Warren can't sweep Lake Zurich,
falls from playoffs
77th-minute goal gives Bears 1st regional title since 2018
By Bobby Narang
ROUND LAKE – While Warren and Lake Zurich battled in the Class 3A Round Lake Regional championship game, the prize for the victor sat just a few feet away from the pitch Saturday afternoon.
The regional trophy plaque was placed on a table, propped up by a small post at the 50-yard line, just a few feet outside the sideline for all the spectators, players and coaches to see.
Lake Zurich earned the right to take it home after Owen Peich scored in the 77th minute for a 1-0 victory over Warren. The no. 7-seeded Bears (12-4-3) avenged their regular-season loss to their Northern Suburban Conference opponent, captured their first regional title in four years and advanced to battle 14th-seeded conference foe Waukegan in the Buffalo Grove Sectional semifinal on Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. The Bulldogs upset 11th-seeded Barrington in a shootout Saturday.
Warren junior Lucas Ahonen said the Blue Devils (15-5-2) did a stellar job of shutting down high-scoring Lake Zurich forward Ian Ferguson but fell victim to one mistake.
“Ian is phenomenal, and Tyler Wits was playing aggressive,” Ahonen said. “(Peich) was in the right place at the right time. It was two great saves by Ethan (Cole), and it just came back out. He shot and it went in -- -props for him for being there. It’s just unfortunate our season is over because of that.”
For Lake Zurich, the playoffs have been a test of resolve. The tighter the game, the better the Bears seem to play. In Tuesday’s regional semifinal, the Bears defeated host and ninth-seeded Round Lake 3-2 in double overtime.
Peich, who sat out Tuesday’s thrilling victory due an illness, shocked the large crowd with his late rebound goal. The senior forward started the game-winning sequence when he drilled a shot that was saved by Cole, then another teammate slammed a shot that was saved. The ball came right back to Peich, who scored the game-winner from 12 yards.
A first-year varsity player, Peich said he watched Tuesday’s game from his couch because he was sick. He nervously watched the live feed of the game with a Sprite and a pizza. He missed the winning goal because the broadcast ended before the game did.
He said scoring the winning goal was the ultimate feeling after staying away from the team for a five-day stretch.
“I saw the ball coming right to me, then saw it as a perfect time to shoot,” Peich said of the goal, his fourth of the season. “I just shot it, saw it deflect, then my heart dropped a bit. I saw my teammate run onto it, but he volleyed and it deflected off the goalie again.
"I saw it coming right to me. I’m like, ‘Oh great, this is my chance; this is my chance.’ I volleyed it right through the keeper’s hands. That’s when I felt everything, with my teammates rushing to me. It was an amazing feeling.
“We’re taking it one step at a time. To win this game is another step forward.”
Warren senior defender Ryan Stanciak said Peich’s second shot caught the Blue Devils off guard.
“Owen did a good job blocking the first two (shots), but we just couldn’t follow it up with one more,” Stanciak said. “It happens. One defensive breakdown the whole game, it happens. The seniors in this group are fantastic. We had so much fun together and worked well together. I can’t be prouder of our group.”
Warren coach Jason Ahonen credited Lake Zurich for playing aggressively in the second half, in particular on the winning goal. The Blue Devils were hampered by the absence of high-scoring striker Miguel Garcia, who missed his fifth-straight game.
Lucas Ahonen nearly gave the Blue Devils a 1-0 lead, but his shot from distance clanged off the crossbar in the 65th minute.
“They had multiple opportunities, and (Ethan) made two great plays and the third one found the back of the net,” Warren coach Jason Ahonen said. “I thought for a good part of the game (Lake Zurich) was the better team. I thought we maybe could catch a little magic. Lucas’ pinger that hit the bar was probably our best chance. It just wasn’t our day. We played two games against them decided by two goals. At end of the day, they’re lucky enough to advance and represent our conference.”
Warren senior defender Michael Galvan, a captain, said the Blue Devils played strong defensively for the entire game except for one sequence. Keeper Cole finished with nine saves in a strong performance.
The Blue Devils were successful with job one, stopping Lake Zurich's Ferguson.
