Fitzgerald lifts Lisle to finals

Updated: March 22, 2011 5:14PM

A great player can score even when everyone is trying to stop him. Lisle senior, Grant Fitzgerald is exactly that type of player and he proved it again Friday night at the class 1A State Semifinals at North Central College, recording a hat trick to lead the Lions to a 3-2 double overtime victory over Stillman Valley.

Lisle (16-9-1) will try to capture its first state championship Saturday at 7:30.

"We started out the season 0-3, and now to be here going to the state final is crazy to think about," Fitzgerald said. "We're finding ways to score."

More specifically, Fitzgerald is finding ways to score. His game-winning goal came with 4:20 remaining in the second overtime when he knocked home a corner kick from Pat Webb. It was his 31st of the season, and 91st of his career.

"I love scoring, but I wouldn't be able to do it without people like Pat [Webb] and Eric [Osika] who are so great with the ball," said Fitgerald, who will not play college soccer. "They're able to get control of it and distribute it to me. It makes my life a lot easier."

Fitzgerald opened the scoring just 3:12 into the game when he took a lead pass from Osika and scored on a shot from the penalty spot.

Uriel Perez tied it for Stillman Valley (21-4) with 25-30 remaining in the first half, but Fitzgerald struck again at the 5:49 mark off an assist from A.K. Kamara. The Lions held the 2-1 lead until Perez scored his 28th of the year for the Cardinals with 11:07 to play in regulation.

Stillman Valley -- which had its 11 game winning streak snapped -- actually out-shot the Lions 23-16, including 11-4 in the first half.

That included a shot from Perez that hit the left post and another drive from Keaton Weber that dinged the crossbar. But Lisle goalie Kazim Khan made 15 saves and the Lions turned the tide in extra time.

"We had a lot of chances at the end of the game, and then we kept getting these corners," Webb said. "The first one we had in overtime we almost scored. The winning goal the keeper wasn't coming out, so I just put it right on the keeper and Grant just came in and scored like he's done so much this season. Now we're going to the State Final, it's awesome."

Webb, a junior, has played with Fitzgerald for three seasons and has seen his talent up close. He does a great job Webb said. Sometimes it frees up me and Eric to get the ball, and then he makes great runs. He finds ways to get open even if people are marking him all the game."

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