High school girls soccer: Crystal Lake Central’s record-setting season ends in supersectional loss

GRAYSLAKE – Crystal Lake Central senior captain Abbey Kramer didn’t know if she would have a chance to play with her teammates again.

She missed Saturday’s sectional championship game because she was attending a wedding in Ireland. Someone called her from the bleachers as Kramer’s teammate Megan Wozniak lined up for a free kick with 20 seconds on the clock. Wozniak sent the ball into the net for the game’s only goal.

“I got the play-by-play from another continent,” Kramer said. “It was overwhelming.”

The Tigers earned one more game, and Kramer joined her teammates Tuesday as their run in the state playoffs came to an end in a Class 2A Grayslake Central Supersectional loss to Wauconda, 2-1.

“I can’t remember how many times we’ve come from behind to win a game,” Kramer said. “We’ve come so far. We’re 19-4. I couldn’t be more happy to end my senior year the way that we did. It would have been really nice to make it to state, but we made school history.”

Central jumped ahead early on Grace Rokos’ goal in the third minute, assisted by Emma Bolanowski. It was Wauconda (18-2-2) that scored two goals to come from behind and earn a spot in Friday’s Class 2A state semifinals in Naperville.

“We literally broke records this season,” Central coach Sarah Fack said. “We’d never even been past a sectional semifinal before. As much as this loss hurts – this was a hard-fought game against a great team – they should be proud of everything that they’ve done this year."

The Tigers set a program record for wins in a season and won their first sectional championship. They were co-Fox Valley Conference champions. Tuesday’s game pitted two teams that never had been to state.

Wauconda's Megan Sinnott scored in the 29th minute to even the score. Then Belle Johnson connected on a long goal in the 36th minute.

“It was an awesome game,” Wauconda coach Beau Shogren said. “A lot of credit goes to CLC. They absolutely brought everything they had today, and I think both teams got a little fortunate on the goals that they scored. Thankfully, we managed to sneak a couple in."

Wauconda beat Central for the second time this season, after a 1-0 win in the first game of the season March 11.

Rokos scored early Tuesday, and it seemed as if it might be Central’s day. Wauconda slowly began to control the possession as the first half progressed.

In the second half, Central increased the pressure offensively but couldn’t squeeze one past Wauconda goalkeeper Mackenzie Arden.

“At the end, we just couldn’t get that last goal,” Fack said. “We had our chances; we were pressuring them; they were sitting back. That’s soccer. They’re a great team, and I wish them luck at state.”

STAR OF THE GAME

Abbey Kramer, Crystal Lake Central, sr., D

Despite the season-ending loss in the Class 2A Grayslake Central Supersectional, Kramer and the rest of the Tigers' seniors led Central to the best season in program history.

THE NUMBER

19: The season win total marks a program best. The Tigers' sectional title was their first in program history.

AND ANOTHER THING …

“We’ve been building each year, getting better and better,” third-year Central coach Sarah Fack said. “This is, hopefully, a stepping-stone to future success, and we can build on this and learn from the loss here.”

Wauconda 2, Crystal Lake Central 1

Wauc 2 0 – 2

CLC 1 0 – 1

First half

CLC – Rokos (Bolanowski assist), 3rd minute.

Wauc – Sinnott (Johnson), 29th minute.

Wauc – Johnson, 36th minute.

Goalkeeper saves – Wauconda: Arden 10. Crystal Lake Central: Ryan 8.