“I just tried staying in front of Ian and my center back partner, Ryan, behind him and just deal with him,” Galvan said. “But moving up the field, we couldn’t do anything attacking-wise. Defensively, I thought we played well, but one play cost us the game. The seniors and the whole group started off strong, and we did well. We felt good coming into the postseason. Today, we let go for one play, and we’re done.”
The Warren coach said the close defeat stung, especially after a strong regular-season that included a 2-1 triumph over Lake Zurich. The Blue Devils opened the season with five-consecutive wins and had a four-game winning streak entering the regional title game. They pulled out a dramatic 2-1 double overtime win over Highland Park in the regional semifinal.
“I thought we did a tremendous job on Ian today,” Jason Ahonen said. “He’s a tremendous player. I thought Ryan Stanciak did as well as anyone can do on him. I told the boys in pregame that 'Let someone else beat us. Don’t let Ian beat us.' And they didn’t.
“Anytime you win 15 games in this area of the state, you’ve had a very good year. It’s just after last year’s heartbreaking loss to Mundelein when we missed two penalty kicks in the last minute, and then this to let them score with three minutes left, it’s tough to swallow. I feel for the seniors. They poured their heart and soul into this program. We’re trying to build a culture that guys want to be attached to and be a part of for years to come.”
The coach was correct in his assessment. The Blue Devils did do a stellar job containing Ferguson, who was named the North Suburban Conference Offensive Player of the Year. The forward repeatedly showed his frustration during the game, mainly in the second half. He yelled and kicked the turf following a missed chance in the 62nd minute, took a five-minute rest in the 66th minute and after his return slapped his hands hard in the 76th minute.
Ferguson, who continues to explore his college options, did not get a good, clear shot all game long.
“They played good defense on me and studied their film,” Ferguson said. “It wasn’t my day.”
Warren wasn't able to take advantage of the heavy wind in their favor in the first half despite numerous opportunities. Ahonen sailed a free kick in the 14th minute; Chris Crowson’s shot was wide in the 26th minute, and Matthew Paraskos’ free kick was wide left with just under 10 minutes left until halftime.
Ahonen’s shot that hit the crossbar was the Blue Devils’ best attempt at a goal in the second half.
Lake Zurich goalie Filip Kanski had a rather boring second half after dealing with the heavy wind and sunshine in his face in the first half. Kanski compiled two saves in the first half and one in the final 40 minutes.
“At first, I thought that shot went bar down and in, but I got a sigh of relief,” Kanski said of Ahonen’s shot. “We got it upfield and got the job done. It was crazy, especially at the end of the game when we got that clutch goal.
“I’m so happy to be with the team celebrating. (Overtime) was running through my head, so I’m so glad we got that goal to end this game in regulation. It was a challenge in the first half, but I kept that clean-sheet throughout the game.
“In the second half, it was much easier, especially with the wind in our favor getting goal kicks and punts and getting them all the way down the field. ... Owen coming off sick and scoring is really crazy. We can’t wait for sectionals.”
Lucas Ahonen said the Blue Devils fell victim to the up-and-down nature of the playoffs.
“I got the ball, and I’m a lefty and if I can get a shot, I’m going to take it, because we needed it at that time,” Ahonen said. “We needed to get something going. It was just unfortunate. I just missed it by three or four inches. They got their chance ... and the rest was history. I’m proud of these guys. … It was unfortunate to have our season end this way.”
Starting lineups
Lake Zurich
GK: Filip Kanski
D: Rani Elremaily
D: Taggart Niepomnik
D: Ben Lowe
D: Jack Cardwell
MF: Tyler Wits
MF: Matt Margiel
MF: Braedon Smith
MF: Oskar Ponikarczyk
F: Ian Ferguson
F: Owen Peich
Warren
GK: Ethan Cole
D: Tyler Hughes
D: Jack Elkinton
D: Ryan Stanciak
MF: Chris Crowson
MF: Tommy DeSanto
MF: Mike Galvan
MF: Lucas Ahonen
MF: Charlie Crowson
F: Matt Paraskos
F: Leonel Arizmendi
Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match:
Owen Peich, sr., F, Lake Zurich
Scoring summary
First half
No scoring
Second half
Lake Zurich: Peich (Ponikarczyk), 77’
falls from playoffs
77th-minute goal gives Bears 1st regional title since 2018
By Bobby Narang
ROUND LAKE – While Warren and Lake Zurich battled in the Class 3A Round Lake Regional championship game, the prize for the victor sat just a few feet away from the pitch Saturday afternoon.
