Boys soccer: Franklin's 4 goals put St. Edward in 1A sectional final
Five days after becoming St. Edward's all-time leading scorer for boys soccer, A.J. Franklin added to his legend by scoring 4 goals to put the Green Wave in surprisingly uncharted waters - namely a sectional final.
Wednesday's 5-1 victory over Oregon in the Class 1A Genoa-Kingston sectional broke the pattern of St. Edward's semifinal exits. Saturday's 4:15 p.m. championship pits the Green Wave (18-4) against a Rockford Christian (11-12-1) squad that would love to avenge a late September 3-1 home loss as part of a postseason surge.
Boasting 7 hat tricks during the regular season, Franklin's latest hatter contributed to a 4-1 halftime lead while his fourth goal left a figurative and literal impression on Oregon goalie Jaspreet Gill. Does upping his season goal total to 38 (with 8 assists) and his career count to 68 have extra significance?
"It means a lot considering how big this game was (as a break through)," Franklin said. "Making the sectional final is huge and we're now two wins away from state."
Just 4:23 into the match Franklin scored off Zach Olenek's patented flip throw-in. After an Oregon shot caromed off the left post, the Hawks (13-11) tied the match on a 23-yard rocket by Kaden Humphrey.
However Oregon's hopes took a hit 3 minutes alter when another Olenek flip throw-in became an assist for Will Gaston's 5-yard header.
"After seven years I'd like to think I've mastered it somewhat, but it's always a great feeling whenever it leads to a score," Olenek said. "Being the first sectional win in St. Ed history makes this victory sweeter."
"His flip throws are a great weapon," insisted Franklin, who has 5 goals set up by the sophomore. "It's that much more effective because of his accuracy and the fact we have some good height."
Gaston tallied his 20th goal for the year with 5 courtesy of Olenek, whose team-high 16 assists keep him just ahead of Joshua Johansen (15).
Johansen fed Franklin for an 11-yarder from the right at 24:16 and less than 4 minutes later tapped an indirect free kick so Franklin could laser home a 25-yarder that put Oregon in a 4-1 halftime hole.
"At half I said (Oregon) will give us a punch and if it connects, it'll be a different game," St. Edward coach Tim Brieger warned. "But we kept the pressure up and A.J. was just phenomenal. He was in the zone and putting on a clinic. Josh continued to have great services, and if this was hockey, he's been the third assist all year. Defensively Mike (Lopez) was winning everything in back for us."
The final goal came with 8:17 left via a 19-yard cannon blast to the chest that knocked Oregon's Gill off his feet before bounding inside the left post.
"There was just too much pepper on that shot, but without that kid in goal, we possibly could have had another five goals," Brieger noted. "He made some awesome saves and not just against A.J. Their No. 12 (Humphrey) caught me off guard with his boomer and he's a classy player. I was almost tempted to give No. 6 (Alex Sitze) a hug. He battled A.J. all game and there was no quit in him."