HINSDALE — On the same day Hinsdale Central’s girls tennis team was crowned state champion, the boys soccer squad collected some hardware of its own.
The Red Devils won their own Class 3A regional final Saturday by beating Young 3-1. It was the latest achievement for a team which had secured its third straight West Suburban Silver title. The Devils led wire to wire, riding the efforts of senior midfielder Jack Baderman (5-7, 140), who had two goals and an assist.
For much of the first half, Hinsdale Central controlled the ball but had no success getting the ball past Young goalkeeper Jesus Velasco. Finally, with 16:59 left in the half, the lefty shooting Baderman struck to the upper right corner to snap the scoreless deadlock.
“We always come out and we try to put pressure on as soon as we can,” Baderman said. “We had a couple chances in the first couple minutes, couldn’t really execute, but we just kept going at them.”
Baderman’s next act was setting up an insurance goal. With 12:53 remaining in the half, he struck a corner kick that senior defender Will McGowen converted for a two-goal cushion.
However, Young would not go down easy. In the second half, the Devils were called for a handball in the box and senior midfielder Jaime Alonso converted the penalty kick past a diving Wes Bergevin.
“After they scored the PK, it kind of put us back a little bit,” Bergevin said. “It was definitely a good shot.”
Young put Liam McDonald in the nets after intermission for Velasco and he denied Red Devil shooters on multiple occasions.
But Baderman scored again with 15:15 remaining, finding the bottom right corner. Young went without a serious threat the rest of the way.
“[Baderman’s] come up big in some pretty big moments for sure,” Wiggins said. “For him to set the tone tonight, start it and finish it off, that was exciting to see for him. He’s certainly playing at a high level right now.”
Hinsdale Central sophomore midfielder Jeremy Yi left in the second half after suffering a cut on his forehead during a collision going for a head ball.
Hinsdale Central will meet Lyons at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday in Western Springs in the sectional semifinals.
