Boys soccer: Crystal Lake South outlasts Vernon Hills for 2A sectional title
When the clock at Garfield Junior High Field ticked just past 66 minutes, it was then Mariano Caballero drove in the game-winner that made Crystal Lake South boys soccer history.
The Gators (19-2-3) beat Vernon Hills 2-1 Saturday night in Harvard to lift their first sectional trophy and reach the supersectional at Burlington Central Tuesday, where they will meet Fenton (14-7-1) at 6 p.m.
"This team has proved how resilient it's been all year long including tonight when we were punched in the face after that early goal forced us to dig deep in order to come out of here with the result we've been after for quite some time," said Gators head coach Brian Allen.
Vernon Hills was a great opponent, and one that really put us under in the first 15-20 minutes but after we got back even, I knew this group, which is senior-heavy, would do what it had to in order to advance."
The Gators' dramatic victory was a remarkable finish to a match that saw the Cougars come out on their front foot, strike the opener, and threaten to dash the hopes of a possible first state appearance for the top seed.
"We knew the speed, strength and size of (South) were a lot for us to handle, but we also knew they could not match us technically, which was evident from the start, the first goal, and halfway through the first period but we got away from that in the second half which ultimately led to our defeat," admitted Cougars head coach Mike McCaulou.
South allowed a free header to Stephen Auw, and the Vernon Hills (10-9-4) leading goal scorer made the Gators pay with an exquisite touch off a nicely weighted free kick from teammate Carlos Aguilar.
Auw's 13th of the year in the 9th minute stunned the favorites, whose inability to pry open a sturdy Cougars back line, which kept the Gators all-state candidate Alex Canfield from getting anything of quality at keeper Nick Burrows.
"Our back line was terrific all night long but in the end, we gave away two goals," said McCaulou, who kept fresh legs coming all night up top in order to continue the Cougars' high pressure tactics.
South was gifted a chance to equalize in the 40th minute when the referee awarded a PK when he judged a shoulder Burrows put into Canfield was far too harsh.
While the Vernon Hills staff howled its displeasure with the call, Burrows stepped up to make a brilliant save on Nick Langdons' spot-kick to help his club keep its one-goal advantage at the break.
Canfield would bury a short-ball mistake in the Cougars' own end for his 28th to get the Gators back level in the 46th minute.
"That goal gave us all the energy and momentum we needed, and I knew it would only be a matter of time before we put another one into the back of the net," suggested Jack Wruck, who along with Ricky Cristante, Andrew Edge, Brad Grabowski and Nick Langdon won the air war from the middle of the first half on to slow the Cougars' attack for good.
"(Their) ability to win nearly every ball, and play direct was the big difference in the second half because it forced us to get away from our game of possession and play way too direct," said McCaulou.
Allen could not have been more proud of his goal-scoring hero Caballero, and his teammate Jake Bimbi, who together produced a sensational goal.
"We call the guys who come off the bench as our 'Bench Mob'. (Mariano and Bimbi) are two of them so it was great to see the hard work they've put in all year rewarded," said Allen.
When Bimbi intercepted a ball just in front of the midline, he immediately would unload a 45-yard cracker that rattled the bar and spilled freely just outside the six-yard box where the opportunistic Caballero steered in the game-winner, much to the delight of a huge Gators following.
Vernon Hills would create several deep throws and free kicks in the last minutes only to see all of them taken out of danger by the Gators' back line.
"To see this group of guys lift the first sectional trophy ever makes me very proud of each and every one of them," said Allen.
For Vernon Hills and McCaulou, this loss will sting only for a short time as the Cougars' man in charge has plenty to be thrilled about, despite the loss.
"This was a phenomenal group of young men and players, who have come a long way after a slow start," he said.
"This group has kept a Cougars soccer legacy alive which has included four sectional finals since 2013, a sectional title in 2016, and supersectional loss that same year to the eventual 2A state champs from Latin. It's a great bunch of guys, who should all be proud of what they accomplished this season."