Fremd's other brother act
turns away Highland Park
Lefevre siblings' big plays put Vikings 1 step from Final Four
By Mike Garofola
PALATINE -- Fremd's James and Will Lefevre saved their best on Friday - putting a dagger in the hearts of No. 12 Highland Park at both ends of Chic Anderson Stadium to help secure a hard-fought 2-1 victory and brought the No. 3 seed one step away from Class 3A last four.
Next up for the Vikings will be the winner of the Niles North Sectional final between Central Suburban League rivals New Trier and Evanston.
"I guess it's pretty cool scoring the game-winner," admitted the soft-spoken James Lefevre, who long after a frozen crowd in Palatine had departed, and Fremd had lifted the Palatine sectional trophy, walked slowly across the pitch alongside his older brother Will, and manager Steve Keller, who just braved 80 minutes of gale-force winds, below freezing temperatures, and a Highland Park club which brought everything it had in the last quarter hour in an attempt to equalize.
"Everything kind of happened really fast before my goal - all I remember is (Ben) Poder getting the ball and putting it across to me - and (then) me thinking about just running up on the ball and smashing it," said the sophomore, whom Keller brought on just minutes before his heroics.
Lefevre hit an eye-popping 30-yard low drive into a monstrous wind - which perhaps wrong-footed all-state keeper Carlos Pineda, who was far off his line - and unable to get a glove on the 68th minute shot - which dipped at the end of its trail and into the back of the net.
"It's not a goal that I would expect at that time," admitted Keller. "But it sure was something we needed (then) because Highland Park was playing with a lot of confidence, and we were not playing our best defense of the playoffs, so I feel like we were very fortunate to get the advantage, and out of here with a win."
The Vikings will make their first supersectional appearance since 2011. That trip yielded a third-place state trophy.
"It was unbelievable out there tonight, I had never seen anything like it," gushed Zach Schoffstall, who with younger brother Luke makes up Fremd's other brother act that helped send off the Giants.
"We had the wind in the first half, and we wanted to get at least two goals, better if it were three, but we had to settle for a one-goal advantage, then turn our attention to defending and managing the lead when the wind was in their favor."
Zach Schoffstall was part of a contingent that hounded and hammered the Giants during the first period. The senior, from his spot just behind Poder, distributed, won balls, attacked, and delivered several well-aimed corner and free kicks to keep the Vikings highly technical opponent from playing its usual quick touch, possession game.
"Highland Park was a very good team, and you really saw how good they were in the second half leading up to their goal, and after that when they kept the ball, and put a bunch of good chances up," said the senior, who with mates Tomas Peleckas and Ben Borst were the captains' armband for Keller.
The senior connected with his younger brother Luke for the Vikings lone strike of the first half when the Highland Park allowed a long throw from the near flag fall on top of Luke's foot. That allowed the unmarked sophomore striker to slot his shot just inside the post and past Pineda, who was fighting through a crowd of players from both clubs.
For Luke Schoffstall, it was his second important goal of the postseason -- the first was the game-winner versus Wheeling in the Mid-Suburban League Cup.
Later in the first half, Highland Park's Pineda elevated to push a bending corner around the back post and save a potential goal from Zach Schoffstall minutes after the opener at 28 minutes. Then Luke Schoffstall pulled Pineda off his line only to have midfielder Ian Valadez clear away his seemingly sure goal.
"We should have put another one in for sure, and it nearly came back to haunt us," Keller appropriately said on Halloween night.
The Vikings had a couple of chances to atone for their first half scoring woes when they opened brightly after the break. Jacob Cuthbert put Ronan Menon through on the right side and appeared to draw a foul in the box, but it was waved off.
Luke Schoffstall was dangerous in the 52nd minute, but that would be it until James Lefevre's difference-maker 12 minutes from time.
Highland Park coach Blake Novotny's charges started with intent just after Menon got through, forcing several corners, plenty of pressure, and some nervous moments before and after the Giants drew level.
"We were thrilled to come out of the first half at 1-0. At that point, I really felt we could come away with a 2-1, 3-1 win with the wind at our back, and how much confidence we were feeling when we came today at the break," he said.
Senior Zach Kohn was a catalyst for the Giants counterattack. The talented midfielder brought his club, and Highland Park faithful alive with three long-range strikes, with plenty of pace, and each on frame. Fremd keeper Will Lefevre held onto each wicked strike as if he had Super Glue on his gloves.
