Boys soccer – Class 3A Guilford Regional final: Early goal powers DeKalb into sectional

ROCKFORD – DeKalb goalkeeper Matt Haeseker probably felt a surge of relief as the whistle blew.

In a tense and rain-soaked game that saw both the Barbs and Hononegah Indians generate their share of chances, Haeseker was the better – or maybe just more fortunate – keeper as DeKalb won, 1-0, in the championship match of the Class 3A Guilford Regional.

“He was the first kid I hugged,” coach PJ Hamilton said. “When Matt plays at this level, I mean, hats off to this kid. He’s waited for a moment like this. He played at the JV level as a junior knowing that he was behind a kid last year. And for a kid that has waited and waited and paid his dues to put on a performance like this … what can you say?”

The Barbs advance to the DeKalb Sectional and will face Jacobs on Wednesday.

The Indians were forced to play from behind early thanks to the play of Barbs senior TJ Vilet, whose goal only 7 minutes into the first half placed pressure on Hononegah for the remaining time.

“It’s playing from a deficit,” Indians head coach Nic Haab said. “We have to pick up the intensity, pick up the pressure, which I feel like we did.”

Vilet’s goal was more than a winner; it was DeKalb at their most cohesive. A through ball to winger Julian Garcia became a cross into the box, which bounced to the feet of Vilet.

“I was like, ‘I just scored!’ ” Vilet said. “I just went crazy, and all my teammates just swarmed me.”

A senior, Vilet missed a lot of playing time this season because of injury, but stepped up in this game, creating an instant film-worthy moment.

“We talked about how important the first goal was,” Hamilton said. “And for a kid that’s had a struggling senior season, was just trying to get healthy and finding ways to get out on the pitch, I couldn’t be happier for him.”

Hononegah’s offense certainly did its best to level the score, forcing Haeseker to make seven saves throughout the match. And as the Indians’ pressure increased, so did the rain, turning a deadlocked game into a game of speed and chaos.

“It affects both sides,” Haab said. “We’ve played in bad conditions, especially in the past couple of weeks, so it didn’t get to us too much. It’s a tough group of kids that I have. I think no matter, rain or shine, we’re going to give it everything we got.”

The last five minutes certainly were an exercise in dealing with pressure, as Hononegah’s desperate attempts to tie the match ramped up to a new level. Haeseker’s final save was perhaps his most nerve-wracking one: a close-range reaction to deny Hononegah with less than a minute to play.

When the whistle blew, shouts of relief came up from DeKalb players across the field.

“We knew we had a team that can compete at a high level,” Hamilton said. “We’re going to enjoy this moment. I know there’s probably plenty of things that we can fix, but at this point, we’re going to celebrate.”

By the numbers: Despite Hononegah's high pressure attack, DeKalb had the same number of shots on goal (seven) and corner kicks (four). Indians goalkeeper Jacob Bergstrom made only one fewer save than Haeseker.

What's next: DeKalb plays Jacobs, which won the Harlem Regional, 2-0, over Elgin, at 4 p.m. Wednesday.

They said it: Vilet on how the Barbs led from the front: "I just think it's hard work and grit. That's all it is. We had to defend as a unit, and we just did. We like to get in people's faces, get in their head for sure."

Beyond the box score: The Barbs almost gave the game away midway through the second half when a miscommunication led to Haeseker clearing the ball, only it to be blocked by Hononegah inside the box. In the resulting scramble, the Indians couldn't find a good shot and DeKalb managed to clear it.