Boys soccer: Wittenbrink's trick helps Libertyville past Palatine

Scoring goals in bunches is pretty good postseason sign for Libertyville's boys soccer team.

Even so, the Wildcats needed more than expected to get past Palatine.

Ryan Wittenbrink netted a hat trick and also had an assist in leading fourth-seeded Libertyville over No. 12 Palatine 5-3 in the Class 3A Warren regional final on Saturday afternoon in Gurnee.

The defending state champion Wildcats (14-3) will next meet up with top-seeded Hersey (14-1-3) in the Buffalo Grove sectional semifinal at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday.

On Saturday, Libertyville scored three times in the first 17 minutes and then had to hold off Palatine the rest of the way.

"We had a great start but were making mental mistakes in the back," Libertyville coach Andy Bitta said. "We're not marking, we're not staying with our marks, we're lacksidasical - we're not into the game as much as we are at the beginning of the games. Sooner or later it's going to cost us. We've got to clean that up for the sectionals. You can't do that and give up too many easy goals.

"Getting the quick start put a lot of pressure on the other team. But you still have to play some defense. The game wasn't over even with 30 minutes left in the second half. (Palatine) had some nice opportunities. Moving on is great - but now we get the number one seed."

Libertyville put together some nice combination plays in the final third of the field for their early goals. Wittenbrink opened the scoring with a soft touch goal in front; the sequence was started by Austin Becker's corner kick, which went to Evan Rasmussen for a flick touch that found Wittenbrink in the seventh minute.

Rasmussen set up the second Wildcats goal four minutes later on a low cross, as Becker found the back of the net for a 2-0 lead.

Wittenbrink set up the third goal in the 17th minute with a corner kick on which Grant Herbek used his finishing touch for a 3-0 advantage.

Palatine (11-7-1) got a goal back off the leg of George Soipan, set up by an end-line pass from Javier Garcia to the Libertyville lead to 3-1 in the 20th minute.

Libertyville got back to a 3-goal advantage in the 35th minute when Wittenbrink was taken down in the penalty area and awarded a penalty kick. He stepped up and converted it easily.

The Pirates responded a minute later. Sebastian Fraczek sent a free kick that went off the head of Garcia into the goal to make it 4-2 going into the break.

Wittenbrink added another in the second half - his 19th of the season - to make it 5-2. This time it came on a breakaway as Wittenbrink was led by a flick from Rasmussen in the 51st minute.

Palatine got within 2 goals again in the 72nd minute, when Jonathan Inez-Rodriguez lofted a long-range kick under the crossbar.

"It was something unexpected that we started out real slow," Inez-Rodriguez said. "I think these types of games are decided in the first 20 minutes. Libertyville is a great team. We can't deny that. (Wittenbrink) up top is something, and we weren't able to stop him."

The Pirates' problems were in the back part of their defense early on.

"We pride ourselves in playing pretty well defensively," Palatine coach Willie Filian said. "This game, our marking and set pieces weren't adequate or anywhere near adequate against a dangerous team like Libertyville. They have big, athletic guys that can finish and you have to mark tight. That's where I think the game is won or lost. Just winning balls in the air from the beginning of the year has been a sore spot for us. At the end of the season we were doing things better and starting to show it.

"Libertyville is still the defending champs until somebody says something different."

All things considered, Palatine still had a strong season, with one highlight being its convincing 6-2 victory over regional host Warren in the semifinals.

"We had our ups and downs," Filian said. "When we were our most dangerous and most solid was toward the end of the season. If you would have told me that if we scored 3 goals in this game and still end up on the short end, I wouldn't have believed it. But we gave up five. The guys got better with each game and we put the best product on the field at the end of the season."