Boys Soccer

Wheaton Academy writes a new script for state semifinal vs. Timothy Christian

Posted October 29, 2021 1:00 am

By Jim Haas Special to the Daily Herald

Wheaton Academy's Robert Platt, (7) knocks the ball down between two Timothy Christian defenders in the Class 1A State soccer semifinal game on Friday Oct. 29 at Eastside Center in Peoria.

EAST PEORIA - Six weeks ago, Timothy Christian edged Wheaton Academy on penalty kicks in a Metro Suburban Conference game that kick-started an 11-0-2 finish to a splendid soccer season.

On Friday night there was a plot twist to the sequel.

Wheaton Academy got a hat trick from season leading scorer Robert Platt and second-half tallies from Caleb Mariotti, Giovanni Nicoski and Jakob Karlson to stun Timothy Christian 6-1 in a Class 1A semifinal at blustery, rain-soaked Eastside Centre.

"I was really proud of our team, proud of our effort," said Wheaton Academy coach Cody Snouffer, whose club has gone 13-1 since that loss to its league rival Sept. 16. "Our goal has been we want to win seven games at the end of the season, and this is No. 6."

Wheaton Academy (18-4-1), which won a Class 2A crown in 2014, advanced to Saturday's 5 p.m. championship match against Belleville Althoff (24-3-3).

Two-time former Class 1A champion Timothy Christian (18-3-3) will square off in the 3 p.m. third-place game against Bloomington Central Catholic (24-4-1).

Wheaton Academy struck quickly when Platt knifed through the Timothy Christian defense for an unassisted goal just 12:50 into the contest. Then less than three minutes into the second half, the senior forward took a perfect centering pass from Nicoski and buried it in the back of the net to give the Warriors a 2-0 lead.

"Just a huge confidence booster," said Pratt, who increased his goal count to 20 by the end of the evening. "I can't say enough about these guys. It was just a total team effort."

"When we were down 1-0, our goal was to keep it close and get that equalizer," Timothy Christian coach Joel Zielke said. "Then you get down two, you have to play differently and gamble a little bit more. ... then things just got away from us."

Mariotti's unassisted tally at 54:58 made it 3-0 and the rout was on. Nicoski, Karlson and Platt then scored in a late five-minute flurry with Platt, Mariotti and Karlson picking up assists.

The Trojans avoided the shutout when Cameron Baker connected at 77:46.

"That (first meeting) seems like a lifetime ago," Zielke said. "Give (the Warriors) credit. They've really got it going now."

"I'm really proud of our conference sending to two teams to the Final Four," Snouffer added. "I think it just speaks volumes about these programs."

Between them, Wheaton Academy and Timothy Christian have combined nine for Final Four and 13 overall state tournament appearances in boys soccer.

Timothy Christian's Jake Firnsin, (3) and Wheaton Academy's Caleb Mariotti, (18) battle for a header in the Class 1A State soccer semifinal game on Friday Oct. 29 at Eastside Center in Peoria.

Wheaton Academy's Evan Eckert, (6) kicks the ball away from Timothy Christian's Cameron Baker, (11) in the Class 1A State soccer semifinal game on Friday Oct. 29 at Eastside Center in Peoria.

Members of the Wheaton Academy soccer team celebrate after scoring a goal against Timothy Christian in the Class 1A State soccer semifinal game on Friday Oct. 29 at Eastside Center in Peoria.

Wheaton Academy's Haetham Nasr, (10) and Timothy Christian's Carter Day, (5) fight for the ball in the Class 1A State soccer semifinal game on Friday Oct. 29 at Eastside Center in Peoria.

Timothy Christian's Eathan Lumkuil, (10) leaps in the air for a header over Wheaton Academy in the Class 1A State soccer semifinal game on Friday Oct. 29 at Eastside Center in Peoria.

Wheaton Academy's goalkeeper Declan Finnegan, throws the ball up the field as his teammate Kiedan Massie, (3) jogs up the field in the Class 1A State soccer semifinal game on Friday Oct. 29 at Eastside Center in Peoria.

Members of the Wheaton Academy soccer team smile as they walk off the field after defeating Timothy Christian in the Class 1A State soccer semifinal game on Friday Oct. 29 at Eastside Center in Peoria.

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