Storm, Royals ready to meet in regional
The South Elgin boys soccer team enters the Huntley Class 3A Regional as the No. 1 seed going into Tuesday's matchup against No. 4 Larkin. The Storm finished the regular season 11-4-2 and looks for its first-ever regional title.
A young Larkin (6-15-3) team, which features four freshmen and four sophomores, upset the Storm 3-0 on Oct. 6. The Royals have been playing their best soccer of late, but they know that a second win over the Storm will be a tall task.
"We've been playing much better the last third of the season," said Larkin coach Ken Hall. "It's gonna be a good game. They're gonna be ready with them having a lot of seniors and it being their last chance. We have to be better than we were last game against them."
Elsewhere in Class 3A, No. 4 seed Jacobs will take on No. 1 Crystal Lake South for the right to advance to the title game of the McHenry Regional. At the Wheaton North Regional, Bartlett earned a No. 4 seed and will advance to the title match on Saturday with a win over No. 13 seed Hoffman Estates.
A senior-laden Streamwood (6-14-4) team had a disappointing regular season but can turn it around as the No. 15 seed at the St. Charles East Regional. The host Saints earned a No. 8 seed.
In Class 2A, Burlington Central is excited to be hosting its first-ever boys soccer regional. The Rockets (14-5-2) finished in a first-place tie with Harvard in the Big Northern Conference East Division and will get their postseason underway on Tuesday as the No. 7 seed against No. 10 seed Johnsburg.
"They've got about the same record as we do and they play in the Fox Valley Conference so they have good competition," said Central coach Mike Gecan. "I think all around our players are a little better and we should get the win."
Senior captain Stephen Hall returns for the postseason after missing the past four weeks with a hamstring injury. Junior stopper Kyle Reopelle has been the cornerstone of the team this year and will also be relied upon in the playoffs, according to Gecan.
Should the Rockets advance, they'd most likely face No. 2 seed Marmion in Saturday's title match.
Hampshire upset the No. 1 seed on its way to a regional title last year and looks to do the same this year at the Grayslake Central Regional. The No. 9 seed Whip-Purs (13-7-1) take on No. 8 seed Oswego in a semifinal matchup on Tuesday. The winner will likely face top-seeded Wheaton Academy on Saturday.
In Class 1A, Westminster Christian earned a 3-2 win over North Shore Country Day on Saturday in a semifinal match at its own Class 1A regional. The No. 2 Warriors (14-3-1) move on to face top seed Harvard in the title match on Tuesday.
"Harvard is a very good team," said Westminster coach Mike Richardson. "They're obviously better than we are in my opinion so we'll just go into the game with our same philosophy and hopefully we'll be successful at the end of the game."
