Boys soccer: Gorniak's goal lifts St. Charles North past Glenbard North
It will likely go down as one of the most pleasurable yellow cards David Gorniak has ever received.
Gorniak drew a yellow card for excessive celebration moments after delivering what turned out to be the game-winning goal with 10:50 remaining in regulation during St. Charles North's 2-1 Class 3A boys soccer regional title victory over Glenbard North (11-6-2) Saturday afternoon in Carol Stream.
The senior midfielder steadied a corner kick pass from Jonathan Acevedo and sent a 20-yard blast that caromed off the inside of the right post and into the net to snap a 1-1 deadlock.
Moments after the goal, Gorniak ran to the far corner of the field and attempted a cartwheel before completing a well-executed back flip, drawing the yellow card from the referee.
"It's excessive celebration but hey, it's the regional final game," said Gorniak.
North Stars coach Eric Willson certainly didn't mind the jubilation displayed by one of his team members.
"I've always been someone who believes that kids are going to get excited," said Willson, whose team now advances to Tuesday's Glenbard East sectional semifinals against fifth-seeded Conant.
"He just scored a massive goal for his team so as far as I'm concerned, he's just celebrating. He's pumped that he got it done. I'm not too disappointed he got the card for that."
The top-seeded North Stars captured their first regional championship since 2011.
"We've been chasing it for a while now so obviously it's a really good feeling to finally get some hardware," Willson said of his Upstate Eight Conference River Division championship team. "I think these boys deserved it. I think they've had the kind of season that is worthy of a regional title."
The North Stars grabbed a 1-0 lead on Ryan Olson's goal in the 18th minute.
"The first half went according to plan," said Willson. "We were generating some good opportunities."
The seventh-seeded Panthers had other plans in the second half.
Senior midfielder Danny Koeller helped change the momentum when his 28-yard free kick found the back of the net, tying the score at 1-1 just 5 minutes into the second half.
"Fantastic finish by number 8 (Koeller)," said Willson, "and all of a sudden, it's a ballgame."
The goal served as an emotional lift for the underdog Panthers.
"I think we did about everything we came out to do today," said Glenbard North coach Gregg Koeller. "We kept it close at the half, we got the equalizer and then for 20 minutes we had the run of play. We had them on their heels."
Until Gorniak came through in the clutch on the set piece.
"We practice that all the time," said Gorniak. "I was screaming at our players, telling them to go to the back post and try to divert their (Glenbard North defenders) attention. It got played through (Ryan) Olson's legs and I just banged it home."
"That's why they're the number one seed," Koeller said of the North Stars. "They did what they needed to do."