Peotone downs Herscher 2-1 in emotional sectional semifinal clash

COAL CITY − The postseason atmosphere was palpable in Saturday’s IHSA Class 1A Coal City Sectional semifinal between Peotone and Herscher.

Emotions ran high on the field all game, and with the teams tied 1-1 at halftime and remaining deadlocked as the second half continued to wind down, the stakes kept getting higher.

Then with about 15 minutes to go, Peotone got a break that helped push them over the top. Herscher’s Leia Haubner was handed a red card, forcing the Tigers to play shorthanded and without the sophomore defender who had been a vital piece for the Tigers throughout the season.

A few short minutes later, Blue Devil forward Allie Werner collected a pass from Peyton Bisping and sent it into the far side of the net, putting Peotone up 2-1 with 12:35 to go. The score held up, putting the Blue Devils into Tuesday’s sectional championship and allowing them to avenge a 6-5 loss to Herscher back on May 6.

“Last time we played Herscher earlier in the year we fell short by one goal, and we knew we wanted to come back and come out on top, especially knowing it could be our last game,” Werner said. “We played how we know how to play and we got an extra goal to finish. Then we just had to play defense and be smart of how we played at the end to keep our lead.”

Peotone got the scoring started in the first half when a Kate Cuthbertson corner kick was directed into the goal by Nayeli Horta with 26:21 to go in the half. Herscher knotted it up just under 10 before the half when Sophie Venckauskas scored on an assist from Gianni Jaime.

After the red card, goalkeeper Danica Woods moved up to fill Haubner’s spot on defense. Addie Wilkins came in at keeper and had Werner’s winning goal go just by her out fingertips as she lunged to her left.

Playing shorthanded is of course tough on a team, but Herscher coach Christopher Longtin said he still felt they had a chance to tie things back up late. Jaime was also lost to a red card, but with just 10 seconds left in the game and the ball heading in the wrong direction for the Tigers, there was little left that could be done.

“We’ve played when down before, we’ve won down before,” Longtin said. “We just adjust a little bit, and if we can still work the ball it’s not too bad. Two down, that’s a little more of a hole to dig out of. But that happens. Emotions get high and things come across.”

Herscher managed to get out on the attack a handful of times after Werner’s go-ahead goal, but never quite had those chances materialize.

Longtin and assistant Alan High spent time consoling their players after the game. Longtin said it was tough sendoff for a group that had secured the team’s ninth straight regional title earlier in the week and had its sights set on more.

“It is tough to give a message that is going to even put forth what is in my heart towards those girls,” he said. “The words don’t necessarily come easy. I told them it was an honor, for the seniors, having them on the field with me. And for the ladies that are coming back, we’ve got some things to work for.”

The win for Peotone was the latest in a stretch where the Blue Devils have been red hot. After a 1-5 start to the season, they went 9-1-1 to close out the regular season before picking up a 2-0 win over Joliet Catholic on Wednesday, giving the team its fourth regional title in a row.

“We started pretty terribly,” Peotone coach Ryan Murray said. “But with a lot of work, learning how to utilize each other and learning formations, we were able to come back... We knew coming into this game what we needed to do as a team.”

Their matchup with Chicago University in Tuesday’s sectional title game will be a rematch of last season’s sectional championship, which Chicago University took 3-1.

“We have just as talented a team this year,” Murray. “If we play our game at the highest level, which we’ve been doing, we’re going to compete for it.”