Girls soccer: St. Charles East blanks Wheaton North for regional crown

All goals might count as one, but not all goals are created equal.

St. Charles East sophomore Chantel Carranza scored one that nobody as the Class 3A Addison Trail regional championship game Saturday will soon forget, taking a cross from Julia Peterson and showing her uncanny athletic ability, creativity and talent to fire a bicycle kick and send the ball rocketing past the Wheaton North keeper.

That was the second goal in St. Charles East's 3-0 victory that sends the Saints into next Tuesday's Class 3A Bartlett sectional semifinals.

Carranza said it was the first time she's ever converted a goal like that.

"My dad before the game face-timed me saying 'Come on Chantel, score a bicycle kick,'" Carranza said. "I don't know. I followed through with it. I had the ball right there and thought, 'I'm going to go for it.'"

Saints coach Paul Jennison said he could remember maybe one or two other bicycle kick goals.

"That was one of the nicest I've seen in a regional final," Jennison said. "Good for her. She's quality. She has the ability to do that. If you are confident enough to attempt one, good for you if it works out. Congrats to her."

Wheaton North (9-9-4) came out playing with a majority of its lineup back and crowding the middle, hoping to slow the potent Saints attack. St. Charles East counted by taking the ball wide numerous times.

The Falcons kept the Saints (18-3-1) off the scoreboard until St. Charles East was awarded a free kick from the 25-yard line with 22 minutes left in the first half.

Junior Claire Rasmussen took the kick, and she gave St. Charles East a 1-0 lead with a perfect shot that sailed just over the keeper's hands into the corner. It was her eighth goal this spring.

"I just hit it as hard as I could and it went in," said Rasmussen, who moments earlier had hit a shot off the post. "I think we played great. Even though it's postseason we are still improving."

It took just 80 seconds for the Saints to strike again. After they connected on seven straight passes, Peterson dribbled into the corner and sent a cross that Carranza finished.

"Our conversation at halftime is it's hard to defend against a 30-yard ball in the upper 90 and a bicycle kick," Wheaton North coach Tim McEvilly said. "Those were two great goals. They earned them. It's a high quality squad.

Peterson and Carranza hooked up again early in the second half for the Saints' third goal, the 19th on the year for Carranza.

Wheaton North's best chances to score came in the second half off free kicks. Saints keeper Alison Chesterfield was up to the challenge each time.

"What's amazing to me about their keeper is throughout 90 percent of the season she doesn't get challenged," McEvilly said. "But it's one or two big saves a game. She's fantastic.

"I thought we played really well in the second half. We had a great, great year. The kids stepped up and did everything we asked. We thought we had an opportunity today."

No. 2 seed St. Charles East, which won its third straight regional title, will face No. 3 Geneva in the sectionals at Millennium Field.

The Saints played Geneva twice this year and won both 3-0.

"It's hard to beat a team three times in a row," Rasmussen said. "We're just going to get ready."

"I think sometimes people forget the accomplishment of winning a regional," Jennison said. "It's really a big deal. Very proud of the ladies."