McKanna's hat trick powers Steelmen

Yan Senese of Providence and Juan Mascote of Joliet fight for control of the ball.
(John Patsch/Herald News)

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JOLIET -- The coach was in the penalty box. His standout senior forward covered up for his absence.

Andrew McKanna scored three goals in a span of about 20 minutes in the first half of Joliet's 5-0 boys soccer victory over Providence in a 3A regional semifinal on Tuesday night at Klootwyk Field.

His red-hot play helped JT make up for the loss of coach Eduardo Contreras on a chilly night. Contreras was slapped with a red card in JT's final regular-season match -- a 2-2 tie against Minooka last Wednesday -- and forced to sit out the JT playoff opener. He spoke to the Steelmen about 30 minutes before kickoff and then left the premises -- as mandated in the IHSA bylaws.

His pre-game message about starting with a surge of speed and power did not fall on deaf ears.

"We wanted to pressure them straight-up from the beginning, that way they know we're here, they know we're alive," McKanna said after the Steelmen blitzed past Providence for the third time this year and advanced to play in the JT Regional final. "It makes a big difference in the game, rather than if we come out sloppy and lazy and then they put pressure on us first."

JT (15-5-1) will face Normal Community at 5:30 p.m. on Friday. Normal (15-3-5) earlier beat Bradley-Bourbonnais 5-2.

The matchup is one of Ironmen vs. Steelmen, the 1 seed vs. the 2.

"I think steel is a little bit stronger than iron," JT senior keeper Mike Vertin said. "But it will be a fun game."

JT blanked Providence 2-0 and 2-0 when the two met during the regular season.

McKanna made sure the third time for the Steelmen came with an even bigger charm. He scored at the 38:53 mark after Juan Carranco's through-ball set up him on the left hash, about 15-20 yards out. Then, at 27:41, Carranco set up McKanna for his second goal. He beat Providence's Alec Pickett in a one-on-none situation. The play started with JT's Ulises Ornelas getting the jump on a Celtic throw-in near midfield.

McKanna scored his third goal -- and notched his third hat trick of the year -- at 19:57 in picturesque fashion. After winning a battle for a free ball, he used his left foot to flick a high-arching shot up and over Pickett and into the upper, right corner of the net. The goal was No. 17 for McKanna, JT's leading scorer.

"It was a left-footed shot," said McKanna, who is predominantly a right-footed player. "I just dribbled in, saw nobody was around me and just took a shot. I just had to hit it. I aimed it and placed it. And it went it."

JT's DeAndre McLaurin pushed the margin to 4-0 at halftime. He scored on a rebound following a direct kick by Ornelas.

The Steelmen continued to control play in Providence's end in the second half and had chances to score at least two more goals before Joey Kelsey capped the onslaught. He slid into the crease to keep a center pass from Gilberto Jolomna alive, then managed to boot the ball into the back of the net. McLaurin's run set JT up deep in the Celitcs' territory.

Vertin picked up his seventh shutout of the season and the 22nd of his career with a little relief help from junior Gabriel Lozano. Lozano subbed in for the final 10:30.

"Yeah, the guys were fired up," Vertin said. "They kept everything away from me. They did an awesome job of controlling the whole game. I think I touched it, maybe, four times. I came out sprinting once. That was fun.

"But they controlled the whole game, and standing back there was probably the easiest job tonight."

Vertin kept himself amused by playing cheerleader as JT finished with edges of 23-4 in shots on goal or at goal and 7-1 in corner kicks.

"When they're down there, I'm the biggest fan in the whole stadium," Vertin said. "And I was jumping up and down when I saw that one goal by McKanna. I got fired up. I knew after that one we were going to get more. It was very pretty."

Vertin said the Steelmen were determined to put a 'W' on the board for their coach.

"This one was for Coach Contreras because he couldn't be here," Vertin said. "But Coach (Eric) Wendt did a great job subbing in the guys, getting us in, getting us breaks and giving us a great halftime speech, by the way. He just kept us fired up, wanting more."

Wendt felt like JT followed the script Contreras wrote up for them and credited McKanna's teammates for feeding him the ball.

"He's definitely getting help from his teammates, and he'd be the first one to tell you that," Wendt said. "It's team game. He talks about it all the time at practice, that it's a family, and it really does feel that way, coming out like this."

Providence coach Dan Potempa huddled with his squad afterward and congratulated the Celtics (6-15-2) for putting up a more inspired fight in the second half.

"I think Joliet definitely came out with a really strong team," Potempa said. "We told the boys that you've got to come out hard from minute 1. Joliet definitely did. They came out and put a goal on us quickly.

"I have a really young team. I think they kind of got down on themselves at that point. I think it was tough for them to dig out of a hole. They scored a couple more goals. And, at halftime, we said, 'Let's come out like we should have in the first half and play hard.' We really did. I think we had a good second half against a really good Joliet team.

"We only gave up one goal. We had a few chances. And that's the season I want the boys to remember. That's how they could have played, and that's the team I know and love."