Ridgewood claims second place in 2A

Updated: March 22, 2011 5:08PM

Ridgewood's uplifting season came to a crashing halt Saturday in the Class 2A state championship game at North Central College in Naperville.

Peoria Notre Dame ended the Rebels' historic run ended with an 8-0 rout, which is believed to be the most lopsided loss in school history. Notre Dame (26-1), which won its second state championship in three years and fourth overall, came into the match ranked fourth in the nation by the National Soccer Coaches Association and 14th by ESPN Rise. The Irish lived up to their billing and more, setting championship game records for goals scored and margin of victory.

"There are a million excuses to make, but they are clearly the better team," Ridgewood coach Robert St. John said. "We just didn't bring it today. But hats off to [the Irish]. They're phenomenal."

The Rebels (19-7-2) were the first sports team in their school's 50-year history to make the state semifinals and clinched the second place trophy by beating Burlington Central 2-1 in Friday's semifinals. But their defense was under siege from the outset, as Notre Dame used its superior speed and strength to dominate throughout.

Even so, Notre Dame led only 1-0 until Drew Olehy scored on a 21-yard free kick with 2:22 left in the first half. The Irish then scored four goals in a five-shot span in the second half to put it away. Vince Cicciarelli and Cody Gilfillan both scored twice, while Kevin Whelan, Alex Garcia and goalie Mark Streid, who switched to forward in the final 10 minutes, also found the back of the net for Notre Dame, which went unbeaten against Illinois schools.

"They were the better team but I don't think it should have been 8-0," said Ridgewood captain Piotr Soja, who led the Rebels with 36 goals this fall but was held to only three shots in this match. "It was just as they keep scoring your morale keeps going down and it's like, how do you get up from that when you know you're losing and there is not much time left."

Ridgewood had only two solid scoring chances. Streid saved a 20-yard free kick from Artur Kurzynski in the 55th minute and Soja missed a 27-yard free kick high with 20 seconds remaining.

"I couldn't be happier with the season overall," St. John said. "Of course we're upset, we're embarrassed; 8-0 is ugly. But I can't take away from [the trophy]. This is a special group of guys that worked hard. I'm proud of them."

Though disappointed, Soja was proud, too.

"We've been playing so long and then to come this far and be in the final just feels amazing," the senior said. "It would have been nice to win, but even though we're not getting first, I think second is amazing out of all the teams that played."

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