The regional trophy plaque was placed on a table, propped up by a small post at the 50-yard line, just a few feet outside the sideline for all the spectators, players and coaches to see.
Lake Zurich earned the right to take it home after Owen Peich scored in the 77th minute for a 1-0 victory over Warren. The no. 7-seeded Bears (12-4-3) avenged their regular-season loss to their Northern Suburban Conference opponent, captured their first regional title in four years and advanced to battle 14th-seeded conference foe Waukegan in the Buffalo Grove Sectional semifinal on Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. The Bulldogs upset 11th-seeded Barrington in a shootout Saturday.
Warren junior Lucas Ahonen said the Blue Devils (15-5-2) did a stellar job of shutting down high-scoring Lake Zurich forward Ian Ferguson but fell victim to one mistake.
“Ian is phenomenal, and Tyler Wits was playing aggressive,” Ahonen said. “(Peich) was in the right place at the right time. It was two great saves by Ethan (Cole), and it just came back out. He shot and it went in -- -props for him for being there. It’s just unfortunate our season is over because of that.”
For Lake Zurich, the playoffs have been a test of resolve. The tighter the game, the better the Bears seem to play. In Tuesday’s regional semifinal, the Bears defeated host and ninth-seeded Round Lake 3-2 in double overtime.
Peich, who sat out Tuesday’s thrilling victory due an illness, shocked the large crowd with his late rebound goal. The senior forward started the game-winning sequence when he drilled a shot that was saved by Cole, then another teammate slammed a shot that was saved. The ball came right back to Peich, who scored the game-winner from 12 yards.
A first-year varsity player, Peich said he watched Tuesday’s game from his couch because he was sick. He nervously watched the live feed of the game with a Sprite and a pizza. He missed the winning goal because the broadcast ended before the game did.
He said scoring the winning goal was the ultimate feeling after staying away from the team for a five-day stretch.
“I saw the ball coming right to me, then saw it as a perfect time to shoot,” Peich said of the goal, his fourth of the season. “I just shot it, saw it deflect, then my heart dropped a bit. I saw my teammate run onto it, but he volleyed and it deflected off the goalie again.
"I saw it coming right to me. I’m like, ‘Oh great, this is my chance; this is my chance.’ I volleyed it right through the keeper’s hands. That’s when I felt everything, with my teammates rushing to me. It was an amazing feeling.
“We’re taking it one step at a time. To win this game is another step forward.”
Warren senior defender Ryan Stanciak said Peich’s second shot caught the Blue Devils off guard.
“Owen did a good job blocking the first two (shots), but we just couldn’t follow it up with one more,” Stanciak said. “It happens. One defensive breakdown the whole game, it happens. The seniors in this group are fantastic. We had so much fun together and worked well together. I can’t be prouder of our group.”
Warren coach Jason Ahonen credited Lake Zurich for playing aggressively in the second half, in particular on the winning goal. The Blue Devils were hampered by the absence of high-scoring striker Miguel Garcia, who missed his fifth-straight game.
Lucas Ahonen nearly gave the Blue Devils a 1-0 lead, but his shot from distance clanged off the crossbar in the 65th minute.
“They had multiple opportunities, and (Ethan) made two great plays and the third one found the back of the net,” Warren coach Jason Ahonen said. “I thought for a good part of the game (Lake Zurich) was the better team. I thought we maybe could catch a little magic. Lucas’ pinger that hit the bar was probably our best chance. It just wasn’t our day. We played two games against them decided by two goals. At end of the day, they’re lucky enough to advance and represent our conference.”
Warren senior defender Michael Galvan, a captain, said the Blue Devils played strong defensively for the entire game except for one sequence. Keeper Cole finished with nine saves in a strong performance.
The Blue Devils were successful with job one, stopping Lake Zurich's Ferguson.
