Young Devils finish just under .500

dshalin@pioneerlocal.com

An up-and-down season came to an end for the No. 3 Warren High School soccer team (10-11-2) with Saturday's 1-0 regional final loss to Lake Forest.

The Scouts' Harry Shipp converted a penalty kick late in the first half for the game's only goal.

The host Blue Devils created some scoring chances, but they struggled in front of goal.

"We had some unbelievable opportunities early, and we just didn't finish them," Warren head coach Jim McNamara said. "We got our first shot on goal in the last minute of the game. That just shows you where the quality of our shots were. We just couldn't put them on target."

The coach was pleased with the play of junior midfielder Oskar Gasecki and freshman forward Brandon Brown.

After reaching the state championship game with a senior-dominated squad in 2006, the Blue Devils were forced to field a young team this fall. All too often their youth and inexperience were evident.

There were some big victories, like a 1-0 win over Libertyville and a 3-2 double-overtime triumph over Plainfield Central in the Pepsi Showdown quarterfinal, but not enough of them.

"We could never find the consistency," McNamara said. "We'd play terrific one or two games and then go back to the same mistakes. It was extremely frustrating to the players and coaches. We knew we could do better, but never found the mind-set to fight through it."

The good news is that many of the key players will return in 2008. In the final game of the season, Warren started just one senior. The Blue Devils' top three offensive weapons -- Gasecki (6 goals, 5 assists), Jarrett Jesperson (7 goals, 1 assist) and Ruben Gaytan (5 goals, 2 assists) -- should return next season.

Speaking after his team defeated McHenry in Tuesday's Libertyville Sectional semifinal, Carmel High School's Edwin Lagunas was clear about which team he hoped to see in the sectional final.

No. 2 Libertyville and No. 6 Lake Forest were matched up in the evening's second game, but Lagunas wanted the home team to advance.

He got his wish.

"I want Libertyville to win because they beat us early in the season and we want a rematch," said the striker, referring to the 1-0 setback. "I want to play them and make it happen and beat them and get our revenge."

Tonight's game will kick off at 6:30 p.m. at Libertyville with the winner punching a ticket to Monday's second supersectional at Benedictine University in Lisle.

Lagunas scored in each half of Tuesday's 2-0 win over McHenry. The first came in the 33rd minute when a defender's failed clearance hit the striker in the chest and fell to his feet. Lagunas volleyed it into the top of the net.

The second, Lagunas' 21st of the season, sealed the game for the No. 1 Corsairs (17-5-2) with just over a minute remaining. Kurt Houghton sent a long ball downfield to Bobby Gas, who dribbled in on net. His shot was blocked but it fell to Lagunas, who shot from an acute angle. The ball was headed for the goal and was helped over the line by a sliding McHenry defender.

Carmel was in control of the contest early. But the No. 5 Warriors (18-4-2) had increasingly more possession as the second half wore on. McHenry's best chance to tie came with 2:37 remaining when Matt Robinson's rocket was deflected over the bar by leaping Corsairs' keeper Joey Ferrari, who was solid all night despite somewhat limited work.

"(Ferrari) came up huge at the end and made some nice saves in traffic off of corners and dead balls," Corsairs head coach John Halloran said. "(Corners and dead balls) is where he had struggled (in the past), but he's really made it one of his strengths. It's nice that you can trust your keeper back there to come up with the big saves when you need them."