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Boys soccer: Crystal Lake South stops Fenton short of state

Something had to give during Tuesday's Class 2A Burlington Central boys soccer supersectional between Fenton and Crystal Lake South.

Both teams entered in the midst of 12-game unbeaten streaks, but the Bison saw their best season in school history come to the end with a 5-0 loss.

Crystal Lake South (20-2-3) advances to the state semifinals on Friday. Fenton (14-8-1) finishes a win short of its first berth to state.

"I'm so proud of my kids," Fenton coach Victor Ruiz said. "Nobody expected us to get up this high, and everything was fun. If it were better circumstances, weather-wise, I think it's a totally different ballgame."

The natural grass surface combined with a steady rain, a downpour at times, certainly made it difficult to play. But that didn't seem to slow Crystal Lake South and especially star offensive player Alex Canfield.

Canfield, a junior and all-state selection, scored the only goal the Gators needed in the 12th minute.

"The ball basically came to my feet and I noticed that the defense wasn't on my back so I spun around, looked up and took a big touch past him," Canfield said. "I knew if I took another touch that the goalie would've swept it up, so I took it early from the top of the box."

A questionable call in the 24th minute awarded the Gators with a penalty kick, which Tyler Getzinger buried to make the score 2-0.

"We had a great run, but if a game is going to be decided on the field it's got to be by the players, not by an official," Ruiz said. "That was a terrible call and that changed the momentum of the game."

Canfield's 30th goal of the season, off a long ball from Nick Langdon, came with 1:51 before halftime, and any hopes the Bison had of regrouping and rallying in the second half seemed to fade.

"Once we scored that first goal we knew we were going to win," Canfield said. "That put us in a great mindset at the start and we have a statistic where so far this season when we score the first goal, we win."

In the 47th minute Canfield completed his hat trick, getting past a defender and then skipping a shot past goalkeeper Carlos Popoca.

The Gators didn't have a ton of scoring chances, but they were opportunistic with the ones they had while limiting Fenton's chances.

"We beat ourselves more than anything else," Ruiz said. "I think we had the potential to even beat them, but we made too many mistakes and have to go from there. But the kids made history. They never made it this far and we just need to build from here. I'm so proud of them."

Ryan Coughlin finished the scoring for the Gators midway through the second half.

  Crystal Lake South's Ryan Coughlin gets in position for a rebound as Fenton goalkeeper Carlos Popoca slides to stop the ball and Ismael Ibarez jumps over him in the first half in the Class 2A Burlington Central boys soccer super sectional game Tuesday. John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com
  Crystal Lake South's Tommy Mcsweeney slides up to teammate Alex Canfield after Canfields's his first goal in the first half against Fenton in the Class 2A Burlington Central boys soccer super sectional game Tuesday. John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com
  Crystal Lake South's Alex Canfield shoots his second goal of the first half as Fenton's Konrad Madej gives chase in the Class 2A Burlington Central boys soccer super sectional game Tuesday. John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com
  Rain splashes off Crystal Lake South's Alex Canfield as he heads the ball in front of Fenton goalkeeper Carlos Popoca in the Class 2A Burlington Central boys soccer super sectional game Tuesday. John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com
  Crystal Lake South team captain Nick Langdon leads the Gators off the field with the championship plaque after defeating Fenton 5-0 in the Class 2A Burlington Central boys soccer super sectional game Tuesday. John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com
  Crystal Lake South team captain Nick Langdon leads the sliding Gators off the field with the championship plaque after shutting out Fenton 5-0 in the Class 2A Burlington Central boys soccer super sectional game Tuesday. John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com
  The Crystal Lake South Gators celebrate their 5-0 win against Fenton in the pouring rain in the Class 2A Burlington Central boys soccer super sectional game Tuesday. John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com
  Crystal Lake South's Ryan Coughlin takes a shot against Fenton in the Class 2A Burlington Central boys soccer super sectional game Tuesday. John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com
  Crystal Lake South's Sabien Raymond collides with Fenton goalkeeper Carlos Popoca in the Class 2A Burlington Central boys soccer super sectional game Tuesday. John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com
  The Crystal Lake South Gators celebrate their win against Fenton in the Class 2A Burlington Central boys soccer super sectional game Tuesday. John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com
  Crystal Lake South's Michal Dejworek kisses the championship plaque after the Gators defeated Fenton in the Class 2A Burlington Central boys soccer super sectional game Tuesday. John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com
  The Crystal Lake South Gators celebrates with fans after defeating Fenton in the Class 2A Burlington Central boys soccer super sectional game Tuesday. John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com
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