One goal all Naperville Central needs

Naperville Central doesn’t have anyone assigned to take free kicks on an opponent’s goal. At least it didn’t.

“It’s open audition,” coach Ed Watson said after Katherine Short’s free kick gave the Redhawks a 1-0 regional final victory Saturday at home against Plainfield North. “I think she’s probably going to get the next kick when we do it again.”

In a game in which both defenses shined, Short’s goal was the difference. She was fouled about 28 yards from goal in the 66th minute and decided she had earned the kick.

“Kristin Adams was going to take it, but I felt like I was able to hit the shot, and it turned out I was able to hit it,” the junior midfielder said of her 10th goal of the season.

“I saw the wall and I felt like I was able to get around it. I knew that the goalie was in the other corner because the wall was there, but I ended up getting it around the wall and it went in.”

“She has not taken very many,” Watson said. “She probably hits our best ball, and the fact that she went there to take it, I was already feeling good about the fact that she believes she can make it. It’s a great shot.”

From there it was up to the Redhawks’ defense. The lead was in sure hands.

“Our defense played phenomenal,” Short said.

“We knew it wasn’t going to be a high-scoring game,” Plainfield North coach Jane Crowe said. “Both teams had chances to score multiple goals, but a tough game like this you knew it was going to be close and it was going to come down to one free kick.”

It was a too-early exit for Plainfield North (17-3-2), the No. 6 seed in the state’s toughest Class 3A sectional.

“It’s tough that these two teams have to meet this early,” Crowe said. “There are regional championships out there that aren’t nearly at this level. But somebody’s going to have to lose, and unfortunately it was us today.”

“It’s unfortunate that a team of that caliber has to be beaten at the regional final level,” Watson agreed. “I guarantee you that when we look at the remaining teams in 3A at the end of today, there’s going to be a number of them that would not be able to beat this team. I’m very pleased for our girls because this is a very good team they got past.”

The Redhawks (14-6-3) advance to the Tuesday’s sectional semifinals at Waubonsie Valley against a familiar foe, second-seeded Naperville North. They will meet at 4:30 p.m., followed by top-seeded Neuqua Valley and No. 4 Waubonsie Valley.