Fremd drops Libertyville in sectional semifinal

PALATINE — After the Libertyville boys soccer team beat Mundelein in a Class 3A regional final Friday, Wildcats coach Andy Bitta was not in a celebratory mood.

Unhappy with his team’s offensive play, Bitta said the No. 2-seeded Wildcats needed to net more goals than the one they scored against the Mustangs.

In Tuesday night’s Palatine Sectional semifinal against No. 3-seeded Fremd, Libertyville (14-4) controlled possession for most of the first half. But it couldn’t score and when the Vikings netted a goal early in the second half, the Wildcats were unable to answer.

After a 1-0 victory, it will be Fremd (17-5-1) advancing to Friday’s sectional final against Highland Park.

“I thought we were the better team. We played really well, one of our better games of the year,” Bitta said. “But we didn’t show it on the scoreboard. That’s what gets you.”

The second game at Palatine on Tuesday was a much more physical contest than the first, a 1-0 Highland Park victory over Buffalo Grove. A clean first half on both sides flipped in the second, when numerous collisions forced bodies to the ground. Three times Libertyville was given yellow cards. The second card, coming with 15:15 remaining in the game, nullified a goal from sophomore midfielder Cam Fragassi.

“It shouldn’t have been called,” Fragassi said of the foul that occurred from 20 yards outside the Fremd goal. “We were the better team but they finished.”

If the goal stood, it would have tied the game because the Vikings netted the game’s lone score 22 minutes earlier.

One of the area’s most athletic teams, Fremd thrives on pushing the pace and putting pressure on defenses. That’s what senior midfielder Zach Schoffstall was doing when he played a ball into the left corner of the Wildcats’ back third with 38 minutes remaining in the second half. When a Libertyville defender gained possession and tried to clear the ball, Vikings senior forward Ben Poder was waiting.

“I was right there, ready for the play,” said Poder, who intercepted the clear attempt in the middle of the field, just in front of the Wildcats’ goal box. “I just tapped it into the left corner.”

Libertyville goalkeeper Sam Muchmore made a play on the ball, but Poder’s right-footed shot rolled past him and into the back of the net for a 1-0 Fremd lead.

One loss should not erase a standout season from seniors Muchmore (six shutouts), and defender Ryan Pacholski, as well as junior defenders Kyle Robson, Tucker Goebeler and forward Kevin Reilly.

“Wonderful kids,” Fragassi said of his teammates. “Everybody works for each other. I’m proud of how far we’ve gone. I believe we should have gone further.”

Bitta added: “A great group of kids. That’s when it hurts so much as they were such a fun group to work with. We probably won the scoresheet, but didn’t win the scoreboard. That’s what it comes down to.”