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Naperville Central takes silver after golden goal

One of the most exciting things in soccer is the golden goal in overtime.

It's also one of the most devastating.

It was jubilation for Morton and heartbreak for Naperville Central as Morton senior Joel Salmeron scored just 1:06 into overtime to lift the Mustangs to a 1-0 victory over the Redhawks for the Class 3A boys soccer title.

“When you have two very good teams out on the field, both are going to receive chances,” Naperville Central coach Troy Adams said. “Unfortunately, in a game like this someone has to finish on that last chance.”

It was a chance Salmeron wasn't sure he'd have this season. He got off to a slow start this fall due to a sprained MCL, but he showed no signs of it Saturday.

“Their forwards were unbelievable,” Naperville Central senior defender Mike Plant said. “(Salmeron) was a great player, and I knew he was going to be dangerous.”

After gaining possession, Salmeron sent a pass to Alonso Torres, who returned the favor once Salmeron found an opening.

“When that ball went across he just took his first touch and you knew he wasn't going to miss because he's a senior,” Morton coach Mike Caruso said. “It couldn't go to a more fitting player. He's a senior, he's our best player and he came back from an injury that could've been his season when he went down.”

Naperville Central (19-5) had its share of chances, outshooting the Mustangs 14-13, but neither team could could find the net in 80 minutes of regulation play.

“We had some opportunities, but we just couldn't seem to put them away,” Adams said. “When you get opportunities and don't finish, they come back to bite you in the butt.”

While falling just short of a state title is going to sting the Redhawks for awhile, it does nothing to diminish their fantastic run through the state playoffs. The Redhawks beat a handful of great teams during their run to the state championship game, including Batavia, Fremd, Naperville North and Quincy.

“At the end of the game, I told the boys there's not an ounce of me that regrets how you played,” Adams said. “Not an ounce that's not as proud as can be, not just because you played hard, but how you played.”

After losing three of four to close the regular season, the Redhawks regrouped and started anew for the postseason. It worked wonders.

“Props to our coach because at the end of the regular season he pretty much said it was a new season,” Plant said. “He worked us. We did all our running requirements and treated it like a new season, going one game at a time, and I think it helped a lot.”

Plant is one of 11 seniors who will graduate next spring. While he'll undoubtedly be missed, so will the others, including players like Blake Beehler, Greg Burdett, Kevin Linne, Dylan Pauga and John Stumpf among others.

“We had 22 guys and every one of them contributed to get this team to where it got,” Adams said. “I kept telling them all year they hadn't accomplished anything yet. That was kind of our saying because I couldn't let them know what they accomplished, but they've accomplished a ton.”

Images: 3A state soccer finals

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