Boys Soccer
CRYSTAL LAKE – Three years ago, when Brian Allen took over the boys soccer program at Crystal Lake South, he drew up a directional blueprint for the program.
Kyle Gust did not set out this season to do anything more spectacular than play hard-nosed soccer.
BELVIDERE – Marian Central’s Alex Grazier was stunned.
BARRINGTON – Entering its game against Larkin on Tuesday, Crystal Lake South’s boys soccer players knew the Royals were young and figured that made them dangerous.
When common opponents are evaluated and styles are dissected, Marian Central boys soccer coach Mike Golda has confidence in the Hurricanes’ chances against DeKalb.
By MAUREEN LYNCH – mlynch@nwherald.com
By ANDREW HANSEN
McHENRY – The McHenry boys soccer team was forced to shift from domination to preservation mode Wednesday against Round Lake in a match that was a microcosm of the Warriors’ season.
By ALEX KANTECKI
MAPLE PARK – Crystal Lake Central consistently generated quality scoring chances, but almost 60 minutes into its game with Wauconda, had nothing to show for it.
BURLINGTON – Two minutes into Tuesday’s IHSA Class 2A Burlington Central Regional semifinal boys soccer match, Johnsburg looked finished.
MARENGO – A lot went right for Marian Central in its 5-0 boys soccer victory against Marengo in an IHSA Class 2A Marengo Regional semifinal Tuesday.
McHENRY – Crystal Lake South’s boys soccer team did all of the little things right for its biggest win of the season Tuesday.
Athlete of the week
LAKE ZURICH – Tuesday night’s IHSA Class 3A Lake Regional semifinal started promisingly for second-seeded Cary-Grove’s boys soccer team, but third-seeded Barrington pulled out a 2-1 victory.
ELGIN – Many state champion soccer teams do not score 12 goals total during the playoffs.
CARBONDALE – Hampshire sophomore Connie Ellett shot an 8-over-par 80 Saturday for a 160 total to earn All-State honors with a 25th-place finish in the IHSA Class AA Girls Golf State Tournament at Hickory Ridge.
Marian Central’s boys soccer team has been waiting a year for Tuesday.
Sometimes, familiarity is a curse.
HARVARD – Early in the first half Tuesday, a Chicagoland Jewish soccer player looked over at Tigers coach Marc Botbol on the sideline and shrugged his shoulders.
Athlete of the week
CRYSTAL LAKE – Crystal Lake South soccer player Carey Bienert got a text message after Tuesday’s 1-0 win against McHenry that coach Brian Allen had to check out.
CRYSTAL LAKE – Prairie Ridge won three out of the four doubles titles on the final day of the Fox Valley Conference girls tennis tournament Monday to win the team championship for the sixth consecutive year.
GRAYSLAKE – McHenry’s girls volleyball team won the Grayslake North Volley for the Cure Invitational by going 5-0 on Saturday.
AURORA– Marian Central’s boys soccer team could have run up the score against division rival Aurora Central Catholic on Thursday, but the Hurricanes chose to play possession soccer instead.
CRYSTAL LAKE – Crystal Lake South’s boys soccer players knew if they didn’t score during the second overtime Thursday, their Fox Valley Conference Valley Division title hopes would be slim at best.
JOHNSBURG – Playing on the road in front of a spirited crowd, the Prairie Ridge boys soccer team had the task of facing a tough Johnsburg team with a chance to clinch at least a share of the Fox Valley Conference Valley Division title Thursday.
Athlete of the week
HUNTLEY – They might not have wanted to put too much emphasis on it, but Crystal Lake South’s boys soccer players knew the four goals they scored against Huntley on Tuesday were meaningful.
CRYSTAL LAKE – There’s nothing like being in a must-win situation to get a team’s attention.
HAMPSHIRE – Coach John Gosling made a simple request to his Hampshire boys soccer team before Monday’s Big Northern Conference East Division showdown with Marengo.
WOODSTOCK – Andrew Hull made five saves in goal to record his ninth shutout this season in Marian Central’s 5-0 win against Vernon Hills in non-conference boys soccer action Monday.
ALGONQUIN – Every time Harvard’s boys soccer team steps on the field, the players try to remember that they have an opportunity to prove themselves.
NILES – Woodstock’s J.D. Fuller and Phil Meyer finished first and second, respectively, Saturday at the 36th annual Pat Savage Cross Country Invitational.
ALGONQUIN– The Cary-Grove boys soccer team isn’t used to playing from behind, but the Trojans showed their comeback ability Thursday.
Athlete of the week
CRYSTAL LAKE – Three late second-half goals by Crystal Lake Central’s boys soccer team squashed Prairie Ridge’s hopes of a perfect division record Tuesday in Fox Valley Conference Fox Division play.
HARVARD – Crystal Lake South’s boys golf team achieved a rare feat in its 156-170 Fox Valley Conference win against Woodstock on Tuesday at Plum Tree National.
MARENGO – With matches against Burlington Central and Cary-Grove looming this week, Hampshire’s girls volleyball team easily could have looked past Marengo on Monday.
HAMPSHIRE – The top two boys soccer teams in the Big Northern Conference East Division battled through strong wind gusts and sideways rain Monday, but neither team was willing to blame the weather.
FOX LAKE – Ian Sanchez ran a time of 15:57 to win Grant’s James “J.T.” Taylor Invitational on Saturday at Camp Henry Horner and lead Richmond-Burton to a second-place finish at the 12-team cross country meet.
CHICAGO – Alden-Hebron’s Sig Finley did exactly as his coach told him.
WHEATON – Marian Central soccer coach Mike Golda saw a different Hurricanes team Thursday than the one that he’s accustomed to seeing.
ALGONQUIN – Defensive backs rarely have the chance to play an integral role on offense; however, Crystal Lake South junior fullback Adam Gatza was a key component in the Gators’ scoring Thursday night against Jacobs.
CRYSTAL LAKE – The Prairie Ridge boys soccer team overcame a 2-1 halftime deficit Tuesday by scoring four second-half goals to defeat Woodstock, 5-3, and remain perfect in the Fox Valley Conference Fox Division.
Athlete of the week
CARY – In terms of teamwork, Cary-Grove’s boys soccer team seems to have made the template.
McHENRY – Prairie Ridge’s boys golf team defeated Johnsburg, 160-161, on Monday at Chapel Hill in a Fox Valley Conference dual meet with an ironic twist.
WEST DUNDEE – Jacobs junior Scott Cahill loved one part of his golf game Saturday at the Dundee-Crown Charger Classic but was frustrated by another.
