Fremd avenges loss to Libertyville
Vikings outlast Wildcats 7-6 in shootout to advance
By Mike Garofola
LIBERTYVILLE -- There has not been much parity at the top of the Mid-Suburban League and North Suburban Conference of late. Fremd and Libertyville have emerged as the the dominant clubs during the past two seasons.
So it stands to reason when these two league champions got together they met with the force of two unstoppable forces colliding.
There's no agony in soccer quite like losing in penalty kicks for the players, managers, families and fans. It's a tortuous experience that places your destiny at the mercy of six or more shots 12 yards from the goal.
But after 80 minutes of regulation, plus another 20 minutes of extra time still could not separate the two powerhouse clubs, there was no other way to settle this sectional semifinal Tuesday night in Libertyville.
After nearly three grueling hours of high-intensity soccer, it was Fremd, perfect in all seven kicks, that outlasted Libertyville 7-6 after a 100-minute, 3-3 deadlock. The Vikings advanced to face Warren on Friday.
"That was quite a game," said an exhausted but relieved Russell Beaupre, who steered in his spot kick to send off Libertyville.
"Way back (before) the start of the season, a lot of us back from a year ago thought about getting another chance with Libertyville after they eliminated us last year in kicks in our sectional semifinal.
"As it turned out, it's kind of crazy to think one year later things were decided exactly the same way. This time we were able to get the result instead of them."
Everything led to the moment in which Beaupre finished things off on this bitter cold night at Walter A. Johnson Stadium after a frenzied final five minutes of regulation saw the Vikings stun the home side to take the lead in the 76th minute. An even more stunning moment came when the host Wildcats clawed back for the equalizer with just 22.7 seconds remaining.
"We worked so had to get the lead, only to give it away in the closing seconds," said senior Kaelan Conway, the Vikings terrific outside back. "(Maybe) we began to celebrate too soon. Whatever it was, (it) crushed all of us at that moment
"But on the flip side, you're going to have those kind of moments against teams that are as great as Libertyville. But I thought we got back our focus right away and played well throughout the two extra periods and were at our best in the shootout."
The Vikings (14-1-4) were considered a slight underdog despite having a better overall record than the tournament host Wildcats (15-3-3). Part of that edge might have come from Libertyville's state runnerup finishes the past two seasons.
"Libertyville is a great team with great players, many back from its 2019 state runnerup team," said Fremd manager Steve Keller. "We came here with respect for our opponent and knowing we had to be at our best in order to beat the best."
The first quarter hour proved otherwise for the MSL champions, who struggled from the opening whistle to get in sync.
Beaupre and Conway agreed that Libertyville midfielders Mickey Reilly and Nick Underwood and forward Patrick Graham were Fremd's biggest concerns.
"We were confident we could keep them under control," Conway said. "But at the start, we played nervous. We were on our heels early."
The Vikings were unable to hold the ball long enough to stop the steady one-way traffic of the Wildcats, who played through the aforementioned Reilly and Underwood as often as they could to front-runners Graham and Jack Brennan, who for his efforts was named the Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match for the Wildcats.
Underwood gave the home side the lead at 29 minutes when he was allowed enough time to tee-up his 24 yard effort. It connected with the net, much to the delight of a huge crowd dressed in orange.
"(That) goal was the turning point in the game as far as I was concerned," Beaupre said. "It was the wake-up call we all needed."
Shortly after the Underwood strike, Beaupre and his mates began to create a handful of corners, free kicks and deep throws. Some ended up as half-chances at Wildcats keeper Michael Krukonis. At the same time it put Libertyville's backline of Cade Apton, Connor Hay, Will Herbek and Landon Johnson under pressure.
The breakthrough for the Vikings came from none other than freshman Leo Ashana, who just a few months earlier moved into the Fremd boundaries from Japan.
"We're so fortunate to have Leo with us," began Conway.
"He moves here from another country, has to wait to get eligible according to the rules, then plays in two freshman A games, then scores twice in his only game with our JV (before) he's added to the varsity roster.
"He's a quality player, which you saw tonight. All of us have a lot of confidence in him whenever he comes in."
Quick movement to get free of pressure from sophomore Eli Schoffstall gave Ashana the chance to latch onto the ball after he floated freely through the box. From there he directed in the equalizer at 37 minutes.
"We made a couple of adjustments at the break and told the guys we were (fine) and that we played some good soccer and to just go out there and do that," said Libertyville manager Kevin Thunholm.
"We reminded them to be wary of Fremd's style of play of sending the ball into the mixer and going after it to score. So it was important that we needed to clear balls up the line and not out, stop giving silly fouls for corners and throws and to just relax and play."
The message seemed to work when at 46 minutes Brennan struck his blistering left-footed bomb off the underside of the woodwork and over the endline to give the Wildcats a one-goal advantage once again.
