Boys soccer: Fremd blanks Barrington to win sectional
Mid-Suburban League boys soccer champion Fremd advanced into Tuesday's Class 3A supersectional after its comprehensive 4-0 victory over Barrington Friday night in the wind and rain to claim its 12th sectional title in program history in the championship game of the Vikings' own sectional.
The Vikings (18-2-1) will play the winner of Saturday's Evanston vs. Oak Park-River Forest contest Tuesday night at host Barrington.
"Just a very good overall effort, highlighted by a great first half goal, into the wind, from Sandro (Javakhishvili) that gave the team a big lift against a very good Barrington team," said Fremd coach Steve Keller.
Both teams would be greeted at Hildebrant Field with nonstop rain and a strong wind that was at the backs of the Broncos (16-4-2), who last time out would defeat the Vikings 1-0 in overtime.
"We wanted to come out and knock the ball around and possess as much as we could, but in these conditions the plan to do so goes out the window, and when you play a team like Fremd, which is so athletic, has guys who can finish and is so strong in the air, you've got to be extra sharp in your game," offered Broncos coach Scott Steib.
The eventual game-winner from Javakhishvili came on the half-hour after Will Mayer and Zen Wang created his chance which he finished at the back post.
"When your opportunity is there to score to help the team, you've got to take advantage of it," said the senior.
The home side looked as if it had doubled its advantage minutes later when it appeared Eli Schoffstall had found the back of the net but after a long discussion by the referee and his assistant, the 33rd-minute goal was called back.
The Broncos' bench thought for sure Chris Kilayko was fouled in the box in the 64th minute, but when the referee failed to reward the visitors with a PK, Mayer burst free up the right side before chipping keeper Iker Villagomez, who came far off his line to challenge the hard charging Vikings junior.
The visitors would push numbers in their search to draw closer in the final quarter hour, but in doing so left themselves vulnerable along the back with Brandon Wozniak and Schoffstall bagging late goals for Fremd.
"They were a little better than us in several key areas in a game that featured a couple of bizarre and strong calls, but give Fremd credit. They're very good and for us, it's been a terrific year of soccer from a terrific group of young men," said Steib.