The senior could do nothing when Eamonn Moore slipped through the Vikings at the back post to tuck in a Tony Barrios corner at 57 minutes.
"Our defense let us down (then) which is something we haven't really done in the playoffs," offered Keller, who had watched his club record seven-consecutive clean sheets.
Keller's displeasure turned to cheers when James Lefevre drove in his game-winner. That set up a heart-stopping final 15 minutes in which Will Lefevre earned his brother's company for Man-of-the-Match honors.
At the exact same time as he did Tuesday against Libertyville, Will Lefevre came forward with a brilliant goal-saving, game-saving stop -- this one on Omar Rodriguez who exchanged passes with Barrios to help set him free.
The 76th-minute save dashed the dreams of the Highland Park, just as Lefevre's effort did against Libertyville when he stopped Kevin Reilly in the sectional semifinal.
Higland Park Novotny tipped his cap to Fremd.
"I could feel another coming, but instead, it came from their No. 16 (James Lefevre) when he hit that incredible shot into the wind, and later, when their keeper made a big save at a key time in the match," he said.
"We had a great run, and I thought we could keep it going for another day, but it didn't, and it stinks. But that's the way it goes in the sport, and we've all seen it a million times."
"Just amazing," said a relieved and exhausted Zach Schoffstall.
"We put three or four good chances into their box, and their keeper did a great job stopping them, Will did the same for us, and then we just defended like crazy until James scores an unbelievable goal - and we're alive to play another day."
Starting lineups
Highland Park
Carlos Pineda (GK)
Ambrosio Toledo (D)
Omar Rodriguez (D)
Marco Juarez (D)
Juan Marban (D)
Zach Kohn (MF)
Ian Valadez (MF)
Aidan Subra (MF)
Eamonn Moore (MF)
Tommy Quirk (F)
Tony Barrios (F)
Fremd
Will Lefevre (GK)
Danny Burton (D)
Ben Borst (D)
Tomas Peleckas (D)
Luke Kosacz (MF)
Kurt Rettke (MF)
Rohan Menon (MF)
Zach Schoffstall (MF)
Jacob Cuthbert (MF)
Ben Poder (F)
Luke Schoffstall (F)
Men of the Match: James Lefevre and Will Lefevre, Fremd
Officials: John Anderson (center); Chris Blenshad; Jay Weiss.
turns away Highland Park
Lefevre siblings' big plays put Vikings 1 step from Final Four
By Mike Garofola
PALATINE -- Fremd's James and Will Lefevre saved their best on Friday - putting a dagger in the hearts of No. 12 Highland Park at both ends of Chic Anderson Stadium to help secure a hard-fought 2-1 victory and brought the No. 3 seed one step away from Class 3A last four.
Next up for the Vikings will be the winner of the Niles North Sectional final between Central Suburban League rivals New Trier and Evanston.
"I guess it's pretty cool scoring the game-winner," admitted the soft-spoken James Lefevre, who long after a frozen crowd in Palatine had departed, and Fremd had lifted the Palatine sectional trophy, walked slowly across the pitch alongside his older brother Will, and manager Steve Keller, who just braved 80 minutes of gale-force winds, below freezing temperatures, and a Highland Park club which brought everything it had in the last quarter hour in an attempt to equalize.
"Everything kind of happened really fast before my goal - all I remember is (Ben) Poder getting the ball and putting it across to me - and (then) me thinking about just running up on the ball and smashing it," said the sophomore, whom Keller brought on just minutes before his heroics.
Lefevre hit an eye-popping 30-yard low drive into a monstrous wind - which perhaps wrong-footed all-state keeper Carlos Pineda, who was far off his line - and unable to get a glove on the 68th minute shot - which dipped at the end of its trail and into the back of the net.
"It's not a goal that I would expect at that time," admitted Keller. "But it sure was something we needed (then) because Highland Park was playing with a lot of confidence, and we were not playing our best defense of the playoffs, so I feel like we were very fortunate to get the advantage, and out of here with a win."
The Vikings will make their first supersectional appearance since 2011. That trip yielded a third-place state trophy.
"It was unbelievable out there tonight, I had never seen anything like it," gushed Zach Schoffstall, who with younger brother Luke makes up Fremd's other brother act that helped send off the Giants.
"We had the wind in the first half, and we wanted to get at least two goals, better if it were three, but we had to settle for a one-goal advantage, then turn our attention to defending and managing the lead when the wind was in their favor."
