Boys soccer roundup: Defending state champion Hersey stays alive

An extraordinary night of regional finals on Friday has help send a marvelous group of four into next week's sectionals at Hersey.

Reigning 3A state champion Hersey advanced to its own sectional when just moments from penalty kicks Adam Bugaj's left-footed blast gave the Huskies (16-7-2) a thrilling 1-0 victory over Warren to claim the top prize at Mundelein.

Next up for Mike Rusniak's men will be Glenbrook North at 4 p.m. in Arlington Heights at Roland Goins Stadium.

"It was a hard-fought game, with both teams playing really tough. Their set pieces and long throws were dangerous, but the guys were able to do what we needed with Bugaj coming through in the 99th minute," said Rusniak.

"(It) was not our best first half, but we were so much better in the second half, and into overtime, we just couldn't find the back of the net," said Blue Devils coach Jason Ahonen.

"The game-winner hit the bar, bounced out, and was redirected off our keeper, but to our credit, the boys left it all out there tonight."

The Blue Devils end their season at 13-8-0.

MSL champion Fremd (11-7-3) found themselves chasing two goals they conceded in the first half to top seed Glenbrook North (17-2-3) before eventually equalizing on goals from Adam Kowalski and Jose Hernandez to force overtime, and penalty kicks.

Once there the Vikings converted just one of its efforts from the spot while the Spartans netted three to earn a 3-2 (3-1) victory.

The Spartans will look to avenge its 2024 sectional final loss (3-1) to Hersey in its sectional opener after lifting the regional trophy at Buffalo Grove.

No. 7 Barrington (14-4-5) will extend Scott Steib's brilliant coaching career for another day after its superb 80-minute performance in a 2-0 victory over No. 2 seed Zion-Benton (16-4-1) at Barrington Community Stadium.

"The boys played a near flawless game, our best match we have played this season," said a proud Steib, who is retiring following the 2025-26 school year after 27 years in charge of the Broncos program.

"It was a full team effort with keeper Evan Ryder playing extremely well, the backline leadership from Jack Ball, with terrific help from Joe Manczak, Ephraim Lee and Reid Peterson all providing outstanding work along the back."

Mitch Vitale and Charlie Lunt would bag first half goals for the Broncos who will now play No. 3 seed Stevenson (13-4-2) who used a late PK from captain Navaan Kistanna to defeat Glenbrook South (13-10-1) at the Round Lake regional to claim its 17th regional title in program history.

Top seed Leyden (19-3-1) is on its way to the Schaumburg sectional following its 3-0 triumph over No. Glenbard East (8-6-3) to win its own regional title, and 15th in program history.

Jose Mendez, Rafael Burciaga and Josue Fajardo scored, while Julio DeSantiago earned the shutout.

The Eagles will play the 5 p.m. semifinal against No. 4 West Chicago (15-5-4) who on Friday beat Elk Grove to win its regional title at Elk Grove.

"(Their) No. 10 (Abraham Salinas) is easily the best player I've seen all year," said Elk Grove coach Dan Klaus after its 2-0 loss to West Chicago.

MSL East champion Schaumburg (13-5-3) lifted its first regional trophy since 2015 after upending No. 2 seed Glenbard West (19-7-1) in penalty kicks in Carol Stream at the Glenbard North regional final.

After neither side could solve the other after 100 minutes, the Saxons were perfect in kicks with Filip Tabaczynski, Joel Rosales, Ronaldo Loiaza-Veliz and Mati Krzanowski all converting from the spot to give the Saxons the 4-2 advantage.

"We came out so nervous, just didn't play the way we have all season, but we found ourselves in the second half to force (pens) and when we got there, I knew our team, that plays with so much heart, would come through when we needed it most," said keeper Anthony Say.

The senior made a heroic save in the second round which proved the difference in the Saxons’ eventual 1-0 victory who return to face division rival Hoffman Estates in the 7 p.m. semifinal at Gary Scholz Stadium.

This was the third regional crown for Schaumburg. The first came in 2003 when coach Matt Meyer would star for his alma mater, and first in decades for Hoffman Estates (11-8-3) who ended a long drought dating back to 1992 when a Diego Sequera game-winner in the 44th minute beat Wheaton North for the Lake Park regional crown.

No. 3 seed Maine South (17-4-1) won its own regional at Wilson Field on Friday following a 1-0 victory over Loyola Academy.

The Hawks will play No. 2 seed and 2024 3A state runner-up Lane Tech on Tuesday at 7 p.m. at the Taft sectional played at Reed-Dunning Stadium in Chicago.

CLASS 2A

The guest list is set for Grayslake Central on Tuesday night and it will include the sectional host Rams (13-5-1) after their 1-0 victory Friday afternoon at Rust-Oleum Field in Vernon Hills over long-time NLCC rival Wauconda.

The Rams would use a late game-winner from all-state candidate Ivan Sereno, his 32nd of the season, to advance to play No. 8 Highland Park (10-11-4) who stunned top seed St. Viator (12-7-1) in the regional final at Deerfield, 3-2.

Jacob Casey would score both goals for the Lions.

Central would survive an intense, ferocious 80-minute affair with the Bulldogs (13-6-1) who were looking to avenge an earlier 4-2 loss in league play.

"I thought we bottled Ivan (Sereno) up pretty all throughout this game, but he came through when they needed him to," said Bulldogs coach Tim Miller, who returns six from his starting 11, including his talented sophomore midfielder Aiden Werner.

"We did absolutely nothing in the first half, but we came alive in the second half, and begun to play our style of soccer, but in the end, it took great efforts from guy like Ivan, Cory Hayson, and Damian (Sereno) who excelled when we moved into the center of our backline for the first time this season," said Rams coach Keith Andersson.

The 7 p.m. semifinal will feature No. 2 seed Carmel Catholic (14-5-2) against Grayslake North (14-5-1) who came into the tournament as the No. 6 seed, but knocked out No. 3 Cristo Rey St. Martin (10-5-3) in Chicago with its 1-0 victory.

Maksim Dupor bagged the eventual game-winner in the ninth minute, with an assist coming from Brady Ronin to help the Knights to their fourth regional title in program history.

The Corsairs won in dramatic fashion over Lake Forest (9-10-1) when tney converted five spot-kicks, one more than Lake Forest, to earn a 2-1 regional title at Baker Stadium in Mundelein on Saturday afternoon.