JT hurtin' without Vertin

Joliet Township goalkeeper Mike Vertin makes a save during action this season. Vertin, who posted his seventh shutout of the season and 22nd of his career, was one of six Steelmen starters from Joliet Central forced to the sidelines Friday night.
herald news file photo

Font Size

Email

Bookmark

Black Text

White Text

JOLIET -- Five minutes after the conclusion of Friday's Class 3A Joliet Township Regional championship soccer game between JT and Normal Community, it began to rain.

Nearly four hours earlier, a cloud of another sort swept over the Steelmen's athletic program, taking senior goalkeeper Mike Vertin away in the process.

A Joliet Central High School student was diagnosed and hospitalized with meningococcemia, a severe bloodborne infection caused by Neisseria meningitidis bacteria.

A ruling by the IHSA stated that Friday's regional championship game would go on as scheduled. However, no soccer players from Joliet Central could participate for JT.

Despite being short-handed and putting forth an excellent effort, the Steelmen dropped a 3-1 decision to the Ironmen (16-3), who advance to their sectional beginning with a 4:30 p.m. Tuesday semifinal game.

JT sophomore coach Dave Gutierrez took over for head coach Eduardo Contreras, who teaches at Central. Vertin, a Joliet Central student, recorded his seventh shutout of the season and 22nd of his career Tuesday in the Steelmen's 5-0 semifinal win over Providence.

"I could not have asked any more from the players than what they gave in this game," Gutierrez said. "Considering the circumstances and what came down in such short notice, the players were remarkable.

"They were outstanding and played their hearts out from start to finish. What an effort they gave forth."

Besides Vertin, the Steelmen (15-6-1) also played without five other starters.

"We just wish that the state officials would have moved the game back to Monday," JT senior Andy McKanna said. "Then maybe we could have played Normal with our full team. This is heartbreaking. I feel terrible, but we gave it our best shot. That's all you can do."

McKanna, a senior forward, scored 3 goals in the win over Providence.

Senior forward Gilberto Jolomna gave the Steelmen a 1-0 lead with 26:30 remaining in the first half. From about 20 yards out, Jolomna rifled in a kick into the net's left corner to make it 1-0. It was Jolomna's first goal.

"That was a superb effort by Gilberto," Gutierrez said. "His goal was a bullet of a shot. The keeper couldn't do a thing with it. He showed tremendous range on that goal.

"We had to play guys out of position which made it even more difficult. But considering how things came down in such short notice, the players all banded together and communicated so well on the field. It was amazing, truly it was.

"That's a credit to the kids and the type of program we have here now. They didn't complain, ran the correct plays and hustled so hard."

The more aggressive Steelmen outshot Normal Community 8-2 in the first half. But sophomore forward Connor Donath scored with just 2:43 remaining in the opening half to tie it at 1-1.

The Ironmen tallied second-half goals at the 49:36 and 67:55 marks to secure the victory. But Normal Community's victory didn't come easily against the game Steelmen, who suited up 15 players.

"We knew that it was going to be tough in this game, but we didn't care," an emotional Jolomna said amidst a heavy rain moments after the loss. "We're a team and that's how we played this game -- as a total team, win or lose.

"It's just discouraging how this all came down. Even with those starters out for this game, we played for everyone in the Joliet Township soccer program tonight. That's how it is with us here."