Boys soccer: Libertyville survives Fremd in PKs
Zach El Ghatit and Mason Williams were at the heart of a gripping penalty kick shootout with the two seniors from Libertyville providing the final dramatic ending to their boys soccer sectional semifinal.
El Ghatit brilliantly stopped the third spot-kick sent his way by Fremd, while Williams buried his attempt to give the top seed a 3-2 advantage in kicks, and a 2-1 victory.
The Wildcats (19-0-0) would overcome 100 minutes of dramatic and entertaining soccer with No. 5 Fremd (13-6-1) to earn a place in the finals of the Barrington sectional Saturday at 6 p.m.
Libertyville will face Lake Zurich (13-6-3), which defeated Mundelein 1-0 in PKs in Wednesday's second semifinal.
"That was easily our toughest test of the season thus far," admitted relieved Libertyville coach Kevin Thunholm, who watched his club concede the equalizer four minutes from time then fight off a Vikings club with newfound energy in the two 10-minute extra sessions before continuing its dream of reaching the Class 3A state finals 10 days from now.
"We knew Fremd would be a very difficult opponent, but after getting out to a great start, the game evened out, and when it did, we then had to be at our best in order to get the result we wanted," said El Ghatit.
"It was all one-way traffic during the opening quarter hour for the Wildcats, whose pace, speed and strength in the air proved too much for Connor Sapiente and his teammates.
"We really had out trouble with them from the start, but once we gained some confidence, and began to play more physical to match their strength, things turned around, and we made a real game of it," said Sapiente.
Evan Rasmussen bagged his 31st goal of the season when he redirected a long throw from Williams into the far inside netting in the 59th minute.
Jake Schoffstall scored his fourth in two games, and third from a free kick, when he drove his low blast through the 'Cats four-man wall and past El Ghatit.
"That one was on me," admitted El Ghatit, who had little time to react to the Schoffstall 22-yard cracker.
"The last 15-20 minutes of regulation were our best tonight. We possessed, created and played with a lot of energy and grit to get back even and had a chance or two in overtime to put one in. It wasn't to be our night in the end," said Fremd head coach Steve Keller.
Joe Beaupre unloaded a wicked attempt that rattled the near post, then dropped down but not over the end line nearly giving the Vikings a stunning goal in the first minute of the opening overtime period.
Grant Herbek could have done the same for the Wildcats in the 95th minute with his right-footed missile only his was blocked on the way into the back of the net by a Vikings defender.
Once in shootout, both keepers made their mark on this contest El Ghatit with 2 saves of the first two spot-kicks by the Vikings, while his counterpart, Artur Cholewa, turned around third and fourth round efforts to keep his team in the game.
Libertyville would be up 2-1, when sophomore Nick Austin brought the Vikings back even at 2-2 setting up Williams, who with all the pressure on him clinically finished to start a wild celebration by the Wildcats' faithful.
"Fremd was a great opponent, and it wasn't easy, but we advanced to the game we want to be in," said Thunholm.
"We did not get the result we came for, but at this moment, I cannot tell you how proud I am of this team and how hard they went out and gave everything they had for 100 minutes, plus kicks. It was an amazing effort by all of them," said Keller.