Boys lacrosse: Halloran's 6 goals spark Fremd to MSL championship
Spectators at Friday night's inaugural Mid-Suburban League boys lacrosse championship game at Fremd were treated to a pair of lights-out performances.
"One was annoying," Fremd senior goalie Gabe Seidman said, alluding to a bank of lights going dark with 2:43 remaining in the fourth quarter.
The other?
Astonishing. Fremd senior attackman Aidan Halloran scored 6 goals - including all 4 of the Vikings' first-half tallies - in a 9-3 defeat of Prospect in Palatine. Shifty and quick and relentless and pivot-happy, Halloran was almost as thrilling while cradling the ball as he was while unleashing it.
"He's got confidence and a great work ethic," Fremd coach Nick Mamula said of one of the six Vikings named to the all-MSL team. "You should see the contraption Aidan put up in front of his house to work on his game. There's this huge net between two trees. Saw him out there earlier today, getting ready for tonight."
Fremd sophomore middie Jack Wienke scored twice, and senior attack Grant Gruchot's goal upped Fremd's lead to 6-1 at 1:22 of the third quarter. Gruchot fed the assist on Wienke's first goal earlier in the frame.
"This all started last June, with our players' commitment to the sport and to each other," Mamula said after his club improved to 15-3 with its third defeat of Prospect this spring. "They bought in, all of them did. They were hitting the walls and the weight room right after our season had ended. This win," he added, "means the world to our program."
Mamula, a Downers Grove South graduate, lauded senior defenseman Cody Seaver's sturdy effort and received strong games from faceoff men Peter Vlahakis and Eric Song.
Junior middie Sebastian Wildhart scored all 3 of the Knights' goals. His first tied it at 1 at the 3:49 mark of the first quarter.
"His lacrosse IQ is up there, way up there, and so are his instincts," Prospect coach Joe Battaglia said after his Knights slipped to 10-9. "One of the hardest workers I've ever seen. He's working before and after games."
Fremd's Seidman (9 saves) had to leave the game briefly after incurring an injury in the second half. His counterpart, Prospect senior and all-MSL selectee Carter Jedras (6 saves), suffered what appeared to be a significant knee injury at 6:02 of the final quarter.
He did not return to action.
Halloran capped the night's scoring with 7 ticks left, after the teams had agreed to play on a partially lit field for the final 2:43.
"We executed the game plan our team had formulated," said Halloran, who is thinking about playing club lacrosse in college. "The plan was a solid one."