Moments later, Brennan shed a pair of defenders before forcing Vikings keeper Artur Cholewa to save another left-footed cracker moments later.
With every ball sent into the air, several bodies would challenge with a tenacious thud, especially on second balls, all over the park.
This signaled the start of an increase in the intensity in this game, and it lasted for the next 54 minutes.
Eli Schoffstall leveled the scoreline in the 58th minute after Beaupre sent a lovely ball the other way to John Kating.
The senior quickly whipped a perfectly weighted serve into the box to Schoffstall, who did the rest.
Libertyville continued to battle in search of the lead goal. The Wildcats created a pair of corners in addition to Reilly, Apton and Connor Hay all having a go at Cholewa from a variety of spots in the park.
Eli Schoffstall thumped his header over the bar in the 73rd minute. Teammate, C.J. Williams took one off the line after a long throw by Graham found its way deep into the box.
Jake Schoffstall's long free kick from just beyond the midline went off a Wildcats player for a corner. Beaupre followed with an inward swinging serve into the box. It created a firestorm in and around the six-yard box that ended with Conway slotting home the Vikings third goal of the evening.
"Beaupre put a great ball into the box, and Kating and Josh (Bennett) let it go through (to) me. I sent it off of my thigh and past the keeper," recounted Conway.
Nearly at the stroke of regulation time, Brennan replicated Beaupre's effort with a well-aimed serve into the box, only this time Reilly found a way to get enough of the spinning ball to score and then listen to the Wildcats faithful erupt.
"We did not do a good job of managing that final 5-6 minutes to close them out, a team like Libertyville will make you pay for those mistakes," said Keller.
Libertyville's leader was proud of his squad.
"Mickey, Luke, Patrick and Jack have been the heart and soul of this team all year," Thunholm said. "While things were looking bleak for us after they went up (late), this group never, ever stops playing until the final whistle.
"So I felt all along we would get back even, and we did."
Despite the few chances both sides would muster during the two mandatory 10-minute extra sessions, it seemed evident that the winner would be decided in kicks.
Once there, it was pure perfection from each shooter as it went quickly through five rounds, and into sudden-death.
Conway, Kating, Jake Schoffstal, Andrew Clark, Ashana buried their spot kicks.
Libertyville went five-for-five at Fremd's back-up keeper Joey Gillespie, who took over when Cholewa was forced from the game in the 82nd minute after suffering an injury.
"Just like Leo, we all have plenty of confidence in Joey as our keeper," said Conway. "He split some time early in the season with Artur, and he's great in training for us."
Libertyville used keeper Hunter Lynch for the shootout.
In the seventh round, Beaupre stepped to the spot, and with ice in his veins drove his effort into the center of the net after a Wildcats miss to end this marathon.
"I thought a little bit about last year when I hit the bar in the first overtime," he said. "But when I was over the bar, the only thing I was thinking about was (this) particular moment, and only where I was going to send my kick."
Beaupre was mobbed by his teammates after his dramatic game-winner.
"It was a great game from two great teams that knew each other very well," said Keller. "Fortunately for us this time around, things went our way in the end."
The bitter defeat at home to end the season so abruptly brought this final statement from Thunholm.
"To our seniors, just a fantastic bunch of guys, on and off the field, while my juniors, sophomores and freshmen, I told them to remember this feeling, and to use it as motivation from here on out.
"The fact that we're always a powerhouse soccer program is due to those boys in the locker room, and it will continue because of the love, passion and work ethic they all bring.
"It's an honor to coach them all, and I've enjoyed the ride."
Starting lineups
Fremd (4-3-3)
G- Artur Cholewa
D- Kaelan Conway
D- Jake Schoffstall
D- Cole Jackson
D- Andrew Clark
M- C.J. Williams
M- Russell Beaupre
M- John Kating
F- Nick Austin
F- Eli Schoffstall
F- Josh Bennett
Libertyville (4-3-3)
G- Michael Krukonis
D- Landon Johnson
D- Cade Apton
D- Will Herbeck
D- Connor Hay
M- Colin Klainor
M- Mickey Reilly
M- Luke Underwood
F- Patrick Graham
F- Jacopo Franciosi
F- Jack Brennan
Chicagoland Soccer Men of the Match: Russell Beaupre, sr., MF, Fremd
Jack Brennan, jr., F, Libertyville
Referee: Vic Walker
Scoring summary
First half
Libertyville: Underwood (U/A) 29'
Fremd: Ashana (E. Schoffstall) 37'
Second half
Libertyville: Brennan (Apton) 46'
Fremd: E. Schoffstall (Kating) 58'
Fremd: Conway (U/A) 76'
Libertyville: Reilly (U/A) 80'
Vikings outlast Wildcats 7-6 in shootout to advance
By Mike Garofola
LIBERTYVILLE -- There has not been much parity at the top of the Mid-Suburban League and North Suburban Conference of late. Fremd and Libertyville have emerged as the the dominant clubs during the past two seasons.
