Boys soccer: Grayslake Central suffers tough loss in state semifinals
Having the opportunity to play in the Class 2A state boys soccer semifinals, Grayslake Central was happy to be there and wanted to make its visit one to remember.
However, Troy Triad held off Grayslake Central 2-1 on Friday at Hoffman Estates High School.
Grayslake Central (14-7-2) will take on Chicago Washington (18-5-2) in Saturday's third-place game at 11 a.m., while Triad (25-0-1) faces Rockford Boylan (26-1) in the championship game.
"The loss is gutting to me," Grayslake Central coach Keith Andersson said. "The game itself, we played the way we wanted to in the second half. The first half, we had some nerves and weren't ready. It was a big difference. The way we came out in the second half ... in the first half, it would've been a different game."
Still, the Rams have something to go after - third place.
"Third in state, you can't beat that," Andersson said, "for a school that has never been there in soccer for 35 years."
Triad scored the opening goal in the 21st minute when Tobey Sutter found an opening in the Rams' defense and scored off an assist from Jake Ellis.
Danial Marynevych had a few opportunities to tie the game and either kicked the ball over the crossbar or wide of the goal.
"I have no one to blame but myself," Marynevych said. "I had the opportunities and made the mistakes. I honestly can't do anything about it and it happens. I have every other game where I have my chances and I just can't finish on them."
The Knights added a second goal in the 75th minute off a Gibson Hunt free kick that Ellis made a run down the middle on.
Grayslake Central found a goal in the last couple of minutes. Lucas Veenstra found a gap through the Knights' defense into the corner that made the score 2-1.
But, the Rams couldn't get another good opportunity to tie up the game in the final seconds.
"This was one of the best teams we've played all year," Triad coach John Jackson said of the Rams.
"I knew their record and they played a number of 3A schools through the year. We tried to play as many as 3A schools as we can down south. Their record doesn't tell you everything."