Wednesday, Nov. 04, 2009

Triad punches ticket for trip to state soccer tourney

SPRINGFIELD -- After defeating Champaign Centennial 3-2 in overtime in the Class 2A Springfield Super-Sectional on Tuesday, the Triad Knights ate at a nearby McDonald's, where their numbers filled much of the seating area.

It seemed a modest celebration for such a noteworthy occasion. After all, the Knights had just earned their first trip to the state soccer tournament.

Junior Ben Howard scored the winning goal on a head ball with 1 minute, 16 seconds to play in the first of four potential 10-minute sudden-death overtimes. The play began when senior Tyler Krenning's throw-in from the left side went to senior Kyle Hoggatt, who chipped the ball to Howard for his third goal in three games.

"I saw a flick," Howard said. "(Hoggatt) redirected it, which made me move around a little bit more to track it down and get a head on it.

"It's amazing. It's unbelievable. This is our first time ever going to state. Knowing we buried it --a golden goal like that --it's amazing."

Triad (15-9-2), which has won 10 of its last 11 games since Oct. 3, will play St. Viator in the semifinals of the state tournament at 11 a.m. Friday at North Central College in Naperville. St. Viator defeated Westchester St. Joseph 3-1 to win the Lisle Super-Sectional on Tuesday.

Champaign Centennial, which led 1-0 at halftime and 2-1 with nine minutes to play in regulation, finished 18-10-1.

Howard, a defender, also scored the game-winning header Friday when the Knights defeated Marion 1-0 to win the Jerseyville Sectional in O'Fallon. He contributed a second-half goal in the semifinals against Highland, a 3-2 victory on penalty kicks. All three of Howard's goals have come on restarts.

"He's our secret weapon," Villa said, referencing former St. Louis Cardinals utilityman Jose Oquendo. "I don't think it will be a secret anymore. This is three games in a row in the playoffs. He goes to the ball. He's not afraid. He was aggressive to the ball all three times, and the results are there.

"Amazing. I wasn't even looking when he scored. I had my back to it. I've got to stop coaching and just pay attention and have fun. It's not in me, I don't think."

The Chargers took a 1-0 lead in the sixth minute when senior Jacob Bushue, an Indiana University recruit, dribbled along the endline and tapped a short pass to sophomore Lonnie Barnes, who scored from about 2 feet out.

Triad sophomore Blake Thomas was unable to finish an open chance in the 13th minute, hitting the ball directly to freshman goalie Andy Drackley.

"If he just takes a shot, taps it one way or another, it's a goal," Villa said. "Instead, he just dribbled it to the keeper, who was standing right in front of him."

But Thomas tied the game 7 1/2 minutes into the second half, converting the rebound of a shot by senior Derek Mitchell that caromed off Drackley.

Knights senior goalkeeper Jake Terveer leaped to knock away a wicked free kick from 30 yards away by junior Ben Flodstrom with 13 1/2 minutes to play, but the Chargers went ahead 2-1 with 9:20 remaining on Flodstrom's corner kick to an unmarked Bushue, whose header was true from deep in the box.

Krenning's 40-yard blast on a free kick from the middle of the field surprised everyone and knotted the score at 2 with 7:04 left.

"Letting the guy shoot out there, that shouldn't have happened," Chargers coach Imants Januarajs said. "The whole second half was chaotic on our part."

Villa marveled at Krenning's powerful shot.

"What a great goal. That was superb," Villa said. "If he doesn't score that, we're done. I don't think we were going to score, it didn't look like. You never know.

"This team never gives up. They keep battling. There's probably only been a game or two all year that we haven't been in it until the end. It's a good, hard-working team. A lot of seniors have stepped up and picked up their game. I'm very proud of them --the fact that we've made it this far."