So it stands to reason when these two league champions got together they met with the force of two unstoppable forces colliding.
There's no agony in soccer quite like losing in penalty kicks for the players, managers, families and fans. It's a tortuous experience that places your destiny at the mercy of six or more shots 12 yards from the goal.
But after 80 minutes of regulation, plus another 20 minutes of extra time still could not separate the two powerhouse clubs, there was no other way to settle this sectional semifinal Tuesday night in Libertyville.
After nearly three grueling hours of high-intensity soccer, it was Fremd, perfect in all seven kicks, that outlasted Libertyville 7-6 after a 100-minute, 3-3 deadlock. The Vikings advanced to face Warren on Friday.
"That was quite a game," said an exhausted but relieved Russell Beaupre, who steered in his spot kick to send off Libertyville.
"Way back (before) the start of the season, a lot of us back from a year ago thought about getting another chance with Libertyville after they eliminated us last year in kicks in our sectional semifinal.
"As it turned out, it's kind of crazy to think one year later things were decided exactly the same way. This time we were able to get the result instead of them."
Everything led to the moment in which Beaupre finished things off on this bitter cold night at Walter A. Johnson Stadium after a frenzied final five minutes of regulation saw the Vikings stun the home side to take the lead in the 76th minute. An even more stunning moment came when the host Wildcats clawed back for the equalizer with just 22.7 seconds remaining.
"We worked so had to get the lead, only to give it away in the closing seconds," said senior Kaelan Conway, the Vikings terrific outside back. "(Maybe) we began to celebrate too soon. Whatever it was, (it) crushed all of us at that moment
"But on the flip side, you're going to have those kind of moments against teams that are as great as Libertyville. But I thought we got back our focus right away and played well throughout the two extra periods and were at our best in the shootout."
The Vikings (14-1-4) were considered a slight underdog despite having a better overall record than the tournament host Wildcats (15-3-3). Part of that edge might have come from Libertyville's state runnerup finishes the past two seasons.
"Libertyville is a great team with great players, many back from its 2019 state runnerup team," said Fremd manager Steve Keller. "We came here with respect for our opponent and knowing we had to be at our best in order to beat the best."
The first quarter hour proved otherwise for the MSL champions, who struggled from the opening whistle to get in sync.
Beaupre and Conway agreed that Libertyville midfielders Mickey Reilly and Nick Underwood and forward Patrick Graham were Fremd's biggest concerns.
"We were confident we could keep them under control," Conway said. "But at the start, we played nervous. We were on our heels early."
The Vikings were unable to hold the ball long enough to stop the steady one-way traffic of the Wildcats, who played through the aforementioned Reilly and Underwood as often as they could to front-runners Graham and Jack Brennan, who for his efforts was named the Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match for the Wildcats.
Underwood gave the home side the lead at 29 minutes when he was allowed enough time to tee-up his 24 yard effort. It connected with the net, much to the delight of a huge crowd dressed in orange.
"(That) goal was the turning point in the game as far as I was concerned," Beaupre said. "It was the wake-up call we all needed."
Shortly after the Underwood strike, Beaupre and his mates began to create a handful of corners, free kicks and deep throws. Some ended up as half-chances at Wildcats keeper Michael Krukonis. At the same time it put Libertyville's backline of Cade Apton, Connor Hay, Will Herbek and Landon Johnson under pressure.
The breakthrough for the Vikings came from none other than freshman Leo Ashana, who just a few months earlier moved into the Fremd boundaries from Japan.
"We're so fortunate to have Leo with us," began Conway.
"He moves here from another country, has to wait to get eligible according to the rules, then plays in two freshman A games, then scores twice in his only game with our JV (before) he's added to the varsity roster.
"He's a quality player, which you saw tonight. All of us have a lot of confidence in him whenever he comes in."
Quick movement to get free of pressure from sophomore Eli Schoffstall gave Ashana the chance to latch onto the ball after he floated freely through the box. From there he directed in the equalizer at 37 minutes.
"We made a couple of adjustments at the break and told the guys we were (fine) and that we played some good soccer and to just go out there and do that," said Libertyville manager Kevin Thunholm.
"We reminded them to be wary of Fremd's style of play of sending the ball into the mixer and going after it to score. So it was important that we needed to clear balls up the line and not out, stop giving silly fouls for corners and throws and to just relax and play."
The message seemed to work when at 46 minutes Brennan struck his blistering left-footed bomb off the underside of the woodwork and over the endline to give the Wildcats a one-goal advantage once again.
