Hinsdale Central advances over
Fremd as Semba, Usher sparkle
Red Devils save the best for second half in 2-1 victory
By Mike Garofola
HOFFMAN ESTATES -- Jake Semba lit the fireworks before teammate Mikey Usher sent them into the sky as the Hinsdale Central (18-4-4) duo provided the inspiration in a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Fremd on Friday night to book the Red Devils' first appearance in a state championship final since 1975, when Richard Ohl's club lifted the trophy.
Next up for Mike Wiggins' team is top-ranked Normal Community, which recorded an easy 4-0 victory over Streamwood long before Hinsdale Central ended the night with its memorable triumph.
"Fremd was everything we expected and more, but it turned out to be a game of two halves, with us having a little better of the second half, when this game was ultimately decided," said the Red Devils coach. Wiggins looked all in during the interview session following this late-night thriller, which ended far too late for both clubs.
"We've had out moments during the past two weeks of the postseason, coming out ahead of three very strong opponents to get here. But sometimes your luck runs out, and for us, tonight was it," said Vikings coach Steve Keller, a longtime friend of Wiggins. Keller clearly will be on the side of the Red Devils when they take on the nationally ranked Ironmen at 7 p.m. Saturday at Hoffman Estates High School.
This was a matchup of two equal sides, both defensively sturdy and smart; each led by all-state back line stars, Evan Floersch of Hinsdale Central and Tomas Peleckas of Fremd; battle-tested midfields, who were unmatched in their work rate and energy; and strike-force units that, although lacking pure finishers, still had plenty of pace and the talent to to be dangerous and creative with and without the ball.
With a gale-like wind at their backs in the first period, the Vikings (19-6-1) struck first, albeit with a penalty kick. Will McGowen was judged unfairly of taking down the Vikings leading goal scorer, Ben Poder. The hard foul was much too tame to send senior Zach Shoffstall to the spot in the 26th minute.
"It was a little bit too harsh of a call in my opinion," Keller said.
Nonetheless, Schoffstall converted with ease to culminate a strong opening 20 minutes of soccer from the Vikings.
"Just as we did against Highland Park in our sectional final, we had a strong wind at our backs, so the goal was to put two or three in before the half," said Schoffstall, who is the Vikings' overall scoring leader with 7 goals and 16 helpers.
"We had our chances, but we didn't finish on any of them, and even with the advantage of the wind, the second half of that first half turned out to be pretty even," Schoffstall said.
"That wind was crazy tonight, and it gave us some trouble in that first half, so we knew we had to defend as best as we could. With Evan, McGovern and Nick (Silva) in front of me, I never doubted we could," offered Hinsdale Central goalkeeper Wes Bergevin.
Bergevin was called into action during the early exchanges when the Vikings attack was brimming with confidence, and it created a handful of deep throws and corners from Schoffstall.
The senior watched a piercing long throw from Schoffstall sail into the box -- and when a short clearing attempt failed to leave the area, Rohan Menon's attempted shot and follow through clipped a Red Devils player. The play prompted an unnecessary booking of the senior by referee Gene Matlock.
Bergevin would punch a nicely struck free kick from Jacob Cuthbert out of his box just after the Menon yellow card, then have his gloves stung on a cracker from Schoffstall in the 22nd minute. The ensuing corner created a dangerous scrum inside the six-yard box until the Red Devils parried away a sitting ball.
Just before the Schoffstall PK conversion, Poder nearly put the Vikings out in front, and if not betrayed by his first touch, the senior would have found the back of the net on a 50-50 ball he engaged with Bergevin.
Both Danny Burton and Kurt Rettke nearly doubled the Vikings' advantage when the club spent the next five minutes testing Bergevin and his backline mates. Burton grazed the back post on a shot through a crowd before Rettke found the football crossbar, then the roof, in the 29th minute.
"I don't know how both Danny and I missed on those chances," was all that Rettke could muster during his after-match interview.
Those missed opportunities would come back to haunt the Vikings, when four minutes later, the Red Devils drew even after Semba chased down a ball at the near touchline.
The sophomore, who was named Chicagoland Soccer's Man of the Match, would zig, then zag to trick his way free off his mark, before unloading a long-range left-footer that found the upper back corner to set off a frenzied Red Devils crowd.
"In big games, you need big moments from one of your guys. Jake came through then, and Mikey did later," Wiggins said with a smile.
