and energy going into the playoffs. This win will definitely help us."
Buch, who has 6 goals on the season, broke open a 1-1 tie in the 75th minute, stealing a pass and knocking in the eventual game-winner into the far post.
With 2:45 left in regulation, Buch added to his big day with his second goal to put the game out of reach.
The nonconference game started 45 minutes later than scheduled, with the early play reflecting that as both teams looked sluggish in the opening 10 minutes.
In the 11th minute, South Elgin junior forward Ethan Scholl knocked in a shot into the far post for a 1-0 lead. The Storm (6-9-5) had a second-half goal wiped out due to an offsides call, which turned out to a crucial factor in the loss.
The Warriors (6-13-2) were aggressive for most of the game, with South Elgin goalie Luke Biondi collecting 4 saves in the first 17 minutes. The Warriors finally had their breakthrough goal, when Zach Stanley took advantage of a loose ball in the box. Stanley chased down the ball, slightly tapping in the shot before running into the post to tie the game at 1-1 with 11:41 left in the first half. Stanley, a senior, lay motionless for several minutes, his body wrapped around the post before limping off the field.
"I usually like to celebrate after goals, but I couldn't after that goal," Stanley said, smiling.
Up next for the Storm is a Class 3A Elgin regional semifinal game against host Elgin on Tuesday at 5 p.m.
"We're anxiously waiting for the Elgin game, so we experimented with this game by throwing a few guys out of their natural positions," South Elgin coach Jerry Skowron said.
The Warriors picked a good time to end a two-game losing streak, as they head into Tuesday's Class 3A East Aurora regional semifinal against Naperville Central.
"I think we're heading our stride now is important, which is important with playoffs coming up," Waubonsie Valley coach Jose Garcia said. "This win is good for the boys and good for their confidence to build up against Naperville Central."