Zach Schoffstall was part of a contingent that hounded and hammered the Giants during the first period. The senior, from his spot just behind Poder, distributed, won balls, attacked, and delivered several well-aimed corner and free kicks to keep the Vikings highly technical opponent from playing its usual quick touch, possession game.
"Highland Park was a very good team, and you really saw how good they were in the second half leading up to their goal, and after that when they kept the ball, and put a bunch of good chances up," said the senior, who with mates Tomas Peleckas and Ben Borst were the captains' armband for Keller.
The senior connected with his younger brother Luke for the Vikings lone strike of the first half when the Highland Park allowed a long throw from the near flag fall on top of Luke's foot. That allowed the unmarked sophomore striker to slot his shot just inside the post and past Pineda, who was fighting through a crowd of players from both clubs.
For Luke Schoffstall, it was his second important goal of the postseason -- the first was the game-winner versus Wheeling in the Mid-Suburban League Cup.
Later in the first half, Highland Park's Pineda elevated to push a bending corner around the back post and save a potential goal from Zach Schoffstall minutes after the opener at 28 minutes. Then Luke Schoffstall pulled Pineda off his line only to have midfielder Ian Valadez clear away his seemingly sure goal.
"We should have put another one in for sure, and it nearly came back to haunt us," Keller appropriately said on Halloween night.
The Vikings had a couple of chances to atone for their first half scoring woes when they opened brightly after the break. Jacob Cuthbert put Ronan Menon through on the right side and appeared to draw a foul in the box, but it was waved off.
Luke Schoffstall was dangerous in the 52nd minute, but that would be it until James Lefevre's difference-maker 12 minutes from time.
Highland Park coach Blake Novotny's charges started with intent just after Menon got through, forcing several corners, plenty of pressure, and some nervous moments before and after the Giants drew level.
"We were thrilled to come out of the first half at 1-0. At that point, I really felt we could come away with a 2-1, 3-1 win with the wind at our back, and how much confidence we were feeling when we came today at the break," he said.
Senior Zach Kohn was a catalyst for the Giants counterattack. The talented midfielder brought his club, and Highland Park faithful alive with three long-range strikes, with plenty of pace, and each on frame. Fremd keeper Will Lefevre held onto each wicked strike as if he had Super Glue on his gloves.
The senior could do nothing when Eamonn Moore slipped through the Vikings at the back post to tuck in a Tony Barrios corner at 57 minutes.
"Our defense let us down (then) which is something we haven't really done in the playoffs," offered Keller, who had watched his club record seven-consecutive clean sheets.
Keller's displeasure turned to cheers when James Lefevre drove in his game-winner. That set up a heart-stopping final 15 minutes in which Will Lefevre earned his brother's company for Man-of-the-Match honors.
At the exact same time as he did Tuesday against Libertyville, Will Lefevre came forward with a brilliant goal-saving, game-saving stop -- this one on Omar Rodriguez who exchanged passes with Barrios to help set him free.
The 76th-minute save dashed the dreams of the Highland Park, just as Lefevre's effort did against Libertyville when he stopped Kevin Reilly in the sectional semifinal.
Higland Park Novotny tipped his cap to Fremd.
"I could feel another coming, but instead, it came from their No. 16 (James Lefevre) when he hit that incredible shot into the wind, and later, when their keeper made a big save at a key time in the match," he said.
"We had a great run, and I thought we could keep it going for another day, but it didn't, and it stinks. But that's the way it goes in the sport, and we've all seen it a million times."
"Just amazing," said a relieved and exhausted Zach Schoffstall.
"We put three or four good chances into their box, and their keeper did a great job stopping them, Will did the same for us, and then we just defended like crazy until James scores an unbelievable goal - and we're alive to play another day."
Starting lineups
Highland Park
Carlos Pineda (GK)
Ambrosio Toledo (D)
Omar Rodriguez (D)
Marco Juarez (D)
Juan Marban (D)
Zach Kohn (MF)
Ian Valadez (MF)
Aidan Subra (MF)
Eamonn Moore (MF)
Tommy Quirk (F)
Tony Barrios (F)
Fremd
Will Lefevre (GK)
Danny Burton (D)
Ben Borst (D)
Tomas Peleckas (D)
Luke Kosacz (MF)
Kurt Rettke (MF)
Rohan Menon (MF)
Zach Schoffstall (MF)
Jacob Cuthbert (MF)
Ben Poder (F)
Luke Schoffstall (F)
Men of the Match: James Lefevre and Will Lefevre, Fremd
Officials: John Anderson (center); Chris Blenshad; Jay Weiss.