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Joliet Central solid, but fall in semis
Updated: August 30, 2011 9:39PM
Joliet Central had been living on the edge through the first three rounds of the 10th annual Windy City Ram Classic, winning each game 1-0, including a shootout victory over Marist in the quarterfinals.
“When you own possession for 65 percent of a game, the shots will eventually fall,” Central coach Eduardo Contreras said. “We just haven’t been hitting our shots.”
In the semifinals, with a trip to the championship game at Toyota Park on the line, Central was unable to keep the close game magic going, falling to Stagg 4-1.
Greg Healy got Stagg on the board 40 seconds into the game, controlling the ball 45 yards out and, as if he were shot out of a rocket, blowing by everyone for a breakaway goal. With just over seven minutes left in the first half, Robert Torres sent a pass through the legs of a Central defender that found Dino Karas in front of the net to make it 2-0. With 2:39 left in the first half, Tony Estrada made it 3-0, finding a loose ball and juking the goalie for the goal.
Shots missing the goal was not Central’s problem in the first half. It was getting shots at all, as the Steelmen (3-1) put just one shot on goal.
“We didn’t play our best,” Contreras said. “Our lack of offense is catching up to us.”
Central put pressure on Stagg (4-0) in the second half, putting seven shots on goal, but Chargers goalie Eric Estrada was phenomenal, making four saves, three of which seemed destined for the back of the net, while the remaining three shots hit the crossbar.
The Steelmen made it 3-1 five minutes into the second half as Luis Rodriguez fired in a rebound, but Healy added another breakaway goal three minutes later to make it 4-1.
From there, Rodriguez, the Stagg defense and the crossbar took over.
“It seems like every game we are hitting the post at least three times,” Contreras said. “We see them again in three weeks, so hopefully, things will change.”
Windy City Ram Classic
St. Rita 2, Providence 0: Providence dropped the consolation-bracket game.
Bolingbrook 3, U-High 1: Alex Cruz had three goals to lead Bolingbrook (3-1) in the consolation bracket.
Herscher 5, Wilmington 0: Sean Tonneson made 12 saves for host Wilmington (2-4, 0-1) in the I-8 match.
Westmont 3, Coal City 1: Host Coal City fell.
Lemont Cup
Lemont 3, Lincoln-Way West 0: Mike Walus (2 assists), Nick Tiedt and Tommy Gasienica each scored for Lemont in the second-round game.
Plainfield North 4, Lockport 4: Colin Donnally had three goals and Sebastiane Salazar had a goal and an assist for Plainfield North (2-0-1) in the second-round game.
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