Broncos bust Wildcats' title hopes

Naperville North's Jamie Meno, left, and Waubonsie Valley's Jessica Blake look for space as they pursue the ball Saturday. Blake scored a first-half goal to help the Warriors extend their unbeaten streak to 47 games.
Jon Cunningham / Special to The Sun

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Neuqua Valley confidently endured the long hours between their semifinal and championship games Saturday at North Central College.

Even with senior forward Bret Hruby and all four of his state-tournament goals potentially benched because of a broken nose, the Wildcats held their heads high.

"He's definitely a big part of our team, but I think we'll be all right," said sophomore forward Bryan Ciesiulka, following the team's 3-1 morning win over Rockford Boylan. "We've got a lot of good guys coming off the bench, bringing a lot of energy."

The Wildcats not only brought energy to the state final, they also brought Hruby, but Barrington got the better of the entire Neuqua pack.

The Broncos beat Neuqua 2-1 on senior midfielder Ryan Nolan's redirection of teammate Cameron Reilly's free kick at the 4:04 mark of the third overtime - the longest Class AA championship game ever.

Hruby started the game but the Wildcats' 14-game unbeaten streak ended when neither him nor his teammates could score. It was only the third time this season the Wildcats went scoreless.

Barrington lost its regular-season finale before winning all eight playoff games.

Neuqua (24-2-4) trailed for only the third time this year when Broncos senior forward Francesco Furio scored in the 24th minute. Furio worked a slowly developing give-and-go with junior midfielder Ryan Mangone that led to Furio's header passed a diving Wildcats goalkeeper Jack Turanchik. Furio ends the season with 24 goals.

Neuqua junior Ian Krol, called up to varsity for the postseason, tied the game at 1 in the 53rd minute.

Finally, for the Wildcats, one of their long services into the attacking third was not met by a Broncos defender. This time, Krol beat goalkeeper Tom Unak in stride to a 50-50 ball and kicked it into the left side of the goal.

Hruby had his chance to play the hero again, but Unak stole the show by stopping his penalty kick with a diving save to his left side with five minutes to play in regulation. Senior midfielder Matt Gallup got fouled on a breakaway to set up the penalty shot.

Unak also made a diving save of Ciesiulka's attempt at the game-winner with about 55 seconds to play in regulation.

Doctors granted Hruby permission to play in the final after first attending to him during the second half of the semifinal game.

Hruby played without a mask, per doctors suggestions, or any other protective covering over his crooked nose.

"I was going up for the header and headed the other player's head," Hruby said during Hinsdale Central's win over Rockford Boylan in the third-place game. "And I got all bloody."

The injury didn't seem to affect Hruby against Barrington. He pressured the Broncos defense often.

Fifth-ranked Neuqua and No. 22 Barrington (25-2) began the week as the only two Illinois teams ranked nationally by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America.

Contact Brad Engel at bengel@scn1.com or 630-416-5289.