The Red Devils could not have gotten off to a more perfect start after intermission, when a driving free kick from the midline by Floersch roared into the box, off a Fremd player and onto the foot of the waiting Usher, who steered in the eventual game winner.
"We always expect a great ball out of the back from Evan, and he gave us one, but I don't know who that ball came off of -- but I really don't care right now," Usher said.
The shock of falling behind stunned the Vikings, who needed a few minutes to get back off their heels. When they did, they were able to generate several chances during the next frantic 20-plus minutes of regulation.
Zach Schoffstall would go over the bar in the 60th minute. Llater, Rettke headed wide after another Schoffstall corner.
In between, and after, the Red Devils' chances to increase their advantage grew. A Floersch free kick stayed in the box too long, needing a late tackle and clear from Peleckas to ensure that nothing found the back of the net.
Jimmy Walker just missed putting in a crossfield serve in the 72nd minute for Hinsdale Central, setting up a wild finish in which two balls were cleared off the line to preserve the Red Devils' nervous but well-earned victory.
"The ball came in from the corner, and it hit the post, then my foot, stayed in the box, hit something else, before Jack (Baderman) finally cleared the area," said Bergevin, who looked relieved when recounting those final 60 minutes of play.
"Our last four games have been like this for us, but we've played some great teams, so you have to figure it's going to be like this. I am still glad it's over, at least for tonight," Wiggins admitted.
Keller added, "We gave the fans an exciting game to watch and cheer for, and that's a great thing, and as I said before, sometimes the game doesn't go your way, and that's OK too."
Starting lineups
Hinsdale Central
GK Wes Bergevin
D Nick Silva
D Evan Floersch
D Will McGovern
MF Jimmy Walker
MF Justin Yi
MF Mikey Usher
MF Jack Balderman
MF Jeremy Yi
F Bryan Loebig
F Sam Johnson
Fremd
GK Will Lefevre
D Danny Burton
D Ben Borst
D Tomas Peleckas
D Luke Kosacz
MF Rohan Menon
MF Jacob Cuthbert
MF Zach Schoffstall
MF Kurt Rettke
F Luke Schoffstall
F Ben Poder
Man of the Match: Jake Semba, Hinsdale Central
Officials: Gene Matlock (center), John Martelin, John Anderson, Mario Castillo (4th)
Fremd as Semba, Usher sparkle
Red Devils save the best for second half in 2-1 victory
By Mike Garofola
HOFFMAN ESTATES -- Jake Semba lit the fireworks before teammate Mikey Usher sent them into the sky as the Hinsdale Central (18-4-4) duo provided the inspiration in a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Fremd on Friday night to book the Red Devils' first appearance in a state championship final since 1975, when Richard Ohl's club lifted the trophy.
Next up for Mike Wiggins' team is top-ranked Normal Community, which recorded an easy 4-0 victory over Streamwood long before Hinsdale Central ended the night with its memorable triumph.
"Fremd was everything we expected and more, but it turned out to be a game of two halves, with us having a little better of the second half, when this game was ultimately decided," said the Red Devils coach. Wiggins looked all in during the interview session following this late-night thriller, which ended far too late for both clubs.
"We've had out moments during the past two weeks of the postseason, coming out ahead of three very strong opponents to get here. But sometimes your luck runs out, and for us, tonight was it," said Vikings coach Steve Keller, a longtime friend of Wiggins. Keller clearly will be on the side of the Red Devils when they take on the nationally ranked Ironmen at 7 p.m. Saturday at Hoffman Estates High School.
This was a matchup of two equal sides, both defensively sturdy and smart; each led by all-state back line stars, Evan Floersch of Hinsdale Central and Tomas Peleckas of Fremd; battle-tested midfields, who were unmatched in their work rate and energy; and strike-force units that, although lacking pure finishers, still had plenty of pace and the talent to to be dangerous and creative with and without the ball.
With a gale-like wind at their backs in the first period, the Vikings (19-6-1) struck first, albeit with a penalty kick. Will McGowen was judged unfairly of taking down the Vikings leading goal scorer, Ben Poder. The hard foul was much too tame to send senior Zach Shoffstall to the spot in the 26th minute.
"It was a little bit too harsh of a call in my opinion," Keller said.
Nonetheless, Schoffstall converted with ease to culminate a strong opening 20 minutes of soccer from the Vikings.
"Just as we did against Highland Park in our sectional final, we had a strong wind at our backs, so the goal was to put two or three in before the half," said Schoffstall, who is the Vikings' overall scoring leader with 7 goals and 16 helpers.