“I just tried staying in front of Ian and my center back partner, Ryan, behind him and just deal with him,” Galvan said. “But moving up the field, we couldn’t do anything attacking-wise. Defensively, I thought we played well, but one play cost us the game. The seniors and the whole group started off strong, and we did well. We felt good coming into the postseason. Today, we let go for one play, and we’re done.”
The Warren coach said the close defeat stung, especially after a strong regular-season that included a 2-1 triumph over Lake Zurich. The Blue Devils opened the season with five-consecutive wins and had a four-game winning streak entering the regional title game. They pulled out a dramatic 2-1 double overtime win over Highland Park in the regional semifinal.
“I thought we did a tremendous job on Ian today,” Jason Ahonen said. “He’s a tremendous player. I thought Ryan Stanciak did as well as anyone can do on him. I told the boys in pregame that 'Let someone else beat us. Don’t let Ian beat us.' And they didn’t.
“Anytime you win 15 games in this area of the state, you’ve had a very good year. It’s just after last year’s heartbreaking loss to Mundelein when we missed two penalty kicks in the last minute, and then this to let them score with three minutes left, it’s tough to swallow. I feel for the seniors. They poured their heart and soul into this program. We’re trying to build a culture that guys want to be attached to and be a part of for years to come.”
The coach was correct in his assessment. The Blue Devils did do a stellar job containing Ferguson, who was named the North Suburban Conference Offensive Player of the Year. The forward repeatedly showed his frustration during the game, mainly in the second half. He yelled and kicked the turf following a missed chance in the 62nd minute, took a five-minute rest in the 66th minute and after his return slapped his hands hard in the 76th minute.
Ferguson, who continues to explore his college options, did not get a good, clear shot all game long.
“They played good defense on me and studied their film,” Ferguson said. “It wasn’t my day.”
Warren wasn't able to take advantage of the heavy wind in their favor in the first half despite numerous opportunities. Ahonen sailed a free kick in the 14th minute; Chris Crowson’s shot was wide in the 26th minute, and Matthew Paraskos’ free kick was wide left with just under 10 minutes left until halftime.
Ahonen’s shot that hit the crossbar was the Blue Devils’ best attempt at a goal in the second half.
Lake Zurich goalie Filip Kanski had a rather boring second half after dealing with the heavy wind and sunshine in his face in the first half. Kanski compiled two saves in the first half and one in the final 40 minutes.
“At first, I thought that shot went bar down and in, but I got a sigh of relief,” Kanski said of Ahonen’s shot. “We got it upfield and got the job done. It was crazy, especially at the end of the game when we got that clutch goal.
“I’m so happy to be with the team celebrating. (Overtime) was running through my head, so I’m so glad we got that goal to end this game in regulation. It was a challenge in the first half, but I kept that clean-sheet throughout the game.
“In the second half, it was much easier, especially with the wind in our favor getting goal kicks and punts and getting them all the way down the field. ... Owen coming off sick and scoring is really crazy. We can’t wait for sectionals.”
Lucas Ahonen said the Blue Devils fell victim to the up-and-down nature of the playoffs.
“I got the ball, and I’m a lefty and if I can get a shot, I’m going to take it, because we needed it at that time,” Ahonen said. “We needed to get something going. It was just unfortunate. I just missed it by three or four inches. They got their chance ... and the rest was history. I’m proud of these guys. … It was unfortunate to have our season end this way.”
Starting lineups
Lake Zurich
GK: Filip Kanski
D: Rani Elremaily
D: Taggart Niepomnik
D: Ben Lowe
D: Jack Cardwell
MF: Tyler Wits
MF: Matt Margiel
MF: Braedon Smith
MF: Oskar Ponikarczyk
F: Ian Ferguson
F: Owen Peich
Warren
GK: Ethan Cole
D: Tyler Hughes
D: Jack Elkinton
D: Ryan Stanciak
MF: Chris Crowson
MF: Tommy DeSanto
MF: Mike Galvan
MF: Lucas Ahonen
MF: Charlie Crowson
F: Matt Paraskos
F: Leonel Arizmendi
Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match:
Owen Peich, sr., F, Lake Zurich
Scoring summary
First half
No scoring
Second half
Lake Zurich: Peich (Ponikarczyk), 77’