Crusaders knock out Spartans in OT

Brother Rice has to be Illinois' best 10-10 soccer team. Certainly, the Crusaders are the best No. 12 seed.

They'll try to prove that again Saturday morning against Lincoln-Way East, when they play the Griffins on their home field. Rice advanced to the Class 3A regional final with a 4-3 sudden-death overtime victory over Oak Lawn on Tuesday night.

Wade Howard headed in the game-winner 8 minutes, 4 seconds into the first overtime, converting midfielder John Stewart's pass.

The goal, Howard's second of the match, beat Spartans goalkeeper Jorge Marinez, ended Oak Lawn's surprising season and allowed the Crusaders to achieve at least one goal.

"I wanted to be at least in a regional final," Rice coach Nick Markulin said of his season's objectives.

That was accomplished in the most dramatic of ways. Oak Lawn took a 2-0 lead on goals by senior forward Mustafa Abdelrahman, and held that lead at the half. Markulin spoke up.

"Seniors, if you don't want to end your career on this note, you'd better follow some instructions," Markulin said.

Promptly, the Crusaders perked up. Before 13 minutes were played, Greg Healy, on a 25-yard rocket, and Howard, on a shot Martinez misplayed, had tied the match at 2.

Rice took a 3-2 lead 22:53 into the second half on Stewart's score from the slot via midfielder David Johnson's second assist. Oak Lawn tied the game on Matt Gorecki's header with 5:49 left in regulation.

Howard's goal came on the first good chance for either team in extra time.

Abdelrahman was ejected with three seconds left in regulation, when he knocked the ball out of the hands of a Rice player who was about to throw it in. He had been hit with a yellow card earlier in the game, so the second card was red. Abdelrahman would also have missed the regional final had Oak Lawn advanced.

"Lincoln-Way East would have torn us up without him," Oak Lawn coach Kevin Stow said.

Abdelrahman showed his skill and speed from the outset, outracing a Rice defender to a pass and beating goalkeeper Chris Vidos 5:19 into the game. The Crusaders opened defensively with four men back, finding it difficult to double-team Abdelrahman, given the trouble midfielder Ray Martinez was causing.

That combination created the second Spartans goal. Martinez took a pass from Jose Renteria off a short corner kick and fed Abdelrahman in the slot for a beautiful header goal with 2:16 left in the first half.

The Spartans closed their season with a 15-5 record.