Bremen, Andrew one step from state berth

Two weeks ago, Bremen was on the verge of being eliminated from the Class 2A soccer playoffs in shocking fashion.

The Braves trailed 16th-seeded Carver Military Academy late in the second half of their regional semifinal on Rich East's bandbox-sized field. Late goals by Gilberto Mendez and Ruben Ortega, the latter on a penalty kick, brought the top-seeded Braves a 3-2 victory and new life.

They've taken advantage since, most recently by beating Lemont in a shootout to capture a supersectional berth for the first time. The Braves (19-3-2) play St. Joseph (15-6-2) at 4:30 p.m. today at Benedictine University in Lisle. The winner advances to Friday's state semifinal match at North Central College.

In Class 3A, Andrew (18-5) meets Edwardsville (18-4) in a supersectional at Normal Community West High School at 6 p.m. tonight for a berth in Friday's state semifinals at North Central.

Bremen's dramatic victory over Lemont might have taken an emotional toll on a lesser team. The Braves, while thrilled to win and eager to parade around with the sectional plaque after 120 minutes of soccer plus the shootout, seemed to take advancing to the Elite Eight in stride.

"They deserve everything they've gotten so far," coach Steve Granat said. "They've come a long way."

While 36-goal striker Josh Techiera gets many plaudits, goalkeeper Mike Goulding has come up with big saves at key moments during the playoffs. His stop on Lemont's Gary Sorich in the fifth round of Saturday's shootout kept the Braves alive.

"We've lost some big games going to PKs in earlier years. He's obviously stepped up tremendously," Granat said of his captain.

Goulding said the team's history wasn't far from his mind entering the playoffs.

"We've lost every regional (the last three years). I want to win. It's not an option to lose," Goulding said.

St. Joseph has been close to a state title in years past, most recently finishing fourth in Class A in 2004. First-year coach Stan Niemiec has forged an offensive club. Twice in the playoffs, the Chargers scored eight goals against a foe.

Andrew, which has won 11 straight, last advanced to a supersectional in 1989, too long ago for it to have meaning to this year's squad.

"These are the games you remember forever," said Andrew coach Pat MacDonald, who, like the rest of the athletic staff, wasn't at the school when the generation-ago Thunderbolts dropped a 1-0 decision to Rich Central to finish 21-1.

This year's team boasts a big-game goalkeeper in Tom Serratorre, a pair of sniping forwards in Matt Ribbens and Mike Bruggen, and a steadying force in midfielder Ryan Butler.

"He's the key of our team," MacDonald said. "And Serratorre, against Brother Rice (in the sectional final), they had opportunities in overtime and he stopped them. That's what it's about this time of year."

Edwardsville, one of the soccer hotbeds in the St. Louis area, was the Class AA champion in 2000, but hadn't advanced to supersectional play since 2004. The senior-heavy Tigers did so with a 2-0 victory over Normal Community on Saturday.

"We've talked, especially since we were freshmen, about going to the state tournament and winning a state championship," Edwardsville senior Ken Giacobbe told the Alton Telegraph. "This puts us one step closer."

MacDonald foresees a challenging match.

"They play very similar to the way we do," MacDonald said. "They have a flat-back defense, and their offensive players are in rotation. Their guys switch off. It should be like a scrimmage for both of us."