Girls soccer: Richmond-Burton captures fourth straight IHSA sectional title with win over Johnsburg

WOODSTOCK – Jordan Otto crouched down and covered her face with both hands in the middle of Marian Central’s field as the final seconds ticked off in Tuesday’s Class 1A Marian Central Sectional championship. After a few seconds of solitude, she got up and was embraced by her Richmond-Burton soccer teammates.

Otto couldn’t believe what had just happened, even though it was the fourth consecutive year the Rockets were in this position. R-B had just beaten Johnsburg 3-1 to not only capture its fourth straight sectional title but also a feeling that will be hard to replicate.

“It feels amazing, especially being a senior and it being my last year,” said Otto, a senior midfielder. “It’s something that I’m not ever going to be able to get back. To be here for the fourth time in my career is amazing.”

[ Photos: Johnsburg vs. Richmond-Burton IHSA Class 1A Soccer ]

The Rockets (17-2-1) faced a familiar foe in order to get back to the supersectional round. R-B and Johnsburg had built a strong rivalry over the past few seasons, even though the Rockets had won 11 straight against their Kishwaukee River Conference rivals heading into Tuesday’s match.

Both teams battled winds that reached up to 20 mph and went toward one goal for the entire match. The Rockets also needed to overcome the loss of senior Layne Frericks, who sat out Tuesday’s match because of a red card in R-B’s previous match.

R-B used the wind to its advantage in the first half, creating a few good looks off a corner and a free kick before finally breaking through. Otto got the ball near the top of the box and shot it toward the top of the net. The ball snuck in, and the Rockets took a 1-0 lead with 30:52 left in the first half.

The Rockets kept pushing the ball up the pitch but couldn’t take advantage of the wind. Freshman Abby Leslie finally got a cross and hit a shot that went off the goal post and in to make it a 2-0 lead with 4:13 left in the first half.

“Her number was called on and she stepped up,” R-B coach Casey DeCaluwe said. “That’s huge.”

Johnsburg (15-5) quickly took advantage of the wind in the second half when senior Mackenzie McQuiston scored off a corner kick with 35:48 left in the match to make it a 2-1 R-B lead. The Skyhawks kept pressuring but couldn’t take advantage of the wind.

R-B put the championship away when freshman Maddie Seyller scored on a breakaway with 9:51 left. Rockets goalkeeper Taylor Labay made three saves, and R-B had six shots on goal.

DeCaluwe credited a complete team performance for a fourth straight championship. He was impressed with how his freshmen stepped in during Frerick’s absence while Otto and senior Rachel Mendlik secured the midfield so the Skyhawks couldn’t build momentum up the pitch.

“A lot of people did a lot of great things today for us to be here in this position,” DeCaluwe said.

Johnsburg coach Rob Eastland knew Tuesday’s championship would be a match of two halves because of the wind. He thought the Skyhawks did a good job limiting the Rockets in the first half for the most part.

“It feels amazing, especially being a senior and it being my last year. It’s something that I’m not ever going to be able to get back. To be here for the fourth time in my career is amazing.”

—  Jordan Otto, Richmond-Burton senior

Despite the loss, Eastland was proud of what the Skyhawks accomplished this season by reaching the sectional championship.

“Sometimes it comes down to individual games,” Eastland said. “We just slipped on this one.”

The Rockets will play Willows Academy at 11 a.m. Saturday in the Class 1A Dominican University Supersectional. R-B defeated Willows 7-2 to win a sectional championship last season.

DeCaluwe said the Rockets felt the pressure of trying to win their fourth straight sectional title heading into Tuesday. Now that they accomplished that, DeCaluwe thinks R-B can play relaxed as it tries to return to the state championship for the second time in three seasons.

“We’ve been down there, we know what it looks like, this group knows exactly what to expect,” DeCaluwe said. “We’re going to step into that game ready to go, wanting to get into the final four.”