Lemont, Stagg prepare for supers

Updated: March 22, 2011 5:10PM

At this level in the state soccer playoffs, everything is new for Stagg's Chargers.

For the Lemont Indians, the view is distressingly familiar.

And if either team is to advance to Friday's state semifinals, it might be wise to come into tonight's daunting supersectional contests with the attitude that has carried Stagg thus far.

"‘Whatever It Takes' is our motto," Stagg coach Mike Kealy said. "If we need to, we certainly have the legs to play however long it takes."

Stagg (15-5-2) faces Edwardsville (18-4-1) at 6 p.m. in the Class 3A Normal Supersectional. Lemont (15-7-3) has a 5 p.m. rematch against Peoria Notre Dame (23-1), which beat the Indians in last year's supersectional, at Lincoln-Way West.

The Chargers have been tested throughout the playoffs. Seeded eighth in their sectional, they stymied the state's top goal-scorer, Crete-Monee's Carlos Posada, in their first-round win, then took top-seeded Sandburg in three overtimes for the regional title.

At the sectional, the Chargers went to four overtimes with fifth-seeded Marist before shutting out No. 2 Eisenhower.

Now, history beckons the battered but unbowed Chargers.

"We've never made it to state before," senior midfielder Zack Judickas said after the sectional title game, dry blood from a cleating still on his neck. "I'm just looking to go out there and leave it all on and the field."

Tom Lojek limped from the pitch after the sectional win thanks to an ankle bruised on a hard slide late in the match.

"Winning supersectionals for the first time in school history would be quite an achievement," Lojek said. "Eisenhower lost to Edwardsville last year, so we'll help them get revenge."

Stagg has come a long way from a 3-5-2 team that required a closed-door meeting to a squad riding a 12-match winning streak. Judickas leads the Chargers with 21 goals, three of those in the last two games, while dishing out 14 assists. Lojek has added 11 goals and 18 assists.

"These guys have been through so much together and they deserve this," Kealy said. "Edwardsville is one of the southern perennial powerhouses in soccer, but we are going to do whatever we can and let the chips fall where they may."

Edwardsville finished fourth in state last year and second in 2008.

Notre Dame's resume is even more sparkling. The Irish are ranked fifth in the nation by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America, took the state title in 2008 and finished second in '09.

Last year's state trip followed a 3-0 dismantling of Lemont in the super.

"I don't get into the revenge thing," Lemont coach Rick Prangen said. "If last season dictates what you do this season then something is wrong."

Lemont's Jonathan Remiasz was in goal and Kyle Koehler was on the field last season when Notre Dame ended the Indians' run at a state championship. They haven't forgotten.

"Last year Notre Dame was a better team on that day, but we could put something special together this year if we keep them below three goals like last year," Remiasz said. "Lemont has only won one (supersectional) before, so if we win, we will go down with some of the best who ever played."

"What it means is revenge for the seniors last year," Koehler said. "They knocked them out last year, so we are going to try to knock them out this year."

Lemont was the No. 1 seed in the team's home sectional, shutting out Rich Central and Oak Forest by a combined 14-0 in regional play. In sectional action, the Indians blanked Washington 2-0 and Bremen 1-0.

Notre Dame will be another matter.

"Notre Dame is one of the best teams, no matter what class you're talking about," Prangen said. "Sure, we lost to them last year and on paper they are a great side, but you've got to play the game - and the game decides it rather than all the stuff beforehand."

Thus far, Lemont's game plan has been pretty simple: The other team can't win if it can't score.

"We come into each game with the mind-set of not allowing any goals since we lost so much fire power on offense from last year," Remiasz said.

Remiasz has notched 11 shutouts on the season. Reaching 12 will be tough, given Notre Dame, behind Vince Cicciarelli's 33 goals and Cody Gilfillan's 22 goals and 20 assists, has outscored opponents 113-15 in the team's 24 games.

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