"We had our chances, but we didn't finish on any of them, and even with the advantage of the wind, the second half of that first half turned out to be pretty even," Schoffstall said.
"That wind was crazy tonight, and it gave us some trouble in that first half, so we knew we had to defend as best as we could. With Evan, McGovern and Nick (Silva) in front of me, I never doubted we could," offered Hinsdale Central goalkeeper Wes Bergevin.
Bergevin was called into action during the early exchanges when the Vikings attack was brimming with confidence, and it created a handful of deep throws and corners from Schoffstall.
The senior watched a piercing long throw from Schoffstall sail into the box -- and when a short clearing attempt failed to leave the area, Rohan Menon's attempted shot and follow through clipped a Red Devils player. The play prompted an unnecessary booking of the senior by referee Gene Matlock.
Bergevin would punch a nicely struck free kick from Jacob Cuthbert out of his box just after the Menon yellow card, then have his gloves stung on a cracker from Schoffstall in the 22nd minute. The ensuing corner created a dangerous scrum inside the six-yard box until the Red Devils parried away a sitting ball.
Just before the Schoffstall PK conversion, Poder nearly put the Vikings out in front, and if not betrayed by his first touch, the senior would have found the back of the net on a 50-50 ball he engaged with Bergevin.
Both Danny Burton and Kurt Rettke nearly doubled the Vikings' advantage when the club spent the next five minutes testing Bergevin and his backline mates. Burton grazed the back post on a shot through a crowd before Rettke found the football crossbar, then the roof, in the 29th minute.
"I don't know how both Danny and I missed on those chances," was all that Rettke could muster during his after-match interview.
Those missed opportunities would come back to haunt the Vikings, when four minutes later, the Red Devils drew even after Semba chased down a ball at the near touchline.
The sophomore, who was named Chicagoland Soccer's Man of the Match, would zig, then zag to trick his way free off his mark, before unloading a long-range left-footer that found the upper back corner to set off a frenzied Red Devils crowd.
"In big games, you need big moments from one of your guys. Jake came through then, and Mikey did later," Wiggins said with a smile.
The Red Devils could not have gotten off to a more perfect start after intermission, when a driving free kick from the midline by Floersch roared into the box, off a Fremd player and onto the foot of the waiting Usher, who steered in the eventual game winner.
"We always expect a great ball out of the back from Evan, and he gave us one, but I don't know who that ball came off of -- but I really don't care right now," Usher said.
The shock of falling behind stunned the Vikings, who needed a few minutes to get back off their heels. When they did, they were able to generate several chances during the next frantic 20-plus minutes of regulation.
Zach Schoffstall would go over the bar in the 60th minute. Llater, Rettke headed wide after another Schoffstall corner.
In between, and after, the Red Devils' chances to increase their advantage grew. A Floersch free kick stayed in the box too long, needing a late tackle and clear from Peleckas to ensure that nothing found the back of the net.
Jimmy Walker just missed putting in a crossfield serve in the 72nd minute for Hinsdale Central, setting up a wild finish in which two balls were cleared off the line to preserve the Red Devils' nervous but well-earned victory.
"The ball came in from the corner, and it hit the post, then my foot, stayed in the box, hit something else, before Jack (Baderman) finally cleared the area," said Bergevin, who looked relieved when recounting those final 60 minutes of play.
"Our last four games have been like this for us, but we've played some great teams, so you have to figure it's going to be like this. I am still glad it's over, at least for tonight," Wiggins admitted.
Keller added, "We gave the fans an exciting game to watch and cheer for, and that's a great thing, and as I said before, sometimes the game doesn't go your way, and that's OK too."
Starting lineups
Hinsdale Central
GK Wes Bergevin
D Nick Silva
D Evan Floersch
D Will McGovern
MF Jimmy Walker
MF Justin Yi
MF Mikey Usher
MF Jack Balderman
MF Jeremy Yi
F Bryan Loebig
F Sam Johnson
Fremd
GK Will Lefevre
D Danny Burton
D Ben Borst
D Tomas Peleckas
D Luke Kosacz
MF Rohan Menon
MF Jacob Cuthbert
MF Zach Schoffstall
MF Kurt Rettke
F Luke Schoffstall
F Ben Poder
Man of the Match: Jake Semba, Hinsdale Central
Officials: Gene Matlock (center), John Martelin, John Anderson, Mario Castillo (4th)