Boys soccer: Hersey wins Class 3A state championship thriller

It was only fitting that Adrian Smakowski delivered the game-winning spot-kick late Saturday night to give Hersey the 3A state title.

The Huskies’ All-State keeper who has been brilliant all season long, and especially in the postseason, stopped two Lane Tech spot-kicks before firing in his own to start a celebration that will last long into the night.

“This is just amazing, our first trip to the state tournament ever, and we come away with a state championship,” said Smakowski.

This long 100 minute final played in a steady rain in Hoffman Estates at Garber Stadium seemed destined for this kind of finish.

City champion Lane Tech (18-3-4), who advanced into its first appearance at state, arrived after back-to-back shootout victories over Leyden, then Conant last Tuesday.

Both sides play water tight defense, counter with the best of them, and possess the highest work rate imaginable which helped each get to the final weekend of the campaign.

After 100 minutes were unable to decide a champion, it went to penalty kicks.

Once there, Johnny Antoniou, Nik Van De Mark and Adam Bugaj converted their spot-kicks with ease for the Huskies (19-3-5). They then watched Smakowski save the first Lane Tech attempt before an athletic save on Grayson Trinter raised the hopes of the Huskies’ huge faithful on hand.

“Words cannot describe how I feel right now about this result, and the guys on this team who have made all of us associated with Hersey very proud of what they accomplished,” said Hersey coach Mike Rusniak.