Girls soccer: Crystal Lake Central tries to make history in first IHSA state finals trip

Sarah Fack knew in the back of her mind that Crystal Lake Central had the potential to reach the state finals when the team’s junior class joined the program three years ago.

Rarely does a coach get so many talented players placed on their lap. Fack felt like the Tigers program already had a strong foundation with talented players to surround the group with the potential to make a run for a state championship.

Those thoughts became reality Tuesday when Central took down Lake Forest 1-0 to advance to state for the first time in program history. Now the Tigers will try to finish it off, starting at 1 p.m. Friday in the Class 2A state semifinals against Benet at North Central College in Naperville.

[ IHSA girls soccer: Crystal Lake Central Class 2A state semifinals: How to watch, tickets, directions ]

“It’s obviously something that we’ve seen and knew was a possibility and it was just a matter of can we click,” Fack said. “I think over the last three seasons, things have fallen into place. They’re just great kids who are hard workers, they like being around each other and they’ve helped build a great culture.”

The three-year run for Central (18-3) started in 2021 when the Tigers won the Fox Valley Conference Tournament as a No. 3 seed and lost in the sectional quarterfinals — there was no regional round held in Class 2A that spring because of COVID-19 restrictions. Central won the FVC title last season and lost to Boylan Catholic in penalty kicks in the sectional final before going 9-0 in FVC play this year and getting revenge, beating Boylan in overtime Friday.

Central opened the season with a 4-0 loss to St. Charles North (17-4-2) and lost 2-1 to both Prospect (13-3-3) and Metea Valley (19-1-3). Fack wanted her team to be challenged by some of the best teams in the state and the Tigers have learned how to face adversity both in those tests and in the playoffs.

“Having every game [prior to state] possibly be our last game has been a huge weight,” Central senior Katie Barth said. “I’ve learned to be present in the moment. But having nerves before a big game isn’t a bad thing.”

The offense is clicking at the right time to complement strong defensive play from goalkeeper Addison Cleary and the Tigers overall. After struggling to score in key moments at the beginning of the season, Central has picked up goals when it mattered the most.

“It’s obviously something that we’ve seen and knew was a possibility and it was just a matter of can we click. I think over the last three seasons, things have fallen into place. They’re just great kids who are hard workers, they like being around each other and they’ve helped build a great culture.”

—  Sarah Fack, Crystal Lake Central girls soccer coach

Olivia Anderson scored in overtime against Boylan on Friday while Lizzie Gray scored the match-winning goal with less than four minutes left in the match against Lake Forest on Tuesday.

“They just kept their heads down and kept working hard, trying to do all the little things that get you those results, which is every minute, every second counts in these games here,” Fack said. “They’re ready to go and focused and locked in. They’ve gotten the results.”

The Tigers will continue to be tested when they kick off against Benet (20-4) on Friday. The Redwings advanced past Peoria Notre Dame with a 1-0 overtime and will make their third trip to state since 2019. Benet won the Class 2A state title in 2019 and lost in the title match last season.

The Redwings enter Friday’s match with 17 shutouts and average 0.65 goals allowed per match. Goalkeeper Shannon Clark will play collegiately at Denver while three more Benet players will play collegiately.

Fack said Central won’t change its approach from what it’s done all season. She just wants to see a continued improvement in each match as the Tigers prepare to take the final step of what Fack thought this group could do three years ago.

“All we can do at this point is do what we’ve been doing and play the way we know how to play,” Fack said. “I think it’s more getting that mental piece during the playoffs because every team is here for a reason. It’s who’s going to want it more.”

• Freelance reporter Tim Froehlig contributed to this report.