Libertyville takes down Morton

Updated: September 17, 2011 4:18PM

Some sweet revenge on the path to a title game, that’s what Libertyville wanted and that’s what the Wildcats got on Saturday.

No. 2 Libertyville’s 3-1 win over No. 3 Morton in a Pepsi Showdown semifinal sends the Wildcats back to Toyota Park for their second consecutive trip to the tournament’s title game.

“We lost to Morton last year in the (Pepsi) final so we wanted to come out hard and get revenge,” Libertyville senior Shane Reilly said. “We want to win it this year.”

Libertyville (9-1) will take on Lyons with the Pepsi title on the line at 2 p.m. Sunday in Bridgeview.

Reilly had an assist on the game’s first goal, and both of Libertyville’s first two goals were set up by the whale of a throw-in that senior Adam Witucki is packing.

After a scoreless first half, Witucki’s throw at 48 minutes reached the far post. The ball hit the carpet and Reilly touched it to Tomide Owolabi, who buried it in the goalmouth.

Witucki was at it again at 57 minutes. His long throw again found the ground and an initial shot was stopped before sophomore Lloyd Chatfield crashed net and cleaned it up at the post.

“We got some nice flicks on the ball and some nice runs that they made,” Witucki said of his teammates’ ability to finish on Saturday. “I just kind of throw it in, aim for the six, and keep it off the goalie.”

Morton (9-2) cut the lead in half at 65 minutes on an Alfonso Torres head shot goal off a free kick feed from Abdon Delgado, but Libertyville scored less than a minute later when Sam Kaplan unleashed a menacing free kick from 20 yards out that stretched the back netting.

Libertyville coach Andy Bitta was proud of the energy his boys showed during a dominant second half of play.

“We had so many kids on this team that went last year and it took us two weeks to recover (from the loss),” Bitta said of last year’s Pepsi title game. “These kids worked so hard in the off-season and to get back to Toyota Park is a feather in their cap. They push themselves and that’s why this is such a special team.”

Morton coach Mike Caruso applauded the Wildcats’ effort against his side on Saturday, and his Mustangs’ lone losses this season have come to the Sun-Times’ top two ranked teams.

“I’d say (No. 1) Naperville North and Libertyville are head and shoulders above everybody else,” Caruso said. “I think we’re in that second tier of teams right now, but I think those are the two teams that are above everyone else.”

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