Moments later, Brennan shed a pair of defenders before forcing Vikings keeper Artur Cholewa to save another left-footed cracker moments later.
With every ball sent into the air, several bodies would challenge with a tenacious thud, especially on second balls, all over the park.
This signaled the start of an increase in the intensity in this game, and it lasted for the next 54 minutes.
Eli Schoffstall leveled the scoreline in the 58th minute after Beaupre sent a lovely ball the other way to John Kating.
The senior quickly whipped a perfectly weighted serve into the box to Schoffstall, who did the rest.
Libertyville continued to battle in search of the lead goal. The Wildcats created a pair of corners in addition to Reilly, Apton and Connor Hay all having a go at Cholewa from a variety of spots in the park.
Eli Schoffstall thumped his header over the bar in the 73rd minute. Teammate, C.J. Williams took one off the line after a long throw by Graham found its way deep into the box.
Jake Schoffstall's long free kick from just beyond the midline went off a Wildcats player for a corner. Beaupre followed with an inward swinging serve into the box. It created a firestorm in and around the six-yard box that ended with Conway slotting home the Vikings third goal of the evening.
"Beaupre put a great ball into the box, and Kating and Josh (Bennett) let it go through (to) me. I sent it off of my thigh and past the keeper," recounted Conway.
Nearly at the stroke of regulation time, Brennan replicated Beaupre's effort with a well-aimed serve into the box, only this time Reilly found a way to get enough of the spinning ball to score and then listen to the Wildcats faithful erupt.
"We did not do a good job of managing that final 5-6 minutes to close them out, a team like Libertyville will make you pay for those mistakes," said Keller.
Libertyville's leader was proud of his squad.
"Mickey, Luke, Patrick and Jack have been the heart and soul of this team all year," Thunholm said. "While things were looking bleak for us after they went up (late), this group never, ever stops playing until the final whistle.
"So I felt all along we would get back even, and we did."
Despite the few chances both sides would muster during the two mandatory 10-minute extra sessions, it seemed evident that the winner would be decided in kicks.
Once there, it was pure perfection from each shooter as it went quickly through five rounds, and into sudden-death.
Conway, Kating, Jake Schoffstal, Andrew Clark, Ashana buried their spot kicks.
Libertyville went five-for-five at Fremd's back-up keeper Joey Gillespie, who took over when Cholewa was forced from the game in the 82nd minute after suffering an injury.
"Just like Leo, we all have plenty of confidence in Joey as our keeper," said Conway. "He split some time early in the season with Artur, and he's great in training for us."
Libertyville used keeper Hunter Lynch for the shootout.
In the seventh round, Beaupre stepped to the spot, and with ice in his veins drove his effort into the center of the net after a Wildcats miss to end this marathon.
"I thought a little bit about last year when I hit the bar in the first overtime," he said. "But when I was over the bar, the only thing I was thinking about was (this) particular moment, and only where I was going to send my kick."
Beaupre was mobbed by his teammates after his dramatic game-winner.
"It was a great game from two great teams that knew each other very well," said Keller. "Fortunately for us this time around, things went our way in the end."
The bitter defeat at home to end the season so abruptly brought this final statement from Thunholm.
"To our seniors, just a fantastic bunch of guys, on and off the field, while my juniors, sophomores and freshmen, I told them to remember this feeling, and to use it as motivation from here on out.
"The fact that we're always a powerhouse soccer program is due to those boys in the locker room, and it will continue because of the love, passion and work ethic they all bring.
"It's an honor to coach them all, and I've enjoyed the ride."
Starting lineups
Fremd (4-3-3)
G- Artur Cholewa
D- Kaelan Conway
D- Jake Schoffstall
D- Cole Jackson
D- Andrew Clark
M- C.J. Williams
M- Russell Beaupre
M- John Kating
F- Nick Austin
F- Eli Schoffstall
F- Josh Bennett
Libertyville (4-3-3)
G- Michael Krukonis
D- Landon Johnson
D- Cade Apton
D- Will Herbeck
D- Connor Hay
M- Colin Klainor
M- Mickey Reilly
M- Luke Underwood
F- Patrick Graham
F- Jacopo Franciosi
F- Jack Brennan
Chicagoland Soccer Men of the Match: Russell Beaupre, sr., MF, Fremd
Jack Brennan, jr., F, Libertyville
Referee: Vic Walker
Scoring summary
First half
Libertyville: Underwood (U/A) 29'
Fremd: Ashana (E. Schoffstall) 37'
Second half
Libertyville: Brennan (Apton) 46'
Fremd: E. Schoffstall (Kating) 58'
Fremd: Conway (U/A) 76'
Libertyville: Reilly (U/A) 80'